Portal:Current events/January 2014

Armed conflicts and attacks

Police in Indonesia exchange gunfire with suspected militants near Jakarta, killing six people. (ABC)
Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon:
- Sources confirm that Lebanon has captured Majid bin Mohammad al-Majid, leader of the al-Qaeda-linked group Abdullah Azzam Brigades responsible for the recent bombing of the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. (The Daily Star) (Reuters)
War in Somalia (2009–present)
- 11 people are killed in bomb attacks outside a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu. (Standard Media), (Reuters)

Business and economy

Latvia officially adopts the Euro as its currency and becomes the 18th member of the Eurozone. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

A three-story building, housing apartments and a grocery store, explodes and burns in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, injuring 13 people, some critically. (CNN)
Indonesia's Sinabung volcano erupts, displacing more than 19,000 people. (ABC News)

Law and crime

Jamal al-Jamal, a Palestinian ambassador to the Czech Republic, is killed in an explosion near his home in Prague. (Reuters), (CNN)
Catholic priest Rev. Eric Freed was found bludgeoned to death in the rectory of his church in Eureka, California. Suspect Gary Lee Bullock was arrested, and had been jailed, hospitalized and released due to erratic behavior just before the killing. Freed was named by the Vatican as one of 22 Catholic priests and religious who were killed during 2013 Spero News Seattle PI
Recreational marijuana stores open in Colorado. (CNN)

Politics and elections

Bill de Blasio is sworn in as the 109th Mayor of New York City. (AP via USA Today)

Sport

In front of a crowd of 105,491 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, potentially the largest ever to attend an ice hockey game, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeat the Detroit Red Wings 3–2 after a shootout in the 2014 NHL Winter Classic. (ESPN)
Michael van Gerwen wins the 2014 PDC World Darts Championship by defeating Peter Wright. (BBC Sports)

January 2, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal):
- Armed tribesmen and ISIS militants control the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, after days of violence that erupted as a protest camp was removed. (Al Bawaba), (AFP)
- 13 people are killed in a suicide bombing in Balad Ruz, near Baqubah. (Abram Online)
Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon:
- Five people are killed and 20 wounded in a car bomb which hit a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut. (BBC)

Arts and culture

The Swedish Academy releases secret documents of the 1963 Nobel Prize in Literature that ultimately was awarded the Greek poet Giorgos Seferis, revealing that writers such as Samuel Beckett and Vladimir Nabokov were dismissed early in the selection process.(Svenska Dagbladet)

Business and Economy

Fisker Automotive in bankruptcy, asks the judge to reject the official creditors' committee's plan for an auction. The proposed auction would be based on an initial $24.725 million bid from the U.S. unit of Wanxiang Group, a major auto parts concern in China. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A bus plunges off a cliff into a 400-foot ravine in Malshej Ghat, in western India, killing at least 30 people and injuring ten others. (The Independent) (MSN)
The Italian navy rescues 233 migrants from an overcrowded boat at risk of sinking in rough waters in the Mediterranean Sea. The boat was spotted about 80 miles south of the Italian island of Lampedusa. (CNN)
The East Coast of the United States braces itself for the first Nor'easter of the season set to bring below normal temperatures and heavy snow in places and prompting the governors of Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey to declare state emergencies. (NBC)(CNN)

Politics

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is in critical condition following renal failure after being in a coma since 2006. (CNN)

January 3, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- An 85-year-old man dies during Israeli suppression of a violent riot at Kufr Qaddoum near Nablus; he is the first Palestinian casualty from conflict with Israel in 2014. (The Guardian)
Post-coup unrest in Egypt:
- Thirteen people are killed in clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters, police and opponents. (Reuters) (Sky News)
South Sudanese conflict (2013–present):
- The United States evacuates additional diplomatic personnel at its embassy in Juba due to the deteriorating security situation. (The Hill)

Disasters and accidents

A winter storm hits the Northeastern United States, bringing snow to the region, affecting travel, and killing thirteen people. (NBC News)
A deep area of low pressure named Anne brings strong winds, high tides and coastal flooding to parts of Western England, Wales, Scotland, France and Ireland. (BBC)

Health

The Philippine Department of Health declares a measles outbreak in Metro Manila. (Solar News)

International relations

Paraguay announces withdrawal of its recognition of the Sahrawi Republic. (The Maghreb Daily)

Law and crime

Authorities confirm the arrest of El Chino Ántrax, a high-ranking Sinaloa Cartel leader, in the Netherlands. (UT-San Diego)

January 4, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Anbar conflict:
- The Iraqi government loses control of Fallujah to Islamist militants. (Al Jazeera)
Majid al-Majid, the chief of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades militant group that was accused of being responsible for a double suicide bombing in front of the Iranian embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, in November 2013, dies in custody in a military hospital in Beirut. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

A three-story building under construction collapses in the southern Indian state of Goa, killing at least 14 people. (Reuters via Voice of America)

January 5, 2014 (Sunday)

Attacks and conflicts

Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon:
- A sniper kills a man and six people are wounded in clashes between districts in Tripoli, Lebanon, that support rival sides in neighboring Syria's civil war. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Voters in Bangladesh go to the polls for a general election. (BBC)

Science and technology

A launch of the communication satellite GSAT-14 aboard the GSLV MK.II D5 marks the first successful flight of an Indian cryogenic engine. (The Hindu)

Sports

In ice hockey, the 2014 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships concludes with Finland defeating host team Sweden in the final 3–2, winning the tournament for the first time since 1998. (CBC)
In cricket, the 2013–14 Ashes series concludes with Australia whitewashing England 5-0 to regain The Ashes after 7 years. ABC.net

Disasters and accidents

A small jet carrying three Mexican men from Toluca crashes while trying to land at the Aspen–Pitkin County Airport in the U.S. state of Colorado, killing the co-pilot, seriously injuring the pilot and slightly injuring the passenger. (CBC)

