what this is bbc news, the headlines: six people are still missing after a cargo ship ploughs into a bridge in baltimore — causing it to collapse. this is the moment the lights went out on the dali sending it into the bridge�*s path. two people have been rescued — one is still in hospital — as the authorities continue to search the water. we're expecting to hear from president biden shortly. we will go live to the white house as soon as we see

we will go live to the white house as soon as we se— we will go live to the white house as soon as we se time for a look at the business news now. a major bridge in the us city of baltimore has collapsed after a container ship crashed into it. the bridge plunged into the water at around 01:30am local time along with vehicles and people. a huge search operation is under way for at least seven missing people, and the ship is now wedged into debris from the francis scott key bridge. i spoke to a professor from the university of maryland and he knows it well. this is the largest east coast port, the east coast has many more people than the west coast,

the major north, north and south artery, it goes right under the harbour. major distributors like amazon have got their warehouses there. this is as close as we get to the suez canal. unlike the suez canal, the workaround is more convenient, and they can be used but there is no place on the east coast that can take this kind of cargo, and some of it could end up going to los angeles, to long beach, and being taken across the country so this is a major deal. it really is a very big issue. it adds time and cost to those deliveries, of course. 850,000 cars went through the port in 2023, the most of any us port. also sugar and coffee and it exports coal, so this is an important part of us infrastructure. absolutely. a critical part. it exemplifies why modern logistics is great at optimising things in terms of cost but not in terms of risk. we don't have a back—up to all

of this and that is a problem. withjust—in—time inventories i can see manufacturers in pennsylvania, southern new york, newjersey, down to virginia, not having some components and having to delay production. so this is a real problem. some 10,000 cargo containers on that ship, we understand. everything comes through here. everything. whether it is automobiles or toothbrushes, if you can buy it on amazon, it comes through this port. it really underlines the significance. just a word on what it tells us about us infrastructure right now. we know recently investment in infrastructure has been criticised as being lower than what is needed. it is early days in terms of the bridge but it speaks to a bigger debate around investment

in us infrastructure. in actuality, the roadways through and under the port of baltimore have back up and contingencies. this was one of the more developed areas. if you go to international rankings of the competitiveness of economies, we come up pretty well on infrastructure, by independent authorities, but if you ask people domestically, they say, "it is terrible." the people who do the ratings are people who are in the infrastructure business. that does not mean that the infrastructure does not need improvement, the rail system is slow, for example, but we are not dealing with a third world country. it's a problem of a continental economy and it is expensive to keep it up but i do not know if this exemplifies that problem. there is a lot of back—ups around the port of baltimore. a final thought in terms of how long

this road and the port might be out of action. 21 vessels stuck in the port right now, and if it is out of action for a significant period of time, what are the implications? basically, we are going to have much higher costs for domestic transportation. as more stuff coming through the port of long beach. remember, a lot of the things come from asia, despite the longer shipping route, it is easier to take them via truck from here to new york. the north—east market is bigger than most european countries, if not all of them. it is a problem in that regard. in terms of timing, it is a very, very deep part of the river. hauling all of the trash out of there is going to take some considerable time. it is not going to be quick,

reopening the port of baltimore, we are talking about months, not weeks. we are keeping a close eye on the white house were president biden will be addressing events in baltimore this morning. —— where president biden. in other news.... the long awaited moment will inject more than $200 million into the donald trump media and technology group and it hands him a stake that is worth more than $5 billion. that is quite a windfall for president trump. it that is quite a windfall for president trump.- that is quite a windfall for president trump. it is quite astonishing _ president trump. it is quite astonishing when _ president trump. it is quite astonishing when this - president trump. it is quite astonishing when this is - president trump. it is quite astonishing when this is a l president trump. it is quite - astonishing when this is a company that has scant revenue and has not

