NPR News: 12-29-2024 8PM EST

Summary

In Memoriam: Former President Jimmy Carter

In a heartfelt announcement, Jeanine Herbst reported the passing of former President Jimmy Carter at the age of 100 after nearly two years in in-home hospice care in Plains, Georgia. President Biden lauded Carter as "a man of great character and courage." A tribute from an unknown speaker highlighted Carter’s global impact, stating, “Millions of people all around the world feel they lost a friend as well, even though they never met him” (00:28).

NPR’s Brian Naylor provided an overview of Carter’s presidency and legacy. Carter's tenure as the 39th President of the United States was marked by significant challenges, including the Iran hostage crisis and an oil embargo that led to long lines and rising gasoline prices. Carter described the national sentiment during the oil crisis as, “a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national world” (01:38). Despite these challenges, Carter achieved notable successes, such as brokering the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt. After his presidency, Carter remained active in public life, authoring over 20 books, building homes with Habitat for Humanity, and being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 (01:46).

Conflict in Gaza: Israeli Airstrike on Health Clinic

Jeanine Herbst reported a tragic incident in the Gaza Strip where Palestinian authorities accused the Israeli military of striking the Al Waqa Clinic, resulting in seven fatalities. The Israeli military countered, asserting that the clinic was being used as a Hamas command center and that militants were embedded within civilian structures (02:11).

Emily Fang elaborated on the situation, noting that the Al Wafa Clinic, which specialized in physical therapy services in Gaza City, was targeted amidst a broader military campaign launched by Israel in October. This campaign has led to the displacement of over 100,000 people and the closure of the last functioning hospital in northern Gaza by Israeli soldiers over the weekend, resulting in the arrest of 240 individuals. The World Health Organization expressed deep concern, stating it was "appalled by Israel's systemic dismantling of the health system there" (02:31).

Housing Market Faces 30-Year Low

The federal government has reported that the current year marks the slowest housing market in three decades. Jeanine Herbst introduced Laurel Wamsley from NPR, who detailed the ongoing housing shortage. Due to a lack of listings, the U.S. is projected to experience the fewest existing home sales in 2024 since 1995—a time when the population was over 20% smaller than today’s (03:30).

Wamsley highlighted that the median sales price of existing homes has surged by 50% over the past five years. Concurrently, homelessness has risen by 18% this year alone, underscoring the severity of the housing crisis (03:43).

Entertainment Piracy: ‘House of the Dragon’ Tops the List

Jeanine Herbst reported on the surge in piracy within the entertainment industry, specifically highlighting that the TV show "House of the Dragon", a prequel to HBO's "Game of Thrones," emerged as the most pirated show of 2024. Netta Ulaby explained that torrenting, while less prevalent due to the rise of streaming services, remains a method for distributing large files, including popular series like "House of the Dragon" (04:06).

Despite expectations, other high-profile series such as "Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" did not make the top 10 most pirated list. According to Torrent Freak, "House of the Dragon" was followed by other series like "The Boys," "Shogun," and "Arcane" in piracy rankings (04:24). A memorable moment from the segment included the playful announcement, “Your family has dragons” (04:21).

Asian Markets Experience a Downturn

In the financial sector, Jeanine Herbst reported that Asian markets are trading lower, with Japan's primary market index, the Nikkei, down by approximately half a percent. This downturn reflects broader economic challenges in the region (04:49).

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Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

From NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Biden says former President Jimmy Carter was a man of great character and courage.

[Unknown Speaker]

What I find extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people all around the world, all over the world, feel they lost a friend as well, even though they never met him. And that's because Jimmy Carter lived a life measured not by words, but by his deeds. Just look at his life, his life's work. He worked to eradicate disease not just at home, but around the world. You forged peace, advanced civil rights, human rights, promoted free and fair elections around the world.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Carter died today at the age of 100 after nearly two years of in home hospice care in Plains, Georgia. NPR's Brian Naylor reports. Carter, the 39th president of the U.S. was a peanut farmer and former Georgia governor who defeated incumbent gerald Ford in 1976.

[Brian Naylor]

Jimmy Carter's four years in the White House were marked by a number of crises. There was the hostage crisis with Iran in which 52Americans were held captive for over a year. An oil embargo caused long lines and spiraling prices for gasoline. It led to Carter's so called malaise speech in 1979.

[Jimmy Carter]

It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national world.

[Brian Naylor]

But there were also successes. Carter helped Israel and Egypt reach a peace agreement at Camp David. Much of Carter's legacy was shaped after his defeat by Ronald Reagan in 1980. He remained active in public life, writing more than 20 books and helping build homes with Habitat for humanity. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Brian Naylor, NPR News, Washington.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Palestinian authorities say the Israeli military struck a health clinic in the Gaza Strip today, killing seven. Israel says the Al Waqa Clinic building was serving as an operating base for militants. NPR's Emily Fang reports. The deadly airstrike comes the day after another hospital in Gaza was forced to close by Israel.

[Emily Fang]

Al Wafa Clinic specialized in physical therapy services in Gaza City, but Israel's military said the clinic was a Hamas command center and accused Hamas fighters of embedding in civilian buildings. Meanwhile, northern Gaza's last functioning hospital was shut down by Israeli soldiers over the weekend and 240, 40 people there arrested. North Gaza has been essentially cut off since October, when Israel launched an ongoing and punishing military campaign in the area that displaced more than 100,000 people. The world Health Organization said it was, quote, appalled by Israel's systemic dismantling of the health system there. Emily Fang, NPR News, Tel Aviv, Israel.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The federal government says this year closes the books on the slowest housing market in 30 years. As the housing shortage continues, Impair's Laurel Wamsley has more.

[Laurel Wamsley]

Because so many people aren't selling, we're on track for 2024 to have the fewest existing home sales since 1995. That's almost 30 years ago when the country's population was more than 20% smaller than it is now.

[Jeanine Herbst]

NPR's Laurel Wamsley reporting. The median sales price of an existing home has risen 50% in the past five years, and homelessness is on the rise, up 18% this year alone. The TV show House of the Dragon was the most popular this year among pirates. As NPR's Netta Uluby reports, the series was one of the most illegally downloaded in 2024.

[Netta Ulaby]

It was the most illegally torrented show by far in 2024. Torrenting is not as widespread as it was before the rise of stream. Pirates still use the protocol to download and distribute very large files, like ones filled with stories about dragons.

[Unknown Speaker]

Your family has dragons.

[Netta Ulaby]

House of the Dragon is a prequel to HBO's Game of Thrones. According to the website Torrent Freak, it was the number one pirated show, followed by the series the Boys Shogun and Arcane. It came as something of a surprise. The website said that the series Lord of the the Rings of Power did not even crack the top 10 most pirated list this year. Neta Ulabi, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Asian markets are trading lower at this hour than Nikkei, the main market in Japan, down about a half percent. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News, in Washington.

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