Weekly News Blast | Mar 24 - 31

a picture of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimor

A ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, blocking operations at the port (William F. Yurasko, Flickr)

The Complex Issue of the Collapse of the Baltimore Bridge

Early Tuesday morning, a cargo ship collided with the support beams of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore after losing power, almost immediately collapsing the bridge. While the crew of the cargo ship communicated the loss of power and control to local authorities, allowing police to prevent any car or foot traffic from entering the bridge, a crew of eight workers laboring on the structure was still caught up in the accident. While two workers survived, and the bodies of two other workers have been found, four other individuals, who are at this point presumed to be dead, have not been located.

The collapse of the bridge has not only caused widespread grief but has also brought a significant economic strain to the region as the boat wreckage has blocked boat traffic within the port, hindering the port’s function as only small boats can maneuver through the wreckage. Roughly 15,000 individuals who work at the port have been directly affected by the diverted commercial traffic, and roughly 140,000 jobs will be indirectly affected, as the port, which processes a large number of cars, trucks, and agricultural equipment, will likely be unable to operate at full capacity for the near future.

Kate Middleton’s Cancer Diagnosis Leads to Uncertainty for the British Royal Family

The Princess of Wales recently revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer, and is undergoing chemotherapy. This follows a lengthy absence from the public eye as she recovered from an unspecified abdominal surgery. However, Princess Kate is not the only member of the family who has been forced to resign from public interaction due to health issues, as only a month prior, King Charles III was also announced to be battling an unspecified cancer. Both members of the royal family are receiving treatment, however, them both receiving treatment and undergoing surgery at the same time has placed a strain on the family, as the family not only privately struggles with the presence of illness within their family but also publicly struggles with the absence of certain members of the Royal Family at public events.

The Princess has received outpourings of support from citizens and leaders across the world and has shared her gratitude for such support during this time. She has revealed that her cancer is in the early stages and that her doctors have prescribed “preventative” treatment, but health professionals both in the UK and abroad have speculated that this was simply an error in wording by the princess and that she is instead undergoing treatment to limit any further development of cancerous growth.

Pope Francis Calls for Peace During Easter Mass Among Health Concerns

At the annual Easter Sunday Mass at St Peter’s Square, Pope Francis not only presented a healthier version of himself, as he has battled months of respiratory illness in recent history, but also made public arguments for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Pope has had numerous health issues over the years but has specifically struggled throughout his life with respiratory illnesses. The Pope, who had a portion of his lung removed as a young man, has been plagued with frequent bronchitis, colds, and a flu-like cough for the past few months, leaving many to wonder if he would be physically able to preside over the holiday’s religious festivities. Only furthering this concern for many onlookers on Sunday morning was the fact that the Pope stood over St Peter’s Square for several minutes before beginning his message, leaving many to wonder if he had been rendered unable to speak due to his afflictions, or worse yet if he was experiencing a more serious emergency.

Despite the concerns for his health, the Pope delivered an address to 30,000 people in which he not only called for a cease-fire in Gaza but also the release of hostages and the exchange of prisoners between Russia and Ukraine. The entirety of the address focused on an anti-war sentiment, as per the tradition “Urbi et Orbi,” which has traditionally served as a way of recognizing threats to humanity. The Pope remarked that he supported the end of both wars and called for the enforcement of international law prohibiting the atrocities commonly cited in the news for both events.