Loading summary
NPR Sponsor Announcement
This message comes from Noom. Using psychology and biology to build personal meal plans to fit your lifestyle, taking into account dietary restrictions, medical issues and other personal needs. Sign up for your trial today@noom.com live from NPR News.
Korva Coleman
In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. South Korea's parliament has impeached Prime Minister Han Deok Soo, who is also serving as the country's acting president. Han has been acting president for fewer than two weeks. That's because South Korean President Yoon Sang Yol was also impeached and suspended, suspended from office. That was after his botched attempt to impose martial law. The BBC's Gene McKenzie reports from Seoul.
Gene McKenzie
As the opposition party voted to impeach Prime Minister Han using its sizeable majority in parliament, MPs in the ruling party crowded around the speaker of the House, shouting, angry with his decision to even let this vote go ahead. The opposition have decided to remove Mr. Han after he refused to appoint the judges they'd chosen to oversee President Yoon's impeachment trial. They argued Mr. Han was protecting the president and was therefore not fit to run the country. But his removal just deepens South Korea's political turmoil. Decision making here is gridlocked and the economy is suffering.
Korva Coleman
The BBC's Jean McKenzie reporting. South Korea's finance Minister, Choi Sang Mok has now been installed as the country's new acting president and acting prime minister. A U S funded group that tracks food security around the world has taken down its latest report on northern Gaza. The report said a famine was unfolding there, but NPR's Michelle Kellerman tells us U.S. officials raised doubts about the information.
Michelle Kellerman
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network says its latest alert on Gaza is under review and will be re released with updated data and analysis in January. The alert had warned of an impending famine in north Gaza, but U.S. officials say the group had inflated the number of people living in the area. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jack Lew, called it irresponsible. The U.S. agency for International Development, which created the famine monitoring group, says it requested the report to be updated. A spokesman says the US Is still deeply concerned about the scale of food insecurity in Gaza and the, quote, minimal amount of assistance that has reached Palestinians in the north. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Washington.
Korva Coleman
U.S. health officials are warning pet owners their animals could be at risk of contracting bird flu if they consume raw milk or raw pet food. Dr. Michael Bailey is the president of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
NPR Sponsor Announcement
We do have many reports of cats particularly. There have been some reports of dogs also, but cats particularly acquiring bird flu predominantly from raw food sources. So this goes with raw milk as well as raw meat. So I'm going to say raw proteins.
Korva Coleman
Officials warn raw pet food made with turkey or poultry can also harbor the bird flu virus. Meanwhile, a Washington state animal sanctuary says bird flu has killed 20 of its big cats in the past month. That includes four cougars and a half Bengal tiger. This is npr. Germany's president is dissolving the country's parliament. This makes way for national elections in February. It comes after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a vote of confidence this month. Officials in Kazakhstan say they've recovered flight data recorders from the passenger jet that crashed on Christmas Day. Dozens of people aboard were killed. Images of the crash appear to show damage to the plane's tail consistent with explosives. New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed into law a bill that creates a state climate Superfund. It allows New York to find major emitters of greenhouse gases. NPR's Alejandra Barunda reports. The money is used to better protect people from extreme weather.
Alejandra Barunda
Human caused climate change is expensive. This year alone, New York state saw eight weather disasters that cost more than $1 billion each. And that cost is likely to increase as the planet heats up. New York's new law works like the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund program, where polluters pay the cost of cleaning up an environmental problem they caused. The state will be able to fine Climate polluters some $3 billion each per year over the next 25 years. Vermont signed a similar bill into law earlier this year. Legal experts say it's likely New York's new law will be challenged. Alejandra Barunda, NPR News.
Korva Coleman
The National Weather Service has confirmed tornadoes touched down in central Louisiana yesterday. Several more tornadoes were spotted in Texas near Houston. Forecasters are warning there could be an elevated risk for severe storms from east Texas, across Mississippi and north into Tennessee. That risk could last through tomorrow night. This is NPR.
