Latest news with #RonaldReaganWashingtonNationalAirport
Ammon
10-07-2025
- Ammon
Passengers at U.S. airports no longer have to remove shoes during checks
Passengers at airports across the U.S. no longer have to remove their shoes during regular TSA security checks, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed Tuesday. Noem said the change would take effect immediately for airports across the country. "Our security technology has changed dramatically. It's evolved. TSA has changed," Noem said during a news conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. "We have a multilayered, whole-of-government approach now to security and to the environment that people anticipate and experience when they come into an airport that has been honed and it's been hardened." Travelers with TSA PreCheck already didn't have to remove their footwear. In order to have PreCheck, travelers must submit an application and go through a clearance process with the Transportation Security Administration. Noem said rules for removing a belt, coat, or other items from a bag, such as laptops or liquids, are still in effect, but Homeland Security is reviewing the rules. CBS
Daily Maverick
09-07-2025
- Daily Maverick
TSA ends shoes-off policy for US airport security screening
By Nicole Johnson and Christian Martinez TSA had been requiring most U.S. air travelers to remove their shoes during screening for nearly two decades. The new policy began nationwide implementation on Tuesday. 'We expect this change will drastically decrease passenger wait times at our TSA checkpoints, leading to a more pleasant and efficient passenger experience,' Noem said in a statement. TSA began making passengers remove their shoes to screen for explosives in August 2006. The policy was implemented nearly five years after the 9/11 attacks and when Richard Reid, who is known as the 'shoe bomber,' used matches in an attempt to ignite explosive devices hidden in his shoes on a flight from Paris to Miami. More than 1 billion passengers flew through U.S. airports in fiscal 2023 on over 10 million flights, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. 'We are very confident that we can continue to provide hospitality to folks and for American travelers and for those visiting our country, while maintaining the same standard of security for passengers and for our homeland,' Noem said at a news conference at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Noem highlighted advancements in security technology and processes as reasons for the removal of the policy but noted that some individuals may be asked to remove their shoes 'if we think there's additional layers of screening that is necessary.' In 2013, TSA launched the PreCheck Trusted Traveler program, whose members are not required to remove their shoes. Children under 12 and adults 75 years or older are exempt from removing their shoes. Noem did not think the new policy would degrade the PreCheck program. 'I believe PreCheck will still be something that many travelers will want to utilize, because when they have TSA PreCheck, they won't have to take off their belt or their coat or remove things out of their bag such as laptops or compliant liquids,' Noem said. In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said other aspects of TSA's security process would remain unchanged for most other travelers. 'For example, passengers (must) still clear identity verification, Secure Flight vetting, and other processes,' the department said.
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First Post
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- First Post
Musk-Trump patch-up? Are the LA protests healing the rift between the duo?
Elon Musk and Donald Trump appear to be edging toward reconciliation after their very public fiery fallout last week. Amid the Los Angeles immigration protests, the tech billionaire has deleted harsh criticisms, reshared Trump's posts and re-followed key allies. While tensions over policy persist, analysts believe their shared political and business interests may drive a gradual mending of ties read more A newspaper front page featuring US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk is displayed at a shop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, US, June 6, 2025. File Image/Reuters Just days after Elon Musk called for United States President Donald Trump's impeachment and linked him to the Epstein files, the tech billionaire is now striking a markedly different tone. Amid escalating protests in Los Angeles over immigration raids, Musk appears to be walking back his attacks and aligning once again with the Trump administration's hardline stance on law and order. Musk, who only days ago posted scathing critiques of the Trump administration — has now begun deleting those statements. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A look at Musk's sudden shift Only a week ago, Musk was forcefully criticising Trump, suggesting that the president be removed from office and replaced by US Vice President JD Vance. In a now-deleted X post, Musk wrote: 'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!' The post, which lacked supporting evidence, was taken down within 48 hours, as were several other posts accusing Trump of fiscal mismanagement and ethical misconduct. Musk also deleted a message promising to apologise only 'as soon as there is a full dump of the Epstein files.' That statement was erased alongside a post expressing support for Trump's impeachment and a user suggestion to replace him with Vance, to which Musk had replied 'Yes.' Trump responded to the Epstein-related allegations in an interview with NBC News, saying: 'That's called 'old news.' That's been old news. That has been talked about for years. Even Epstein's lawyer said I had nothing to do with it — it's old news.' The president added: 'This has been talked about for years and years. And as you know, I was not friendly with Epstein for probably 18 years before he died. I was not at all friendly with him.' Despite Trump's attempts to downplay the issue, the friction seemed to escalate further when Musk condemned the administration's economic strategy. