Gunmen kill five female teachers and two other people in an ambush on a van carrying workers home from their jobs at a community center in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan. (AP)(BBC)
Rebels halt their advance towards the capital Bangui and agree to peace talks. (Reuters)
President François Bozizé fires both his army chief of staff and his son, Jean Francis Bozizé, as defense minister, taking the ministerial position for himself. (Deutsche Welle)
An unnamed gunman, 33, kills 3 women and injures 2 men in the village of Daillon, Switzerland, opening fire from his apartment, and pursuing the attack in the street; he threatened police when they arrived and was shot and hospitalized (it is speculated this will renew debate about males retaining their arms after their mandated military service). (Chicago Tribune)[permanent dead link]
9 people are killed by a car bomb at a petrol station in the Syrian capital of Damascus. The bomb reportedly hit the Barzeh al-Balad district, as large numbers of people were queuing for fuel. (BBC)
Police clash with demonstrators in Belfast over when the Union Flag is to be flown over their city hall. (BBC)
Business and economy
Joblessness in the United States remains constant, with latest official figures showing a modest job creation total of 155,000. (Al Jazeera)
Swiss bank Wegelin & Co., the nation's oldest, will cease to operate after pleading guilty to a US tax evasion case and being fined $57.8 million. (BBC)
Six Russian tourists are killed and two tourists are seriously injured after a snowmobile towing a sled veers off a ski slope, crashes into a barrier, and flies into a ditch on Italy's Mount Cermis. (BBC)
U.S. media report that celebrity Naomi Campbell has been assaulted in Paris. Reports say two men on a motorcycle tried to make off with her handbag during the attack. (BBC)
The Church of England drops its prohibition on gay clergy in civil partnerships becoming bishops, so long as they promise to be celibate. (BBC)(The Guardian)
The male friend of the Delhi gang-rape victim – the only witness in the case – on Friday spoke for the first time in front of the nation and exclusively told Zee News that his friend was "positive" and wanted to live even after the horrific incident that took place on the night of December 16. (Zee News)
The President of SyriaBashar al-Assad delivers a rare television appearance addressing the Syrian crisis and denounces the Syrian rebels as "enemies of God and puppets of the West". It is his first television appearance since June 2012. (BBC)
Pope Benedict XVI addresses ambassadors and diplomats from nearly 180 countries gathered in the Apostolic Palace’s Sala Regia. They are present for the Pope’s traditional address to members of the diplomatic corps who are accredited to the Holy See. Pope Benedict urges an end to the “slaughter” in Syria and stresses the “grave responsibility” to work for peace around the world. (Catholic News Agency)
Law and crime
A court in Delhi, India, charges five men with the murder of a 23-year-old woman who was gang-raped on a bus in Delhi on December 16, 2012. (BBC)
In a fifth night of protests in Belfast, protestors throw rocks, "missiles", and petrol bombs at police, with law enforcement responding with water cannons and plastic bullets. (BBC)
The Malian army used artillery on Islamist rebels in Gnimignama in the first skirmish between the two belligerents since April 2012, when Islamist and Tuareg rebels first assumed control of the region. (BBC)
India claims two of its soldiers have been killed during a gunfight with Pakistani forces in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir. This report comes two days after Pakistan made a similar claim of the death of one of its troops due to an Indian cross-border operation in the disputed region. (Reuters)
AIG, the insurance giant that has recently paid the U.S. treasury back funds it received on "too big to fail" grounds in 2008, says that it may join a lawsuit against the U.S. for the supposedly harsh nature of the bailout terms. (Reuters)
A new inquest begins into the death of British singer Amy Winehouse after it was discovered that the original coroner was not qualified to conduct the inquiry. A second inquiry into Winehouse's death concludes that the singer died of alcohol poisoning. (AFP via France 24)(CNN)
Retired British businessman Christopher Tappin is sentenced to 33 months in prison by a U.S. court after pleading guilty to selling weapon parts to Iran. (BBC)
A gunman opened fire inside a classroom of Taft Union High School in Taft, California. A 16-year-old student was critically wounded, and another student was shot at but was not injured. The gunman surrendered after the classroom's teacher ordered him to drop his weapon. The teacher also suffered minor injuries after being struck by a shotgun pellet. A 16-year-old student, the suspected gunman, was arrested. (CNN)
