- On Jan. 1, at approximately 3:15 a.m., an individual intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’s French Quarter district. The driver then abandoned the vehicle and opened fire on the crowd and was later fatally shot in a shootout with police on scene. Fourteen people were killed and dozens of others were injured. A 42-year-old former U.S. Army soldier from Houston, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was found responsible for the attack. According to The Associated Press, an FBI investigation concluded on Jan. 2 that the perpetrator acted alone.
- On Jan. 5, thousands of protesters stood near the presidential residence in Seoul, South Korea to demand the arrest of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. A one-week arrest warrant has been issued for President Yoon, which will expire on midnight of Jan. 6. The warrant was issued due to President Yoon’s suspected role in leading an insurrection and his lack of cooperation with investigations in relation to this claim and anti-corruption efforts. On Jan. 3, South Korean investigators attempted to enforce the arrest warrant but were led into a stand-off with members of the presidential security detail.
- Congress will vote today, Jan. 6, to certify the electoral votes of the electoral college from the 2024 presidential election. Unlike four years ago, when this certification process was disrupted by an insurrection, no disruptions are expected, as Democrats have conceded that President-elect Donald Trump is the victor and will take office on Jan. 20.
- The German coalition government collapsed after a failed vote of no confidence on Dec. 16. Elections will be held on Feb. 23. The German government is ruled by a coalition of the center-left-leaning Social Democratic Party and Green Party and the liberal Free Democratic Party. However, after numerous disagreements between the Chancellor and leader of the SDP, Olaf Scholz and the FDP, the latter withdrew from the coalition and voted the government down in a vote of no confidence. The insurgent far-right Alternative for Deutschland Party, which has faced several scandals for their association with neo-Nazis, was endorsed by billionaire Elon Musk. Current polls show the center-right Christian Democratic Union Party coming in first place, with the AFD in second, and the SDP in third.
- Immigration across the Darien Gap into Panama from Colombia was down 42% in 2024 from the previous year, with just over 300,000 immigrants crossing last year. The Darien Gap is a portion of extremely dense, undeveloped rainforest that connects Panama and Colombia. The region is also host to several paramilitary groups, and crossing through the gap is the only way to get from South to North America by land. Panama’s president, Jose Raul Mulino, has promised a crackdown on immigration into Panama since his inauguration on July 1, 2024.
- A massive fire on Jan 2. in the Ghanaian city of Accra destroyed an estimated two-thirds of one of the world’s largest secondhand markets. Over 30,000 traders use the market, putting thousands of futures in uncertain territory. The Ghana National Fire Service told Agence-France Presse that the culprit was likely faulty electrical wiring, although they have not entirely ruled out arson.
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Week 1 News in Brief
Jan 8, 2025
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About the Contributors
Carter Castillo, News Editor
Second year Comparative Politics Major and passionate student journalist. Proud owner of a 2012 Toyota Prius.
Natalia Montero Acevedo, Associate News Editor
A Political Science major, Natalia Montero loves to engage with on-site reporting to connect with communities’ affairs. Be warned, she will bombard you with random facts about whatever book she’s currently reading. She will also make sure to bring up The Sound of Music, Mitski, and Roger Deakins’ or Justine Triet’s work in whatever conversation she’s in.