2019–20 Australian bushfire season An additional three deaths have been confirmed on the New South Wales South Coast while another man has been killed in Victoria's East Gippsland region. (News)
A fire at Krefeld Zoo, NRW, Germany, kills over 30 animals. (BBC News)
An additional three deaths have been confirmed on the New South Wales South Coast while another man has been killed in Victoria's East Gippsland region. (News)
At least 16 inmates are killed and five others injured in a riot that breaks out at a prison in Zacatecas, Mexico. (BBC News)
China–Indonesia relations, Spratly Islands dispute The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects an earlier statement by Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang that China had territorial claims to the Spratly Islands as part of the Nine-Dash Line, stating it "[has] no legal basis and have never been recognized by the UNCLOS 1982". Indonesia had recalled its ambassador to China two days earlier after a Chinese coastguard vessel trespassed in its waters. (Reuters)
The Houthis release six Saudi prisoners as part of a United Nations-mediated deal struck last month. All six arrive in Riyadh later the same day. (Reuters)
The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejects an earlier statement by Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Geng Shuang that China had territorial claims to the Spratly Islands as part of the Nine-Dash Line, stating it "[has] no legal basis and have never been recognized by the UNCLOS 1982". Indonesia had recalled its ambassador to China two days earlier after a Chinese coastguard vessel trespassed in its waters. (Reuters)
An elderly woman dies of suffocation while leaving a Brisbane, Queensland-originated Qantas plane at Canberra Airport. Canberra's air quality had been reported as the worst in the world because of heavy smoke from the bushfires in New South Wales. (News)
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian declares a state of emergency for seven days starting on January 3. (News)
Brigadier-General Esmail Ghaani is appointed as the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force, replacing Qassem Soleimani. (Newsweek)
The Supreme Leader of Iran Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declares three days of national mourning in Iran. (Tehran Times)
2019–20 Australian bushfire season Two people are confirmed dead from bushfires on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. (News) New records for the highest recorded temperature are set in Greater Sydney (48.9 °C (120.0 °F) at Penrith) and Canberra (44 °C (111 °F)). (The Guardian)
New records for the highest recorded temperature are set in Greater Sydney (48.9 °C (120.0 °F) at Penrith) and Canberra (44 °C (111 °F)). (The Guardian)
Two people are confirmed dead from bushfires on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. (News)
2019–20 Australian bushfire season A bushfire leads to the residents of Eden, New South Wales, to evacuate. (ABC News and Current Affairs)
A bushfire leads to the residents of Eden, New South Wales, to evacuate. (ABC News and Current Affairs)
Milanović is elected. Grabar-Kitarović pledges a "civilised transfer" of power. (The Guardian)
Thirty-six people are killed and others injured after a building under construction collapses in Kep, Cambodia. (Reuters)
Five soldiers are killed after their vehicle hit a roadside bomb while traveling in the Alatona region. (Al Jazeera)
The Libyan National Army says it has captured Sirte and the Al-Qardabiya airbase. (The Guardian)
A stampede occurs during the funeral of Qasem Soleimani in his hometown of Kerman. Iranian state-affiliated media say at least 56 people are killed and 213 more are injured. (CBC News)
Funeral of Qasem Soleimani A stampede occurs during the funeral of Qasem Soleimani in his hometown of Kerman. Iranian state-affiliated media say at least 56 people are killed and 213 more are injured. (CBC News)
A car bomb kills four Turkish soldiers when a vehicle explodes at a checkpoint during a road check in northeastern Syria. (Arab News)
List of fast radio bursts Scientists announce through the journal Nature the discovery of a repeating fast radio burst known as FRB 180916 coming from a nearby spiral galaxy around 500 million light years from Earth. It is the second repeating FRB to have been localized. (The Independent)
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan announce their plan to "step back as 'senior' members" of the British royal family. Buckingham Palace says discussions on the intended new role are "at an early stage". (United Press International)
Scientists announce through the journal Nature the discovery of a repeating fast radio burst known as FRB 180916 coming from a nearby spiral galaxy around 500 million light years from Earth. It is the second repeating FRB to have been localized. (The Independent)