January 6, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in North-West Pakistan:
- A bomb detonates in a tribal elder's home in Khyber Agency, Pakistan, killing 10 people and injuring another 9. (Global Post)
War in Afghanistan (2001–present):
- A suicide car bomber detonates at a police checkpoint in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, killing 3 police officers. (AP via Washington Post)
Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- Gunmen kill 30 people in the central Nigerian village of Shonong in the Riyom local government area. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

2014 North American cold wave
- Record low temperatures are predicted for parts of the United States with wind chill temperatures expected to drop as low as −51 °C (−60 °F). (Los Angeles Times) (CBS News) (Washington Post)

International relations

The Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout uses strong words to condemn the discovery of illegal weapons at the Palestinian embassy complex where a possible booby-trapped safe killed the ambassador Jamal al-Jamal on January 1, saying it is "a serious violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations." (Miami Herald)

Law and crime

American-born Colleen LaRose, who calls herself Jihad Jane, is sentenced to 10 years in prison for a failed al Qaeda-linked plot to kill Swedish artist Lars Vilks who had depicted the head of the Muslim Prophet Mohammad on a dog. (BBC)
Venezuelan beauty queen Mónica Spear and her British ex-husband are murdered through a carjacking in Caracas. (Al Jazeera)

Politics

The US Senate confirms Janet Yellen as the new chair of the Federal Reserve; Yellen will be the first woman to hold this post. (Washington Post)

Sport

In college football, the Florida State Seminoles defeat the Auburn Tigers to win the 2014 BCS National Championship Game. (WFAA)
In golf, Zach Johnson wins the 2014 Hyundai Tournament of Champions. (ESPN)

January 7, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian opposition–Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant conflict
- Both belligerents mass execute dozens of their combatant prisoners. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

Four killed in US Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk crash in England's Norfolk coast. (The Independent) (BBC) (The Daily Telegraph)

Law and crime

Infanta Cristina, the youngest daughter of the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I, is charged by a magistrate with tax evasion and money laundering. (Euronews)

Five members of the Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI, who in 1971 stole documents from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and gave them to journalists, come forth. The leak exposed COINTELPRO, a program of surveillance and blackmail against American leftists including Martin Luther King, Jr. (New York Times) (The Guardian) (New York Magazine)

Sports

United States gold winning Olympic athlete Lindsey Vonn announces she is pulling out of her run for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi due to a re-injured right knee. (Washington Post) (ESPN)

January 8, 2014 (Wednesday)

Attacks and conflicts

South Yemen insurgency:
- Two suspected Al-Qaeda militants are killed in a U.S. drone strike in the southeastern province of Hadhramaut. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A Canadian National Railway train from Toronto carrying crude oil and propane derails and catches fire in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick, in the northwest part of the province, causing 45 homes to be evacuated in a rural area. No one has yet been injured, and the fire has diminished, so far without the propane exploding. (MSN)
Nine passengers on the Dehradun Express from Mumbai die when the train catches fire. (Gulf News) (BBC) (CNN) (UPI)
Two crew members are killed and another is missing after a U.S. Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter makes an emergency water landing off the Virginia coast, east of Virginia Beach; the two survivors are being treated at a Norfolk hospital. (NBC)
An avalanche causes one death and temporarily traps three others outside the boundaries of Vail Ski Resort on Vail Mountain in Colorado. (CNN)

Arts and culture

The nominees for the 67th British Academy Film Awards are announced in London. (BBC)

Business and economy

Facebook buys the Indian start-up Little Eye Labs. (The Economic Times)

Health

Influenza A virus subtype H5N1:
- Alberta Health Services confirms first avian flu death in Alberta. A person admitted to hospital on January 1, 2014, died on January 3 in Calgary. (Calgary Herald)

Law and crime

Imelda Marcos's former aide is sentenced in New York City for attempting to sell a painting of Claude Monet allegedly bought with embezzled funds. (GMA News)
The U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions the Sinaloa Cartel enforcer El Chino Ántrax under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, which virtually prohibits U.S. citizens from conducting any financial deal with the drug lord and freezes his assets. (The Wall Street Journal)
A jury at the High Court, London returns an 8-2 majority verdict of lawful killing at the inquest into the death of Mark Duggan, whose death at the hands of Trident Gang Crime Command Metropolitan Police firearms officers in August 2011 sparked the 2011 England Riots. This verdict was reached despite the fact the jury also found that Mark Duggan was not holding a gun when he was shot by the police, sparking protests outside the court and in Tottenham. (BBC)

Politics

A book released by former U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates criticizes President Barack Obama for his handling of the War in Afghanistan. (Fox News)

Sports

FIFA secretary-general Jérôme Valcke, second in the FIFA hierarchy to president Sepp Blatter, tells Radio France that the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will not be played in summer between June and July and will be held in the winter time. FIFA responds by saying no official decision will be made until after the 2014 World Cup. (Sky News) (BBC) (Times of India)
Thomas Hitzlsperger, recently retired former German international, publicly announces he is gay, the most prominent association football player to do so. (BBC)
In baseball, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas are elected to the Hall of Fame in voting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. They will be inducted along with managers Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa, and Joe Torre on July 27 at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. (ESPN)
U.S. sports personality and Basketball Hall of Famer Dennis Rodman defends his visits to North Korea after he is criticized by the family of an American detainee. (CNN)

January 9, 2014 (Thursday)

Attacks and conflicts

Syrian Civil War:
- A car bomb kills 18 people, including women and children, in Syria's central Hama province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights organization. (CNN) (Ynet News)
- Islamic extremist groups in Syria with ties to al-Qaeda try to identify, recruit and train Americans and other Westerners who have traveled there to get them to carry out attacks when they return home. (NYT)
Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal):
- A suicide bomber kills 23 Iraqi army recruits and wounds 36 in Baghdad. (Reuters)
14-year-old boy Aitizaz Hassan in northern Pakistan is killed stopping a suicide bomber at the main gate of his school but saves the lives of all of his schoolmates gathered for their morning assembly. The Sunni group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claims responsibility for the attack. (CNN) (Al Jazeera)
The government of Afghanistan announces the release of 72 Taliban fighters from jails, despite American objections that they pose a security threat. (ABC News)