yet turned a profit, but on its first day of trading, shares currently up about a0%, but the windfall will not land in the pockets of donald trump immediately, in part because he is unable to sell those shares for six months, a standard thing, nothing unusual, and he could seek a waiver from the board of directors, and a lot of attention has been paid recently to his net worth, given that as of monday he was due to come up with a bond, but that figure has been reduced. it is an interesting time for donald trump. he has been trying to raise more money for his campaign fund so they went for it is very timely indeed.— fund so they went for it is very timely indeed. fund so they went for it is very timel indeed. , . timely indeed. remind us what the firm is because _ timely indeed. remind us what the firm is because a _ timely indeed. remind us what the firm is because a lot _ timely indeed. remind us what the firm is because a lot of _ timely indeed. remind us what the firm is because a lot of people - timely indeed. remind us what the firm is because a lot of people will| firm is because a lot of people will not be familiar with truth social. it is part of donald trump's media and technology group and the company

within that use trigger social, a social media platform that was set “p social media platform that was set up in the wake of donald trump being kicked off other social media platforms like facebook or twitter at the time —— the company within that was truth social. truth social has emerged from this and has been popular as we have seen with investors, many of whom are treating it like a mean stock, and this means, when you have social media people who are flocking to buy shares in a company not necessarily based on traditional financial metrics, popular amongst wall street analysts but more based on sentiment and that is what we are seeing here. it is a chance to put your money where your mouth is in terms of supporting donald trump and that reflects some of the performance we are seeing in the share price.

michelle, in new york, thanks for joining us. those are the top business stories. this is bbc news.

more on our top story now, and the mayor of baltimore has described the collapse of the francis scott key bridge in the city as "an unthinkable tragedy". six people are still missing, after a container ship hit the bridge. two people have been rescued — one of them is in a critical condition. we are going to hearfrom president biden any moment now. he will be making remarks about what has happened with the collapse of that bridge in baltimore. he has made clear that federalfunds bridge in baltimore. he has made clear that federal funds will be made available to the authorities in maryland to help with the search and

rescue mission and also the aftermath of the bridge collapse. this is the moment of the collision. you can see the cargo ship hitting a column of the bridge on the left of the screen. a report — by a us infrastructure agency — says the ship lost propulsion, and that the crew did notify the authorities that they had lost control of their vessel. their ship — the dali — was leaving baltimore, en route for colombo in sri lanka. the authorities stopped traffic going onto the bridge after receiving the may day, preventing what could have been an even worse tragedy and a worst disaster. the

people unaccounted for our construction workers who were actually fixing potholes on the bridge at the time. for more on the structure of the bridge — we've been speaking to dr andrew barr, from shefield university's civil and structural engineering department. he told us more about how the bridge might have collapsed. it is part of a structure which you can see and the videos that we see are of the central part of a much larger bridge, but the central part is a truss structure. so that sort of lattice type structure you can see is a truss and that truss is continuous over those three spans of the bridge. so that's all basically acting as one structural piece. essentially what's happened is whenever that ship has crashed

into the pier of the bridge and damaged it, part of the bridge is now trying to span twice the distance it was previously. and so that's why the bridge has then started to fall. it looks quite shocking that the whole thing then... so the damage propagates along the bridge and it all collapses in one go. in normal operation, the way this bridge works is actually beneficial because the continuous nature of the truss means that it can share the load between the different spans. it makes means you can build a much more efficient bridge, essentially a longer spanning bridge. the downside is then, if you lose a key piece of the structure, in this case, the pier, the bridge doesn't have the capacity then to support itself and you get that larger failure. we've been talking a lot about whether this shows any issues with the bridge structure itself.

