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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaArizona pushes abortion to centre stage before US electionPublished4 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Donald Trump has said Arizona’s Supreme Court went “too far” by paving the way for a near-total ban on abortions in the state.By Anthony ZurcherNorth America correspondentThe Arizona Supreme Court on Tuesday pushed the abortion issue to centre stage in a state that could be pivotal in deciding who wins November’s US presidential election.It has prompted Democrats to go on the attack, and set many Republicans scrambling to align themselves more closely with the public sentiment.The court paved the way for a near-total ban on abortion, a law passed in 1864 when Arizona was still a US territory, to go into effect in the coming weeks if there is no further legal action. The law had been pre-empted for nearly a half-century, as a result of the 1973 US Supreme Court ruling in Roe v Wade that guaranteed a woman’s right to abortion. Two years ago, however, the US Supreme Court overturned that abortion precedent. This gave old bans like the one in Arizona – which became a state in 1912 – new life. The Arizona court decision prompted quick condemnation from the Biden administration as well as from local Democrats and pro-choice activists. “This ruling is a result of the extreme agenda of Republican elected officials who are committed to ripping away women’s freedom,” the president said in a statement provided by the White House.While anti-abortion groups heralded the decision, many Republicans have distanced themselves from the state court action, reflecting polls that suggest a majority of the public – in the US and in Arizona – favour abortion rights and oppose strict bans on the procedure.The party had largely opposed abortion before Roe was overturned, but is now grappling with the fallout from that decision. Kari Lake, the presumptive Republican nominee for an open Arizona Senate seat, provided a vivid illustration of the challenges and contradictions the abortion issue is presenting for conservative candidates.In a statement released on Tuesday, the former television news presenter condemned the court ruling and said that the 1864 law, which she had previously supported, was “out of step with Arizonans”. She said Arizona voters would have the chance to decide the abortion issue in the forthcoming ballot referendum – although she has said she is against its passage. Let states decide abortion rights, Trump saysArizona court reinstates abortion ban law from 1864 She called on the Democrat who beat her in 2022, Governor Katie Hobbs, to work with the Republican-controlled legislature to find a “common sense” solution – without spelling out what that would entail.On Monday, former President Donald Trump released a short video detailing his own shifting position, which included leaving the ultimate decision on legality to individual states. It was a message that Ms Lake echoed.”I wholeheartedly agree with President Trump,” she said. “This is a very personal issue that should be determined by each individual state and her people.”By Wednesday, Mr Trump himself had weighed in on the Arizona ruling, saying it had gone “too far”.While the Arizona Supreme Court left the door open to further legal challenges, if the 1864 ban goes into effect it could provide a stark illustration for voters of what individual states determining abortion policy can look like.Two weeks ago, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that the state’s six-week abortion ban could go into effect. This has fuelled speculation the issue could make the large state, which has trended toward Republican of late, a key presidential battleground.Now there’s a new ground zero in the national abortion fight.Arizona is already an electoral battleground. Joe Biden was the first Democrat in 24 years to win the state, with its 11 electoral votes, by a margin of about 10,000 votes. If he can repeat the feat there, it gives the president a path to victory even if he drops other closely contested states he won four years ago, like Wisconsin, Nevada and Georgia.The state’s Senate race, between Ms Lake and Democrat Ruben Gallego, will also help determine which party controls the upper chamber of Congress.With the abortion-rights referendum expected to appear on the November ballot, Democrats were already hoping the issue would help drive turnout from voters more inclined to support Mr Biden and the rest of the party’s slate of candidates. Similar abortion-rights measures have passed in every state that has put them to a vote, including Republican-dominated states like Kansas, Kentucky and Ohio. Democrats have campaigned aggressively on the abortion issue, and the connection is widely considered to have helped the party post better-than-expected results in the 2022 midterm congressional elections.In a March Fox News poll, 39% of Arizona voters said abortion would be “extremely important” in determining the presidential candidate they would support in November, and that those voters were much more likely to back Mr Biden.With the state court’s decision, the stakes have only been raised. November’s ballot measure could determine whether Arizona enshrines abortion rights in its constitution, or has a virtual ban on the procedure. It’s the kind of clear choice that Democrats will relish.Related TopicsAbortionUnited StatesArizonaMore on this storyDonald Trump says Arizona abortion ban goes too farPublished7 hours agoArizona court reinstates abortion ban law from 1864Published9 hours agoUS Supreme Court appears sceptical of abortion pill casePublished26 MarchTop StoriesBiden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fearsPublished3 hours agoMan charged over murder of mum pushing baby in pramPublished4 hours agoPressure grows to rethink rough sleeping clampdownPublished4 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: ‘Iron clad’ Biden support and ‘radical NHS plan’How gang violence gripped a tourist havenWhat is the minimum salary UK visa applicants need?Arizona pushes abortion to centre stage of 2024Local elections 2024: Is there an election in my area?The billionaire facing death over $44bn bank fraudAll you need to know for tonight’s Bafta Games AwardsThe Indian men traumatised by fighting for RussiaHow AI is helping to prevent future power cutsElsewhere on the BBCA man from 1979 takes on the modern worldSurely things can’t have changed that much? 