NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-29-2024 12PM EST

Episode Date: December 29, 2024

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Oh, oh, oh, Santa here coming to you from the North Pole where the elves in our podcast division have just completed work on this season's best gift for public radio lovers NPR plus give the gift of sponsored free listening and even bonus episodes from your favorite NPR podcasts all While supporting public media learn more at plus dot NPR dots org Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Rahm. A South Korean passenger plane skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence, and burst into flames this morning while attempting to land at an airport about 180 miles south of Seoul.

There were 181 people on board, only two of them survived. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul. Jeju Air is considered South Korea's leading low-cost carrier, and this is the first fatal accident they've suffered in nearly two decades of operation. The plane was a Boeing 737-800. Its landing gear and the plane have a good safety record. This particular Jeju Air plane was 15 years old and had a clean record. So it's believed to be the worst accident

for any South Korean airline since 1997. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reporting from Seoul. Transport officials say it appears the airport control tower had warned of birds in its path and had given permission to the pilot to land in a different area. The pilot sent out a distress signal shortly before the crash.

The president of Azerbaijan says Russian anti-aircraft weapons hit the Azerbaijani airliner that crashed last week, killing 38 people. Speaking on Azerbaijan television, Ilham Aliyev criticized Russian officials for initially denying involvement. NPR's Brian Mann reports. President Aliyev said in the interview, We can say with complete clarity the plane was shot down by Russia. He added there's no evidence. Russia struck the passenger liner intentionally,

but Aliyev accused Russia of trying to hush up the incident by giving what he described as delirious versions of the crash. He called for Russia to prosecute those involved and pay compensation. The plane was en route from Azerbaijan's capital Baku to Grozny, a city in Russia, when it began to fly erratically, eventually crashing in nearby Kazakhstan. 29 people survived. In a statement, Aliyev's office said he has spoken a second time with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the downed plane. The statement offered no details about their exchange.

Brian Mann, NPR News, Kyiv. At least two people have died and six are injured after tornadoes touched down in Texas and Mississippi yesterday. Tens of thousands of people remain without electricity. NPR's Ava Pukac reports. National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Chouinard says there were numerous reports of tornadoes Saturday as the storm system moved east from Texas to Alabama. And there's a possibility of more tornadoes today across the southeast U.S.

There is an expectation that there could be some tornado threat across the Florida panhandle into Georgia, maybe even into portions of South Carolina, as we go through the morning and into the afternoon hours. Shennard says along the East coast, they're forecasting wet travel conditions, which could lead to more delays than normal on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Eva Pukac, NPR News. This is NPR News in Washington. Croatia is holding a presidential election today.

There are eight candidates, including the incumbent, who's running for a second term, although polls suggest he is ahead. He'll have to win a majority of the vote to avoid a runoff election on January 12th. The former Soviet Republic of Georgia swore in a new president today. McHale-Cavelli's Georgia Dream Party has said it wants to reset ties with Russia. The opposition boycotted the election and claims it was rigged by Russia. England may be known as a nation of dog lovers, but according to one of the UK's oldest and best known animal rescues, abandoned pets are hitting record levels. 2023 was a record year for pets adopted during the pandemic being given up.

And 2024 is shaping up to be even worse. Vicki Barker reports from London. New arrivals at British animal shelters tend to reflect the latest influencer and celebrity trends. The French Bulldogs, beloved of Leonardo DiCaprio and Lady Gaga, are now among the most likely to be abandoned, along with Shih Tzu's and Dalmatians. And the staff at Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in

London say the recent re-release of a 2009 Richard Gere film called Hachi, A Dog's Tale, has resulted in an influx of the featured Akita dog breed. Money isn't the only reason pets are being abandoned though, and some shelters are now offering training to inexperienced owners. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London. And I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.