Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,099 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• International cybercrime bust

• Tiger population rebounding

• Trader Joe’s releases customer favorites

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Big Story

D.C. Plane Crash

On Wednesday night, a devastating collision occurred in Washington D.C. when an American Airlines regional jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed in midair above the Potomac River.

• The jet carried 64 people, while the helicopter had three military crew members. By Thursday night, 28 bodies had been recovered, and authorities say there are no survivors.

• The crash happened around 9 p.m. as the jet was preparing to land at Reagan National Airport after flying from Wichita, Kansas. The Black Hawk helicopter was conducting a training exercise from Fort Belvoir in Virginia. Video from the Kennedy Center shows the aircraft colliding at low altitude, resulting in a bright explosion. (See video here)

• Many of the passengers on the jet were members of the US Figure Skating team, along with several Russian figure skaters, coaches, and family members. They were returning from a National Development Camp in Wichita.

• Search and rescue teams are working in challenging conditions, with water temperatures around 36 degrees and poor visibility in the murky, 8-foot-deep section of the Potomac River where the crash occurred.

• A single air traffic controller was handling both helicopter and plane traffic when the crash occurred, according to an FAA report. Normally, these duties are shared, but the airport combines them at 9:30 p.m. when traffic slows. That night, the supervisor ordered the change earlier than usual.

Big Story

Hamas Hostage Release

Hamas released eight hostages on Thursday - three Israelis and five Thai nationals.

• The handover was chaotic, leading Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to briefly delay the planned release of Palestinian prisoners until safer handover procedures could be guaranteed.

• In exchange, Israel released 110 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 minors. The prisoners were transported by bus to Ramallah in the West Bank, where celebrating crowds welcomed them. A notable release was Zakaria Zubaidi, a leader of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who had previously escaped prison in 2021 before being recaptured.

• Israel reports 82 of the more than 250 original hostages remain in Gaza, with approximately 30 believed to be deceased. Around half the hostages were released in November 2023 during the only previous truce, and others have been recovered dead or alive during Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

Big Story

Cybercrime Bust

An international team of law enforcement agencies from eight countries, including the US, shut down two major hacking websites called Cracked and Nulled.

• The sites were seized on Thursday, with announcements coming from Europol, Germany's BKA, and the US Department of Justice. Both websites had millions of users and were major platforms for cybercrime.

• Cracked, created in 2018, had over 4 million users and made about $4 million in revenue. The larger forum, Nulled, came online in 2016 and had more than 5 million users with over 43 million posts advertising hacking tools and stolen data. Together, the forums affected at least 17 million Americans.

• The DOJ shared examples of the harm caused, including a case where a New York woman was cyberstalked and harassed by someone who used tools from Cracked to steal her login information. Another product on Nulled claimed to have half a million Americans' Social Security numbers.

• Lucas Sohn, an administrator of Nulled, faces 30 years in prison on multiple criminal charges.

Quick Stories

US News

• The Senate confirmed Doug Burgum, former North Dakota Governor, as Interior secretary with a 79-18 vote on Thursday. The majority of Senate Democrats joined all Republicans in supporting his nomination. (More)

• A federal appeals court in New Orleans struck down a federal law requiring Americans to be 21 or older to purchase handguns. It ruled that the age restriction violates Second Amendment rights. (More)

• A former US Postal Service worker in New Jersey admitted to stealing over $100,000 in sports memorabilia. He took at least 10 packages from a consignment auction house while working as a mail clerk in late 2022. (More)

World

• Salwan Momika, whose Quran burning in 2023 sparked protests in Stockholm, was reportedly shot dead in a Swedish apartment. Five suspects were arrested following the incident. (More)

• Rescue efforts continue for a 74-year-old truck driver who has been trapped since Tuesday when his vehicle plunged into a growing sinkhole in Yashio, Japan. (More)

• The mayor of an Italian ski resort is restricting day-trippers after a TikTok star posted about the location. The video lured 260 buses filled with 10,000 visitors who overcrowded slopes, blocked roads, and left behind piles of trash. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed higher on Thursday (S&P +0.53%, Nasdaq +0.25%, Dow +0.38%). Stocks cut gains late in the session in response to Trump announcing 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico. (More)

• The Justice Department sued to stop Hewlett Packard Enterprise's $14 billion acquisition of Juniper Networks. The deal would have merged two of the country’s largest wireless networking solutions providers. (More)

• The 30-year US mortgage rate dropped slightly to 6.95%, marking a second consecutive weekly decline. It remains higher compared to last year's 6.63% (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• Dwyane Wade revealed that after experiencing health issues, a full-body scan in 2023 found a tumor on his right kidney. Doctors removed 40% of the kidney and later confirmed the tumor was cancerous. (More)

• Marianne Faithfull, the singer-actress known for her 1960s hit "As Tears Go By," film roles, and relationship with Mick Jagger, has died at age 78. (More)

• Ravens’ kicker Justin Tucker faces allegations from six massage therapists who claim he engaged them in inappropriate sexual behavior between 2012-2016. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore completed their first spacewalk together. They removed a broken antenna and collected microbial samples outside the International Space Station. (More)

• Scientists at the Institute of Cancer Research in London have developed a new DNA test to identify which people with inflammatory bowel disease have the highest risk of bowel cancer. They hope it will improve early detection and reduce unnecessary surgeries or colonoscopies. (More)

• India doubled its tiger population from 1,706 in 2010 to 3,682 in 2022 through conservation efforts, according to a new study. India is home to roughly 75% of the world’s tigers. (More)

Extra Credit

🖼️ Garage sale find could be a $15M Van Gogh painting.

🏠️ The most affordable zip code for renters by state. 

🥑 Trader Joe’s annual list of customer favorites.

🏗️ Construction of the world’s tallest building restarts.