(1) Trump returns to the White House
Donald Trump is all set to return to the White House with his second inauguration as president of the United States. Mr. Trump, 78, will formally be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States at 12 p.m. ET (1700 GMT) on Monday (January 20, 2025).
This is his second term as the President of the United States – previously he served as the 45th president between 2017 and 2021.
This year’s inauguration is forecast to see one of the coldest temperatures since 1789. The lowest temperature in recent times on Inauguration Day was around -13°C when President Ronald Reagan took oath for the second time. The forecast for this year is around -7 °C. The normal temperature (1991 – 2020) for the date is around -1 °C, according to National Weather Service.
Sub-freezing temperatures forecast for Monday (January 20, 2025) in Washington are prompting President-elect Donald Trump to take the oath of office from inside the Capitol Rotunda. Almost everyone visiting Washington won’t be able to see it in person. President Joe Biden, members of Congress and other dignitaries and notable guests will be able to view the ceremony from inside the Capitol.
The decision to move Monday’s event indoors marks the first time in 40 years that a President will not be sworn in on the Capitol steps.
Donald Trump will become the oldest U.S. President to be sworn into office for the second time on Monday. When he became president in 2017, he was also the oldest president at 70 years old. When his second term begins, he will be 78 years old – the same age Joe Biden was when he took office in 2021, except Trump will be five months and six days older than Biden was.
(2) ISRO successfully docks SpaDeX satellites in space
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the early hours of Thursday (January 16, 2025) successfully executed the SpaDeX docking experiment making India the fourth country after the USA, Russia and China this historic feat.
The two satellites SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) which were launched by the PSLV C60 on December 30, 2024, successfully docked as the space agency officials from the Mission Operations Complex (MOX) at ISRO Telemetry, Tracking, and Command Network (ISTRAC) oversaw the complex docking procedure.
“Docking Success Spacecraft docking successfully completed! A historic moment. Let’s walk through the SpaDeX docking process: Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m hold point completed. Docking initiated with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. Retraction completed smoothly, followed by rigidisation for stability. Docking successfully completed. India became the 4th country to achieve successful Space Docking. Congratulations to the entire team! Congratulations to India!,” ISRO posted on X.
The SpaDeX mission is an important project by ISRO which is designed to develop and demonstrate the technology needed for spacecraft rendezvous, docking and undocking using two small satellites.
The demonstration of this technology is essential for futuristic missions such as sending an Indian astronaut on the Moon, sample return from the Moon, the building and operation of the Indian Space Station.
(3) Israel, Hamas agrees to ceasefire deal
Israel and the Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal, bringing an end to more than 15 months of war, following negotiations brokered by Egyptian and Qatari mediators.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said on Wednesday (January 15, 2025) that the ceasefire deal would come into effect on Sunday (Jan. 19, 2025), but added that work on implementation steps with Israel and Hamas was continuing.
Israel has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians since its war on the enclave began in October 2023.
Among other things, the 60-day ceasefire process would involve freeing hostages on both sides, increasing aid, reconstruction of destroyed Palestine, and a cessation of attacks. Here are the main elements of the ceasefire deal, according to the official briefed on the agreement:
These measures have been overdue, with people demanding Israel bring back hostages held by Hamas and international organisations warning about the extreme humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
To know the impact of the war on Gaza, the scale of the humanitarian crisis, the hostage situation and the destruction of Palestine, read this story: What the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal means for Palestine and Israel: Infographics
(4) South Korea’s impeached President Yoon detained
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was formally arrested early on Sunday (January 19, 2025), days after being apprehended at his Presidential compound in Seoul. He faces possible imprisonment over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month.
Yoon, who has been in detention since he was apprehended Wednesday (January 15, 2025) in a massive law enforcement operation at his residential compound, faces potential rebellion charges linked to his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, which set off the country’s most serious political crisis since its democratization in the late 1980s.
Earlier, in a video message recorded before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented the “rule of law has completely collapsed in this country.”
Mr. Yoon, the country’s first sitting president to be apprehended, had been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence in the capital, Seoul, for weeks while vowing to “fight to the end” the efforts to oust him. He has justified his declaration of martial law Dec. 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an “anti-state” opposition employing its legislative majority to thwart his agenda.
Mr. Yoon’s presidential powers were suspended when parliament impeached him on December 14. The impeachment case now rests with the Constitutional Court, which could formally remove Yoon from office or reject the case and reinstate him.
(5) Los Angeles fires: Firefighters make significant progress
The firestorm that ravaged parts of Los Angeles has given way to scenes of wreckage, charred landscapes and the start of a long road to recovery. More than a week since the wind-driven blazes erupted, the flames are increasingly under control. Firefighters are taking advantage of a lull in the wind to make steady progress against the massive fires that have ravaged Los Angeles since January 7, 2025.
The Palisades and Eaton fires are smoldering, and many evacuees can’t return home. A toxic stew of burned asbestos, plastics and melted lithium batteries are polluting the air. So far, 27 people have been confirmed dead, but inspectors are still combing ruins for missing residents. The causes of the fires are under investigation.
Officials are also easing evacuation orders and lifting curfews across the region as residents of burned neighborhoods return to face the damage.
As of Saturday (January 18, 2025) evening, the Palisades fire, which has burned nearly 24,000 acres and killed at least 10 people, was listed as 49% contained, according to the CalFire website. Since January 7, the major fires that broke out are shown in the map below. Out of the six fires shown, three of them, namely the Lydia, Kenneth and Archer fires were fully contained. Hurst fire, which expanded to 799 acres, is almost fully contained as of January 13, according to CalFire which is The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in California.
Source: Cal Fire; Map: Gautam Doshi
The Eaton and Palisades fires’ rampage through Los Angeles has killed at least 27 people, destroyed more than 12,000 structures and put more than 80,000 under evacuation orders. The fires are likely to be among the most destructive in California history, according to the state agency CalFire. The Woolsey Fire eventually grew to about twice the current size of the Eaton and Palisades fires but most of the area it burned was uninhabitated.
Two wildfires still burning in Los Angeles have torched more urban area than any other fire in the state since at least the mid-1980s, according to an Associated Press analysis.
Published – January 20, 2025 12:45 pm IST