Scores feared dead in DC plane crash

Pentagon says it will launch investigation.

Sign up for Reuters newsletters  Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Edson Caldas An American Airlines passenger jet collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport. We bring you what we know so far about the deadly crash.  Elsewhere, we cover Robert F. Kennedy Jr's Senate hearings, the ECB's interest rate decision, and the latest stage of the Gaza ceasefire deal. Today's Top News   Emergency personnel work near the crash site. REUTERS/Nathan Howard Washington plane crash Scores of people are feared dead after an American Airlines regional passenger jet with 64 people on board and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided and crashed into the frigid Potomac River. The Pentagon says it will launch an investigation. The incident highlighted issues around the congested airspace shared by civilian and military aircraft over the US capital. Air traffic control audio recorded the moments before and after the collision. For more, follow our live updates here. US politics Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Donald Trump's pick to run the top US health agency, heads to the Senate Health committee today after being grilled by Democrats on a different committee over his past comments on vaccines and shifting stance on abortion rights. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's choice to be Director of National Intelligence, will attend what is expected to be contentious Senate hearing, while Kash Patel, his nominee for FBI director, will face probing questions from Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats. In other news Palestinian militants began handing over more Israeli hostages in Gaza today in return for 110 Palestinian prisoners to be freed under a phased agreement that halted fighting in the shattered coastal territory earlier this month. Rwandan President Paul Kagame blasted criticism of his country's role in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where rebels his government backs have seized its largest city, saying Kigali is prepared for "confrontation" if necessary. Millions of devout Hindus thronged the northern Indian city of Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh festival, a day after dozens died in a stampede on the most auspicious day of the six-week event. But some devotees remained nervous after the fatal crush. Business & Markets   The European Central Bank is all but certain to cut interest rates by 25 basis points later today and is likely to keep open the door to further policy easing as concerns over lackluster economic growth supersede worries about persistent inflation. Meanwhile, the US central bank held interest rates steady, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said there would be no rush to cut them again until inflation and jobs data made it appropriate. Fed Correspondent Howard Schneider explains what is behind the decision to slow down in today's Reuters World News podcast. Top White House advisers expressed alarm that Chinese upstart DeepSeek may have benefited from a method that allegedly piggybacks off the advances of US rivals. The technique may be difficult to stop, according to sources in Silicon Valley. Days after DeepSeek revealed a breakthrough in cheap AI computing that shook the US technology industry, the chief executives of Microsoft and Meta defended massive spending that they said was key to staying competitive in the new field. Breakthrough cost-efficiency claims from the made-in-China AI model stunned investors, eroding billions of chipmaker Nvidia's value. In this week's Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists debate what the advance means for machine-learning hype. Insight: NATO scrambles for drones that can survive the Arctic   Canadian Armed Forces members of the Artillery unit of NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia look at an RQ-21A Blackjack drone. REUTERS/Janis Laizans Drones in the world's far north are vulnerable. Only the largest, long-range models have enough power for anti-icing systems like those used by aircraft. Cold, fog, rain or snow can cause a malfunction or crash. Read more And Finally... The Year of the Snake begins. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha We take a look at Lunar New Year celebrations around the world with dances, light sculptures and lanterns marking the Year of the Snake. See our photo gallery Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. Terms & Conditions and Privacy Statement © 2025 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036