NPR News: 12-29-2024 1PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – Episode: December 29, 2024, 1PM EST

Host: Nora Ram
Release Date: December 29, 2024
Description: The latest news in five minutes. Updated hourly.

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1. Tragic Plane Crash in South Korea

[00:18] Nora Ram: A devastating incident occurred today as a plane carrying 181 people crashed while attempting to land at Muang Airport in South Korea. Authorities have confirmed only two survivors, both flight crew members in non-life-threatening condition.

[00:37] Jonathan Head (BBC): The Boeing 737, en route from Bangkok, made an emergency landing after a bird strike compromised one engine. Footage captured near the airport depicts the aircraft moving rapidly down the runway with retracted landing gear, engines scraping the tarmac before crashing into a perimeter wall and igniting. The exact reason the pilots couldn't deploy the landing gear remains unclear.

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2. Rising Tensions and Leadership Challenges in Israel

[01:06] Nora Ram: In a somber development, the government has declared a week-long national mourning period. Concurrently, Palestinian authorities report that an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza health clinic resulted in at least seven fatalities. Israeli officials assert the building served as a Hamas command center. Complicating matters further, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is undergoing prostate surgery today, forcing him to postpone testimony in his ongoing corruption trial.

[01:38] Emily Fang (NPR): Netanyahu's office announced the surgery was necessary to remove a benign prostate growth and address a urinary tract infection. This isn't Netanyahu's first health setback amidst Israel's multifaceted conflicts in Gaza, Yemen, and Syria. Amid these challenges, Netanyahu, aged 75, has a history of medical procedures, including a pacemaker installation last year and hernia surgery earlier this spring. A Jerusalem court has permitted him to delay several days of his trial testimony due to his medical condition. "This means Netanyahu has had to cancel testimony he was supposed to give this week in a corruption trial against him," Fang reported from Tel Aviv.

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3. Surge in Cold-Related Deaths Amid Rising Temperatures in the US

[02:22] Nora Ram: A concerning trend has emerged in the United States, with deaths linked to deep cold nearly doubling between 2017 and 2022, despite an overall rise in annual temperatures. This study, published in the journal JAMA and reported by NPR’s Martha Biebinger from WBUR, highlights the paradox of extreme weather patterns.

[02:35] Martha Biebinger: Counterintuitively, as the atmosphere warms, the US experiences more extreme heat and cold spells. "There’s been a lot of focus on health risks linked to heat, but cold is dangerous as well," explains study co-author Michael Liu. He emphasizes the importance of preparing for winter, noting, "Many, if not most of these deaths are entirely preventable as well." Increased vulnerability is attributed to a growing population aged 50 and above, coupled with rising numbers of Americans lacking stable housing. For NPR News, Martha Biebinger in Boston.

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4. Azerbaijan Accuses Russia of Downing Airliner

[03:16] Nora Ram: Heightened tensions in the region as Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, accuses Russia of shooting down an Azerbaijani airliner last week, asserting that ground fire from Russia's side caused the crash. While Aliyev stops short of claiming intent, he states, "It's clear the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground in Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare." The crash, which occurred in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, resulted in 38 fatalities out of 67 onboard.

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5. Belgium Takes Stand Against Disposable E-Cigarettes

[03:56] Terry Schultz (NPR): Belgium is moving to become the first European Union country to ban disposable electronic cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, effective January 1st. This regulation is part of a broader effort to tighten smoking laws. As of April 1st, the sale of tobacco products at temporary venues like festivals, as well as at large food establishments, will be prohibited starting December 31st.

New restrictions will also enhance existing limitations on smoking in public areas, including parks, sports fields, and around entrances to schools, hospitals, and public libraries. "Authorities want to discourage people from picking up the habit and to protect non-smokers from secondhand effects," explains Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbruch, who is urging the EU to standardize tobacco legislation across all 27 member countries. Reporting from Brussels, Terry Schultz for NPR News.

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6. Severe Weather Strikes the Southern United States

[04:39] Nora Ram: Tornadoes have wreaked havoc overnight across Texas and Mississippi, leaving tens of thousands of homes and businesses without power and resulting in at least two fatalities. Meteorologists warn that severe weather will persist today, with the potential for additional tornadoes in Georgia and Florida. Residents are advised to stay vigilant and prepared for continued adverse conditions.

