International News
Major Baltimore Bridge Collapses After Ship Collision
A major bridge in the US city of Baltimore collapsed early Tuesday after being struck by a container ship, sending multiple vehicles and people plunging into the frigid harbor below.
Dramatic footage showed a 300-meter vessel hitting the Francis Scott Key Bridge, bringing the steel-built structure crashing into the Patapsco River.
Lights from what appear to be vehicles could be seen on the road surface as the bridge warped and crashed in sections, with the third tranche cantilevering upwards before it, too, tumbled into the water.
As daylight broke over the search and rescue operation with divers in the water looking for survivors, the horrifying extent of the incident became apparent.
Twisted stanchions of steel lay draped over the deck of the ship, on which stacks of containers teetered precariously — adding a further dimension of danger to rescue and recovery work.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the incident was an “unthinkable tragedy,” adding “we have to be thinking about the families and people impacted, folks who we have to try to find.”
He described images of the collision as “like something out of an action movie.”
The footage appeared to show the ship going dark twice in the moments before the collision, possibly indicating some kind of power failure on board.
There was no immediate confirmation of the cause of the disaster, but Baltimore’s Police Commissioner Richard Worley said there was “no indication” of terrorism.
A huge emergency response swung into action after the collision, which happened around 1:30 am (0530 GMT), with first response vehicles crowding the shoreline.
Water temperatures were around 48 Fahrenheit (9 Celsius), narrowing the window of survivability.
Baltimore’s fire chief James Wallace said sonar had “detected the presence of vehicles” in the harbor, but declined to estimate how many.
One person was taken to hospital in “a very serious condition,” he said, adding a second person recovered from the water was uninjured.
“We may be looking for upwards of seven individuals,” he said.
– ‘Sound of thunder’ –
A man who identified himself as a former Baltimore fire department worker said he could see the bridge from his bedroom window.
“We were awakened by what appeared to be an earthquake and a long, rolling sound of thunder,” he told local media.
“I saw some emergency lights in the area and decided to drive up… what was in progress was a multi-jurisdictional response to a disaster.”
The 1.6-mile (2.6-kilometer), four-lane bridge spans the Patapsco River southwest of Baltimore.
It opened in 1977 and carries more
than 11 million vehicles a year, around 31,000 a day.
It is a major part of the road network around Baltimore, an industrial city on the US East Coast next to the capital Washington.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency, a move that will ease the release of federal resources.
Shipping giant Maersk said the “DALI,” which was en route from Baltimore to Colombo in Sri Lanka, was being operated by charter vessel company Synergy Group, and carrying cargo belonging to Maersk customers.
“We are horrified by what has happened in Baltimore, and our thoughts are with all of those affected,” a Maersk statement said.
“We are closely following the investigations conducted by authorities and Synergy, and we will do our utmost to keep our customers informed.”
All crew, as well as pilots — the specialized mariners who navigate vessels around port areas — have been accounted with no reports of any injuries, Synergy said.
“Rescue efforts remain underway and drivers in the Baltimore area should follow local responder guidance on detours and response,” US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said on social media.
Baltimore is home to one of the busiest ports in the United States, handling around $80 billion worth of cargo last year, including a large volume of vehicles.
If the bridge’s collapse hampers access to the Port of Baltimore, it could have a significant economic impact.
International News
Nottingham Forest Sacks 5th Manager In 10 Months, To Wrap Up Oliver Glasner’s Deal
Oliver Glasner is in advanced talks to replace Vitor Pereira as Nottingham Forest head coach, a move which would see the Austrian become the club’s fifth manager in less than a year.
Pereira announced his departure from the club in a statement on Wednesday, saying that it came as a “complete surprise to me and without any warning”.
Glasner is a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace — where he won the FA Cup in 2024-25 and then the Community Shield and Conference League the following campaign — and is set to stay in the Premier League.
The 51-year-old confirmed in January that he would leave Palace at the end of the season after two years in charge.
On Thursday, Forest confirmed Pereira’s coaching staff Filipe Almeida, Luis Miguel, Bruno Moura, Marco Knoop and Pedro Lopes had all left the club alongside the head coach.
Pereira, 57, was appointed Forest head coach in February on an 18-month contract which runs until 2027.
The Athletic reported in May Forest had been planning to show their faith in Pereira by handing the head coach a new long-term contract, but those talks were subsequently put on hold.
“Today marks the end of my journey as head coach of Nottingham Forest,” he said in his statement.
“I want to say a sincere thank you to everyone connected with this incredible football club. Although this decision came as a complete surprise to me and without any warning, I fully respect the club’s right to make the decisions it believes are best for its future.
“Naturally, I am disappointed and saddened. I truly believed in what we were building together, and I leave with a sense of pride in everything we achieved over the past months.
“Together, we enjoyed a memorable end to the season. We secured the club’s Premier League status, reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, and created moments that will stay with me forever. Most importantly, I saw a group of players grow in confidence, belief and togetherness.
“I leave Nottingham Forest with no bitterness or resentment—only respect, gratitude and wonderful memories. Football is full of unexpected moments, and while this chapter has ended sooner than I expected, I will always look back on my time here with pride and affection.”
The Portuguese succeeded Sean Dyche and was Forest’s fourth permanent boss of the season following the departures of Nuno Espirito Santo and Ange Postecoglou.
Nuno had led Forest to Europa League qualification the previous season but he departed in September, less than three months after signing a new deal. Postecoglou was appointed his replacement but was dismissed just 39 days later. Dyche took charge of the team in October before his dismissal in February.
Forest were three points above the relegation zone when Pereira was appointed and he subsequently steered his side to Premier League safety with two games of the campaign remaining.
His appointment marked his second managerial spell in the Premier League after guiding Wolverhampton Wanderers to safety during the 2024-25 campaign.
Cristiano Ronaldo has publicly countered suggestions from his sister, Katia Aveiro, that he intends to retire from international football following the World Cup.
The Portuguese legend recently led his team to the round of 16 following a 2-1 victory over Croatia.
Ronaldo continued to be a pivotal player for his country, having scored the equalising goal from the penalty spot after going one goal down in the second half.
Following his goal, he became the oldest player to score in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
Reports from Portuguese media had quoted Aveiro stating that the current tournament would be Ronaldo’s final appearance for the national team.
Before the recent match against Croatia, Aveiro was quoted as saying, “From the information I have, from a reliable source, I believe that this is the last dance, so let’s enjoy it. I strongly believe this is the farewell.”
However, the football icon has made it clear that his focus remains solely on the present, not on his future.
“My future isn’t important right now,” Ronaldo stated. “I’ll have time; after winning or losing, I’ll talk to my family and then make the best decision.”
The legendary forward, who recently secured a trophy in Saudi Arabia, holds the record for both appearances and goals for his national team, with 146 goals in 232 caps.
The UEFA Appeals Body has announced that Czech club Karvina is banned from participating in next season’s Europa League. UEFA made the decision based on competition regulations, ruling that Karvina “directly or indirectly participated in activities aimed at manipulating or influencing the results of domestic matches,” as stated in the official resolution.
As a result of this decision, Karvina’s spot as domestic cup winner will be taken by Viktoria Plzeň, with Viktoria Plzeň’s second qualifying round spot going to Hradec Králové. Jablonec will fill the vacant Conference League spot originally held by Hradec Králové.
In the Europa League, Hradec Králové will face Tromsø. In the Conference League, Jablonec will face Varaždin.
Viktoria Plzeň will learn their opponent in the Europa League playoff draw on Monday, August 3.
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