NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-30-2025 4PM EST

Episode Date: January 30, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The National Transportation Safety Board is on the scene of last night's midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a military helicopter at Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C. Officials believe all 67 people on both aircraft were killed. In the NTSB's first public briefing on the collision, investigator Todd Inman said today, both aircraft plunged into the icy Potomac River,

described as a quick, rapid impact. Investigators now working to figure out how the collision could happen ahead of a routine landing will rely on information from the aircraft's flight data recorders, but according to Inman, those are still underwater. We have not recovered any of the boxes involved yet. We feel comfortable and confident that we will be able to right now.

Recovery of life is probably most important in those that were involved. I mean, there are still ongoing recovery efforts involving the fatalities involved. President Trump's weighing in on what may have led to the deadly collision after Trump led the nation in a moment of silence and delivered somber remarks about the event earlier today. And Pierce Tamer Keith reports the president blamed the tragedy on diversity hiring. It didn't take long for President Trump to transition away from Consolar-in-Chief. I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first.

That is, he said DEI policies, which have been a frequent focus of Trump's ire. He began reading headlines from old articles. And here's one. The FAA's diversity push includes focus on hiring people with severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. Trump last week signed an executive order banning diversity initiatives at the FAA. Asked if he really thought DEI was to blame for this crash, Trump said, quote, it just could have been. Tamara Keith, NPR News.

Republican and Democratic senators on the Intelligence Committee pushed Tulsi Gabbard to answer questions about Edward Snowden, who leaked NSA documents to journalists in 2013. NPR's Jenna McLaughlin reports that Gabbard's past offense of Snowden might anger the U.S. spies she hopes to lead. JANA MCLAUGHLIN, NPR NEWS ANCHORPRISER Former Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard faced over two and a half hours of questions from senators who will be voting on whether they believe she is fit to serve as President Trump's Director of National Intelligence. Several asked about her record on foreign policy, like her decision to visit former

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2017, or excuses she's made for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Others focused on pushing Gabbard to condemn former NSA contractor Edward Snowden for leaking classified documents about U.S. intelligence operations. Gabbard said Snowden broke the law, but she refused to call him a traitor. She said he helped to expose illegal programs and inspired reform. Jen McLaughlin, NPR News. It's NPR. The British musician and actress Marianne Faithfull, an icon of London's fertile 1960s music scene, died today at the age of 78.

The artist's music career took off in 1964 with her take on As Tears Go By, an early Mick Jagger and Keith Richards composition that reached the top 10 of the UK singles chart. A statement to the public reads quote, Mary Ann passed away peacefully in London today in the company of her loving family. She will be dearly missed. A benefit concert to help those affected by wildfires in Southern California is being held tonight at separate venues near Los Angeles. NPR's Eva Pukac has more. Billie Eilish, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are just some of the more

than 20 artists playing the one-night-only benefit concert at the Kia Forum and the Intuit Dome. Fire Aid organizers say the concert is dedicated to rebuilding communities devastated by the wildfires. They say funds raised will be distributed for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California. At least 2,000 seats at the event will be filled by first responders and people who have lost their homes due to the fires. The concert will be broadcast and streamed live across

a range of platforms for people who cannot attend. Ava Pukac, NPR News. US stocks have ended the day higher. The Dow closed up 168 points to end the day at 44,882. It's NPR News. Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now Plus at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org.