Arts and culture

Grammy Award-winning pop music duo OutKast reunites. (USA Today)

Disasters and accidents

An explosion at a Mitsubishi Materials chemical plant in Yokkaichi, Japan, kills at least five people and injures 17 others. (AP via ABC News)
West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declares a state of emergency for 100,000 West Virginia American Water customers in five counties (Boone, Lincoln, Kanawha, Jackson, and Putnam) because of a spill of 4-methylcyclohexanemethanol into the Elk River. (NBC)

Law and crime

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is sued for his role on "Bridgegate". (BBC News)
Russian authorities investigate six suspicious deaths and at least one car explosion in southern Russia's Stavropol territory, about 300 miles from Sochi, the site of next month's Winter Olympics. (CNN)
Seven suspects are arrested in the deaths of Venezuelan actress and beauty star, Monica Spear, and her ex-husband, whose 5-year-old daughter witnessed the roadside shooting and was also wounded. (The Miami Herald)
Insane Clown Posse sues the Federal Bureau of Investigation for accusing its fangroup, the Juggalos, of being a gang. (NBC News)

Politics and elections

Prime Minister of Tunisia, Ali Larayedh, steps down following renewed protests, paving the way for new elections, in accordance with an agreement between his Islamist Ennahda party, and secular opposition parties. (The Los Angeles Times)
New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, apologizes for his senior aides intentionally causing a traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge for political retribution in September 2013. (Reuters)

In the US Congress, a bill is introduced to restore the fast track negotiating authority, under which the president could negotiate trade agreements that Congress could not amend, but could only vote "yes" or "no" on. The bill's sponsors mentioned talks with the EU as well as the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. (Reuters), (US Senate)

Science and technology

Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupts once again. (Wired)
A 5.1 magnitude earthquake occurs in the Straits of Florida about 112 miles east of Havana, Cuba, swaying medium rise buildings in city. (My News 13)
The first conjoined twin gray whales are found in Mexico. (BBC News)

Sports

Ivory Coast star Yaya Touré, who plays for the club team Manchester City, wins the African Footballer of the Year. (CNN)
Dennis Rodman apologizes for a drunken outburst regarding American detainee Kenneth Bae the day before he sang for Kim Jong-Un's birthday. (CNN)

January 10, 2014 (Friday)

Arts and culture

Spain invites Sephardic Jews to return after 500 years of exile. (BBC News)
François Hollande's photo with actress Julie Gayet is removed from the tabloid magazine Closer after an injuction by Gayet's lawyer. (The Daily Mail)

Attacks and armed conflicts

Central African Republic crisis
- Amidst pressure for failing to resolve ongoing conflict, President of the Central African Republic Michel Djotodia resigns nine months after Séléka toppled François Bozizé. Alexandre-Ferdinand Nguendet becomes acting president. (IB Times)
A car bombing in Karachi, Pakistan, kills Chaudhry Aslam Khan, a senior police investigator known for pursuing Pakistani Taliban militants; two other officers with him were also killed. (The Australian)
The Kenyan Air Force bombs a suspected militant camp in Garbahaareey, Somalia, killing 30 militants. (AP via Fox News)

Business and economy

Volkswagen's luxury brands Porsche, Audi and Bentley have each posted record sales for 2013. (BBC)
Google allows users to communicate with each other on Google Plus even if they are not friends. (BBC)
The number of people with their personal information stolen from Target stores is up from 40 million to 70 million. (CNN)

International relations

China imposes a "fishing permit" rule in the South China Sea, much to the chagrin of the United States, the Philippines, and Vietnam. (FOX News) (The Guardian)

Politics and elections

Devyani Khobragade, an Indian diplomat whose arrest sparked an international incident involving India and the United States, is indicted for allegedly lying to obtain a work visa for her housekeeper, and is asked to leave the United States under the rules of diplomatic immunity. (BBC News) (USA Today)

January 11, 2014 (Saturday)

Attacks and conflicts

Aitizaz Hassan, a Pakistani boy who died after trying to stop a suicide bomber, is nominated for an award by Nawaz Sharif. (CNN)
Syrian Civil War
- 500 people are killed in inter-factional fighting between an alliance of secular rebels and moderate Islamists against radical Islamists. (BBC)
Central African Republic crisis
- African migrants are to be evacuated as violence continues in the country. (CNN)
2013 Thai political crisis
- 7 people are injured after protesters are attacked by gunfire. (Voice of America)
Euromaidan
- Yuri Lutsenko, one of the leaders of the protests, is injured during clashes with the police. (Los Angeles Times)
War in Afghanistan
- A four-year-old Afghan boy is killed by U.S. troops. (Business Standard)
Somali Civil War
- The United States is to deploy military advisers more than twenty years after the Black Hawk down incident. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Business and economy

Total S.A. is to invest in shale gas exploration in the United Kingdom. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

A district in the ancient town of Dukezong in Shangri-La County, Yunnan, China, burns down. (ABC News)

A chemical leak in West Virginia morphs into a crisis after the contamination of a portion of the state's water supply. (CNN)
Cyclone Ian strikes Tonga with damage to buildings reported. (Fox News)

Law and crime

United States Attorney General Eric Holder says that same-sex marriages conducted in Utah are recognized as legal under federal law. The state of Utah however, does not recognize the marriages under state laws. (The Washington Post)
The United States Air Force expands an illegal drugs investigation involving ten officers in six military bases in the United States and the United Kingdom. (Reuters)
A ten-year-old servant girl is tortured to death in Punjab raising concerns about human rights in Pakistan. (BBC News)
About 110,000 people march peacefully through Bilbao, demanding Basque independence and freedom for more than 600 ETA prisoners. (BBC News) (Reuters)

Science and technology

X-ray astronomers find evidence of a black hole at the center of a dwarf galaxy gobbling up a star; this is the first such event ever filmed. (Astronomy)