Government forces conduct air raids against rebels south of Damascus, as well as in Aleppo, with local observers reporting dozens of deaths, including children. (Al Jazeera)
Myanmar government forces shell the rebel stronghold of Laiza for the first time since the resumption of hostilities in 2011, killing 3 civilians and injuring 6 others. (Al Jazeera)
A police officer is wounded after a grenade attack in Benghazi, as Italy announces the temporary withdrawal of the country's consulate in the city after an unsuccessful attack against the consul two days earlier. (Reuters)
Three car bombs explode near military checkpoints and government buildings in Idlib Governorate, Syria, leaving 24 people dead. Two other bombs were defused by government forces. (Reuters)
The Algerian Army assaults the complex with helicopter gunships, reportedly killing 15 kidnappers and as many as 34 hostages. According to local sources, at least 7 hostages remain alive and in captivity. (Al Jazeera)
Algerian news agency ANP reports that during the Algerian Army assault 600 hostages were freed. Terrorists claim that they killed 35 hostages during the battle and that 15 terrorists were killed. (USA Today)
The number of French forces in the country rises to 1,400, more than half of the planned 2,500 strong force, as its troops continue to fight insurgents in Konna and Diabaly. Chad prepares to send the first 200 troops of a 2000-strong force to assist in the military operations as part of a regional mission. The European Union votes to send 450 to 500 "non-combat" troops to Mali, half of them are trainers. (Al Jazeera)
Two car bombs explode in the city of Dujail, Iraq, leaving at least 7 dead and 25 wounded. (Xinhua)
A bomb detonated on a bus carrying pilgrims in Iraq. In a separate incident a roadside bomb detonated and injures two pilgrims walking to Hussein ibn Ali. Another bomb detonated at a bus stop killing 7 people and wounding 28. Also a civilian vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb leaving 2 dead. In total 33 people were killed in one of the most violent days this month. (AP via USA Today)
Militants belonging to Somali group al-Shabaab announce they have executed the Frenchintelligence agent who was the target of the unsuccessful French rescue attempt on January 11. French officials believe the hostage was killed during the mission itself, and the group is using the incident to manipulate the media. (Al Jazeera)
A large explosion rocks Aleppo, Syria, causing several casualties. Syria TV says that it was a rocket launched by "terrorists". Syrian rebels state that it was a Syrian Air Force jet causing havoc in the city. (Reuters)(The Hindu)
French journalist Yves Debay is killed by a Syrian sniper while he was covering clashed between Syrian forces and rebels. In a separate incident, Al Jazeera reporter Mohamed al-Horani is killed by a Syrian sniper while covering clashes in Busra al-Harir. (CNN)
Lottery winner Urooj Kahn's body is exhumed after investigators concluded he was poisoned by cyanide. (Chicago Tribune)
An unknown assailant throws acid in the face of Sergei Filin, who is the artistic director of the Bolshoi Theatre, leaving him partially blind. The attack is attributed to the current power struggle for the famed Russian opera house. (BBC)(AP)(Reuters)
The Algerian army stages a final assault on a gas facility near the town of In Aménas, where militants took an unknown number of foreign workers hostage on January 16. Totally at least 23 hostages and 32 terrorists were killed for the four days of crisis. (BBC)(CNN)(Reuters)
Another 100 flights are cancelled at Europe's busiest airport, Heathrow, with some passengers forced to spend the night sleeping on the terminal floor. (BBC)
Four climbers are killed by an avalanche in Glen Coe in the Scottish Highlands while descending the south side of Bidean nam Bian. A fifth member of the party is airlifted to hospital with serious injuries, while a sixth escapes unharmed. (BBC)
The death toll has risen to at least 48 hostages killed during a four-day siege at a gas plant, raising the number of militants and their captives killed to at least 80. Algerian troops had found the bodies of 25 hostages at the complex on Sunday. (Reuters)(BBC)
Indian Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs on Thursday decided to raise the cap on subsidised liquefied petroleum gas to nine cylinders per household in a year from existing six. (The Hindu)
A NASA spacecraft, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, is providing new evidence of a wet underground environment on Mars that adds to an increasingly complex picture of the Red Planet's early evolution. (NASA)
In basketball, the owners of the NBA's Sacramento Kings reportedly reach an agreement to sell a controlling stake in the team to a Seattle-based group, fueling speculation that the team will move to Seattle. (ESPN)
