News Wrap: More than 150 killed in South Korea crowd surge

Judy Woodruff:

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments today in two cases that could overturn affirmative action in college admissions. The programs are intended to foster diversity by boosting enrollment of Black and Hispanic students.

But the court's conservative justices voiced doubt over allowing race to be considered in admission decisions. We will take a deeper look after the news summary.

In the day's other news: A massive investigation is under way in South Korea after a crowd surge on a narrow city street led to the deaths of more than 150 people during weekend Halloween celebrations.

Nick Schifrin reports on a country in mourning and desperately searching to understand what happened.

Nick Schifrin:

In the heart of Seoul, today was for reverence and remorse, some mourners not old enough to understand, others all too aware the tragedy stole decades of life from so many. More than 100 victims wee in their 20s.

Han Jang Seop lost two grandchildren.

Han Jang Seop, Grandfather of Victims: They both went, and I could reach them initially. But after seeing things today, their bodies were laid at the hospital. I feel so helpless as a grandfather not being able to do anything.

Nick Schifrin:

On Saturday night, more than 100,000 people celebrated Halloween in Itaewon, one of Seoul's most popular neighborhoods. It became a stampede.

At least 25 foreigners were killed from 14 different countries. Today, police arrived at the scene to launch their investigation. The 475-person task force is three times the number of officers that had been assigned to crowd control.

Choi Wan Seop, Seoul Resident (through translator):

This tragedy wouldn't have happened if the police had controlled foot traffic with a little effort.

Nick Schifrin:

This weekend, President Yoon Suk-yeol paid his respects and today promised new crowd control measures to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again.

But, tonight, Seoul's streets are quiet. Halloween events are canceled, and a country in shock is mourning.

For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Nick Schifrin.

Judy Woodruff:

Police in Western India have arrested nine people in connection with the collapse of a 143-year-old pedestrian bridge that left at least 134 people dead.

Those arrested include the bridge operators' managers and staff. The newly repaired suspension bridge collapsed into a river Sunday after its cables snapped. Rescue crews are still searching for survivors.

Raju, Eyewitness (through translator):

People were hanging from the bridge after the accident, but they slipped and fell into the river when it collapsed. I could not sleep the entire night, as I had helped in the rescue operation. I brought a lot of children to the hospital.

Judy Woodruff:

The bridge had reopened four days earlier after undergoing six months of repairs.

In Somalia, the death toll from Saturdays twin bombings has climbed to at least 120 people, the country's deadliest attack in five years. The explosions rang out within minutes of each other outside Somalia's Education Ministry in Mogadishu. The al-Qaida affiliate group Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the blasts, which littered streets and wounded hundreds.

Back in this country, federal prosecutors charged David DePape with assault and attempted kidnapping for his violent attack on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, at their San Francisco home. Police said the attacker wanted to hold Speaker Pelosi hostage.

We will have more on this later in the program.

At least 105 people in the Philippines are dead tonight after a vicious storm fueled floods and landslides. Nearly a million people were forced to evacuate. Rescue workers scoured villages today for dozens still missing.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the storm overpowered all defenses.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., President of the Philippines (through translator): What changed with this storm was it's not that the winds were strong, but the powerful water surge that our flood controls couldn't handle. The water went far beyond our flood control.

Judy Woodruff:

The Philippines experiences about 20 typhoons and major storms a year, but they appear to be growing more destructive.

A barrage of Russian strikes knocked out Ukrainian power and water supplies today in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities. President Putin said that it was in retaliation for what Moscow claimed was a Ukrainian attack on its Black Sea fleet over the weekend. Kyiv's mayor said 80 percent of consumers in the capital were without water, sending many to stock up at grocery stores.

Iran's judiciary says that it will hold public trials for 1,000 people linked to nationwide protests that have raged since September. It's the government's first major legal action aimed at silencing the growing protest movement there. The unrest was initially triggered by the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, in morality police custody.

In economic news, annual inflation in the Eurozone hit a new record of 10.7 percent in October. E.U. leaders blame the spike on higher energy prices. Meanwhile, in the U.S., stocks gave up ground on Wall Street today. The Dow Jones industrial average lost 129 points to close at 32,733. The Nasdaq fell 114 points. The S&P 500 slipped 29.

Still to come on the "NewsHour": Israel holds its fifth election in less than four years; the head of FEMA discusses relief efforts in Florida a month after Hurricane Ian; Tamara Keith and Amy Walter analyze the latest political headlines; plus much more.