Politics and elections

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon dies at the age of 85 after spending eight years in a coma following a stroke. (BBC News) (ABC NEWS) (International Business Times)
India says that it has "no stand-off" with the United States even after the Devyani Khobragade incident. (BBC)
French President François Hollande is under pressure after photos of him and actress Julie Gayet appear in a magazine. (BBC)

Sport

British footballer Ian Redford is found dead in the woods of Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland. (The Independent)
2014 Winter Olympics
- The United States State Department issues a warning to those going to the host city of Sochi, informing that local medical facilities are "untested" and that there are threats of terrorist activity. (The Hollywood Reporter)

January 12, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal)
- A car bombing at a bus station in central Baghdad kills at least nine people. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War:
- Syrian State TV claims that a rebel mortar attack kills 19 people in the government-controlled Ghouta and Karm al shami areas of the city of Homs. (News Limited)

Arts and culture

Pope Francis publicly releases the names of the 19 new Cardinals from 12 countries he will create in his first Consistory. This will occur during a meeting of the Cardinals on February 22. (News.VA Official Vatican Network)
71st Golden Globe Awards
- The Golden Globe Awards are held in Beverly Hills, California, with 12 Years a Slave winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama and American Hustle winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. (Los Angeles Times)

Sport

In golf, American Jimmy Walker wins the 2014 Sony Open in Hawaii. (Los Angeles Times)
In darts, Stephen Bunting and Lisa Ashton win the 2014 BDO World Darts Championship. (The Guardian)

January 13, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

An explosion at an illegal gambling hall in Kaili City, China, kills fourteen people and injures seven. Police believe it was intentional and are investigating it as a crime. (CNN) (ABC News)

A man with a grenade attacks a school in Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines, injuring more than 24 people. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters

A 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurs off the coast of Puerto Rico. (Reuters via CBC)
2013–14 South Pacific cyclone season:
- Tonga restores contact with the Ha'apai islands after Cyclone Ian passed through during the weekend, killing one person and significantly damaging structures. (ABC News Australia)
Heavy rain and landslides kill 20 people in the southeastern Philippines, mostly in the Mindanao provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley. Another 13 are missing. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)

Law and crime

The Sandiganbayan rules the jewelry collection of Imelda Marcos, valued about $150,000 in 1986, property of the government of the Philippines and orders the Marcos family to forfeit it. (Inquirer)
A court acquits two former Fullerton, California police officers of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and excessive use of force in the 2011 beating death of Kelly Thomas, a homeless man. Prosecutors plan to drop charges against a third officer. (CNN) (San Jose Mercury-News)
A retired police officer shoots a man dead and minorly wounds his wife after an argument about the victim texting in a Tampa, Florida cinema. (Huffington Post)

Politics and elections

2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- Protesters gather in Bangkok to shut down the city centre in an effort to bring down the government of Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra. (BBC)

Sports

Association football:
- The international governing body of association football, FIFA allow the region of Kosovo's football team to play international exhibition games against full FIFA members (excluding former states of Yugoslavia). (FIFA)
- Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid is named the winner of the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or as the year's top male player. Nadine Angerer of Germany and the Brisbane Roar is named FIFA Women's World Player of the Year. (The Telegraph)

Science

China conducts the test of a new hypersonic missile vehicle, dubbed the "WU-14", which has top speeds of Mach 8 to Mach 12. The weapon was launched on an ICBM. (Newsmax)

January 14, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed attacks and conflicts

Mexican Drug War
- Communitary forces take several towns in Mexican state of Michoacán trying to expel the Knights Templar Cartel forces, and prompting the intervention of Mexican Army against them.(CNN)
Syrian Civil War
- 46 Palestinians and Syrian residents in the Yarmouk Camp have died of starvation and lack of medical care, since October, from a Syrian army enforced blockade. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

Russia expels American journalist David Satter from the country in the first such case since 1982. (The Guardian)
Two students are shot and seriously injured at Berrendo Middle School in Roswell, New Mexico, U.S. A 12-year-old male suspect has been apprehended. (Reuters)(CNN)

Politics and elections

Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2014
- Voters in Egypt go to the polls for the first day of voting on a new constitution.
Former Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, is buried on his ranch in southern Israel following a state funeral at the Knesset attended by foreign dignitaries and Israelis. (BBC) (The Times of Israel)

January 15, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal)
- At least 26 people are killed in a series of attacks in central Iraq. (BBC)
Internal conflict in Burma:
- A Thailand-based women's rights group accuses Myanmar of using rape as a weapon of war. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War:
- Western and Arab countries pledge to give an additional US$1.4 billion for United Nations aid. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

The United States returns 11th-12th century sculptures stolen by art thieves from temples in India. (BBC)

Business and economy

The World Bank says that the economies affected by the Great Recession are starting to recover. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

Asiana Airlines Flight 214:
- A graphic video showing the death of a 16-year-old Chinese girl is released after firefighters ran her over in the wake of the plane crash. (TIME)

Law and crime

An anti-LGBT rights law that makes gay marriage punishable by up to 14 years in prison is passed in Nigeria. (Voice of America)
Italy says that it will use the Italian Army against the mafia who are accused of dumping toxic waste in Naples. (BBC)
A Danish tourist is gang-raped in Delhi, India after she was lost from her hotel. (The New York Times)
The National Security Agency uses radio waves to spy on computers. (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2014:
- Egyptians vote on a constitution that will ban political parties based on religion, give women equal rights and protect the status of minority Coptic Christians. (Fox News)
2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- Thai protesters continue to shutdown Bangkok in order to force Yingluck to step down. (Australia Network News)

Science and technology

Australia warns of bushfires due to a 40C (104F) heatwave affecting the country. (BBC)

January 16, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Gaza–Israel conflict:
- Five people are injured on the Gaza Strip in an Israel Air Force raid following Palestinian militants firing a rocket towards Ashkelon. (BBC) (The Times of Israel)
Syrian Civil War:
- A suicide bomber kills 4 people and injures 26 in the Lebanese town of Hermel, a Hezbollah stronghold near the Syrian border. (Reuters)
Post-Iraq War
- TMZ reveals photos of United States Marines burning bodies of Iraqis prompting an investigation from the Department of Defense. (CNN)