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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaWhat’s behind Russian frenzy to blame Ukraine for concert attack?Published59 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsWar in UkraineImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Russia had received warnings that an attack – like the one on the Moscow concert hall – was imminentBy Steve RosenbergRussia EditorIt began with hints. Intimation.Now, it’s no holds barred accusations.The Russian authorities are aggressively pushing the line that Ukraine and the West were behind last month’s Crocus City concert hall massacre outside Moscow which left 145 people dead.The Islamic State group quickly claimed responsibility for the attack. But soon after the suspected gunmen were detained President Vladimir Putin hinted at a Ukrainian connection.At the weekend Russian state TV broadcast interrogation videos of the four suspects, all citizens of Tajikistan. One of the men said on camera that the post-attack plan had been “to head towards Kyiv”. Their words must be taken with extreme caution. During a court appearance after their arrest the men showed signs of torture. The Russian TV correspondent presenting the report went on to make a series of strange claims:”Following the terrorist attack Western sources and many Russian ‘foreign agents’ began to shift the focus from the Ukrainian connection to, exclusively, Islamic State.”In Russia many Kremlin critics have been designated “foreign agents” for allegedly receiving funding from abroad or just being deemed “under foreign influence”.The “shift of focus” to the IS was hardly surprising. Not only had the group announced that it was behind the attack, it had released video of the shooting. By contrast, Ukraine had denied any involvement. What’s more, both America and, reportedly, Iran had warned Moscow of possible attacks on Russian soil.In its 13-minute report, Russian state TV made no mention of the IS claim of responsibility.Then, from the journalist, this baseless accusation – that Western media “had more sympathy for those who carried out the terrorist attack which killed more than 140 defenceless people, than for the victims…”It was a clear attempt to demonise the West in the eyes of the Russian public.Day of mourning after 137 killed at Crocus City Hall concertMoscow Crocus City Hall attack videos examinedWhat we know about attack on a Moscow concert hallIt’s not just Russian TV saying this. So is the Russian foreign ministry. In a statement on its Telegram channel, the ministry claimed that in the West “there is a strict order not to report in the media the true scale of the tragedy – not to mention the number of victims of the terrorist attack, the dead children…”Demonstrations of humanity and sympathy for the Russian people are not allowed.”This is pure parallel reality. The BBC has received no such order. International media organisations widely reported the devastating consequences of the mass shooting and fire at Crocus City.As for sympathy, many Western diplomats visited the Russian foreign ministry to sign a book of condolence and, later, laid flowers for the victims outside Crocus City.That hasn’t stopped Russian officials from lining up to blame Ukraine and the West.Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB security service, told Russian TV:”We believe that the action was prepared by both the Islamist radicals themselves and was facilitated by Western special services. The special services of Ukraine are directly related to this.”Last week President Putin claimed that “Russia cannot be the target of terrorist attacks by Islamic fundamentalists. We are a country that demonstrates a unique example of interfaith harmony and inter-religious and inter-ethnic unity”.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, President Vladimir Putin has sought to blame Ukraine for the attack on the Crocus City Concert HallYet only last month the FSB reported it had thwarted an IS plot to attack a Moscow synagogue.So why is the Russian leadership seemingly determined to frame Ukraine and the West for the huge loss of life at Crocus City?Here are some possible reasons:Don’t change enemiesSince the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour, Russians have been led to believe that their principal adversaries are Ukraine and the “collective West”. It’s a message the authorities here are unwilling to alter. After all, if the Russian public were to conclude that radical Islam is a greater threat to their security than the Ukrainian government or Western leaders, they may wonder why Moscow hasn’t focused on that particular threat and has chosen, instead, to fight Ukraine.Divert attentionLast month President Putin publicly dismissed a US embassy warning that an attack by extremists here was “imminent”. He called the terror alert “outright blackmail…[with] the intention of intimidating