NPR Sponsor Announcement
This message comes from GiveWell. GiveWell provides rigorous, transparent research about the best giving opportunities so that donors can make informed decisions about high impact giving. To learn more, go to givewell.org and pick podcast and enter NPR at checkout.
Host: Korva Coleman
Reporter Contributions: Gene McKenzie, Michelle Kellerman, Alejandra Barunda
In a swift turn of events, South Korea's parliament has impeached Prime Minister Han Deok Soo, who was briefly serving as the acting president. This move follows the impeachment and suspension of President Yoon Sang Yol due to his unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law.
Gene McKenzie reports from Seoul:
"As the opposition party voted to impeach Prime Minister Han using its sizeable majority in parliament, MPs in the ruling party crowded around the speaker of the House, shouting, angry with his decision to even let this vote go ahead" (00:38). The opposition cited Han's refusal to appoint judges they selected for President Yoon's impeachment trial, arguing that Han was protecting the president and thus unfit to lead. The impeachment has deepened the country's political instability, resulting in gridlocked decision-making and a struggling economy.
Following Han's removal, South Korea's Finance Minister, Choi Sang Mok, has been appointed as the new acting president and prime minister (01:14). This leadership change marks another chapter in the nation's ongoing political turmoil.
A U.S.-funded group monitoring global food security retracted its latest report on northern Gaza, which had initially warned of an impending famine. NPR's Michelle Kellerman explains that the Famine Early Warning Systems Network is revising the alert for release in January, citing inflated population figures in the region.
Michelle Kellerman reports:
"The Famine Early Warning Systems Network says its latest alert on Gaza is under review and will be re-released with updated data and analysis in January" (01:37). U.S. officials, including Ambassador Jack Lew, criticized the premature report, labeling it "irresponsible." The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which oversees the monitoring group, maintains concern over the severe food insecurity in Gaza despite minimal aid reaching Palestinians in the north.
U.S. health authorities are cautioning pet owners about the risks of bird flu transmission from consuming raw milk and raw pet food. Dr. Michael Bailey, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, highlighted that "raw proteins" like raw milk and raw meat can harbor the bird flu virus, posing a threat to both pets and their owners (02:22).
Additionally, a Washington state animal sanctuary has reported the death of 20 large cats, including four cougars and a half Bengal tiger, due to bird flu over the past month (02:56). This surge underscores the virus's impact on both domestic animals and wildlife.
Germany is set to hold national elections in February after President [Name] dissolved the country's parliament. This decision follows Chancellor Olaf Scholz's recent loss in a vote of confidence, signaling significant shifts in the nation's political landscape (02:56).
Officials in Kazakhstan have recovered flight data recorders from a passenger jet that crashed on Christmas Day, resulting in dozens of fatalities. Preliminary images suggest damage to the plane's tail consistent with an explosive device, raising suspicions of sabotage (02:56).
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed a groundbreaking bill establishing a state climate Superfund. This initiative empowers the state to identify and fine major greenhouse gas emitters, with funds allocated to protect residents from extreme weather events.
Alejandra Barunda reports:
"Human caused climate change is expensive. This year alone, New York state saw eight weather disasters that cost more than $1 billion each" (03:56). Modeled after the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Superfund program, the new law aims to hold polluters accountable by imposing fines of up to $3 billion annually for the next 25 years. Vermont enacted a similar law earlier this year. Legal experts anticipate challenges to New York's legislation, but officials emphasize its importance in mitigating climate-related costs (03:56).
The National Weather Service has confirmed tornado touchdowns in central Louisiana and multiple locations near Houston, Texas, yesterday (04:32). Meteorologists warn of an elevated risk for severe storms extending from east Texas through Mississippi and into Tennessee, with the threat persisting through tomorrow night. Residents in these areas are advised to stay vigilant and prepared for potential adverse weather conditions.
Stay informed with the latest updates from NPR News Now.