Arts and culture

Gravity and American Hustle lead the nominations for the 86th Academy Awards. (Los Angeles Times)
The Last of Us leads the nominations for the 17th DICE Awards. (Variety) (Polygon)

Disasters and accidents

At least 13 people are dead and 40,000 are displaced in Indonesia's North Sulawesi province after severe floods. (AFP via Yahoo! News)
2014 Australian heat wave:
- Melbourne reaches 43.9 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit) with Australian Open matches postponed. (Reuters)
- Emergency services authorities warn of high bushfire dangers in southeastern Australia. (New Zealand Stuff)

International relations

The Guardian reports that the National Security Agency collects data from hundreds of millions of text messages each day. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

New Dictatorship laws in Ukraine (BBC)
A German court in Munich rules that Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone should face bribery charges. (BBC)
A child trafficking ring is smashed in the Philippines through the efforts of British, American, and Australian authorities. (USA Today)
Two people are arrested in Delhi after a Danish woman was gang-raped. (Voice of America)
According to a search warrant unsealed by a court in Bristol, Connecticut, former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, awaiting trial for a 2013 murder, is under investigation by Boston police as a suspect in a 2012 double homicide. (AP via ESPN)

Politics and elections

2013-14 Thai political crisis
- Yingluck Shinawatra is being implicated in a controversial rice subsidy scheme. (BBC)

Technology

A British photographer designs and builds a drone as a low cost alternative for shooting nature documentaries. (Reuters)

January 17, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- An explosion rocks the protests in Bangkok resulting in dozens of injuries. (CNN), (AP)
At least three people are killed and fifteen are injured after an explosion in a passenger train travelling from Peshawar to Karachi. (PTI via Business Standard)
Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon:
- A rocket fired into the Lebanese border town of Arsal kills seven people and wounds 15. (Reuters)
Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan:
- Twenty-one people are killed in a suicide bombing attack on a Kabul restaurant. (The Wall Street Journal)
Post-coup unrest in Egypt:
- Two people were shot dead as clashes between Muslim Brotherhood supporters and police flared up across Egypt. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

One of the last Japanese soldiers to surrender from World War II, Hiroo Onoda, who surrendered in the Philippines in 1974, dies at the age of 91. (CNN)
Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II gives birth to a daughter. (BBC)
President Yoweri Museveni refuses to sign a Ugandan bill that would criminalize homosexuality saying that they should instead be rehabilitated. (The Huffington Post)
A fragment of pelvis bone unearthed in Winchester in 1999 may belong to King Alfred the Great or his son Edward the Elder. (BBC)

Disasters

Bushfires in the Australian state of Victoria claim at least one life with towns in the Grampians National Park region evacuated. (The Australian)
Police in Glendora, California arrest three men suspected of starting the Colby Fire burning in the San Gabriel Mountains. (Los Angeles Times)
California Governor Jerry Brown declares a drought emergency and asks residents of the state to voluntarily conserve water. (Los Angeles Times)
A stampede at the home of Muslim religious leader Mohammed Burhanuddin in the Indian city of Mumbai results in 18 deaths. (SBS World News)

International relations

President Barack Obama announces a sprawling reform that would begin the process of change in the National Security Agency. (The Chicago Tribune)
Australia apologizes to Indonesia for breaching its territorial waters while conducting operations against people smugglers in Operation Sovereign Borders. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Law and crime

A controversy regarding capital punishment in the United States erupts after the execution of Ohio killer Denis McGuire took 25 minutes. (BBC)
Two students, a male and a female in stable condition, are each shot in the arm by an at-large gunman, who may be a student, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Delaware Valley Charter School high school. (MSN)

Sport

2014 Winter Olympics
- Vladimir Putin cautions gay people should not "spread gay propaganda" when visiting the host city of Sochi. (BBC)

January 18, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

An Iranian diplomat is killed in Yemen's capital Sana'a when he resisted gunmen who were trying to kidnap him near the ambassador's residence. (Reuters)
Insurgency in the North Caucasus:
- Seven suspected militants are killed by Russian security forces in a shootout near Makhachkala in Dagestan. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

20th Screen Actors Guild Awards
- The Screen Actors Guild Awards are held with Matthew McConaughey winning Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role for his role in Dallas Buyers Club and Cate Blanchett winning Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for her role in Blue Jasmine. (Los Angeles Times)
16-year-old Lewis Clarke of Bristol, United Kingdom sets a new world record after becoming the youngest person to trek to the South Pole. (BBC)

Law and order

A warrant is issued for the arrest of Belden Namah, the Leader of the Opposition in Papua New Guinea over claims he threatened the police commissioner in a letter. (News Limited)
An autopsy finds Sunanda Pushkar, the wife of Indian cabinet minister Shashi Tharoor found dead in her hotel room on Friday, had died a "sudden and unnatural death". (BBC)

Politics and elections

Egyptian constitutional referendum, 2014
- Egypt's election council claims that 98.1% of voters supported the new military-backed constitution with a 38.6% turnout. (AP) (AhramOnline)

January 19, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in North-West Pakistan:
- A bomb attack on an army convoy in the city of Bannu kills at least 20 soldiers. (BBC)
2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- A blast at an anti-government protest at Victory Monument in Bangkok injures 28 protesters, seven of them seriously. (Melbourne Age)
Gaza–Israel conflict:
- The Israeli Air Force carries out an air strike seriously injuring one Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative in the Gaza Strip and wounding two others. (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
Euromaidan:
- New violent clashes erupt in Ukraine as a reaction to new strict anti-protest laws. (BBC News)

Disasters

Residents of the historic Norwegian village of Lærdalsøyri are evacuated due to a fire that has destroyed at least 10 homes. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Voters in Hungary will go to the polls for a parliamentary election on April 6. (AFP via GlobalPost)
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates announces mandatory military service for males aged 18-30. (ArabianBusiness.com)