and destabilising our society”. The Crocus City concert hall attack followed days later.US officials subsequently made it clear that the intelligence they had shared with the Russian authorities had been “specific, timely, and credible”. Blaming Kyiv and the West may be an attempt to distract attention from the question of what information was passed on and how the Russian authorities acted upon it.Escalation pretextAsserting that Kyiv and the West were connected to the attack gives Moscow a pretext for any future escalation in the war in Ukraine – if it decides it needs it.But some commentators are warning the Russian authorities that, for a political system, identifying the wrong enemy can prove a fatal mistake. “That’s the way this type of system usually dies,” believes political scientist Vladimir Pastukhov, honorary senior research associate at University College London. “They concentrate on someone they see as the main enemy and miss the real one somewhere else. For now [the authorities] will concentrate on Ukraine, on the West, on liberals. And they will open the back door. It’s through the back door that the real danger will come.”Related TopicsWar in UkraineRussiaMoscowVladimir PutinUkraineMore on this storyWhat we know about attack on a Moscow concert hallPublished25 MarchMoscow concert hall attack videos examinedPublished23 MarchTop StoriesLive. Qatar cautiously optimistic as Israel and Hamas continue ceasefire talksWatch: Gaza footage shows collapsed buildings and homes in ruin. VideoWatch: Gaza footage shows collapsed buildings and homes in ruinPublished5 hours agoBradford stabbing victim named as manhunt continuesPublished8 minutes agoFeaturesWhen and where in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?’The NHS paid for my mum to go private. She died’Gazans return to devastation in Khan YounisMyanmar’s army massacred Rohingyas. Now it wants their helpBiggest WrestleMania yet? Fans stunned as The Rock and The Undertaker return to ringAmy Winehouse film: ‘Paparazzi are the villains’ not BlakeBBC visits ruins of kibbutz Nir Oz, abandoned after Hamas attack. VideoBBC visits ruins of kibbutz Nir Oz, abandoned after Hamas attackHow much is the state pension going up by?NZ tightens visa rules over ‘unsustainable’ migrationElsewhere on the BBCFinding the funny in the week’s big storiesIan Hislop, Paul Merton and a who’s who of hosts welcome a gaggle of guest panellistsAttributioniPlayerBlowing the lid on a baffling online scamPolly Weston’s determined to get to the bottom of the con involving a £138 dehumidifierAttributionSoundsWhat went disastrously wrong at Pontins?An investigation into the state of three holiday parks before their sudden closure…AttributioniPlayerThe opera-loving sisters who ‘stumbled’ into heroismHelena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War TwoAttributionSoundsMost Read1How it felt to be targeted in Westminster honeytrap2When and where in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?3What’s behind Russian frenzy to blame Ukraine for concert attack?4Man who cut wife’s body into 224 pieces jailed5Fans hail ‘best WrestleMania’ as WWE icons return6Anger after beauty spot reservoir drained of water7Father and son blowtorch murderers jailed for life8Long Covid blood clues could prompt future trials9’The NHS paid for my mum to go private. She died’10Everton docked two points for second financial breachAttributionSport

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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaBaltimore bridge collapse: Divers find two bodies in submerged truckPublished20 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Madeline HalpertBBC News, New YorkThe bodies of two people have been recovered from a red pickup truck, which was under water where the Baltimore bridge collapsed.Eight construction workers were on the bridge when a ship struck it, plunging them into the waters below.Two of the workers were rescued on the day, but the search continues for the other four – all presumed dead.Salvage crews are working to address hazardous materials and accident investigators are on the scene. Four of the six victims of the bridge collapse have been named so far. At a news conference on Wednesday, Maryland State Police identified Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, as the two workers recovered by divers from inside the truck. Mr Fuentes is originally from Mexico and Mr Cabrera is from Guatemala. But divers are no longer able to navigate the waters safely because of concrete and debris found in the river, police said. They are now using sonar scans and believe that vehicles that may contain other bodies are “encased in superstructure and concrete” that came down from the bridge, an official said.Two other missing victims, who are presumed dead, have also been named: Miguel Luna, originally from El Salvador, and Maynor Suazo Sandoval, a Honduran citizen. Supply chain concern after Baltimore ship crash What passes through Baltimore’s port? Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier that two of its citizens were presumed dead – one of whom is now identified as Mr Fuentes – while another was rescued from the water. One person who was in hospital after being pulled out of the water was released, officials said late Wednesday.First responders spent hours on Tuesday searching the waters of the Patapsco River for the six construction workers, who were working on potholes on the bridge at about 01:30 (05:30 GMT) when the ship crashed into the bridge. The US Coast Guard called off the search around sunset, saying cold water temperatures and hours gone by meant the workers were presumed dead. