NPR News Now - NPR News: 12-29-2024 5PM EST

Episode Date: December 29, 2024

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janene Herbst. Former President Jimmy Carter died today at his home in Plains, Georgia. He was 100 years old. And Piers Bryan Naylor reports Carter was a peanut farmer and former Georgia governor who defeated incumbent Gerald Ford in 1976. 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 52 Americans 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. It is a crisis of confidence. It is a crisis that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will. 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. 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. South Korea's government has declared a seven-day period of national mourning following the deadly crash of a passenger plane. 179 people were killed, only two survived. And here's Anthony Kuhn reports from Seoul on one of South Korea's worst ever aviation disasters. Video shot by eyewitnesses show the airplane skidding fast down the runway. On its fuselage, its landing gear still up.

It slammed into a concrete fence and exploded into flames. Firemen and soldiers combed through the wreckage in search of survivors and victims. Authorities say all but the two who were rescued are presumed to have been killed. The Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan International Airport in South Chola Province, about 180 miles from Seoul. The budget carrier Jeju Air Flight was returning from Bangkok, Thailand. Two passengers were Thai nationals, the rest were South Koreans. Jeju Air CEO publicly apologized for the crash. The cause, the rest were South Koreans. Jeju Air's CEO publicly

apologized for the crash. The cause of the disaster is under investigation. Anthony Kuhn in PR News, Seoul. Lylee Kuhn, NPR News, Seoul Severe storms across the South this weekend spawned reports of dozens of tornadoes in parts of Texas and Mississippi, leaving at least two people dead. Frank Pereira is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The latest tabulation we have is that there were up to around 40 tornado reports, again, extending all the way from southeastern Texas all the way over into Alabama with these storms. And there were many reports of hail, damaging hail, as well as wind. Thousands of flights were delayed or canceled by the storms, and tens of thousands of customers

across several southern states are without power. The same weather system is heading east, targeting the northeast into tomorrow. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The TV show House of Dragon was popular this year among pirates. As NPR's Netta Ulubi reports, the series was one of the most illegally downloaded in 2024. It was the most illegally torrented show by far in 2024. Torrenting is not as widespread as it was before the rise of streaming, but pirates still use the protocol to download and distribute very large files, like ones filled with stories about dragons. Your family has dragons.

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 Rings, The Rings of Power did not even crack the top ten most-pirated list this year. Nettie Ulubi, NPR News. NETTIE ULUBI At the weekend box office, two family films dominated this holiday weekend. Sonic the Hedgehog 3 took the top spot,

with an estimated $38 million in ticket sales. In second place, Mufasa, the Lion King, with $37 million. In third place, the R-rated horror Nafsatru with an unexpectedly strong $21 million. That was a gamble to open that film on Christmas when family films or all-age blockbusters tend to be prioritized, but it did pay off, attracting the coveted 18- to 30-year-old demographic. Again, repeating our top story, former President Jimmy Carter died today at his home in Plains, Georgia.

He was 100 years old. I'm Janene Herbst, NPR News in Washington.