The Evening: DC Plane Crash, Chaotic Hostage Release, My Old School, and More

Newsletter - January 30, 2025

DC Plane Crash

Officials believe that all passengers and crew on board American Eagle Flight 5342, which went down Wednesday evening after a midair collision with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, were killed, as The Washington Post reports.

Chaotic Hostage Release

Israel on Thursday released more than a hundred Palestinian prisoners-including some convicted of deadly attacks against Israelis-in exchange for hostages held in Gaza after a chaotic Hamas-led hostage handover in Gaza cast doubt on whether it would go ahead, as the NYT reports.

U.S. GDP Grew 2.5% in 2024

U.S. gross domestic product-the value of all goods and services produced across the economy-grew 2.5% last year, the Commerce Department said Thursday. That was slower than 3.2% in 2023 but still a sturdy pace, as the WSJ reports.

Executive Education

Enhance your leadership skills and deepen your understanding of global dynamics with CSIS Executive Education. Engage with leading scholars, grow your network, and sharpen strategic thinking through interactive seminars, experiential learning, and leadership coaching. With a diverse range of offerings, our 2025 catalog provides opportunities tailored to professionals at every stage of their career.

Audio Briefs

CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Commentary by CSIS's William Alan Reinsch, "Premature Sighs of Relief."

In That Number

11

At least 11 Baltic cables have been damaged since October 2023, prompting NATO to up its guard against suspected attempts to sabotage underwater energy and data cables and pipelines.
Source: AP

Critical Quote

"What happened yesterday shouldn't have happened."

- -U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy

iDeas Lab

Remote Visualization

Claimants in the South China Sea have created thousands of acres of artificial land to support their competing claims, causing irreparable damage to the marine habitat and leading to calls for international legal action against environmentally destructive practices. See more analysis here.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

Photo: Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP/Getty Images

Hamas militants escort Israeli hostage Agam Berger before handing her over to a Red Cross team in Jabalia on January 30, 2025.

Recommended Reading

"Trump's Moves to Modernize U.S. Technology Policy" by CSIS's Matt Pearl.

This Town Upcoming

On Monday, at 8:00 a.m., the CSIS Global Health Policy Center hosts a conversation on the surge of humanitarian relief entering Gaza.

On Tuesday, at 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair discusses the DPRK and Russia's cooperation for the Ukraine war, North Korea's deployment of soldiers, and the new Trump administration's goals to weaken DPRK-Russia relations.

On Wednesday, at 9:30 a.m., the CSIS Korea Chair hosts a conference on U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral energy cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, featuring remarks from Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Congressman Ami Bera (D-CA).

Video

This morning, the CSIS Africa Program welcomed Brigadier General Rose Lopez Keravuori to discuss AFRICOM's accomplishments, the challenges it has faced, and its evolving role in U.S.-Africa relations. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Image

Michaela Simoneau, associate fellow for global health security at CSIS, joins the podcast to discuss the recent outbreak of bird flu in the United States, the red flags that researchers watch for to determine whether a disease could become a pandemic, and the tools available to stop the spread of the virus.

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

I always get a kick when people call Steely Dan "Yacht Rock." Sure, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker created some of the best sounding and smoothest rock and roll ever created but that doesn't make it tame by any measure. I woke up today thinking about this tune and this ripping performance of "My Old School." Two things, 1) what an incredible live band; and 2) yes, that is national security expert and superstar guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter jamming out.