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Note: Advertisements and non-content segments have been excluded from this summary to focus solely on the newsworthy topics discussed in the episode.

Transcript

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[Nora Ram]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ram. A plane carrying 181 people crashed while trying to land at an airport in South Korea today. Officials say there were only two survivors, both members of the flight crew said to be in non life threatening condition. The BBC's Jonathan Head reports.

[Jonathan Head]

The authorities say the Boeing 737 airliner on a scheduled route from Bangkok made an emergency landing at Muang Airport after a bird strike damaged one engine. Video taken near the airport shows the airliner moving at high speed along the Runway with its landing gear retracted, the engines scraping against the tarmac before ploughing into a wall at the airport perimeter and bursting into flames. It's not clear why the pilots were unable to lower the landing gear.

[Nora Ram]

The BBC's Jonathan Head the government has declared a week long national mourning period. Palestinian authorities say at least seven people were killed today in an Israeli airstrike in a health clinic in the Gaza Strip. Israeli officials say the building was a Hamas command center. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is undergoing prostate surgery today. This means Netanyahu's had to cancel testimony he was supposed to give this week in a corruption trial against him. NPR's Emily Fang has more.

[Emily Fang]

Netanyahu's office said the surgery is to remove a benign growth on his prostate. His office also said he had a related urinary tract infection. This is not the first time the prime minister has had health problems while Israel is fighting on multiple fronts in Gaza against Houthi militants in Yemen and in Syria, Syria, where Israeli troops have occupied more territory. Netanyahu also is in the middle of testifying in his own corruption trial. A Jerusalem court agreed he could postpone several days of testimony this coming week due to surgery. At 75 years old, Netanyahu was among the more senior end of world leaders. He was fitted with a pacemaker last year and earlier this spring had surgery for a hernia. Emily Fang, NPR News, Tel Aviv, Israel.

[Nora Ram]

Deaths linked to deep cold nearly doubled in the US from 2017 to 2022, even as annual temperatures rose. That comes from a study in the journal JAMA from member station wbur, Martha Biebinger reports.

[Martha Biebinger]

The findings may be counterintuitive, but researchers say the US Is seeing periods of extreme heat and cold as the atmosphere warms study co author Michael Liu says there's been a lot of focus on health risks linked to heat, but but cold is dangerous as well, and I.

[Michael Liu]

Think that's especially important as we move into the winter season. And many, if not most of these deaths are entirely preventable as well.

[Martha Biebinger]

Lou says many factors may have contributed to more deaths from cold. The population of adults aged 50 or older who are less able to withstand deep cold is rising, and at the same time, there's an increase in the number of Americans who do not have stable housing. For NPR News, I'm Martha Beebinger in Boston.

[Nora Ram]

This is npr. The president of Azerbaijan said today that Russia shot down the Azerbaijan airliner that crashed last week and has tried to hide that fact for days. Ilham Aliyev said that he's not saying that it was done intentionally, but says it's clear the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground in Russia and rendered uncontrollable by electronic warfare. The crash in Kazakhstan on Wednesday killed 38 of the 67 people on board. On January 1, Belgium will become the first European Union country to ban disposable electronic cigarettes, often called vapes.

[Terry Schultz]

Terry Schultz reports Belgium is significantly tightening regulations on all smoking, including the prohibition on sales of disposable E cigarettes. Tobacco products may no longer be sold at temporary locations like festivals beginning April 1st that will include large food establishments. As of December 31st. New restrictions will tighten existing limitations on smoking in public areas like parks and sports fields and around entrances to schools, hospitals and public libraries. Authorities want to discourage people from picking up the habit and to protect non smokers from secondhand effects. Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbruch is calling on the EU to update tobacco legislation in all its 27 countries. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels.

[Nora Ram]

Tens of thousands of homes and businesses are still without power after tornadoes swept through Texas and Mississippi overnight. Officials say at least two people died. Severe weather is expected to continue today. Forecasters say tornadoes are possible in Georgia and Florida. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News.

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