An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: D.C. plane crash victims; Trump’s reaction, fact-checked; lost dog found after nearly 8 years; and more

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By Hannah Jewell and Jamie Ross

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Good morning. It's Friday, Jan. 31, and this history of commercial plane crashes — and how they changed the way we fly — is worth reading today. Let's start with the latest from D.C.

We're learning more about the deadly D.C. plane crash.

The latest: The control tower at Reagan National Airport was understaffed Wednesday night. Listen to air traffic control in this audio, and see a visual reconstruction of the crash here.
The victims: Sixty-seven people died in the collision, including competitive figure skaters, service members and children. Family members shared memories of those lost.

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President Donald Trump baselessly blamed a diversity program for the crash.

What to know: Without evidence, Trump said Democrats and diversity were to blame. He actually launched an air controller diversity program in 2019 — we fact-checked him here.
In other Trump news: Multiple FBI officials were told to leave their jobs or be fired. And an official tried to undo Trump's purge at USAID — then he was purged, too.
Are you a federal worker? Think twice about Trump's resignation offer.

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A trio of high-profile confirmation hearings took place yesterday.

What happened? Senators grilled Trump's intelligence pick Tulsi Gabbard about Edward Snowden and Syria. FBI pick Kash Patel tried to distance himself from Jan. 6 rioters.
What else to know: Health secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly contradicted past statements in his second hearing. Find all our takeaways from the busy day here.

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Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is still committed to diversity.

This week: Zuckerberg tried to reassure his liberal-leaning workforce following some dramatic policy shifts, including ending Meta's diversity and fact-checking programs.
In other tech news: Companies are trying to reassure investors of their AI capabilities after Chinese chatbot DeepSeek's overnight success wiped a trillion dollars from their value.
What else to know: AI's use in art and movies got a boost this week.

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Uganda announced a new outbreak of Ebola.

The details: A 32-year-old nurse died of the virus in Kampala, the East African nation's capital, officials said yesterday. He had 44 close contacts, who are being traced.
Digging deeper: Uganda's last outbreak, in 2022, killed 55 people. Ebola is spread through direct contact with body fluids of an infected person. There is an effective vaccine.

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The FDA approved a new, non-opioid painkiller yesterday.

What is it? Journavx, whose active ingredient is suzetrigine. It's the first novel pain drug to win authorization in more than 20 years. Its maker says it's not addictive.
Why it matters: It could be a tool to fight the deadly opioid epidemic. It intercepts pain signals before they reach the spinal cord, rather than acting directly on the brain.

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A lost dog was returned to his owner after nearly eight years.

What happened? Damian, a miniature Doberman pinscher, disappeared in May 2017 during a cross-country move. His owner, Paul Guilbeault, feared he had been killed.
Then what? This month, Damian was found in Oklahoma City. When the two were reunited thanks to a microchip, it was clear that their bond was still strong.

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Before you go … what to watch: The new Will Ferrell rom-com "You're Cordially Invited" — although our critic wasn't impressed. Ready for the Grammys? Rewind with 2024's best songs.

One more good read: Butterworth's, MAGA's new D.C. hangout, is for the "weirdos and freaks."

And finally … end your week by playing On the Record, The Post's quotable quiz. The weekend version is 10 questions, and you can risk all your points on a final bonus question. Ready to play? Click here. Or try our word games, Keyword and the brand-new Wridges.

You're all caught up. See you Monday.