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Elena Hight

The African Union readmits Morocco despite an ongoing dispute over Western Sahara.
The Winter X Games conclude with the United States winning seven gold medals (snowboarder Elena Hight pictured).
A gunman kills six people and injures eight others in a mass shooting at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada.
U.S. President Donald Trump signs an executive order restricting travel and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, leading to protests and court rulings ordering its partial suspension.

February 1, 2017 (Wednesday)

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Armed attacks and conflicts

Four alleged extremists planning terror attacks in Azerbaijan are killed in a shootout with the country's security forces; one suspect is arrested. The State Security Service says the group was connected to an unspecified religious extremist group abroad. (Reuters) (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

Business and economy

European Union roaming regulations
- Negotiators reach a preliminary deal on capping mobile phone intercarrier (wholesale) tariffs. Roaming charges on voice and data calls for consumers within the EU are expected to be terminated on June 15, 2017. (Reuters)

January 31, 2017 (Tuesday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian opposition agrees to surrender their remaining villages in the stretch between the Wadi Barada area and the Lebanon-Syria border, as well as the Rankous border-crossing in the Qalamoun Mountains, in exchange for transportation of at least 250 rebel fighters to their stronghold in the Idlib Governorate. (Al Masdar News)

Arts and culture

Austria agrees to ban the full-face veil (burqa and niqāb) in public spaces, part of a larger deal struck by the center-left Social Democratic Party and the center-right Austrian People's Party to avoid the collapse of the ruling coalition government. (BBC) (The Christian Science Monitor)

Business and economics

Consultancy PwC says that global banks with business both in London and on the European continent must plan for a hard Brexit that entails a break with many of the benefits of the Euro system, and a short transition period. (Reuters)

International relations

Enlargement of the African Union
- Morocco rejoins the African Union after a 33-year absence, despite opposition from several member states over the political status of Western Sahara. (Al Jazeera)
White House National Trade Council director Peter Navarro says Germany exploits other countries with a "grossly undervalued" euro. German Chancellor Angela Merkel rejects the allegation. (Bloomberg) (CNBC)

Law and crime

Susan Kiefel is sworn in as the first female Chief Justice of Australia. (Radio National)
The United Kingdom posthumously pardons around 49,000 gay and bisexual men found guilty of decades-old sodomy laws in England and Wales. (BBC)
The Kremlin arrests four people, Kaspersky Lab's Ruslan Stoyanov, and three officials in the Federal Security Service (FSB previously KGB) Center for Information Security, reportedly on treason charges for passing information to America's CIA. (New York Daily News), (The Washington Times), (The New York Times Jan 25), (AP)
2017 Romanian protests
- Despite massive protests in recent days, Romania's government adopts an emergency ordinance to decriminalize some graft offences.(Reuters)
2008 Mumbai attacks
- Pakistan detains Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the suspected mastermind of the 2008 attacks in the Indian city. Saeed, co-founder of the active terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, is being held under house arrest in Lahore in Pakistan's Punjab Province. Four other men are also under house arrest in the area. (CNN) (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

Cabinet of Donald Trump
- The U.S. Senate confirms former U.S. labor secretary and deputy transportation secretary Elaine Chao as Secretary of Transportation. Chao is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. (The Washington Post)
Supreme Court of the United States
- President Donald Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill the vacant seat on the Supreme Court of the United States. Neil Gorsuch is the youngest nominee to the court in 25 years. (CNN)
Executive Order 13769
- The State Department memorandum about concerns with this travel ban is submitted to acting Secretary of State Tom Shannon through the federal government's Dissent Channel. This protest memo had between 900-1,000 signatures. Department officials said these signatures are far more than any dissent cable in recent years, adding more diplomats want to add their names to it. (The New York Times) (Reuters and AFP-JIJI via The Japan Times) (Voice of America)

