Bodies recovered after passenger jet, Army helicopter collide
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A massive search operation is underway in the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. And from 15 prisoners to tens of thousands, a look into President Donald Trump’s plan to use Guantánamo Bay naval base in Cuba as a detention facility for “the worst criminals” rounded up in ongoing immigration sweeps. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025.
Bodies recovered after American Airlines jet, Army helicopter collide
A massive search operation is underway near Washington, D.C. after an American Airlines passenger jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in midair. The passenger jet was preparing to land at Reagan National Airport when the incident occurred Wednesday night, Jan. 29.
In a Thursday morning press conference, authorities said the mission has switched from rescue to recovery. They believe there are no survivors. As of the time of the press conference, 27 bodies from the plane and one from the helicopter have been recovered.
Point phone camera here
About 300 first responders continued their search along the Potomac River Thursday morning, Jan. 30, where both aircraft went down. Officials said they do not know if there are any survivors.
However, authorities have confirmed fatalities.
American Airlines flight 5342, flying to Reagan National from Wichita, Kansas, carried 60 passengers and four crew members. It was slated to land in Washington around 9 p.m. ET Wednesday.
The Army confirmed three soldiers were on board the Black Hawk helicopter for a training flight.
It’s unclear what caused the collision, but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Army and Pentagon have launched an investigation. President Donald Trump was also briefed on the crash.
“This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented,” Trump posted to Truth Social.
U.S. Figure Skating, which oversees the sport nationwide, said several athletes, coaches and their families, who had been at a development camp in Wichita, were on the American Airlines flight.
Just last weekend, the U.S. National Championships took place at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita. The nationally televised event ended on Sunday, Jan. 26.
Kansas Republican Sens. Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall joined Washington officials at Reagan National earlier Thursday morning to speak about the tragedy.
“I know that flight. I’ve flown it many times myself. I lobbied American Airlines to begin having a direct, nonstop flight service to DCA,” Moran said.
He added, “In Kansas and Wichita in particular, we’re going to know people who are on this flight, know their family members know somebody. So, this is a very personal circumstance as well as an official response.”
Marshall lamented the crash.
“You know, when one person dies, it’s a tragedy. But when many, many, many people die, it’s an unbearable sorrow. It’s a heartbreak beyond measure,” Marshall said.
He sent a personal message to his constituents, “I want the folks back home to just know that we care, that we love them, and that this is the time when we will have to join arms together.”
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom released a statement expressing “deep sorrow” over the crash and saying the company would cooperate fully with the investigation.
Reagan National Airport was closed shortly after the crash and airport officials said it will stay that way until at least 11 a.m. ET Thursday.
Extreme cold and windy conditions have made things difficult for crews searching the river.
Hamas releases Israeli soldier in latest hostage-prisoner exchange
Hamas began the process of freeing more hostages Thursday morning. The terror group will release a total of three more Israeli hostages and five Thai captives throughout the day.
This is the third release since a ceasefire began in Gaza earlier this month. Israel is set to release another 110 Palestinian prisoners Thursday as well.
Israel confirmed Thursday morning Hamas released female Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20. Berger was among five young, female soldiers that Hamas abducted in its terror attack on Israel in October 2023 which set off a widescale war in the Middle East.
🎥 The moment Agam was reunited with the IDF after 482 days of being surrounded by terrorists: pic.twitter.com/V7tAtJJkxC
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) January 30, 2025
The Jerusalem Post quoted Berger’s family Thursday morning, saying, “Our hero has returned to us after 482 days in enemy hands.”
The other four female soldiers were released Saturday, Jan. 25.
Hamas is also set to release two more Israelis Thursday; Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, 80. Hamas plans to free another three hostages on Saturday, Feb. 1, in exchange for dozens more Palestinian prisoners.
