 "This Week in Explainers: How Donald Trump’s inauguration will be different from Biden’s, Obama’s")
It’s the eve of Inauguration Day in the US. On Monday (20 January), Donald Trump will take over as the president of the United States at the US Capitol. In a first, world leaders have been invited to the ceremony. Some of America’s most powerful and influential people will be there. Amid all this hype, frigid temperatures have forced the oath-taking to be moved indoors. We tell you all about it.
Now even before Trump has officially become the president, work has kept him busy. He is already taking credit for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. It will come into effect today (January 19). But what’s the agreement and will it lead to the end of war? The questions are many.
The devastating Los Angeles fires continue to grab headlines. While the two big blazes of Palisades and Eaton are partially contained, there is one thing still unknown – the cause. Amid this, conspiracy theories are spreading fast.
The TikTok ban is looming large. Its Chinese parent company ByteDance had until Sunday to sell the platform after the US Supreme Court allowed the ban to stand on Friday (January 17). However, two hours before the deadline, the app went offline on Saturday in the US. So what happens next?
We talk about all this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers on the big stories from around the world.
1. Let’s talk about the man of the week – Donald Trump. It’s a busy weekend for the president-elect ahead of his inauguration. Today, he will attend a “Make America Great Again Victory Rally” in Washington DC, one which he promises “you’ll never forget”.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe big moment, of course, comes at noon (local time) on 20 January – when Trump officially becomes the 47th president. Inauguration Day is steeped in tradition with some ceremonies that date back centuries. However, the event has now been moved indoors because of frigid temperatures predicted in Washington for the first time in 40 years. It will now be held inside the Capitol Rotunda. What changes?
2. After 15 long months of fighting, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal. There will be a temporary pause in fighting in Gaza and a phased release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners. The agreement will come into effect Sunday. Does this mean the Gaza war will soon end? We analyse .
3. Hindenburg Research created a furore in India in 2023 after allegations of stock manipulation and accounting fraud against the Adani Group. The Indian conglomerate has rubbished the charges. However, it wasn’t the only firm the US-based short seller targeted. In 2020, it also published an exposé on Nikola, a company in the EV industry whose founder, Hindenburg alleged, made misleading claims to ink partnerships with top auto companies hungry to catch up to Tesla.
But now the controversial research firm has decided to shut down. Here’s why .
4. What started the Los Angeles fires? Almost two weeks after the deadly wires ravaged the sprawling Southern California city, we still don’t the cause. No surprise then that conspiracy theories are spreading fast. Rumour mills are abuzz about arson. Some speculation is as bizarre as holding rapper Sean Diddy Combs responsible. And there is the wild ChatGPT angle .
5. TikTok stares at uncertainty in the US. The Supreme Court upheld a law banning the app unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance sells it. The deadline is today (January 19). The platform has said it could go dark unless the government intervenes. On Saturday, two hours before the deadline, the app went offline in the US. However, it could be back soon, as early as Monday once Donald Trump takes over as the US president. But can he really save TikTok? We explain .
6. In the Russia-Ukraine war, there is a lot of attention on North Korean soldiers. Thousands of troops from Pyongyang have been deployed on the frontlines to fight for Vladimir Putin. At least 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and 2,000 wounded during the conflict, claims a South Korean lawmaker.
Now Ukraine has published a diary of one such slain soldier, giving an insider account of how the North Koreans are attempting to combat drones in Russia’s Kursk. The notes said that one soldier should act as “bait” to draw the drone out, while his fellow troops can try to bring it down. This story tells you more.
7. You’d think Harvard and Stanford are your tickets to success. But now unemployment is haunting MBA graduates of elite American institutes. According to a Wall Street Journal report, Harvard data shows 23 per cent of its MBA pass-outs from spring 2024 are still looking for employment more than three months after graduation.
However, Harvard is not alone. Even fresh graduates from Wharton and Standford are struggling to secure decent positions. What’s going on?
8. Our last story is about a French woman who fell for “Brad Pitt”. Scammers posing as the Hollywood actor convinced her that he was interested in her. That’s not all. They also made her believe a “sob story”: Pitt was in desperate need of money after his messy divorce from Angelina Jolie. Here’s what happened next .
That’s our reading list for this Sunday. If you want to be up to date on world news, bookmark this page for more.
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 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