The finance ministers of the European Union are ready to give their needed approval to those countries within the EU that want to establish a Tobin tax, that is, a tax in financial transactions. (Reuters)
In Brazil, a helicopter crashes in São Paulo's north zone, leaving one pilot dead and four more people injured. (IG News)
Five people are killed in an explosion at a healer's home in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, causing hundreds to flee and nearby building damage. (Reuters via IOL)
An Irishman, who pleads guilty in court to repeatedly raping his daughter as a child, is released on bail with a suspended sentence. His daughter, who says she was raped "as frequently as having dinner", is said to be devastated. (Irish Independent)(Irish Examiner)
Irish politicians respond to High Court Judge Paul Carney's order that a man who plead guilty in court to repeatedly raping his daughter as a child be granted bail and provisional released. TaoiseachEnda Kenny comments on a nation "filled with revulsion" at the outcome of the case, while opposition politician Gerry Adams refers to abuse his father inflicted on others. (BBC)(Irish Independent)
Three of the largest managers of U.S.-based money market funds announce a change of policy toward greater transparency – they will give daily rather than monthly data on fund assets. (Reuters)
A court in Thailand sentences a magazine editor to ten years' imprisonment for publishing articles that were deemed to have insulted the monarchy. (BBC)
The United States Armed Forces overturns its ban on women serving in combat, reversing a 1994 rule, and potentially clearing the way for women to serve in front-line units and elite commando forces. (BBC)(USA Today)
European champions Chelsea are defeated by Swansea City after a 0–0 draw in the second semifinal match; the game is marred by an incident involving Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, who is sent off after violently kicking a ball boy in the midriff during the game. (The Guardian)(BBC Sport)(Sky News)
John Kiriakou, the former CIA agent, who publicly discussed the U.S. government agency's use of waterboarding interrogation techniques, is sentenced to 30 months in prison. An argument that he was a whistleblower was dismissed and he was instead convicted of violating an intelligence law, the first person to be successfully targeted under the statute in 27 years. (BBC)
Scuffles occur on the streets of Moscow as supporters and opponents clash over the Russian parliament's attempts to implement anti-gay legislation. If legalised it would result in fines for those who promote events with a gay theme. (AP via ABC)(BBC)(Reuters)
Sport
UEFA announces details of Euro 2020: it is to be held in 13 cities across Europe with no more than one venue per country permitted: the semi-finals and final are to be played in the same stadium and the venues are to be chosen in September next year. (The Guardian)
Middlesbrough survive a late scare to progress at the expense of Aldershot Town; the match finishes 2–1, with all three goals occurring in the final ten minutes of the match. (BBC)
At least twenty members of the Afghan National Police have been killed in bomb attacks over the past day with eight police officers killed in the latest attack in Kandahar. (Reuters)
French troops take over Timbuktu Airport as they enter the city without any resistance from the Islamists. Residents report that the French now control all access to the city. (BBC)
The UK announces it will deploy 330 military personnel to Mali and other West African countries in support of French forces operating in the area. (BBC)
Syrian sources claim that the true objective of the raid was a weapon research center northwest of Damascus and that two people were killed in the action. (BBC)
South Korean media reports claim that North Korea has been placed under martial law with another nuclear test considered to be imminent. (The Telegraph)
A teacher suffers scrapes and bruises and a 14-year-old boy is shot in the back of the neck and suffers a non-life-threatening wound at Luther Judson Price Middle School, a newer Atlanta Public Schools facility in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. The boy is stable at a hospital and the suspected student was safely disarmed by a resource officer and arrested. (NBC News)(CBS News)(Fox News)(BBC)
The New York Times claims that Chinese hackers have broken into their computers and stolen passwords of high-profile members and reporters over the past four months, around the same time the paper began an investigation involving wealth accumulation by relatives of PremierWen Jiabao. (CNN)(The New York Times)
Serbia's Prime MinisterIvica Dačić, who was flashed by a mode] without underwear masquerading as a television interviewer, launches an investigation into how he became the target of the prank. (Daily Mail)(The Sun)