i'd say that this failure is what you'd expect from this type of bridge. and it is down to just the ship coming in and hitting it. such a large impact from the ship. it has been maintained in the way you would imagine? nothing i can see from the video is unusual in the way it collapses. nothing here that would suggest an issue with the structure or the maintenance. 0ne unusual aspect perhaps of this bridge is that the ship can come into contact with that pier. many modern, more modern bridges will have additional structures to help prevent a collision like this happening in the first place. you might have additional structures placed around the bridge

that would intercept that ship collision before it actually reaches the bridge, which doesn't seem to be the case here. this is the scene at the white house where we are waiting for president biden who will make some remarks about what happened in baltimore. he convened senior members of his team at the white house for a briefing on what happened with the bridge and also on the response to the collapse of the bridge from federal resources. the president directed his team to make sure that all resources are available to assist in the search and rescue effort and the response to what happened. the search and rescue mission is very much still continuing. six people still missing and we understand they are construction workers who were fixing potholes on the bridge when the bridge was hit by that cargo vessel. what we know is, the ship

was bound for sri lanka and it had a singapore flag, actually, it had lost propulsion and it headed towards one of the columns of the bridge. we now have president biden. sorry for keeping you waiting. good afternoon. before i leave for north carolina i want to speak briefly about the terrible incident and accident that happened in baltimore this morning. at about 130 container ship struck the francis scott key bridge which has been a bridge i have been over many many times. i have been over many many times. i have been over many many times. i have been to a baltimore harbour many times. the bridge collapsed, sending several vehicles into the water, and a baltimore us coast guard units which were stationed nearby were immediately deployed along with emergency personnel. the coastguard is leading the response

and they had representatives from the highway administration, the fbi, the highway administration, the fbi, the army corps of engineers, and also maryland officials from police and fire, working together to coordinate the emergency response. 0fficials estimate eight people are unaccounted for, and the number might change because a couple have been rescued, one without injury, one in critical condition, and the search and rescue operation has continued for those remaining, as we speak. i spoke with the governor this morning and the mayor of baltimore and the county executive and the us senators and congressmen. i told them we are going to sound all the federal resources they need as we respond to this emergency —— we are going to send. we will rebuild that put together. everything so far indicates that this was a terrible accident, and we have no other indication and reason

to believe there is any intentional act, and the personnel on board the ship were able to alert the maryland port that they had lost control of their vessel, and as a result local authorities were able to close the bridge to traffic before the bridge was struck. which undoubtedly saved lives. our prayers are with everyone involved in this terrible accident and all the families, especially those waiting for news of their loved one right now. i know every minute in that circumstance feels like a lifetime. it is just terrible. we are incredibly grateful for the brave rescuers who rushed to the scene and to the people of baltimore, i want to say we are with me when we are going to stay with you as long as it takes. as the governor said, you are maryland to have baltimore strong and we are going to get through this together and i promise we are not leaving. the search and rescue operation is the top priority —— maryland tough.

we will need to clear the channel before the ship traffic can start again. the army corps of engineers is on the spot and will help lead this effort to clear the channel. the port of baltimore is one of the largest shipping hubs of the nation and i have been there a number of times as a senator and the vice president. it handles a record amount of cargo and it is also the top port in america for imports and exports of automobiles and around 850,000 vehicles go through that port every single year. we will get it up and running again as soon as possible. 15,000 jobs depend on that port. we will do everything we can to protect those jobs and help those workers. the bridge is also critical for travel and notjust workers. the bridge is also critical for travel and not just for baltimore but for the northeast corridor, and over 30,000 vehicles across the francis scott key bridge on a daily basis, it is one of the most important elements for the

economy in the north—east will top and the quality of life. the transportation secretary is there now and i'm directing my team to move heaven and earth to reopen the port and rebuild the bridge as soon as is humanly possible. we will work hand in hand with the support of maryland to support them, whatever they are snug but we work with our partners in congress to make sure the state gets the support they need —— whatever they are, and we will work. i expect congress to support my effort to rebuild the bridge and it will take some time and the people of baltimore can count on us to stick with them at every step of the way. until the boat is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt. we are not leaving until thejob and the bridge is rebuilt. we are not leaving until the job is and the bridge is rebuilt. we are not leaving until thejob is done. not leaving until then. i just not leaving until thejob is done. not leaving until then. ijust want to say, god bless everybody, everybody harms this morning and theirfamilies, and may god bless theirfamilies, and may god bless the first responders, many of whom