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: A look at past US bridge collapses after a vessel collisionOfficials have pledged to find the bodies of the men for their relatives.”We’ve got to give these families closure,” Wes Moore, governor of Maryland, told reporters on Wednesday, adding that air, land and water resources had been devoted to the search of the victims.”My promise to them is this: I will devote every single resource to make sure that you receive closure,” he said. But the operation has been challenging, Coast Guard Vice-Adm Peter Gautier said on Wednesday. Divers have been swimming in chilly waters with metal debris from the bridge that fell in the river. The cargo vessel itself is stable but has more than 1.5 million gallons of fuel oil and lube oil on board, Mr Gautier said. Roughly 4,700 cargo containers were also on board, including 56 that contained hazardous materials. “The Coast Guard has moved aggressively to board the vessel and we have teams on board,” Mr Gautier said.He assured that “there is no threat to the public from the hazardous materials on board”.Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, said some containers with hazardous materials had been “breached”.A total of 764 tonnes of mostly corrosive and flammable materials were identified, she said. There was some sheen on the waterway around the collapse, Ms Homendy added.The US Navy plans to use barges with heavy lift cranes – some can carry as much as 1,000 tonnes – to remove parts of the bridge that fell in the water. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: Former FBI diver explains risks of Baltimore recoveryThe Dali was headed toward Sri Lanka when it lost power all of a sudden and issued a distress call before crashing into the Baltimore bridge. A data recorder recovered from the ship shows that power failed for just over a minute, but this was enough to make the collision unavoidable. In an audio recording, the pilot can be heard giving steering commands and rudder orders as the ship approaches the bridge. Officials say the bridge collapse at a key port could pose a risk to global supply chains and the US economy. Mr Moore said that 8,000 jobs could be affected by the bridge collapse and called the incident a “global crisis”.”The national economy and global economy depends on the port,” he said, noting that $80bn (£63.4bn) of cargo moved through there last year. What contributed to the Baltimore Bridge collapse?Father of three among Baltimore bridge victimsPaul Wiedefeld, secretary of the Maryland Department of Transportation, stressed that replacing the bridge would not be a fast process, but he promised at Wednesday’s news conference that officials were working to “come up with a design for the replacement of that bridge as quickly as possible to get the port back up and the community back up and running”.Experts say Key Bridge’s collapse could lead to losses of up to $15m (£11.8m) a day until the shipping lane is reopened. US Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland said he was confident “thanks to the Biden administration” that the state would get the necessary resources to recover and begin work on a replacement bridge.”Our top priority is to get the shipping lane open because of the impact it has on our country and the global supply chain,” he said.Investigators are also hoping to determine whether dirty fuel played a role in the deadly crash. Maritime experts say contaminated fuel can cause a ship to black out as it creates problems with a vessel’s main power generators.Related TopicsBaltimoreUnited StatesMore on this storyLost power, mayday call and crash before Baltimore bridge collapsePublished1 day agoFather of three among Baltimore bridge victimsPublished13 hours agoTop StoriesGaza starvation could amount to war crime, UN human rights chief tells BBCPublished2 hours agoDivers recover bodies from Baltimore bridgePublished20 minutes agoKing sends ‘hand of friendship’ recorded messagePublished11 hours agoFeaturesHow do I renew my UK passport and what is the 10-year rule?I’m not ashamed of who I am any more, says LionessCars, coal and gas… key cargo at Baltimore portFather of three among Baltimore bridge victimsThe Papers: Sewage ‘outrage’ and ‘King calls for kindness’ The families borrowing to pay for careTackling deepfakes ‘has turned into an arms race’Bill Nighy on playing an England manager with a differenceUS guns pour into Haiti, fuelling surge in violenceElsewhere on the BBCDid The Terminator predict the future correctly?!Beth Singler explores the creation and enduring influence of the film, 40 years after its releaseAttributionSoundsBlowing the lid on a baffling online scamPolly Weston’s determined to get to the bottom of the con involving a £138 dehumidifierAttributionSoundsCan you sort these monarchs into the correct order?Test your memory and reorder ten royal faces, from the earliest to the most recentAttributionBitesizeThe dressing room killing which shook wrestling’Villain of the ring’ Bruiser Brody’s extraordinary life, legend and deathAttributionSoundsMost Read1Gogglebox star, 40, dies after fall from height2Son ‘numb’ as whole-life killer may be released3Divers recover bodies from Baltimore bridge4Man seriously injured after stabbing on London train5King sends ‘hand of friendship’ recorded message6Pupil behaviour getting worse, say teachers7Easter travel warning as millions set to hit roads8I’m not ashamed of who I am any more, says Lioness9Thames Water races to find cash as problems worsen10Gaza starvation could amount to war crime, UN human rights chief tells BBC

[ad_1] At a news conference on Wednesday, Maryland State Police identified Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, as the two workers recovered by divers from inside…