January 30, 2017 (Monday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Donbass
- The Ukrainian military says seven soldiers have been killed by pro-Russian separatists since Sunday. The separatists report over 5 days of artillery attacks on them by the Ukrainian side. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War, Russian military intervention
- The Russian Defence Ministry says six Russian bombers hit ISIL positions in Syria's Deir ez-Zor Governorate. (Reuters)
Insurgency in the North Caucasus
- At least two police officers and three suspected militants are killed during a gunfight in Shali, Chechnya. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Yemeni Civil War
- A suspected U.S. drone strike kills two al-Qaida militants in central Shabwa province, according to Yemeni security and tribal officials. (AP) (CBC News)
- Houthi forces attack a Royal Saudi Navy frigate off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, killing at least two sailors and wounding three others. (Fox News)
Tens of thousands of people, including politicians and activists, gather for the funeral of Ko Ni, Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's longtime adviser, who was assassinated yesterday as he walked out of the Yangon International Airport. (AP) (Al Jazeera)
Quebec City mosque shooting
- French-Canadian student Alexandre Bissonnette is charged with six counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder in relation to an attack on a mosque in Quebec City. (Reuters/AP via ABC News Australia)

Arts and culture

Miss Universe 2016
- Iris Mittenaere, winner of Miss France 2016, is crowned as the winner of Miss Universe 2016 at a ceremony in the Philippines. (AP)

Business and economics

Walgreens Boots Alliance reduces its offer price for Rite Aid and defers the expected closing date by six months due to concerns about regulatory approval. (The New York Times) (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Several avalanches in Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan, caused by heavy snowfall over the weekend, leave at least seven people dead. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

International relations

United Kingdom–United States relations
- A petition, launched Sunday to cancel U.S. President Donald Trump's state visit to the United Kingdom later this year, tops 1 million signatures, passing the threshold for British Parliament debate. A British government spokesman says the state visit is going ahead as planned. (NBC News)
Iraq–United States relations
- The Iraqi Parliament votes in favour of a reciprocal travel ban on U.S. citizens if U.S. President Donald Trump's executive order barring citizens of Iraq and six other Muslim-majority countries is not reversed. The Iraqi travel ban will not be implemented while tens of thousands of U.S. soldiers and contractors are involved in the fight against ISIL. (AFP via Daily Mail)

Law and crime

Philippine Drug War
- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte suspends the war on drugs so resources can focus on ridding “corrupt” officers from the Philippine National Police. The cause célèbre is the kidnapping and strangulation of South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo last October. (The Daily Telegraph)
Operation Car Wash
- Brazilian police arrest EBX Group CEO Eike Batista for allegedly bribing officials in Rio de Janeiro, including former Governor of Rio de Janeiro Sérgio Cabral Filho. (BBC)
2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt
- In Ankara, the Turkish government opens the trial of 270 suspects charged in July's failed coup in Ankara. The defendants include, in absentia, the alleged mastermind Fethullah Gülen, former NATO Chief of Staff Major General Salih Sevil, and other high-ranking military officials. (Yahoo! News)

Politics and elections

Gambian President Adama Barrow removes "Islamic" from the country's official name. The Gambia will now officially be called The Republic of The Gambia. Barrow also vows to reform the National Intelligence Agency, accused by human rights groups of forced disappearances and torture under Yahya Jammeh. (All Africa) (Al Jazeera)
Executive Order 13769
- White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, during the daily press briefing, says State Department officials should follow the President's program or get new jobs . (AP via Law Vegas Review-Journal) (CNN) (The New York Times)
- Sally Yates, the acting Attorney General of the United States, is fired after ordering employees of the United States Department of Justice not to enforce the President's ban due to personal doubts over its legality. Dana J. Boente becomes the new acting attorney general. (BBC)

January 29, 2017 (Sunday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni Civil War (2015–present)
- A U.S. military raid takes place in Yemen's southern Al Bayda Governorate. According to medics on the scene as reported by Reuters, "around 30" were killed, among which were at least three senior Al-Qaeda members, at least one U.S. service member, and 10 women and children. (Reuters) (The Guardian)
Syrian Civil War, Siege of Wadi Barada
- The Syrian Army recaptures all of the towns and villages in the Barada river valley near Damascus from rebel forces. (Al Jazeera)
Insurgency in the North Caucasus
- At least three suspected militants are killed by Russian security forces during a firefight in Khasavyurt, Dagestan. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)
Quebec City mosque shooting
- A gunman opens fire at a mosque in Quebec City, Canada, during evening prayers. At least five people were killed. Two suspects were apprehended; one was later released. (CBC News), (Reuters)