Sports

In the American National Football League, the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks win their respective playoff matches and will meet in Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2. (Q13 Fox), (NWI TImes)
Former world number one and 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic defeats reigning world number one, five-time Australian Open champion and tournament favourite Serena Williams in the fourth round of the 2014 Australian Open. (ABC News Australia)

January 20, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

War in North-West Pakistan
- A suicide bomber blows himself up near Pakistan's military headquarters in Rawalpindi killing at least 13 people. (AP via MyFoxAL)
December 2013 Volgograd bombings
- An Islamist group claims responsibility for the bombings and threatens attacks on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games to be held in Sochi. (Reuters)
Euromaidan
- Violence spreads in Kiev as protesters clash with police. (ABC News)
The United Kingdom rejects its involvement in combat drone attacks by the United States in Pakistan. (BBC News)
Syrian Civil War:
- Two car bombs hit a rebel-held post on the Syrian border with Turkey, killing at least 16 people amidst continuing fighting between Turkey-supported rebels and Saudi-supported rebels. (Reuters)

Business and economy

More than 20 million South Koreans' credit cards are hacked. (BBC News)
Trial begins in London over a claim by investment bank JPMorgan that the public transit provider of the city of Berlin owes it more than $204 million. (Reuters)
World leaders are meeting in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum. (ABC News)
China's 2013 economy figures show the slowest rate of growth since 1999. However, the 7.8% growth figure was higher than the predicted number of 7.5%. (The Australian)

Disasters

A 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurs on the lower North Island of New Zealand near the capital Wellington. (New Zealand Herald)
Monsoon rains cause flooding in the Indonesian capital Jakarta causing the evacuation of more than 30,000 people. (Reuters via Trust)
A small plane carrying medics makes a forced landing in a remote mountain area in Transylvania, Romania, and is found after a 4 and a half hour massive search. The accident leaves the pilot and a passenger dead with several others being injured. (NewsDaily) (Romania-Insider.com) (ABC News)

International relations

The United States rejects the invitation of Iran by the United Nations in peace talks involving Syria. (The New York Times)
Certain sanctions against Iran are lifted by the European Union and the United States through a nuclear deal. (The Washington Post)
Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present)
- Mike Rogers accuses Edward Snowden of collaborating with Russia. (BBC News)
Kenneth Bae, an American prisoner in North Korea, releases a message to the United States for help. (The Huffington Post)

Law and crime

Hong Kong arrests an employer for abusing an Indonesian maid which resulted in protests by migrant workers from Indonesia and the Philippines in the Chinese territory. (Fox News)
Revenge porn becomes illegal in Israel. (SBS Australia)
Police in India are investigating the death of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Shashi Tharoor, after she had accused her husband of committing adultery with Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar. (NBC)
30 people are to be executed in Vietnam for smuggling drugs. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

The transitional National Assembly of the Central African Republic chooses Catherine Samba-Panza as the interim President, making her the country's first female head of state. (Reuters)
Bridgegate scandal
- Kim Guadagno denies accusations that she withheld funds for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. (CBS News)
President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe makes his first public appearance in several weeks. (Reuters)

Science and technology

India launches the Agni-IV missile today. (The Hindu)
The Rosetta begins to 'wake up' from hibernation on its mission to rendezvous and land a probe on Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. (BBC News)
Dolphin hunting in the Japanese town of Taiji is criticized by US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy after protests by environmental groups. (Japan Daily Press)

Sport

Jérôme Champagne, a former French diplomat and advisor to multiple football federations, announces his candidacy to become FIFA President in 2015. (The Guardian)
The Hong Kong Football Association is fined for not preventing an alleged racist incident against fans of the Philippine national football team in 2013. (Goal.com)

January 21, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Euromaidan:
- Violent clashes occur for a second day between protesters and police in Kiev, Ukraine. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon:
- A bomb detonates at a Hezbollah building in Beirut, Lebanon killing 4 people and wounding 35. (AP via USA Today)
War in North-West Pakistan:
- Pakistani military aircraft bomb suspected Taliban hideouts killing 25 militants in North Waziristan. (India Today)
- A bomb rips through a bus full of Shi'ite pilgrims in western Pakistan killing at least 22 people. (Reuters)

Business and economy

First time in the history of digital currency, two Las Vegas casinos begin to accept Bitcoin. (Forbes)

Disasters and accidents

A polar vortex bears down on the east coast of the United States cancelling thousands of flights and creating dangerously cold conditions. (USA Today) (USA Today)

Law and crime

26 people convicted of terrorism charges are hanged in Iraq. (AP via USA Today)
A man is killed in a shooting at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S. A suspect is in custody. (CNN)
One of the founders of Los Zetas drug cartel, Rogelio González Pizaña, is sentenced to 16 years in prison. (La Jornada)
Former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell and his wife are indicted on federal corruption charges for allegedly receiving various financial benefits from a businessman seeking favors from the state government. (Fox News)

Politics and elections

The Government of Thailand declares 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces from tomorrow as anti-government protests continue. (BBC)

Science and technology

The US National Academy of Sciences found that pollution from China’s manufacturing industry drifts across the Pacific Ocean and affects US cities. (ABC Online)

Sport

Australian cyclist Simon Gerrans wins the first stage of Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia. (ABC)

January 22, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- Kwanchai Praipana, a leader of the pro-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, is shot in the city of Udon Thani as protesters gather in Bangkok despite the declaration of a state of emergency. (BBC News)
Euromaidan:
- Ukrainian security forces start dismantling protest camps in Kiev with two protesters feared dead after clashes with police. (AP via Montreal Gazette), (Reuters)

Arts and culture

A blue diamond is found in Cullinan, Gauteng, South Africa. (BBC)

Business and economy

Mohamed El-Erian, CEO and co-CIO of bond fund manager PIMCO, leaves the two posts without offering a reason. (Reuters)