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Specifically, Musk warned that the president's proposed 'One, Big, Beautiful Bill' — a sweeping piece of legislation focused on domestic spending — would undermine the Department of Government Efficiency's efforts to reduce federal debt. The Trump administration, however, denied that the bill would worsen the fiscal deficit, even as independent budget watchdogs projected a multi-trillion-dollar increase in national debt. Musk's renewed public interaction with the Trump circle went beyond reposts. He re-followed Stephen Miller — the president's deputy chief of staff and an architect of the administration's immigration policies — after unfollowing him during their feud last Thursday. The move drew notice not only because of Miller's political significance but also due to the role of his wife, Katie Miller, who recently left her government position to work with Musk full-time. The Millers and Musk had reportedly maintained close social ties, adding a personal dimension to the broader political fallout. In a separate X post, Musk clarified that a screenshot circulating online — in which he allegedly responded to Miller with the taunt 'Just like I took your wife' — was fabricated. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He wrote: 'No, it's fake ffs 🤦♂️ I never posted this.' The clarification addressed mounting rumours stemming from the public spat and a growing number of viral misinformation posts that emerged in its wake. Meanwhile, Vance also weighed in during a podcast appearance, addressing Musk's Epstein allegations directly: 'Absolutely not,' he said. 'I hope Musk comes back into the fold.' His comments suggested an effort to facilitate reconciliation behind the scenes, possibly to prevent long-term damage to the Republican coalition. How LA protests are inching Trump & Musk back together Over the weekend, however, Musk's posture took a noticeable turn. As demonstrations in Los Angeles erupted in protest of ICE raids and immigration policies, the billionaire began amplifying the administration's stance. He reshared posts from Vance, who declared that the 'president will not tolerate rioting and violence,' and included American flag emojis in his repost. 🇺🇸 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 10, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Musk also circulated a Truth Social message from Trump that claimed: 'L.A. has been invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals,' as well as a follow-up post in which the president criticised California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for their alleged failure to control the violence, referring to demonstrators as 'troublemakers and insurrectionists.' This shift is consistent with Musk's previously stated views on immigration enforcement, particularly his advocacy for securing national borders and expelling undocumented immigrants. His apparent support for the administration's response to the LA protests reintroduces an element of alignment between the two that had seemed irreparably broken just days earlier. A Trump-Musk realignment or just a pause? Despite signs of rapprochement, unresolved policy differences remain. Musk has not walked back his criticism of Trump's domestic spending bill and continues to post satirical critiques of the Republican Party. On Sunday, he reposted an article from The Babylon Bee titled: 'Republicans Announce Plan To Keep Doing Opposite Of What Everyone Voted For Them To Do.' He also endorsed a user's claim that his dispute with the president was 'neither a stunt nor distraction,' replying 'Correct.' Still, Wall Street analysts see signs of cooling tensions. WedBush analyst Dan Ives noted in a Monday briefing: 'While we do not expect Trump and Musk to be back to their Mar-a-Lago connected at the hip days, it would not be a surprise to see Trump and Musk slowly mend the fences (with the help of intermediaries behind closed doors) over the coming months.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ives stated that both figures have incentives to maintain ties — Trump for the tech billionaire's sway over Silicon Valley and policy frameworks, and Musk for regulatory support, particularly around autonomous vehicle infrastructure, reported CNN. Market watchers took note of the shift. Tesla shares jumped 4.6 per cent on Monday. However, the stock remained below its Thursday level, prior to the fallout, suggesting investors are cautiously optimistic. Even Trump adopted a gentler tone when asked about Musk at a White House event: 'We had a good relationship, I wish him well, very well.' Yet when asked if he would take a call from Musk, Trump demurred: 'I haven't really thought about it actually. I would imagine he wants to speak to me, I would think so.' With inputs from agencies
Irish Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mid-air crash between plane and helicopter 'would not happen' in Irish airspace
A deadly mid-air collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter in the US would never happen in Irish airspace, an air traffic controller has revealed. On January 29, a Black Hawk chopper crashed into an American Airlines jet over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. killing 67 people. The tragedy took place while the passenger plane was on its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia at an altitude of about 100 metres and approximately 800 metres away from the tarmac. US media outlets have reported that the helicopter was flying too high and that chopper captain Rebecca Lobach did not listen to her co-pilot and flight instructor Andrew Loyd Eaves' calls to change course seconds before disaster struck. Before the crash, the helicopter pilots were informed there was an aircraft nearby and they then asked air traffic control if they could fly by "visual separation" - which was granted. This practice means those at the controls of the aircraft rely on their own visual observations to keep their distance from others using the airspace instead of using radar or other instruments. But Laura Downey, who has nine years of experience as an air traffic controller, says it couldn't happen in Ireland. Speaking to the Irish Mirror, she explained: "The procedures that we operate on, we wouldn't have planes that close to begin with. "Our operating procedures are different to the ones in the US, those two aircrafts would never be in such close proximity in the first place."
Bloomberg
05-05-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
US Army Puts Chopper Training Flights Around Pentagon on Pause
The US Army is suspending helicopter training flights around the Pentagon and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as authorities investigate an incident last week that saw two passenger jets abort landings to avoid a Black Hawk in the area. An Army official confirmed the helicopter restrictions, first reported by Reuters, but added that the service is still conducting training out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The Federal Aviation Administration has permanently restricted non-essential helicopter operations near Reagan airport after a US Army helicopter collided midair with an American Airlines Group Inc. regional jet in January, killing 67 people.
