A lot has happened in the past month. Here’s a brief recap of the most important events and topics that had us talking this January.
New Orleans Terrorist Attack
The city of New Orleans was rocked by a tragic terrorist attack in the early hours of New Year’s Day. A man named Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, located in the rear of the city’s French Quarter. The FBI issued a statement where it determined that Din Jabbar was an American-born citizen, raised in Houston, who had been radicalized into believing he was a member of the terrorist organization ISIS. An ISIS flag was found in the truck; he also posted videos on his social media, pledging his allegiance to ISIS hours before the attack. 15 people, including the suspect, were killed in the attack, and at least another 57 injured.
Los Angeles Fires
On Jan. 7, the country stood still as one of the most dangerous and deadly wildfires rocked America’s second-largest city, Los Angeles. When the dust cleared, many Los Angeles residents who evacuated their homes weeks earlier returned to see their once beloved homes, neighborhoods, and communities reduced to rubble. The statistics being reported as of Jan. 28 show sadly, 16,255 structures were burned to the ground, 57,637 acres of land burned, and most importantly, 29 lives were lost. Many residents of Los Angeles felt the city government and fire department were not prepared for a fire of this magnitude. They cite the reservoir, which was supposed to supply water for firefighters, as being empty. Concerns have also been raised that Karen Bass’, mayor of Los Angeles, actions in cutting the fire department’s budget by 17.6 million in the last year led to the department being unable to contain many of the fires. Los Angeles Fire Department commissioner Kristin Crowley stated it “severely limited the department’s capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies.” One thing is for certain: many people are suffering in the greater Los Angeles region. Here is a link directly to the Red Cross for those wishing to help with Los Angeles recovery.
Presidential Inauguration
The historic second inauguration of President Donald J. Trump took place at noon on Jan 20. Donald Trump is only the second president to be elected to multiple non-consecutive terms. In his second inaugural address, he laid out his plans and priorities for his administration; the topic he spent the most time on being immigration. As President Trump put it, “I will declare a national emergency at our southern border. all illegal entry will immediately be halted.” After being officially inaugurated, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders. This includes ordering the FBI and National Intelligence Agency to release all classified records on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Reverend Martin Luther King, and former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. President Trump also formally exited the Paris Climate Accord, which former President Biden had rejoined.
Tik Tok Ban
One topic that proved to be an incredibly important topic to Enloe Students is the Supreme Court’s landmark decision ruling that TikTok cannot be updated in the United States due to national security concerns. On Jan. 19, 170 million Americans awoke to find TikTok, one of America’s most popular social media platforms, was no longer operating. Many users attempted to use a VPN to mask their device’s IP address; however, this did not work. One of the first executive orders President Trump Signed after inauguration was a 75-day extension of when the ban goes into effect, returning TikTok to the U.S. for now.
Trudeau Resignation
Our northern neighbors are facing a “prorogue government” that has shut down the Canadian Parliament until March 24. This is due to longtime Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigning from office on Jan. 6. This came following a steady decline in his party’s poll numbers for the upcoming national Canadian election, which will take place sometime in 2025. Trudeau’s Liberal Party will choose a new party leader on March 9 to lead the Canadian Liberal Party in the upcoming election. Most political analysts predict that the new leader will most certainly lose to the Conservative Party of Canada.
Israel and Palestine Ceasefire
On Jan. 15, the United States, Egypt, and Qatar announced that they had negotiated a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to end the 15 months of fighting in Gaza. This brought an end to the deadly conflict that claimed the lives of 47,000 people. The ceasefire will be rolled out in three stages. Stage one includes the return of 33 Hostages being kept by Hamas, who will be released at regular intervals: 15 have been released so far in return for 1,900 Palestinian prisoners. Stage two will establish a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces. Stage three will include the return of remains of civilians, military personnel, and hostages.
January was a month packed with noteworthy events and news. This list should give readers a brief but comprehensive guide to the essential topics in our world today. Check the works cited for more information on any of these topics.
Work Cited
“Growing Concern About Mudslides After Southern California Wildfires.” NBC News, 31 Jan. 2025, www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-wildfires-what-we-know-palisades-eaton-los-angeles-rcna188239.
Author. Incidents | CAL FIRE. www.fire.ca.gov/incidents.
Inauguration of the President of the United States | USAGov. www.usa.gov/inauguration.
The White House. “The Inaugural Address.” The White House, 20 Jan. 2025, www.whitehouse.gov/remarks/2025/01/the-inaugural-address.
Rahman-Jones, Tom Gerken Liv McMahon &. Imran. TikTok: What Does Trump’s Executive Order Mean and Who Might Buy It? 22 Jan. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyng762q4eo.
Chappell, Bill. “Canada’s Justin Trudeau Says He Will Resign as Party Leader and Prime Minister.” NPR, 6 Jan. 2025, www.npr.org/2025/01/06/nx-s1-5249766/justin-trudeau-resignation-canada.
Berg, Raffi. What Is the Gaza Ceasefire Deal and How Many Hostages and Prisoners Will Be Freed? 28 Jan. 2025, www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy5klgv5zv0o.
