76: A devastating fire at Turkey’s Grand Kartal Hotel ski resort killed 76 people and injured scores of others on Tuesday. The blaze began at 3:30 a.m. on the restaurant floor of the 12-story building, quickly engulfing it and forcing desperate guests to jump from windows or attempt escapes using bed sheets.
17: President Donald Trump revoked John Bolton’s Secret Service protection hours after taking office on Monday, despite ongoing threats against Bolton from Iran. Bolton, who served as Trump’s national security advisor for 17 months and had previously lost protection after leaving the administration but had it restored by Biden, expressed disappointment but not surprise. The move comes amid documented Iranian assassination plots against Bolton and follows Trump’s revocation of Bolton’s security clearance.
95: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping celebrated Donald Trump’s first official day in office by reaffirming their “no-limits” partnership on Tuesday in a joint televised meeting that lasted 95 minutes. Though Trump was not directly named, the timing suggests that the two world leaders may be pursuing a coordinated response to the new president, which has threatened to levy tariffs on China and end Russia’s war with Ukraine.
8: A historic polar vortex-related snowstorm is hitting the Gulf Coast, bringing record-breaking snow to Texas and Louisiana. The National Weather Service issued its first-ever blizzard warning for Lake Charles, Louisiana, while Lafayette, Louisiana, already has 8 inches. With the region ill-equipped for winter weather, travel disruptions and service outages are expected to last for days. Remarkably, New Orleans received more January snow than Anchorage, Alaska.
