NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-01-2025 1PM EST

Episode Date: January 1, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Louise Schiavone. President Biden says the FBI is leading the investigation into what the FBI is now calling an act of terrorism in New Orleans. Around 3 o'clock in the morning, at least 10 people were killed, 35 injured, when a man driving a pickup truck plowed into pedestrians at high speed in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Authorities say the driver then fired a police hitting two people before police shot and killed him. New Orleans Police Superintendent Ann Kirkpatrick. He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.

Because of the nature and the indices that we have on the scene and we have a enough information that the FBI will be taking over this investigation. The president of the New Orleans City Council, Helena Moreno, said that the license plate of the truck identified police was from Texas and the suspect was not a New Orleans local. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is condemning today's attack in New Orleans along Bourbon Street. NPR's Claudia Grisales reports Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has briefed President Biden on the matter.

Secretary Mayorkas said his agency is working closely with law enforcement partners in response to the situation in New Orleans. He called the incident an abhorrent attack, which is now being investigated by the FBI as an act of terrorism. Mayorkas added the agency is grateful to first responders for their bravery responding to the incident and urged the public to remain vigilant. An agency official told NPR that in addition to briefing the president, Mayorkas has also been in touch with members of the congressional delegation for

Louisiana and he continues to stay in close touch with the White House. Claudia Grisales, NPR News. Four days after a deadly crash took the lives of 179 passengers and crew aboard a Boeing 737-800, a South Korean plane, authorities have finally finished identifying all the victims. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul that only two flight attendants survived the worst aviation disaster ever on Korean soil. Authorities confirmed the identities of the last five unidentified victims, allowing funeral preparations to begin. Most family members are still waiting for their loved ones' remains to be returned. Authorities say the force of the collision meant many of the bodies were in pieces and

must be reassembled. About two dozen investigators from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, and the airlines' maker Boeing headed to the scene of the crash Monday to help with the investigation. The plane's flight data recorder was damaged and will be sent to the U.S. for analysis. Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul. This is NPR News. The new year has brought more attacks between Hamas and Israel.

At midnight, Hamas fired two rockets across the border from Gaza into Israel. There were no injuries or damage. On New Year's Day, Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people, including children, according to Gaza health officials. Ukraine's President Vladimir Zelensky delivered his annual end-of-the-year speech. He called for continued unity among those supporting his country's defense against the Russian invasion. NPR's Hanna Palmarenko has more from Kyiv.

Zelensky opened his address with footage of the latest prisoner of war exchange between Ukraine and Russia. In his 20-minute speech, he listed new Ukrainian-made weapons, remembered the consequences of Russian attacks on Ukraine, and addressed Ukrainians in the occupied territories and abroad. He also noted Ukraine's achievements on the path to EU and NATO membership, and thanked international partners for their support. Putin cannot win. Ukraine will prevail." Zelensky expressed confidence that, quote, the new American president is willing and able to bring peace and put an end to Putin's

aggression. Hanna Palomarenko, NPR News, Kyiv. In a Honolulu neighborhood just before midnight, a fireworks explosion killed two people and injured 20 more. The Honolulu Fire Department says the New Year's Eve incident occurred outside of a home. There was no fire at the home. The case is under investigation in that neighborhood in Honolulu. I'm Louise Schiavone, NPR News, Washington.