An attacker stabs the leader of South Korea’s opposition party during a press event. And a plane with nearly 400 people on board catches fire while landing in Japan. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024.
Political leader in South Korea stabbed on livestream
The leader of South Korea’s opposition Democratic party continues to recover this morning after being wounded in a stabbing that was live-streamed just hours ago. Lee Jae-Myung was stabbed in the neck during a visit to the country’s southern city of Busan.
This type of violence must never be tolerated under any circumstances.
President Yoon Suk Yeol
Lee was touring the site of a proposed airport in South Korea when the video showed the assailant wearing a paper crown with Lee’s name on it approaching him. Police say the suspect asked Lee for an autograph and then stabbed him in the neck with a 7-inch knife.
The video shows the 66-year-old attacker being taken down and restrained by several in the crowd. Photographs from the scene show Lee on the ground with people pressing a handkerchief against his neck. He was taken to a hospital for emergency treatment; health officials said his injuries appeared to be non-life-threatening. Lee narrowly lost the 2022 presidential election to Yoon Suk Yeol. The president condemned the attack in a statement from his office.
“This type of violence must never be tolerated under any circumstances,” Yoon Suk Yeol said.
Lee is currently on trial for bribery allegations. He has denied any wrongdoing. The stabbing suspect’s motives remain under investigation.
Japan earthquake kills at least 48 on New Year’s Day
At least 48 people have been killed after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Japan on New Year’s Day. Rescue teams continue to attempt to reach isolated areas where buildings were toppled, and fires are burning in hopes of finding more survivors.
The Japanese government said there are around 120 cases of people awaiting rescue. The afternoon quake led to tsunami waves striking Japan’s western coast, sending people fleeing for higher ground. The earthquake knocked out power to tens of thousands, damaged rail services, and forced the closure of an airport due to cracks in its runway.
Japan’s meteorological agency is reporting roughly 200 aftershocks have been detected and warning more tremors could strike in the coming days following the country’s deadliest earthquake since 2016.
Airplane catches fire on runway in Japan
Also in Japan, a new video, this morning shows a plane with nearly 400 people aboard catching fire as it skids down the runway after local media reports it crashed into another aircraft while landing. The video shows the Japan Airlines plane engulfed in flames at the airport in Tokyo around 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 2, with firefighters working to extinguish the blaze.
Officials said the plane collided with a Coast Guard aircraft, local media has reported that most of the Coast Guard crew was killed. The airline said all 379 passengers and 12 crew members were safely evacuated.
Sources: Illegal crossings at U.S. border reach historic numbers
Illegal crossings at the southern border saw record high numbers last month, according to sources with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Fox News reported that sources said more than 302,000 migrants were documented attempting to cross the border in December, making it the highest total ever recorded for a single month, as well as the first time the total has surpassed the 300,000 mark.
The historic numbers come as Texas continues to send migrants to cities run by Democratic mayors; Gov. Greg Abbott’s, R, office said the operation is an effort to force the Biden administration to secure the border.
Over the holiday weekend, New Jersey officials said 13 charter buses carrying nearly 450 migrants from Texas on their way to New York City were detoured to New Jersey in an apparent attempt to bypass an executive order passed last week by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, D, limiting when charter bus companies can drop off migrants in the city and requiring 32-hours advanced notice. Officials said once in New Jersey, bus chaperones assisted the migrants in transferring to trains or other buses headed to New York.
Deadly upstate New York New Year’s morning crash being investigated as possible terrorism
Two people are dead and several others injured after a crash outside of a concert venue in Rochester, New York, in the early morning of Monday, Jan. 1. According to law enforcement, the crash is being investigated as possible terrorism.
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The collision happened just before 1:00 a.m. on New Year’s Day; police said a Ford Expedition barreled through an Uber that was leaving a parking lot at the Kodak Center, bursting into flames, killing two passengers and injuring the Uber driver. The fiery crash spilled into a nearby crosswalk, hitting pedestrians and two other vehicles; according to police, three people using the crosswalk were hit, one left with life-threatening injuries, and two suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
Law enforcement said the driver of the Ford, a Syracuse man, was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Police said he rented the large SUV from the Syracuse airport, and after firefighters were able to put the fire out, they found at least a dozen gas cans in and around the SUV.
The Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading an investigation. While authorities don’t yet know if the crash was terrorism, they said it is being investigated as such until they can determine what happened and why.
‘Steamboat Willie’ Mickey Mouse enters public domain
For many, Monday, Jan. 1, meant New Year’s Day, but it’s known as Public Domain Day for those in the copyright business when copyrights expire on new sets of works entering the U.S. Public Domain. And this year, that affects one of the most iconic cartoon characters in American history, Mickey Mouse (at least one version of him).
Straight Arrow News reporter Simone Del Rosario explained that it is the day Disney has dreaded for decades and spent considerable capital trying to avoid. You can find Simone’s full report here on Public Domain Day.