This is just the first phase of the ceasefire in which Hamas is set to release a total of 33 Israeli hostages for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas said it won’t release the remaining hostages without an end to the war and a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Confirmation hearing Thursday for Trump’s FBI director pick, Kash Patel
Confirmation hearings continue for Trump’s picks to fill key roles in his cabinet. On Thursday, his pick for FBI director, Kash Patel, will travel to Capitol Hill for a high-stakes confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Patel’s nomination comes as calls from Republicans for massive reforms in FBI leadership mount. Democrats, however, have voiced concerns about whether he should lead the nation’s top law enforcement agency.
Also Thursday, confirmation hearings for the president’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., will continue.
Kennedy’s hearing began Wednesday. He faced tough questions from Democrats about his views on issues, including vaccines and abortion.
Kennedy has a long history as a vaccine skeptic. He looked to get ahead of senators’ concerns in his opening statement, prompting a protest from the gallery.
“I want to make sure the committee is clear about a few things. News reports have claimed that I’m anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither,” Kennedy said before the protester interrupted.
After the protester was removed, Kennedy continued, “I am pro-safety. I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish, and nobody called me anti-fish. And I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care.”
Kennedy also cleared up his stance on abortion.
In the past, Kennedy voiced support for abortion access until fetal viability. On Wednesday, he told senators he agrees with Trump’s belief that “states should control abortion.”
Tulsi Gabbard, Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, and New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, who he tapped to be the next ambassador to the United Nations, also face confirmation hearings in front of the Senate on Thursday.
Trump to send ‘worst criminal illegal aliens’ to Guantánamo Bay
On Wednesday, while signing his first bill into law — the Laken Riley Act, Trump announced the U.S. will expand the use of the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.
Trump said the detention center, known for housing al-Qaida suspected terrorists after Sept. 11, 2001, will soon hold tens of thousands of “the worst criminal aliens.”
The president later signed a memo and directed federal officials to get the facility ready. He said as many as 30,000 detainees could be sent to the prison.
Border Czar Tom Homan said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would run the prison.
There are just 15 prisoners there now, including alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
Previous presidents, including Joe Biden and Barack Obama, sought to shut down Guantánamo Bay.
Federal funding freeze still in effect despite memo rescission
The White House rescinded the original Office of Management and Budget memo ordering a freeze on all federal grants and loans. However, despite invalidating the memo, the freeze remains in “full force and effect” to give agencies time to review programs for their compliance with Trump’s agenda.
The memo sparked confusion among state and local officials when it was released Monday, Jan. 27, about which programs would be affected. That remains unclear.
Concerns also remain about things such as Meals on Wheels, Head Start and Medicaid.
The freeze was set to take effect Tuesday, Jan. 28, but a federal judge paused it to give her time to consider arguments challenging its legality.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the memo was rescinded to “end any confusion” created by the judge’s temporary block.
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China celebrates Lunar New Year with debut of 25 panda cubs
The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, has officially begun and while this is known as the year of the snake, China kicked off its celebrations with bears.
More than two dozen panda cubs, all born in 2024, made their debut to the world as part of a Chinese New Year celebration.
Caretakers put dragon fruit on the cubs’ feet so they could leave a paw print on a special new year’s backdrop as they gathered for fun and photos with their fuzzy friends.
Thirteen of the cubs are from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. The other 12 are from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Tags: budget, ceasefire, FAA, New Year, Pete Hegseth, Tom Homan, War, Pandas, Border czar, 9/11, Health Care, Tulsi Gabbard, Loans, Crash, Arrest, Immigrant, Airport, Abortion, Immigration, Sports, Joe Biden, China, Border, Guantanamo Bay, Donald Trump, Terrorism, The Pentagon, Department of Defense, Vaccinations, United Nations, Capitol Hill, Elise Stefanik, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Health, U.S. Army, Medicaid, Ronald Reagan, Palestine, U.S.-Mexico Border, Conservation, Truth Social, FBI, prisoner swap, migrants, U.S. Senate, Barack Obama, helicopter crash, Crime, American Airlines, Kansas, White House, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Federal Aviation Administration, Israel, Middle East, Jerusalem, Washington DC, Israel Defense Forces, Black Hawk helicopter, Death, plane crash, Government funding, Hamas, Gaza, Department of Health and Human Services, hostage, Prison, Prisoners, FAA, Senate Judiciary Committee
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
WE START WITH BREAKING NEWS OVERNIGHT — A MASSIVE SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATION IS UNDERWAY NEAR WASHINGTON D-C AFTER an AMERICAN AIRLINES PASSENGER JET COLLIDED WITH AN ARMY BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER MIDAIR WHILE, THE PLANE WAS GETTING READY TO LAND AT REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT.