The heads of state of Turkey, Russia, Serbia and Bulgaria formally inaugurate the TurkStream gas pipelines. (Reuters)
Hundreds walk the street in mourning after popular journalist Ahmad Abdessamad and his cameraman were killed by unidentified gunmen the night before. (France 24)
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps admits it mistakenly shot down the Ukraine International Airlines plane as it took off from Tehran, killing all 176 aboard. (ABC News)
Oman names Haitham bin Tariq al-Said as its new head of state after the death of Sultan Qaboos. (CNN International)
The governing Democratic Progressive Party retains its majority in the Yuan, albeit with fewer seats. Most of the seats lost are taken by third parties instead of the KMT. (Taiwan News)
2020 Taal Volcano eruption The Taal Volcano in southern Luzon, Philippines, spews an ash plume that measures approximately 10 to 15 kilometres (6.2 to 9.3 mi). The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology designates a "level 4" alert level, indicating "an imminent hazardous eruption". (The Guardian)
The Taal Volcano in southern Luzon, Philippines, spews an ash plume that measures approximately 10 to 15 kilometres (6.2 to 9.3 mi). The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology designates a "level 4" alert level, indicating "an imminent hazardous eruption". (The Guardian)
A sinkhole swallows a bus and several pedestrians on a busy street in Xining, China, killing six people and leaving 16 others injured. According to state media, the sinkhole stretches nearly 10m (32 feet) in diameter. (BBC News)
A suspect accepts guilt for having killed the investigative journalist and his fiancée. (CBC News)
Analysis of a meteorite found in Australia in 1969 reveals stardust formed 5 to 7 billion years ago, older than Earth's 4.6 billion year-old sun, making the meteor and its stardust the oldest solid material ever discovered on Earth. (MSN)
Apple says it is helping authorities in the Pensacola shooting investigation but refuses to unlock their phones. (BuzzFeed News)
Murder of Ján Kuciak A suspect accepts guilt for having killed the investigative journalist and his fiancée. (CBC News)
Naval Air Station Pensacola shooting Apple says it is helping authorities in the Pensacola shooting investigation but refuses to unlock their phones. (BuzzFeed News)
Presolar grains Analysis of a meteorite found in Australia in 1969 reveals stardust formed 5 to 7 billion years ago, older than Earth's 4.6 billion year-old sun, making the meteor and its stardust the oldest solid material ever discovered on Earth. (MSN)
The Competition Commission of India launches an antitrust probe into Flipkart and the Indian subsidy of Amazon, alleging that they were promoting certain sellers at the expense of smaller merchants. (Reuters)
An explosion at a chemical plant in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, kills two members of staff and another man 3 km away. Seven other people are injured. (BBC News)
Chemical Industries of Ethylene Oxide explosion An explosion at a chemical plant in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain, kills two members of staff and another man 3 km away. Seven other people are injured. (BBC News)
The United Kingdom bans the use of credit cards to make bets both for online and offline gambling, including the purchase of lottery tickets. The only exception to the ban is the purchase of lottery tickets in face-to-face transactions. The Gambling Commission says the ban will come into effect on April 14. (Reuters)
The Vatican appoints Francesca Di Giovanni undersecretary for multilateral affairs in the Secretariat of State, the first woman to hold a management position in this office. (BBC News)
A 16-year-old boy, identified as Colin Haynie, shoots his parents and three younger siblings in their home in Grantsville, Utah, killing all but his father, who then apprehended him at the scene. The familicide was the deadliest mass shooting in Utah in 13 years. (USA Today)
Killing of the Haynie family A 16-year-old boy, identified as Colin Haynie, shoots his parents and three younger siblings in their home in Grantsville, Utah, killing all but his father, who then apprehended him at the scene. The familicide was the deadliest mass shooting in Utah in 13 years. (USA Today)
Widespread snowfall and freezing rain across the Midwest leads to travel disruption. At Kansas City International Airport, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 passenger jet slides off the taxiway in icy conditions, while rare snowfall was recorded on the Texas Panhandle. (WABC-TV)
2020 Afgooye bombing An al-Shabaab car bombing kills four people and injures at least 20 others near Afgooye, Lower Shabelle, Somalia. (Al Arabiya)
An al-Shabaab car bombing kills four people and injures at least 20 others near Afgooye, Lower Shabelle, Somalia. (Al Arabiya)
