Tributes roll in for former President Jimmy Carter. Investigations into South Korea’s deadliest plane crash continue. And the Washington Commanders clinch a playoff spot.
Here’s what to know today.
Jimmy Carter dies at 100
Former President Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States who dedicated his life after leaving office to brokering international peace, has died his office confirmed. He was 100.
Carter was the longest-living former U.S. president.
His death came nearly three months after he became the first former commander in chief to reach the century mark. Carter had been receiving hospice care since February 2023 at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he lived with his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter. The former first lady died at 96 on Nov. 19, 2023.
A Georgia native and a Democrat, Carter was elected president in 1976, defeating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal. Carter served one term before losing in 1980 to Ronald Reagan, his re-election bid hobbled by an inability to resolve the Iran hostage crisis, a standoff that lasted 444 days.
Tributes have poured in from U.S. and world leaders. President Joe Biden mourned the death of Carter in an address to the nation. Biden called Carter “a statesman and humanitarian” and said he and his wife, first lady Jill Biden, had lost “a dear friend.” Biden, who lost his son Beau to brain cancer in 2015, said the disease had formed a bond between the two leaders, as Carter survived a cancer diagnosis.
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer paid tribute to Carter’s spirit of helping others in helming the historic Camp David Accords, the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, during his presidency and, afterward, promoting democracy and low-cost housing. French President Emmanuel Macron venerated Carter for speaking for those without much voice, and other world leaders praised Carter for promoting peace and human rights.
Carter, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his human rights work around the world, spent his life after the presidency promoting peaceful resolutions to conflict and advancing democracy, human rights and social justice, primarily through the Carter Center, which he and the former first lady established in 1982. Working through the center, the Carters traveled to developing countries to monitor elections, help build democratic institutions, lobby for victims of human rights abuses and spearhead efforts to eradicate diseases.
Read the full story on Carter and his legacy here.
More coverage on Carter’s passing:
- Biden lauded Carter’s decency and character in an address to the nation.
- From peanut farmer to president: Take a look at Carter’s life in photos.
- How the former president introduced the world to immunotherapy — giving cancer patients hope.
- Here’s the 10 longest-living U.S. presidents.
Investigators probe cause of deadly South Korean plane crash
A major investigation is underway after 179 people were killed in South Korea’s deadliest plane crash ever when an airliner belly-landed at Muan International Airport yesterday. Questions remain around exactly what caused the crash — and why the death toll was so high, with just two survivors.
In video captured of the crash, the plane could be seen touching down without landing gear and skidding down the runway before crashing into a wall and erupting in flames. There is still no definitive answer on what exactly caused the crash, but the pilot did declare ‘’mayday’’ shortly after issuing a bird strike warning. Investigators retrieved both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, which will be key to providing insight into the plane’s last moments.
At least four people are dead as storms and tornadoes wreak havoc in the South
Four people are dead after a storm system that produced multiple tornadoes wreaked havoc on the South over the weekend. The storms produced more than two dozen preliminary and confirmed tornadoes across Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, leaving structural damage in their wake. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said more than 300 responders and 180 assets, including search and rescue teams, have been deployed to help support the state’s storm response.
The unusual weather weekend is partly the result of cold air clashing with rare December warmth.
Highlights from Week 17 of the NFL
The Washington Commanders clinched a playoff berth with a 30-24 overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons on “Sunday Night Football.” NBC News sports reporter Rohan Nadkarni breaks down the highlights:
🏈 Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels continued his stellar season for the Commanders, completing 24 of 36 passes for 227 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning score in the extra period. Daniels also ran for 127 yards. The Falcons, starting another rookie with Michael Penix Jr., missed a potentially game-winning field goal as time expired in regulation. Atlanta is now one game behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. The Falcons will now need a win and a Buccaneers loss in Week 18 to make the playoffs.
👑 Minnesota Vikings held on for a 27-25 win over the Green Bay Packers, setting up an NFC North championship game in Week 18. Quarterback Sam Darnold threw for 377 yards and three scores in the win. The Vikings improved to 14-2 with the victory, giving them a chance at a division crown and the No. 1 seed in the NFC. If Minnesota beats the Detroit Lions in the teams’ season finale, the Vikings will take both the division and conference’s top seed. A loss will send one of the teams to a Wild Card spot — and on the road to open the postseason.
⚡The Miami Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive with a 20-3 win over the Cleveland Browns — and did so without starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tyler Huntley played in place of Tagovailoa, who was out with a hip injury. After a 2-6 start to the season, the Dolphins have gone 6-2 in their last eight games. Miami still needs to win in Week 18 — and needs the Kansas City Chiefs to beat the Denver Broncos — to make the postseason. But the Dolphins have given themselves a chance after an early season concussion suffered by Tagovailoa nearly derailed the whole year.
The New York Giants beat the Indianapolis Colts 45-33 in a high-scoring thriller in what was a costly game for both teams. The Colts were eliminated from the playoffs with the loss, shockingly dropping a game in which they were heavily favored. But there were negative consequences for the Giants as well. New York went from being in control of the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft to third in the current draft order. The New England Patriots now control their own destiny for the top pick — a loss next week will secure it for them. New York, which is expected to be looking for its future quarterback in the draft, may come to regret Sunday’s win when the team potentially has to settle for its second option.
Read All About It
- The director at a hospital’s pediatric ward in Khan Younis says he’s seen at least four babies die from hypothermia in Gaza in the past week.
- A family of four died Christmas Day at their New Hampshire lake house after a suspected carbon monoxide leak.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion programs at some of the country’s biggest companies fell apart in 2024 — and more is expected in 2025.
- Video shows unusually massive waves slamming in Peru’s coast.
Year in Review: Joe Rogan, ‘Hawk Tuah’ and the rise of conservative-leaning online spaces
There’s the manosphere and the Zynternet and the salt right. And then there are the Barstool conservatives and the dudebros. These are the terms that have emerged in recent years to describe a sensibility that has taken hold online, culminating with its ascension as arguably the mainstream social media aesthetic of 2024: traditionally masculine, increasingly conservative-leaning and disapproving of (or at least uninterested in) “woke” culture.
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
A lack of rest may not be the only thing aging the skin under eyes. Eating salty foods, smoking and drinking wine can also contribute. Here are the 22 best under-eye patches to tackle fine lines, inflammation and puffiness.
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