Crypto News: Search for survivors

Good morning. A search and rescue operation is underway after a deadly midair collision in DC. Microsoft's boss has some kind words for DeepSeek. And thousands of influencers are seeking press credentials from the White House. Listen to the day's top stories.

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Emergency response teams respond to helicopter wreckage in the Potomac River. Photographer: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

A regional jet flown for American Airlines collided midair with a military helicopter as it flew into DC's Reagan airport, prompting a search and rescue operation for any survivors in the Potomac River. The CRJ700 jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew from Wichita, Kansas hit the helicopter with three military personnel on board just before 9 p.m. At least 30 bodies have been recovered so far, CBS reported. US Figure Skating said some of its members returning from a training camp in Kansas were on board.

Microsoft had some kind words for DeepSeek, the AI startup that roiled his company's shares earlier in the week. "DeepSeek has had some real innovations," CEO Satya Nadella said after the company reported earnings (more on that below). In less flattering news for the Chinese firm, companies and government agencies around the world are moving to restrict employee access to its services. Meanwhile, SoftBank is in discussions to invest as much as $25 billion in OpenAI, a person familiar said.

Mark Zuckerberg predicted 2025 will be a "really big year" in which Meta's AI assistant will become the most widely used in the industry. As for Microsoft, the company's shares look poised for a rough morning after warning its Azure cloud division will continue to grow slowly due to a shortage of data centers. Meanwhile, Tesla reassured investors with a promise to get back to growth, and revealed plans to launch its long-promised robotaxi business in June. The EV maker's results also got a boost from its Bitcoin holdings.

MrBeast. Photographer: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

A group of US investors vying to buy TikTok with support from top YouTuber MrBeast has secured more than $20 billion for their offer, according to Jesse Tinsley, the tech entrepreneur organizing the bid. The group has also recruited tech CEOs David Baszucki of Roblox and Nathan McCauley of Anchorage Digital as investors.

Jeffrey Epstein maintained relationships with both Barclays boss Jes Staley and British royal Prince Andrew for longer than has been previously disclosed, according to documents from UK financial regulators. They include emails sent by Epstein claiming he was in touch with Staley as late as December 2017. Staley has maintained he ceased direct contact after joining Barclays in late 2015.

Deep Dive: Road Closures

Photographer: Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Getty

Crucial road links in the US are becoming a costly problem due to climate change.

Large stretches of California's Highway One—one of America's most popular roadways due its breathtaking views—have been closed since 2023. That year, a series of atmospheric rivers pummeled the state with rain, triggering landslides and rockslides that the thoroughfare wasn't built to withstand.
North Carolina's also battling persistent road closures in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which was supercharged by climate change. In Wyoming, increased rainfall washed away a large chunk of Highway 22 last summer.
The cost of maintaining roads in the US will increase by $100 billion a year by 2050 due to climate change, but being proactive about climate change could cut costs to an annual increase of just $4 billion a year.

The Big Take

Suleyman Kerimov, left, with Vladimir Putin in Russia's Dagestan region, June 2023. Photographer: Gavril Grigorov/Sputnik/AFP/Getty

A sanctioned Russian senator who is one of the country's richest men held a stake in Elon Musk-led SpaceX through a trust created for US assets, people familiar said. Billionaire Suleyman Kerimov's holding exposes gaps in the enforcement of rules intended to target elites who enable Kremlin policies.

Big Take Podcast

Boeing Eyes Turnaround After Tough Stretch

Opinion

Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg

To many young Americans (and I say this as an old American) DeepSeek is downright cool, Tyler Cowen writes. It's not that they're enamored of the Chinese Communist Party, but rather that they see the country's internet as hip and intriguing.

More Opinions

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AI Euphoria Saves Big Tech From So-So Earnings

Claudia Sahm

Even Talking About Tariffs Can Cause Inflation

Before You Go

Photographer: Samuel Corum/Politico

The White House received more than 7,400 requests for credentials one day after saying it would open press briefings to content creators, influencers and podcasters. In her inaugural briefing this week, Karoline Leavitt said young Americans are turning away from traditional media "to consume their news from podcasts, blogs, social media, and other independent outlets."

A Couple More