“It was probably out in the middle of the river. I just saw a fireball, and then it was gone.” Today on “Post Reports,” unpacking a deadly collision in the nation’s capital.

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On Wednesday night, an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair near Reagan National Airport. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. 

D.C. officials believe the three soldiers in the helicopter and all 64 passengers and crew aboard the airplane were killed. 

Today on “Post Reports,” host Elahe Izadi and transportation reporter Lori Aratani break down what we know about the collision, the close calls faced around Reagan National Airport in the recent past, and President Donald Trump’s baseless claims that diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the Federal Aviation Administration were to blame for the crash. 

Today’s show was produced by Bishop Sand and Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Reena Flores. Thanks to Teddy Amenabar, Blair Guild, Evan Hill, Jorge Ribas, Chris Rowland, Kyle Swenson and Clarence Williams.

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The stock market plummeted this week after a Chinese company showed it could do more with less. Today, we talk about the new AI chatbot DeepSeek, and why people are freaking out about it – from Silicon Valley to Wall Street to Washington.

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For two years, American artificial intelligence companies looked unstoppable. Then came DeepSeek. 

Today on Post Reports, we talk to tech policy reporter Eva Dou about how a scrappy startup became so dominant, and what it means for the AI arms race. 

Eva has a book out now about one of the world’s most controversial tech companies, set against the backdrop of the political, social and economic transformation of China. It’s called “House of Huawei: The Secret of China’s Most Powerful Company.”

Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks to James Graff. 

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s selection has raised red flags among medical experts and public health officials, especially because of his stance on vaccines. Health reporter Lauren Weber and data reporter Caitlin Gilbert examined hundreds of appearances that RFK Jr. has made to understand the extent of his disparaging claims about vaccines. 

Today on “Post Reports,” Weber discusses what they exclusively unearthed and what it all means for the contentious confirmation battle ahead. 

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Caroline Kennedy warns senators of ‘predator’ RFK Jr. in searing letter

10 RFK Jr. conspiracy theories and false claims, in his own words

Pressure builds on RFK Jr. as confirmation hearing remains unscheduled

Today’s show was produced by Elana Gordon. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. Thanks to Stephen Smith and Caitlin Gilbert. 

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Over the weekend, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials received instructions from the White House to ramp up deportations, from a few hundred per day to at least 1,200. This came after President Donald Trump expressed disappointment with the results of his mass deportation campaign so far, according to people with knowledge of the briefings.

The orders significantly increase the chance that officers will engage in more indiscriminate enforcement tactics or face accusations of civil rights violations as they strain to meet quotas, according to current and former ICE officials.

Host Martine Powers speaks with immigration reporter Nick Miroff about what these new deportation quotas mean for the country, and the obstacles the Trump administration could face in making these goals a reality.

Today’s show was produced by Emma Talkoff with help from Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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Ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, scores of career diplomats at the State Department were asked by Trump aides to resign. 

Trump campaigned on dismantling what he has called the “deep state” of federal bureaucrats, who he views as lacking loyalty to him and undermining his agenda. The forced departures were seen as confirmation of this plan – and a step toward changing the tone of the department. 

But who are these bureaucrats, and what are their stories? 

Those are the driving questions behind Netflix’s “The Diplomat.” Martine Powers spoke to its creator and executive producer, Debora Cahn. The show is about the life of a no-nonsense Foreign Service officer who’s suddenly made the U.S. ambassador to Britain. It is messy, it is human, and it – unintentionally – sometimes seems to be in conversation with the headlines.

On “Post Reports” today, Martine and Debora talk about the stories we don’t hear out of the Foreign Service, the allure of “competency porn,” and what “The Diplomat” can tell us about the value of “using your words.”

Today’s show was produced and mixed by Rennie Svirnovskiy, with help from Peter Bresnan. It was edited by Maggie Penman. 

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Senior political reporter Aaron Blake talks with senior White House reporter Isaac Arnsdorf and national political reporter Marianne LeVine about how Trump’s executive actions are already having a tangible impact. They also talk about how Trump’s pardon of Jan. 6 rioters was met with a muted response from several prominent Republicans. 

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff. It was edited by Lucy Perkins and Rachel Van Dongen and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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Historically, many women dropped out of the labor force because of family obligations. Today, women are working longer — in some cases because they feel like they’ve finally hit their stride in their careers. In other cases, they feel they can’t afford to retire. 

Hannah Ziegler is a business reporter for The Post, and she talks to host Martine Powers about this Big Shift as the workforce becomes older — and more female. 

Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sam Bair.

You can also read about the hurdles older women face with investing and how some savers have overcome them. Plus, the women who are sharing their homes as they grow older.

Check out a live podcast taping that will be hosted by Martine on Jan. 25 about the enduring legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. 

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On Wednesday, Rupert Murdoch’s British media group agreed to pay “substantial damages” and apologized to Prince Harry as part of a settlement agreement over claims that the paper illegally intruded into the prince’s life. Harry is one of many celebrities and politicians who have sued Murdoch’s papers for illegally obtaining private information – the claims stretch back to 2011, when it was first revealed that journalists at the tabloids might be hacking phones. 

Martine speaks with democracy reporter Sarah Ellison about why Prince Harry finally decided to settle and what this outcome means for the Murdochs. 

Today’s show was produced by Sabby Robinson, with help from Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was edited by Reena Flores and mixed by Sam Bair. 

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It’s not over for TikTok. Or is it? Today on “Post Reports,” why the app went dark in the United States, how it came back and who controls its fate. 

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Last week, the Supreme Court upheld a federal law banning TikTok in the United States unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sold to an American buyer. 

On Sunday, the popular video-sharing app went dark, only to come back later that night. And on Monday, Trump signed an executive order to halt the ban. 

Today on “Post Reports,” tech reporter Drew Harwell digs into the national security arguments that swayed the court’s decision, why Trump’s opinion on the app has flip-flopped and why users of the platform might still feel like they’re in purgatory. 

And, we hear from Dave Jorgenson, the face of The Washington Post’s TikTok team, about how TikTok users are feeling amid the turmoil. 

Today’s show was produced by Rennie Svirnovskiy and Bishop Sand. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Lucy Perkins and Monica Campbell. Thanks also to Alexis Fitts.

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Check out a live podcast taping that will be hosted by Martine on Jan. 25 about the enduring legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Crowds of Trump supporters in Washington were supposed to watch the inauguration on the National Mall. But when plans changed last-minute because of freezing temperatures, the president’s fans crowded instead into indoor space at Capital One Arena and nearby bars.

At the same time, Trump was getting sworn in at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, flanked by tech billionaires and members of his proposed Cabinet. 

On today’s episode, host Martine Powers talks with chief correspondent Dan Balz about the unusual inauguration, Trump’s plans for his presidency and what he’s already doing to make them a reality.

Today’s show was produced by Laura Benshoff and Ted Muldoon, who also mixed the show. It was edited by Reena Flores. Thanks to Annah Aschbrenner.

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Check out a live podcast taping that will be hosted by Martine on Jan. 25 about the enduring legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.