Apple News Today: Detailed Summary of "What We Know About the Figure Skaters Lost in the Plane Crash"

Release Date: January 31, 2025
Host: Shemitah Basu

Tragic Plane Crash Claims Lives of Elite Figure Skaters

On a somber note, the episode opens with the heart-wrenching news of a plane crash involving an American Airlines passenger plane and an Army Blackhawk helicopter over the Potomac River on Wednesday night. Tragically, all 67 individuals aboard both aircraft lost their lives. Among the victims were 14-year-old Everly and 11-year-old Olidia Livingston, along with their parents from the D.C. area, and six members from the prestigious Skating Club of Boston. Notable skaters such as 13-year-old Gina Hahn and 16-year-old Spencer Lane, hailed as the future stars of the sport, were among those deceased. The crash also claimed the lives of two Russian figure skating coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 World Champions in pairs figure skating.

Doug Zeghibe, CEO and Executive Director of the Skating Club of Boston, addressed the media with profound sorrow:

[01:34] Doug Zeghibe: "Skating is a very close and tight-knit community. These kids and their parents, they're here at our facility in Norwood six, sometimes seven days a week. It's a close, tight bond and I think for all of us, we have lost family."

Echoing this sentiment, Nancy Kerrigan, an Olympic silver medalist from the same club, shared her emotional response:

[02:09] Nancy Kerrigan: "Here has been saying is not sure how to process it. Oh, shoot, I'm sorry."

Kerrigan further emphasized the unity within the figure skating community:

[02:21] Nancy Kerrigan: "We've been through the same thing, that training, that rigorous schedule of falling over and over and somehow picking yourself back up, which is like the main lesson I think learned in skating is you get back up, keep on trying and even when it's hard, you get back up and move forward. It's not easy, but that's what we all have to do now together."

Historical Parallels and Investigation Insights

This tragedy echoes a similar catastrophe from 60 years prior on Valentine's Day, where a plane crash resulted in the loss of 73 lives, including all 18 members of the U.S. Figure Skating Team headed to the World Championships in Prague. Reflecting on the historical impact, Zeghibe stated:

[03:15] Doug Zeghibe: "It had long reaching implications for the skating club and for the sport in this country, because when you lose coaches like this, you lose the future of the sport as well. It's been a long time in redeveloping it, and I personally feel that this club, the Skating Club of Boston, has just now, almost 60 years later, been coming out of the shadow of that 1961 crash."

Preliminary findings from the Federal Aviation Administration indicate that the crash may have been influenced by inadequate staffing at the air traffic control tower, where a single controller was managing duties typically handled by two individuals:

[03:39] Shemitah Basu: "A preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration found that staffing at the air traffic control tower was, quote, not normal at the time of the crash and that just one controller was doing work that's typically assigned to two."

Senate Confirmation Hearings for Trump's Cabinet Nominees

Transitioning from the tragic news, the podcast delves into the Senate confirmation hearings for three of President Trump's controversial Cabinet nominees:

1. Kash Patel – Nominee for FBI Director

   • Background: A lawyer and former Republican staffer on the House Intelligence Committee, Patel has a history of supporting Trump and engaging with the QAnon community.
   • Controversies:
     • Played a role in defending Trump during the 2016 Russian election interference investigations.
     • Board member of the parent company for Truth Social, Trump's social media platform.
     • Involved in selling pro-Trump merchandise and children's books.
   • During Hearings:
     • Senator Dick Durbin questioned Patel on Trump's blanket pardon for individuals involved in the Capitol attack. Patel stated:

       [05:07] Juan Ferrero: "I have always rejected any violence against law enforcement, and I have, including in that group specifically addressed any violence against law enforcement on January 6th. And I do not agree with the commutation of any sentence of any individual who committed violence against law enforcement."

     • However, it was later revealed that Patel's foundation supported families of January 6th rioters, contradicting his stance.

2. Tulsi Gabbard – Nominee for Director of National Intelligence

   • Background: Former Democratic congresswoman with bipartisan scrutiny during the hearings.
   • Key Issues:
     • Faced intense questioning regarding her comments on Edward Snowden.
     • Deflected direct questions about labeling Snowden a traitor.