ABOUT 300 FIRST RESPONDERS ARE SEARCHING for survivors in THE POTOMAC RIVER, WHERE BOTH AIRCRAFT WENT DOWN. DIVERS ARE NOW IN THE WATER. OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THEY DO NOT KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY SURVIVORS.
AUTHORITIES HAVE CONFIRMED FATALITIES. NBC NEWS IS REPORTING THIS MORNING, THAT SEARCHERS HAVE RECOVERED MORE THAN 12 BODIES. HOWEVER, AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT RELEASED AN OFFICIAL NUMBER AT THIS POINT.
THERE WERE 60 PASSENGERS AND 4 CREW MEMBERS ON BOARD THE AMERICAN AIRLINES JET FLYING TO REAGAN NATIONAL FROM WICHITA, KANSAS. IT WAS FLIGHT 53-42 THAT WAS SLATED TO LAND AT the airport AT AROUND 9 P.M. THE ARMY HAS CONFIRMED THREE SOLDIERS WERE ON BOARD THE BLACKHAWK HELICOPTER, WHICH WAS ON A TRAINING FLIGHT.
IT’S NOT YET CLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE MIDAIR CRASH — BUT DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAID THE ARMY AND PENTAGON HAVE LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS BEEN BRIEFED ON THE CRASH — AND IN A POST ON HIS TRUTH SOCIAL PLATFORM, SAID QUOTE “THIS IS A BAD SITUATION THAT LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.”
U-S FIGURE SKATING — WHICH OVERSEES THE SPORT NATIONWIDE — SAID SEVERAL ATHLETES, COACHES, AND THEIR FAMILIES, WHO HAD BEEN AT A DEVELOPMENT CAMP IN WICHITA, WERE ON THE AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT. JUST LAST WEEKEND, THE U-S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS TOOK PLACE AT INTRUST BANK ARENA IN WICHITA. THE NATIONALLY TELEVISED EVENT ENDED ON SUNDAY.
KANSAS senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall JOINED D-C OFFICIALS at Reagan National early this morning where they SPOKE ABOUT THE TRAGEDY.
Sen. Jerry Moran | R-Kansas
“I know that flight. I’ve flown it many times myself. I lobbied American Airlines to begin having a direct, nonstop flight service to DCA.”
“In Kansas and in Wichita in particular, we’re going to know people who are on this flight, know their family members know somebody. So this is a very personal circumstance as well as an official response.”
Sen. Roger Marshall | R-Kansas
“You know, when one person dies, it’s a tragedy. But when many, many, many people die, it’s an unbearable sorrow. It’s a heartbreak beyond measure.”
“I want the folks to back home to just know that we care, that we love them, and that this is the time when we will have to join arms together.”
AMERICAN AIRLINES C-E-O ALSO RELEASED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING QUOTE “DEEP SORROW” OVER THE CRASH AND SAYING THE COMPANY IS COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT IS CLOSED THIS MORNING. AIRPORT OFFICIALS SAY IT WILL STAY THAT WAY UNTIL AT LEAST 11 A-M EASTERN TIME TODAY.
SEARCH AND RESCUE EFFORTS CONTINUE — BUT EXTREMELY COLD AND WINDY CONDITIONS ARE MAKING THINGS DIFFICULT.
AUTHORITIES ARE PLANNING TO SPEAK AT A PRESS CONFERENCE LATER THIS MORNING WHERE THEY’LL LIKELY GIVE MORE DETAILS ON THE CRASH.
TURNING NOW TO THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE HAMAS HAS BEGUN THE PROCESS OF FREEING MORE HOSTAGES.