Officials within Buckingham Palace announced that effective around Q2 2020, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex will retain, but will no longer publicly use, the style His/Her Royal Highness, and will no longer receive public funds for royal duties. (BBC News)
The couple will also repay £2.4 million of public money spent on renovating Frogmore Cottage. (RTÉ News and Current Affairs)
Crime in Kansas City, Missouri Two people (including the perpetrator) were killed and fifteen others were injured during a shooting at a nightclub in Kansas City, Missouri. (WDAF-TV)
Two people (including the perpetrator) were killed and fifteen others were injured during a shooting at a nightclub in Kansas City, Missouri. (WDAF-TV)
A Boko Haram female suicide bomber kills at least nine civilians in Kaiga-Kindjiria, western Chad. Two other civilians are injured. (TRT World)
A case of Chinese coronavirus is also confirmed in South Korea. (Yonhap News Agency)
Boko Haram insurgency A Boko Haram female suicide bomber kills at least nine civilians in Kaiga-Kindjiria, western Chad. Two other civilians are injured. (TRT World)
Bolivia withdraws its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as an independent nation, and cuts ties with the ruling Polisario Front. (The North Africa Post)
China's National Development and Reform Commission announces that single-use plastic bags will be banned in major cities by the end of the year, and then nationwide by 2022. (BBC News)
Chinese premier Li Keqiang has urged decisive and effective efforts to prevent and control the epidemic. (China Daily)
International recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Bolivia withdraws its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic as an independent nation, and cuts ties with the ruling Polisario Front. (The North Africa Post)
Phase-out of plastic bags China's National Development and Reform Commission announces that single-use plastic bags will be banned in major cities by the end of the year, and then nationwide by 2022. (BBC News)
After having announced it the previous month, Boeing temporarily stops production of the new 737 MAX planes. Already produced ones will remain grounded an additional month until June or July. (CNN) (NPR)
Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips drops out of the UK Labour Party leadership race. (BBC News)
Boeing 737 MAX groundings After having announced it the previous month, Boeing temporarily stops production of the new 737 MAX planes. Already produced ones will remain grounded an additional month until June or July. (CNN) (NPR)
Two judicial sources announce that the trial of seven Cameroonian soldiers has begun for the killing of two women and two children in July 2018, in a case that sparked international outcry. Six of the soldiers admit to the charges, but say they were given the order to open fire. (Reuters)
Chinese authorities quarantine the entire city of Wuhan to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus as the death toll rises to 17. Nobody in the city will be able to leave starting from 10 a.m. local time on January 23, and all public transport in the city is suspended. (The Guardian)
2020 Villa El Salvador explosion 34 people are killed and 28 others are injured after a truck transporting liquefied petroleum gas caused a gas leak that triggered an explosion in Villa El Salvador, Lima metropolitan area, Peru. (RPP News)
34 people are killed and 28 others are injured after a truck transporting liquefied petroleum gas caused a gas leak that triggered an explosion in Villa El Salvador, Lima metropolitan area, Peru. (RPP News)
A judicial source close to former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn says that Lebanon and Japan will have 40 days to decide whether he will be extradited back to Japan or stand trial in Lebanon. (Reuters via Al Arabiya)
Heads of state and dignitaries from around the world attend the fifth World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz extermination camp and to address the resurgence of antisemitism worldwide. (The Washington Post)
Singapore confirms its first case of new coronavirus, a 66-year-old Chinese man from Wuhan who was travelling with his family. (Channel NewsAsia)
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists advances the Doomsday Clock to 100 seconds before midnight, citing the threats to human survival posed by nuclear proliferation, climate change and "cyber-based disinformation." This is the closest to midnight that the clock has been since the project began in 1947. (BBC News)
2020 Rot am See shooting Six people are killed and two others wounded when a man opens fire on his family members in Rot am See, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The mass shooter's parents are among the dead. (ABC News)
Six people are killed and two others wounded when a man opens fire on his family members in Rot am See, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The mass shooter's parents are among the dead. (ABC News)