Law and crime

A Delhi magistrate orders an inquiry into the death of Sunanda Pushkar, the wife of Indian cabinet minister Shashi Tharoor. (BBC)

Science and technology

New data published independently by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that the global warming trend is continuing. (ABC News)
Scientists from the European Space Agency and other institutions detect the presence of water vapour on Ceres. (Nature)

January 23, 2014 (Thursday)

Business and economy

A prominent currency trading platform launched by and for banks, ParFX, opens its doors to hedge fund participation. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

A fire breaks out in a L'Isle Verte, Quebec elderly home, killing 5 people and 30 are still missing. (The Toronto Sun)

Law and Crime

Pop star Justin Bieber is arrested for drunken driving and resisting arrest. (CNN)
Former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos visits the detained ex-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and criticizes the current President Benigno Aquino III as "cruel, unjust". (Inquirer)
Swedish sex club owner Mille Markovic is shot dead in Stockholm. (Aftonbladet)(Daily Mail)
Supreme Court of Russia releases Platon Lebedev, a business partner of Russian magnate and former head of Yukos Mikhail Khodorkovsky, after he spent more than 10 years in jail. (BBC News)

Science

A bright type-Ia supernova SN 2014J is discovered in the starburst galaxy Messier 82. (AAVSO)
First recorded snowfall in Kỳ Sơn district, western Nghệ An, Vietnam. (Dan Tri)

January 24, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Post-coup unrest in Egypt:
- Three bombs explode in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, killing about five people. (BBC)
Heavy gunfire erupts in Central African Republic's capital Bangui. (ABC News)

Law and crime

Prominent conservative political pundit Dinesh D'Souza pleads "not guilty" to charges that he violated U.S. election financing laws. (Reuters)
A student was shot and killed at South Carolina State University and police were looking for 4 suspects. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

Euromaidan:
- Unrest in the Ukraine spreads to the cities of Khmelnitsky, Zhytomyr, Cherkasy, Lviv (Lvov), Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lutsk, Rivne and Chernivtsi. In Rivne and Lviv, the offices of the governors were broken into; the Lviv regional governor was forced to sign a letter of resignation. (New York Times), (National Post)

January 25, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Civil conflict in the Philippines
- The Philippines and the Bangsamoro agree to a peace deal that would help end the 45-year conflict. (Fox News)
Post-civil war violence in Libya:
- Five Egyptian embassy staff are kidnapped in the Libyan capital of Tripoli. (The Guardian)
Post-coup unrest in Egypt:
- 64 people are killed in anti-government marches. (Al-Ahram), (Reuters), (BBC)
Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal)
- 17 people are killed in car-bomb and mortar attacks on a Shi'ite Muslim village in Iraq. (Reuters)

Law and crime

A vial containing drops of late Pope John Paul II's blood is stolen from the Church of San Pietro della Ienca in Abruzzo, Italy. (The Guardian)
A shooting at the Columbia Mall in the U.S. state of Maryland results in 3 people being killed. (BBC)

Sports

2014 Australian Open:
- China's Li Na defeats Slovakia's Dominika Cibulková 7-6³, 6-0 to win the women's final. (Sydney Morning Herald)
The United SportsCar Championship debuts as the International Motor Sports Association's new premier series in the United States with the 52nd running of the 24 Hours of Daytona. (Fox Sports)

Science and technology

Yutu, China's lunar rover, suffers an unspecified "mechanical control abnormality" shortly before going dormant for the two-week-long lunar night. The solar-powered vehicle has been on the Moon since 15 December and had survived one lunar night. (Xinhua), (abc.net.au)

Average peak concentrations of PM2.5 (fine particulate air pollution) are more than twice as great in Delhi as in Beijing during the first three weeks of the year. (New York Times)

January 26, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Taliban insurgency
- A suicide bomber attacks an army bus in the Afghan capital, Kabul, killing two soldiers and two civilians. (BBC)
Somali Civil War:
- The U.S. military carries out a missile strike in southern Somalia, hitting a vehicle and killing Sahal Iskudhuq, a member of the Al Shabaab terrorist group, along with his driver. (Fox News)

Arts and culture

56th Annual Grammy Awards
- Macklemore & Ryan Lewis wins Best New Artist, Lorde wins Song of the Year for "Royals", and Daft Punk wins Record of the Year for "Get Lucky" and Album of the Year for Random Access Memories. (BBC)
- Thirty-three couples get married live during a performance of "Same Love" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Mary Lambert in a ceremony officiated by Queen Latifah with Madonna serving as maid-of-honor. (The Telegraph)
- Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr perform together in memory of the other late Beatles members. (Rolling Stone)

Disasters and accidents

A tourist boat capsizes off of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, leaving 21 people dead and 11 missing. (BBC)

Sports

2014 Australian Open
- Stanislas Wawrinka defeats Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to win the men's final. (BBC Sport)
2014 24 Hours of Daytona
- João Barbosa, Christian Fittipaldi, and Sébastien Bourdais of Action Express Racing wins the inaugural United SportsCar Championship event, marred by a crash that hospitalized drivers Memo Gidley and Matteo Malucelli three hours into the race. (NASCAR) (Charlotte Observer)

January 27, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- Sixty-one people are feared to have been killed following gun attacks in the states of Adamawa and Borno. (Xinhua)

Arts and culture

American folk singer Pete Seeger dies at the age of 94. (CNN)

Law and crime

The U.S. Justice Department and the Director of National Intelligence reach a preliminary joint agreement, likely resolving a lawsuit with the major American Internet provider companies (Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Microsoft, and LinkedIn), about the information the companies can release to customers regarding requests by the intelligence agencies for information. (NBC)

A New York federal district court seeks the extradition of Los Zetas drug cartel leader Miguel Treviño Morales, arrested in July 2013. (El Siglo de Torreón)

Politics and elections

The governing body of the Egyptian military approves Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who led the coup d'état that overthrew President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, to run for the presidency in the upcoming election. (BBC)

January 28, 2014 (Tuesday)