THE TERROR GROUP WILL RELEASE THREE MORE ISRAELI HOSTAGES AND FIVE THAI CAPTIVES TODAY — THE THIRD SUCH RELEASE SINCE A CEASEFIRE WENT INTO EFFECT IN GAZA EARLIER THIS MONTH.
ISRAEL IS SET TO RELEASE ANOTHER 110 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS.
ALREADY TODAY — ISRAEL HAS CONFIRMED HAMAS HAS RELEASED 20-YEAR-OLD FEMALE ISRAELI SOLDIER AGAM BERGER.
BERGER WAS AMONG FIVE YOUNG, WOMEN SOLDIERS THAT HAMAS ABDUCTED IN ITS TERROR ATTACK ON ISRAEL IN OCTOBER, 20-23 THAT TOUCHED OFF A WIDESCALE WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THE JERUSALEM POST IS QUOTING BERGER’S FAMILY THIS MORNING AS SAYING, ” OUR HERO HAS RETURNED TO US AFTER 482 DAYS IN ENEMY HANDS. “
THE OTHER FOUR WERE RELEASED ON SATURDAY.
SHOW YEHOUD AND BERGER HERE PLEASE
TWO MORE ISRAELIS ARE SET TO BE RELEASED TODAY — 29-YEAR-OLD ARBEL YEHOUD AND 80-YEAR-OLD GADI MOSES.
ANOTHER THREE HOSTAGES — ALL MEN — ARE SET TO BE FREED SATURDAY ALONG WITH DOZENS MORE PALESTINIAN PRISONERS.
THIS IS JUST THE FIRST PHASE OF THE CEASEFIRE — IN WHICH HAMAS IS SET TO RELEASE A TOTAL OF 33 ISRAELI HOSTAGES IN EXCHANGE FOR NEARLY 2-THOUSAND PALESTINIAN PRISONERS.
HAMAS SAYS IT WON’T RELEASE THE REMAINING HOSTAGES WITHOUT AN END TO THE WAR AND A FULL ISRAELI WITHDRAWAL FROM GAZA.
HERE IN THE UNITED STATES — CONFIRMATION HEARINGS CONTINUE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP’S PICKS TO FILL key SPOTS IN HIS CABINET.
TODAY — HIS PICK FOR F-B-I DIRECTOR, KASH PATEL, WILL BE ON CAPITOL HILL FOR A HIGH-STAKES CONFIRMATION HEARING BEFORE THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE.
HIS NOMINATION COMES AS CALLS FROM REPUBLICANS FOR MASSIVE REFORMS IN F-B-I LEADERSHIP MOUNT AND DEMOCRATS HAVE VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT WHETHER PATEL SHOULD LEAD THE NATION’S TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
ALSO TODAY, CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR THE PRESIDENT’S PICK TO LEAD THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES — ROBERT F. KENNEDY JUNIOR — WILL CONTINUE.
KENNEDY’S HEARING BEGAN YESTERDAY — WHEN HE FACED TOUGH QUESTIONS FROM DEMOCRATS ABOUT HIS VIEWS ON issues such as VACCINES AND ABORTION.
KENNEDY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF BEING A VACCINE SKEPTIC. HE LOOKED TO GET AHEAD OF SENATORS’ CONCERNS IN HIS OPENING STATEMENT — PROMPTING A PROTEST FROM THE GALLERY.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR. | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY NOMINEE
“I want to make sure the committee is clear about a few things. News reports have claimed that I’m anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither…
(Protester, off camera, yells: ‘He lies!’)
I am pro-safety…”
“We’ll have order… Please proceed Mr. Kennedy.”
“I am pro safety. I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish and nobody called me anti-fish. And I believe that vaccines play a critical role in health care.”
KENNEDY ALSO CLEARED UP HIS POSITION ON ABORTION.
IN THE PAST — HE HAS VOICED SUPPORT FOR ABORTION ACCESS UNTIL FETAL VIABILITY.
