NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-29-2024 11AM EST

Episode Date: December 29, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Robb. South Korea's acting president has declared a week of national mourning after a plane carrying 181 people crashed on landing today. Only two people survived. Emergency workers in South Korea are using floodlights in their search for bodies. The BBC's Jeanne Mackenzie is at the site. Just because the bodies have been retrieved doesn't mean that they have been identified. That process takes a lot longer

and some people have been so badly injured that the fire service have said that actually initially it's not even possible to tell what gender they are. And because this process then of identification is taking so long, that's very painful for the families. They don't feel they can go home. Yes, they know that their relatives were on this plane, but of course they need to hear

it firsthand. And so every so often, somebody will get up and read out a few more names, and then there will just be this eruption of pain and heartache. The BBC's Jean McKenzie. Palestinian authorities say the Israeli military struck a health clinic in the Gaza Strip today, killing seven people. Israel says the Al-Wafa 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 by Israel to close. 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 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 and PR News Tel Aviv, Israel. In the U.S. government statistics shows this has been one of the slowest housing markets in 30 years. The median sales price of an existing home has risen 50 percent in the past five years, and mortgage rates are high. NPR's Laura Walmsley reports people are also paying more for housing.

For both renters and homeowners, there are real housing problems. More than a quarter of renters are paying more than half of their income on rent and utilities. That's a big chunk of your pay just going to a roof over your head. The government also reports more Americans are without a place to live, that homelessness increased 18% from last year. Several tornadoes swept through Texas and Mississippi overnight. Officials say at least two people died and six others were injured. Tens of thousands of homes and businesses lost power. The Weather Service says the severe storm system is moving east, and tornadoes are possible

today in Georgia and Florida. This is NPR News. At least three migrants died in France this morning while trying to cross the English Channel into Britain. Local officials say another 45 people were rescued from their overcrowded boat. Croatians are going to the polls today to elect a new president. Polls suggest the incumbent is ahead. He's often compared to Donald Trump for his combative style and opposition to international organizations.

Terry Schultz reports. Croatian President Zoran Milanovic faces seven opponents in his battle for re-election. Polls put him comfortably ahead, but unlikely to gain 50 percent of the vote, requiring a second round in January. Milanovic is often compared to Donald Trump. He calls immigration the country's biggest challenge. Despite Croatia being a member of both the European Union and NATO, Milanovic is critical of EU and NATO support for Ukraine and has blocked Croatia's participation in the EU mission training Ukrainian soldiers.

Milanovic's main rival, Dragan Primorets, labels the president as pro-Russian and says Croatia's place is in the West, not the East. While a largely ceremonial role, the Croatian president is the supreme commander of the country's military. For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels. German politicians are accusing billionaire Elon Musk of election interference. The coalition government collapsed last month, and new elections are scheduled for February 23rd. Musk, an adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, published an opinion piece in

a German newspaper yesterday backing the right-wing Alternative for Germany party. The leader of the opposition Christian Democrats called the commentary intrusive and pretentious. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News.