     [06:31] Michael Bennett: "Is Edward Snowden a traitor to the United States of America? As someone who has worn uniform in combat, I understand how critical our national security is. Apparently you don't."

3. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. – Nominee to Lead Health and Human Services

   • Background: Notorious for his anti-vaccine activism, including efforts to revoke COVID-19 vaccines.
   • During Hearings:
     • Senator Bernie Sanders pressed Kennedy on his stance:

       [07:22] Michael Bennett: "Was the vaccine COVID vaccine successful in saving millions of lives?" [07:27] Nicholas Carr: "I don't know. We don't have a good surveillance system."

     • Senator Bennett countered:

       [07:35] Michael Bennett: "That, you know, Bob, you say if I show you, you're applying for the job. I mean, clearly you should know this. And that is the scientific community has established that the COVID vaccines save millions of lives, and you're casting doubt. That is really problematic."

Potential Roadblocks: These nominees may face hurdles even within their own party, with figures like Mitch McConnell, a polio survivor, potentially opposing Kennedy’s nomination.

Migrant Deportations Under the Trump Administration

President Trump's campaign promised the deportation of millions of undocumented migrants, focusing primarily on those with criminal records. However, reports suggest discrepancies in this approach:

• Juan Ferrero from the Wall Street Journal highlights cases like the recent deportation of over 100 Colombian migrants, none of whom had criminal records.

  [08:50] Juan Ferrero: "There were no outstanding issues with the justice system in Colombia, and there was no outstanding issues with the justice system in the US. Many people."

Deportation Practices and Costs:

• Migrants are being transported on military cargo jets instead of commercial planes, significantly increasing costs. For instance, a recent flight to Guatemala cost approximately $4,675 per migrant:

  [09:02] Shemitah Basu: "Are being transported not on commercial planes but on military cargo jets, and that comes at a significant cost."

Allegations of Mistreatment:

• Reports of migrants being handcuffed or shackled during flights, leading to physical and emotional distress. A Colombian migrant described the experience as humiliating:

  [09:53] Juan Ferrero: "He said what others said, which was basically that he'd lost his clothes, they'd taken away his stuff, he was in a cold detention center, that kind of thing."

International Repercussions:

• Leaders like Colombia's President Gustavo Petro and Brazil's President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva have criticized the U.S. for mistreating deported migrants. An incident involving Brazilian deportees getting stuck on a tarmac highlighted these tensions, with reports of physical assaults and mistreatment.

Policy Shifts:

• In response to the high costs associated with detention facilities, Trump announced plans to open a detention center at Guantanamo Bay capable of housing up to 30,000 individuals:

  [10:54] Shemitah Basu: "Earlier this week, Trump announced an order to address that by opening a detention center at Guantanamo Bay that he says will be able to house up to 30,000 people."

Additional Stories Covered

1. Managing News Overload:

   • Shemitah Basu shares tips from the publication Lawfare on coping with an overwhelming news cycle:
     • Prioritize stories that matter to you.
     • Rely on trusted news sources to avoid "doom scrolling."
     • Wait for measured analysis by giving it 12 to 72 hours after breaking news.

2. National Women's Soccer League Expansion:

   • Denver has been awarded the league's 16th franchise, set to begin play in 2020.
   • Factors contributing to Denver’s bid success included the ability to provide their own stadium, despite efforts from WNBA star Caitlin Clark to secure the Cincinnati franchise.

3. Beyoncé’s Grammy Aspirations:

   • Beyoncé is poised to become the fourth Black woman to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, potentially breaking her personal nomination drought. Her album "Cowboy Carter" is among the contenders.

4. Interview with Nicholas Carr:

   • Discussed the inherent issues with social media platforms, asserting that the system is functioning as intended rather than being fundamentally broken.

Conclusion

Shemitah Basu wraps up the episode by directing listeners to the Apple News app for more stories and upcoming interviews, encouraging them to enjoy their weekend.

This comprehensive summary captures the multifaceted discussions presented in the January 31, 2025, episode of Apple News Today. From the devastating loss in the figure skating community to the intricate political and social issues surrounding Trump’s cabinet nominations and migrant deportations, the episode offers deep insights and notable commentary on pressing current events.