are risking their lives, and the reason i'm not going to take any questions, we have got to determine what is going to happen in terms of the rescue mission and the like. do ou the rescue mission and the like. do you plan to go to baltimore? yes, | the rescue mission and the like. do i you plan to go to baltimore? yes, as cuickl as you plan to go to baltimore? yes, as quickly as i — you plan to go to baltimore? yes, as quickly as i can- _ you plan to go to baltimore? yes, as quickly as i can. this _ you plan to go to baltimore? yes, as quickly as i can. this was _ you plan to go to baltimore? yes, as quickly as i can. this was a _ you plan to go to baltimore? yes, as quickly as i can. this was a shape - quickly as i can. this was a shape that appears _ quickly as i can. this was a shape that appears to — quickly as i can. this was a shape that appears to be _ quickly as i can. this was a shape that appears to be at _ quickly as i can. this was a shape that appears to be at fault, - quickly as i can. this was a shape that appears to be at fault, is - that appears to be at fault, is there — that appears to be at fault, is there any— that appears to be at fault, is there any reason _ that appears to be at fault, is there any reason to _ that appears to be at fault, is there any reason to believe . that appears to be at fault, is i there any reason to believe the comparry— there any reason to believe the company should _ there any reason to believe the company should not _ there any reason to believe the company should not be - there any reason to believe the company should not be held i company should not be held responsible? _ company should not be held responsible? ililie— company should not be held responsible?— company should not be held responsible? company should not be held resonsible? ~ ., ., ., ., responsible? we are going to pay for it to net responsible? we are going to pay for it to get the — responsible? we are going to pay for it to get the bridge _ responsible? we are going to pay for it to get the bridge rebuild _ responsible? we are going to pay for it to get the bridge rebuild and - it to get the bridge rebuild and open. it to get the bridge rebuild and oen. ~ . it to get the bridge rebuild and oen. . ., ., it to get the bridge rebuild and oen.~ ., . it to get the bridge rebuild and oen. ~ ., . , ., ., it to get the bridge rebuild and oenr ., . ., ., open. what about the decision to not attend the meeting _ open. what about the decision to not attend the meeting this _ open. what about the decision to not attend the meeting this way? - open. what about the decision to not attend the meeting this way? we - open. what about the decision to not l attend the meeting this way? we have len of attend the meeting this way? we have plenty of time — attend the meeting this way? we have plenty of time to _ attend the meeting this way? we have plenty of time to talk— attend the meeting this way? we have plenty of time to talk about _ attend the meeting this way? we have plenty of time to talk about that. - plenty of time to talk about that. about the port... plenty of time to talk about that. about the port. . ._ about the port... inaudible president — about the port. . . inaudible president biden _ about the port. . . inaudible president biden leaving - about the port... inaudible| president biden leaving after about the port... inaudible - president biden leaving after the remarks about the collapse of the bridge and you heard him say that

the federal government is going to pay the entire cost of rebuilding that bridge in baltimore and he stressed its economic importance and how the port handles 850,000 vehicles that go through there every year 15,000 jobs depend on the port and on the bridge and he said we are going to move heaven and earth to get that bridge rebuilt as soon as possible and we are not leaving until the job possible and we are not leaving until thejob is done, he said. the federal government will pay for the entirety of the reconstruction of that bridge. he also talked about it as a terrible accident and the president said he had been over the bridge himself many times and that officials had been working together in the aftermath of the tragedy and he said the search and rescue mission is continuing and he recaptured some of the information we have heard from the local authorities, that eight people were thrown into the water, six of them are still unaccounted for, one

unharmed and one in hospital. he said they will send the federal resources that are required to rebuild the port and there was no other reason to think it was anything other than a terrible accident. he said his thoughts and prayers went out to everybody who is involved in the search and rescue mission and the families of those people who are still missing and he said as a message to the people of baltimore, we are with you and we will stay with you. that was president biden with his remarks on the collapse of that bridge in baltimore. we have some news on politics. two government ministers have announced their resignations. it's a double blow to the prime minister rishi sunak.