YESTERDAY HE TOLD SENATORS HE AGREES WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S BELIEF THAT “STATES SHOULD CONTROL ABORTION.”
ALSO FACING CONFIRMATION HEARINGS IN FRONT OF THE SENATE TODAY : FORMER DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN, TURNED REPUBLICAN, TULSI GABBARD, TRUMP’S PICK FOR DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NEW YORK CONGRESSWOMAN ELISE STEFANIK, TAPPED TO BE THE NEXT AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS.
WHILE SIGNING HIS FIRST BILL INTO LAW ON WEDNESDAY — THE LAKEN RILEY ACT, ON DETAINING UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS ACCUSED OF COMMITTING MISDEMEANORS, PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED THAT THE UNITED STATES WILL EXPAND THE USE OF THE PRISON AT GUANTANAMO BAY, CUBA.
HE SAID THE DETENTION CENTER, KNOWN FOR HOUSING AL-QAIDA SUSPECTED TERRORISTS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001, WILL SOON HOLD TENS OF THOUSANDS OF, IN HIS WORDS ” THE WORST CRIMINAL ALIENS”.
THE PRESIDENT LATER SIGNED A MEMO AND DIRECTED FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO GET THE FACILITY READY. TRUMP SAYS AS MANY AS 30,000 DETAINEES COULD BE SENT THERE. BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN SAYS U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT WOULD RUN THE PRISON.
THERE ARE JUST 15 PRISONERS THERE NOW, INCLUDING ALLEGED 9/11 MASTERMIND KHALID SHEIKH MOHAMMED. PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS INCLUDING BIDEN AND OBAMA HAD SOUGHT, TO SHUT DOWN GITMO, WHICH IS A U-S NAVAL BASE.
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS RESCINDED THE ORIGINAL OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET MEMO ORDERING A FREEZE ON ALL FEDERAL GRANTS AND LOANS.
DESPITE INVALIDATING THE MEMO — THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS THE FREEZE REMAINS IN QUOTE “FULL FORCE AND EFFECT” TO GIVE AGENCIES TIME TO REVIEW PROGRAMS FOR THEIR COMPLIANCE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP’S AGENDA.
THE MEMO SPARKED CONFUSION FROM STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS WHEN IT WAS RELEASED MONDAY ABOUT **WHICH PROGRAMS** WOULD BE AFFECTED — THAT STILL HAS NOT BEEN CLEARED UP. THERE WAS CONCERN ABOUT THINGS SUCH AS MEALS ON WHEELS, HEAD START AND MEDICAID.
THE FREEZE WAS SET TO TAKE EFFECT TUESDAY, BUT IT WAS PAUSED BY A FEDERAL JUDGE TO GIVE HER TIME TO CONSIDER ARGUMENTS CHALLENGING ITS LEGALITY.
WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY KAROLINE LEAVITT SAID THE MEMO WAS RESCINDED TO QUOTE “END ANY CONFUSION” CREATED BY THE JUDGE’S TEMPORARY BLOCK.
FINALLY THIS MORNING — WITH SO MUCH GOING ON IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW, WE COULD USE A bit of GOOD NEWS.
THE LUNAR NEW YEAR HAS OFFICIALLY BEGUN — AND WHILE THIS IS KNOWN AS THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE… CHINA KICKED OFF ITS CELEBRATIONS WITH BEARS.
MORE THAN TWO DOZEN PANDA CUBS — ALL BORN IN 20-24 –MADE THEIR DEBUT TO THE WORLD AS PART OF A CHINESE NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION.
CARETAKERS PUT DRAGON FRUIT ON THE CUBS’ FEET SO THEY COULD LEAVE A PAW PRINT ON A SPECIAL NEW YEARs BACKDROP AS THEY GATHERED FOR FUN AND PHOTOS WITH THEIR FUZZY FRIENDS.
THIRTEEN OF THE CUBS ARE FROM THE CHINA CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE GIANT PANDA, WHILE THE OTHER 12 ARE FROM THE CHENGDU RESEARCH BASE OF GIANT PANDA BREEDING.
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