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The ship that caused the bridge collapse had apparent electrical issues while still docked, an AP source says

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has initiated a criminal investigation into the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last month. This probe will examine if the crew of the Singapore-based cargo ship knew about system malfunctions before leaving port, potentially breaching federal maritime regulations. The incident, which occurred on March 26, resulted in the deaths of six repair crew members and disrupted operations at the Port of Baltimore.

In a related development, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announced yesterday that the city is taking legal steps against the ship's owner, charterer, operator, and manufacturer. This move by the FBI is distinct from the ongoing investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, specifically looking into the ship’s electrical power system. Additionally, lawyers representing three construction workers affected are seeking legal redress.

Following the collapse, the ship's owners sought to limit their financial liability through a court petition, leveraging a maritime law that dates back 173 years to influence the financial outcomes related to the incident potentially.

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"Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed sentenced to 18 months in prison over deadly 2021 shooting

Yesterday, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer responsible for weapons on the set of "Rust," received an 18-month prison sentence for the shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021.

The 27-year-old was convicted of involuntary manslaughter by a New Mexico jury in March after she mistakenly loaded a live round into a prop gun. During a rehearsal, Alec Baldwin, the movie’s star and co-producer, discharged the firearm, resulting in the death of 42-year-old Hutchins. Baldwin, aged 66, is also facing charges of involuntary manslaughter, to which he has entered a plea of not guilty, with his trial scheduled for July 10.

Gutierrez-Reed's legal team announced plans to appeal the decision. They contended that she was not afforded adequate time to inspect the firearm and asserted that Baldwin handled the prop carelessly. The prosecution maintained that Gutierrez-Reed did not fully accept responsibility for her actions, citing her conversations recorded while she was in jail over the past month.

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Tesla lays off ‘more than 10%’ of its global workforce

Tesla is set to initiate its first significant round of layoffs in more than a year, planning to cut over 14,000 employees, which accounts for more than 10% of its global workforce. This decision was revealed in an internal memo this week. The move comes as Tesla faces a slowdown in electric vehicle sales, challenged by decreasing demand and growing competition from Chinese automakers. Following the announcement, Tesla's stock price dropped by over 5%.

CEO Elon Musk described the layoffs as a necessary cost-reduction step as the company gears up for a new growth phase. Concurrently, Tesla saw the departure of two high-ranking officials: Drew Baglino, an engineering executive, and Rohan Patel, who headed policy and outreach.

This organizational reshuffle follows a report earlier this month indicating Tesla's first annual decline in quarterly sales since 2020, a period during which China’s BYD momentarily surpassed Tesla in global battery electric vehicle sales. In January, Musk had hinted at launching a new, more affordable $25K model to compete with rivals like BYD, but recent reports suggest this project has been shelved. Instead, Musk is focusing on launching a robotaxi fleet slated for release in August.

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