robert halfon has quit as skills, apprenticeships and higher education minister, while outgoing mp james heappey has stepped down as armed forces minister. let's speak to our political correspondent peter saull. explain what this means and what the significance is for the prime minister and the government? james hi ie had minister and the government? james hippie had been _ minister and the government? james hippie had been expected _ minister and the government? i—ne" hippie had been expected really, he said he was going to stand down at the next general election, and he feels he has had enough and he wants to return to a quieter life than what he has here in westminster. robert halfon, a bit of a surprise, both of these individuals are very well respected within the conservative party and across parliament but robert halfon deciding the time is right for him to sit down as an mp and he has decided to date is the right time for him to stand down as education minister —— today. he was the chair

of the education select committee, very well liked across parliament, so a lot of experience last from the government there but both of them in their resignation letters making the right noises about the prime minister —— lost from the government. they are not trying to give the prime minister a bloody nose and we are expecting some new junior ministerial appointments to go in their places. interesting to note, the 97th and 98 mps to announce they are going to step down in time for the general election, whenever it might come. not out of the ordinary. if you look at 2010, 149 mp5 the ordinary. if you look at 2010, 149 mps stood down before that election, in 1997, it was around 117, so they precipitated changes of government in both of those elections and there is a school of thought that some conservatives are standing down because they may feel they are going to lose the general

election. both of those seats, they are facing challenges, the tories. you're watching bbc news. hello. over the next few days, mother nature is going to throw a bit of everything at us. a real mixed bag on the way, as we often say, from gusty winds, heavy showers, hail, thunder, some sunshine in between, too. and in fact, the satellite picture is already looking very dynamic. and if we look at this conveyor belt of cloud, that's actually the jet stream aloft and it's allowed the colder air to dig in from the northern climes. that's going to help to build those big shower clouds over the coming days. now, as far as the evening is concerned, rain will be sweeping into southern parts of the uk. in the north i think there'll be still some sunshine, late sunshine around across scotland, but cloudy generally speaking. and then through the course of this evening that rain

will be travelling northward. so most of us will get some rain, some of it will be heavy, particularly in the north and for example in northern ireland could be 30 or 40 millimetres of rain. so really quite soggy. and then by the end of the night that weather front is across scotland, it's cold and miserable here in the morning, 6:00, three degrees there in glasgow, snow across the mountaintops there. and then to the south of that, something a little bit drier temporarily before the next weather front sweeps in. see these speckles here in the rain? those are the showers carried by that increasingly strong wind out of the south west, already gale force around some of the coasts. so it's going to feel quite chilly, but the sun is strong this time of the year. so it will be coming between the clouds as well. then, if anything, on thursday, the winds will get even stronger as this low sweeps in so quite a few isobars there. strong winds to the south of that area of low pressure. and in fact, inland, we could be talking about 50mph gusts. that's pretty strong for this time of the year. gales around coasts, windy in the north, too. and again, those big shower clouds producing sudden downpours with hail and thunder, but sunshine

in between as well. and it will feel chilly in those heavy showers and the gusty winds. on friday, i think the winds are going to be a little lighter. still a noticeable breeze, though, but there'll be fewer showers around on good friday. how about the outlook into easter? again, that mixed bag continues. i think by the time we get to sunday, across most parts of the uk, there should be some dry weather with a bit of sunshine too. bye— bye.

live from london. this is bbc news. —— baltimore. i'm sumi somaskanda. six people are still missing after a cargo ship ploughs into a critical bridge, causing it to collapse. two people have been rescued, one is still in hospital, as the authorities continue to search the water. and i'm ben brown in london with the rest of the day's news, including... ..shares in the company behind donald trump's truth social soar as it debuts on the stock market. the head of the bbc�*s as the licence fee needs to be reformed to be more affordable for people on lower incomes. and brazilian winger viniciusjunior says viniciusjunior says he feels "less and less" like playing football because of the racist abuse he has suffered in spain. the head of the bbc�*s as the licence fee needs to be reformed to be more