NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-30-2025 5PM EST

Episode Date: January 30, 2025

NPR News: 01-30-2025 5PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. Searchers have now moved into recovery mode following last night's mid-air collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight that claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. For their complicating efforts, the fact the wreckage of the aircraft have ended up in the icy waters of the Potomac River. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy says it may be sometime before details of what caused the crash are known. We have not recovered the flight data recorders yet. We know they're there. They are underwater. This is not unusual for the NTSB. We have many times recovered flight data recorders in water. Officials say they've recovered the bodies of 28 crash victims.

The plane was on final approach when the Black Hawk helicopter apparently flew into its path. Among those on board the regional jet from Wichita, Kansas were athletes and coaches returning from the U.S. figure skating championships. Near mid-air collisions near Reagan International Airport have been reported before and often involve military helicopters. NPR's Robert Benacossa is more. An NPR analysis of the Federal Aviation Administration's data on rare near mid-air collisions shows 30 reports near the airport since the late 1980s.

Ten involved at least one military aircraft. Seven involved a military helicopter. Mike McCormick is the former FAA director for safety and operations at all U.S. control towers. Our system, although the safest in the world, it is still shocking when a tragedy like this occurs. McCormick says the FAA is studying the crash to see if immediate changes should be made. Robert Benincasa, NPR News, Washington.

President Trump's nominee to head the FBI came under intense questioning on Capitol Hill today. Cash Patel coming under fire regarding what some have termed an enemy's list. Patel denied there is such a list and also says the bureau under his leadership would not seek retribution against President Trump's adversaries or launch politically motivated investigations. If confirmed as the next FBI director, I will remain focused on the FBI's core mission. That is to investigate fully wherever there is a constitutional factual basis to do so.

Democrats also confronted Patel about his statements about the January 6th riot at the US Capitol, in response saying, Patel in response saying, there can never be tolerance for violence against law enforcement. The nation's economy continued to expand at a solid pace during the final three months of last year, the Commerce Department reporting today, the gross domestic product, that's the total output of goods and services

within the US borders expanded to a 2.3% annual rate between October and December. For the full year, the economy grew at a healthy 2.8% rate, down just slightly from 2023. A rebound in the tech sector helped lead much of the market higher today. The Dow rose 168 points, the NASDAQ closed up 49 points. This is NPR. One online retailer, Amazon, has filed suit in Washington State seeking to prevent the

release of company materials to the Washington Post. That's after the paper owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos asked a Superior Court Judge there to block the release of documents it contends hold trade secrets about a company initiative to provide satellite internet service. The lawsuit says the Post requested copies of the company's documents through a public records request. In South Africa, there's been widespread confusion after President Trump froze then unfroze millions of dollars in funding for life-saving HIV programs.

Kate Bartlett reports from Johannesburg. South Africa's Health Minister Aaron Mozzoletti said his country was blindsided by President Trump's initial order to freeze aid for 90 days. The minister said he sought clarity from the US embassy but received no response. South Africa has the highest number of HIV-positive people in the world, with nearly 6 million non-anti-retroviral therapies. It receives about $400 million a year from the US through the president's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief,

or PEPFAR. Matsuleti said his government only found out about the freeze through clinics and other organizations that had received orders to stop work. Matsuleti said things were still unclear after the State Department did a sudden about turn issuing a waiver. Globally, PEPFAR directly supports more than 20 million people living with HIV. For NPR News, I'm Kate Butler in Johannesburg. The reports of increased volcanic activity on the island of Santorini in Greece.

Similar activity was reported in 2011. It lasted 14 months but ended without issue. 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.