Business and economy

Carl Icahn announces he has purchased another bloc of the stock of Apple Inc., part of a ramping up that now has him owning Apple equity in the amount of more than $4 billion. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Bird flu in China:
- Sales of live poultry are banned in eastern China after 19 people die from the strain this year. (News Limited)
- Hong Kong orders the destruction of 20,000 chickens after the H7N9 bird flu strain is found in chickens imported from mainland China. (BBC)
Several states in the Southeastern United States prepare for several inches of snow and ice. (NBC News)
All tourism activities at Hoàng Liên National Park and to the Fansipan mountain in Vietnam's Lào Cai Province have been suspended until the end of March to reduce the risk of forest fires caused by cold weather and a lack of rain. (Balita)

Politics and elections

Former anti-apartheid activist Mamphela Ramphele and her 1-year old party Agang South Africa joins the main opposition party, Democratic Alliance, as Ramphele becomes DA's presidential candidate for the 2014 general election and thus the main challenger to incumbent President Jacob Zuma. (BBC)
Former Australian Army General Peter Cosgrove is named as the next Governor-General of Australia. (AAP via Courier-Mail)
2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- Thai protesters surround the venue of a cabinet meeting in Bangkok. (Reuters via Thomson Reuters Foundation)
Euromaidan:
- Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov submits his resignation to President Viktor Yanukovich "for the sake of a peaceful settlement of the conflict." (CBC)
- Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich accepts the resignation of Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov and his cabinet; the cabinet will continue to work until a new government is formed. (BBC)
- Parliament repeals anti-protest laws which had led to protests. (NBC News), (New York Times)

Science and technology

DNA analysis reveals that the Plague of Justinian responsible for killing up to half the population of Europe in 6th century AD was caused by a variant of Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium believed to have caused the Black Death. (Health Canal)

January 29, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Civil conflict in the Philippines
- More than 40 people are killed on Mindanao between the Philippine government and armed groups opposed to the peace deal between the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. (New York Times), (BBC)

Arts and culture

Archaeologists uncover what they believe to be the oldest Roman temple ever discovered. (Southern California Public Radio)

Disasters and accidents

Seven people are killed and 14 injured after a bus collides with a diesel tanker on the Mumbai - Ahmedabad highway in India. (NDTV)
National Guard troops are deployed to reach students stranded overnight on buses after ice and snow cause widespread traffic chaos in Atlanta, Georgia.(CNN)
The cruise ship MS Explorer of the Seas returns to port; at least 684 of the 4237 people aboard had symptoms of norovirus. (CNN), (NBC)

International Relations

Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present)
- Edward Snowden is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. (Bloomberg)
- In the US Senate, James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, calls for the return of NSA documents by "Snowden and his accomplices"; asked whether this includes journalists, Clapper's spokesperson says "Director Clapper was referring to anyone who is assisting Edward Snowden to further threaten our national security through the unauthorized disclosure of stolen documents related to lawful foreign intelligence collection programs." (The Guardian)

Science and technology

Scientists find a way to convert normal cells into stem cells, which can be used for any part of the body. Previously, the standard method of obtaining stem cells was to get them from an embryo. (The New York Times)

Law and crime

Canadian singer Justin Bieber surrenders to Toronto Police to face assault charges. (Time)

Politics and elections

In the Czech Republic a new coalition government is sworn in, led by Bohuslav Sobotka and consisting of the Social Democrats, the liberalist ANO 2011 and the Christian Democrats. (Radio Prague)
Largest Russian TV providers disconnected leading independent Dozhd TV channel. The previous days the channel was criticised by Vladimir Putin's press secretary and Russian parliament members. (The Moscow Times) (Guardian) (Reuters) (RIA)
U.S. President Barack Obama signs the myRA at a visit to U.S. Steel's Irvin Works in metropolitan Pittsburgh. (C-SPAN 24:50) (WTAE-TV) (Whitehouse.gov)

January 30, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal):
- Six suicide bombers take over the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation in Baghdad and kill at least 24 hostages before security forces take control. (Reuters via NDTV)

Business and economy

Exxon Mobil posts lower than expected profit figures largely due to the fall in its oil and natural gas production. (Reuters)
The Philippine economy grows by about 7.2% in 2013 despite being affected by Typhoon Haiyan. (BBC), (Financial Times)
Chinese technology company Lenovo buys Motorola Mobility from Google for $3 billion to create its own mobile device unit. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

2013–14 Australian region cyclone season:
- Tropical Cyclone Dylan forms off the North Queensland coast and is expected to make landfall between Lucinda and Proserpine. (ABC Australia via Weatherzone)
A man whose boat was adrift for sixteen months is rescued at the Marshall Islands. The journey began with a companion as part of a venture from Mexico for El Salvador in September 2012. (FOX News)

International relations

The Philippines refuses to apologize to Hong Kong for the Manila hostage crisis a day after visa-free access was revoked by the territory. (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Law and crime

182 inmates escape from a provincial jail in Leyte, Philippines, which was previously affected by Typhoon Haiyan, citing squalid conditions and a lack of food. 148 are recaptured hours later. (Fox News)
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announces that federal prosecutors will seek the death penalty against Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. (CNN)
American Amanda Knox is found guilty of the murder of Meredith Kercher together with Knox's former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito. (News Limited)

Politics and elections

The Danish coalition government breaks up as widespread turmoil over the partial sale of the state-owned DONG Energy to Goldman Sachs leads to the withdrawal of the Socialist People's Party. (Copenhagen Post)
2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- The Thai Army announces plans to deploy more troops in the streets of Bangkok ahead of Sunday's general election. (Reuters)
Mohammad-Ali Najafi resigns as Head of Iran's Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization, marking the first change in President Rouhani's cabinet. (tehrantimes) (Trend)
In the Netherlands, State Secretary of Finance Frans Weekers resigns after opposition parties give fierce criticism about his performance. (NOS)

Science and technology

Scientists warn that penguin populations may be declining due to extreme environmental conditions related to climate change (The Guardian)

January 31, 2014 (Friday)