At least 68 dead in Nepal plane crash, rare green comet headed our way: 5 Things podcast
On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: At least 68 dead in Nepal plane crash
68 people are dead and no survivors are expected after a plane crash in Nepal. Plus, USA TODAY Immigration Reporter Rebecca Morin looks at the trend of Americans emigrating to Mexico, animal testing is no longer required for drug approval, President Joe Biden speaks at Dr. Martin Luther King's church, and a rare green comet will revisit our solar system.
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Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.
Taylor Wilson:
Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is 5 Things you need to know Monday, the 16th of January, 2023. Today, the latest from a deadly plane crash in Nepal, plus a look at Americans immigrating to Mexico, and animal testing is no longer required for drug approval.
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At least 68 people are dead and four others missing after a plane crash in Nepal yesterday. A search for the missing will continue today, but one local resident said that rescue efforts have been held back by a raging fire and thick smoke. An army spokesperson told China's Xinhua news agency that many bodies have been burned beyond recognition, with 80% of the plane gutted by fire. No survivors have been found. The flight departed Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, and was headed for the resort town of Pokhara. Officials said the plane had been granted landing clearance. Earlier today, Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority said a flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered from the crash site, which was also confirmed by the Nepalese Airline Yeti. That'll help investigators figure out what caused the crash. The European Union has banned airlines from Nepal from flying there since 2013, citing weak safety standards. Still, this was Nepal's deadliest airplane accident in three decades.
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While immigration rhetoric in the US stays focused on sending migrants back to Mexico, another phenomenon remains largely ignored, Americans migrating to Mexico. In the last decade, Mexico has become the top nation for US citizens to move to, a trend that ramped up during the pandemic. Producer PJ Elliott spoke with USA TODAY Immigration Reporter Rebecca Maureen to find out more.
PJ Elliott:
Rebecca, thanks so much for joining 5 Things.
Rebecca Morin:
Yeah, thank you for having me.
PJ Elliott:
So we've heard a lot over the years about immigration and border security on the southern border, but it appears that Americans are actually leaving for Mexico. What can you tell us about this?
Rebecca Morin:
It's not a new phenomenon. Americans are one of the largest immigrant groups in Mexico. One of the things that has changed is this idea of a "digital nomad." So throughout the pandemic, the idea of remote working became very big. What we're seeing now is not just Americans moving to Mexico and working for Mexican companies, we're seeing Americans move to Mexico and working for US companies. So they're making US dollars, having the same income if they lived in a major US city, and that's what's changing.
PJ Elliott:
So where are they going? I mean, are we talking about a beach in Cancun, Cabo San Lucas? I mean, where are they going?
Rebecca Morin:
Yeah, so there's a variety of places. Some are going to Cancun. Right now, we're seeing this increase of people moving to Mexico City. There's these really cool hip neighborhoods, one called La Condesa, another called La Roma. It's kind of getting this New York feel to it.
PJ Elliott:
So how many are we talking about, and how long are they staying?
Rebecca Morin:
So it's kind of hard to say. In 2022, I believe there was about 8,400 people that Mexico is identifying as temporary residents that are US citizens. But it's a little difficult to say the full range of what this looks like because US citizens don't need a visa to go to Mexico. If you're there 180 days or less, you do not need a visa. Some people usually go, stay those 180 days, leave for a week and then come back.
PJ Elliott:
What does this do for the native people of these towns?
Rebecca Morin:
The US dollar is quite favorable in Mexico. There are some Mexicans who are making Mexican vessels, who used to live in these neighborhoods who are being pushed out. It's kind of like a mixed bag from what I've talked to residents there. People like seeing Americans there. They like seeing that people want to come to Mexico City. They're bringing a different type of diversity, a different array of restaurants and eateries that they can go to. But there's also this subset of Mexicans who are a little upset because these neighborhoods that they used to afford to live in, they can no longer do so.
PJ Elliott:
Rebecca, thanks so much for your time. I really appreciate it.
Rebecca Morin:
No, thank you for having me.
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Taylor Wilson:
Animal testing is no longer required for drug approval. Late last month, Congress ended the requirement that all new drugs must be tested in two species before being tried in people. That usually includes mice and another mammal like rabbits or primates. The change won't stop animal testing overnight since many researchers still need to update their methods, but the move marks a win for animal rights activists. Animal studies have given a level of security to drugs, but they're not foolproof. 90% of drugs that are shown to be safe and effective in animals don't work as planned in people.
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Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Observed on the third Monday each January, the day falls close to Dr. King's birthday, the 15th of January, and celebrates his life and civil rights work. President Joe Biden yesterday attended a service at the Atlanta Church King once led. Biden talked about a battle for the soul of the nation.
President Joe Biden:
And I believe Dr. King's life and legacy show us the way and we should pay attention.
Taylor Wilson:
Biden was invited by Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock, who's been senior pastor there at Ebenezer Baptist Church since 2005. This morning, Biden will appear at an annual breakfast hosted by Al Sharpton. You can read more about MLK Day'd history and today's events on USATODAY.com.
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A rare green comet is revisiting our solar system after it was last seen in Earth skies 50,000 years ago. Observers at the Palomar Observatory in California discovered it in March of last year inside the orbit of Jupiter. Since then, it's traveled toward the sun and was at its closest point on Thursday. It'll come closest to Earth between February 1st and 2nd, passing at a distance of some 26 million miles. By comparison, the moon is about 239,000 miles from Earth. With a couple weeks to prepare, you might want to make plans to get away from city light pollution on those days, especially just before dawn to see a historic green smudge streak across the sky.
Thanks for listening to 5 Things. We're here every morning, wherever you get your podcasts. I'm back tomorrow with more of 5 Things from USA TODAY.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 68 dead in Nepal crash, Biden speaks at King's church: 5 Things podcast