Law and crime

Executive Order 13769
- U.S. federal judges in the states of Massachusetts, Virginia, and Washington sign orders halting implementation of parts of the executive order. (New York Daily News) (Reuters via News.com.au)
- White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus states that people from the affected countries who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence, i.e. have a green card, will not be prevented from returning to the United States. (The New York Times)
2017 Romanian protests
- In the largest protest since the 1989 Revolution, more than 90,000 people march through Romania's capital and other cities against a government proposal to pardon thousands of prisoners. (Business Review) (Digi24)

Politics and elections

French Socialist Party presidential primary, 2017
- In the second round run-off to select the Socialist Party's candidate in this year's spring presidential election, the leftist candidate, former Minister of National Education Benoît Hamon, topped former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, a centrist, with 58.65 percent of the vote. (ABC News) (Yahoo! News)

Sport

2017 Australian Open
- In tennis, Roger Federer of Switzerland defeats Rafael Nadal of Spain in the final of the men's singles. (ABC Australia)
2017 Bandy World Championship
- The World Championship Division A starts, Sweden defeats Finland 8-2.
Royal Rumble 2017
- John Cena defeats AJ Styles to become a 16-time WWE Champion, tying Ric Flair with the most world championship reigns.
Winter X Games Aspen '17
- The United States won 22 medals, including seven gold medals. Canada was second with two golds, nine overall. (Wiki)

January 28, 2017 (Saturday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Iraqi Civil War (2014–present)
- The World Food Programme cuts food aid to over 1.4 million displaced Iraqis by 50%, citing payment delays from donor states. (Al Jazeera)

Disasters and accidents

A boat with 31 people on board, including more than 20 Chinese tourists, goes missing after sailing from the eastern Malaysian port of Kota Kinabalu to visit the island of Pulau Mengalum. (AP)

International relations

Pope Francis takes de facto control of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta (the entity retains sovereignty under international law), forcing its leader Prince and Grand Master Matthew Festing to resign. (The New York Times)
Turkey–United Kingdom relations
- UK Prime Minister Theresa May and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sign a £100 million defense deal to build new fighter jets. Under the deal, BAE Systems will collaborate with Turkish companies to build the TAI TFX. (The Guardian)

Law and crime

Executive Order 13769
- Travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are blocked from entering the United States as the executive order takes effect. (The New York Times)
- Iran says it will take reciprocal action after U.S. President Donald Trump signed the executive order which limits immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran. (CNN)
- U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly in New York grants a stay of the executive order that allows people with valid visas who landed in the U.S. to temporarily remain in the country. (Reuters) (CNBC) (AP)
Silvio Berlusconi prostitute trial
- An Italian court orders former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial on April 4 on charges of allegedly bribing witnesses with €10 million (US$11 million) in order to silence them over accusations he paid for sex with young women. (Reuters)

Sport

2017 Australian Open
- Serena Williams defeats her sister Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4 to win the women's singles and an Open era-record 23rd Grand Slam singles title. (The Guardian)

January 27, 2017 (Friday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

War in Somalia (2009–present)
- Al-Shabaab militants attack a remote AMISOM base in southern Somalia, claiming to have killed dozens of Kenyan troops. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

British actor Sir John Hurt dies at the age of 77. (Hollywood Reporter)

Business and economics

The clothing retailer Wet Seal announces the closing of all 148 of its brick-and-mortar stores after filing for bankruptcy in 2015. The news comes on the heels of recent announcements of the closings of other major clothing chains, such as The Limited. (WHIO-TV)

Disasters and accidents

A wildfire destroys almost the entire town of Santa Olga in Chile's central Maule Region as a Russian firefighting Ilyushin Il-76 arrives to help fight the worst wildfire in Chile's modern history. (BBC)

International relations

United Kingdom–United States relations
- British Prime Minister Theresa May meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C.. This is the first visit by a foreign leader since Trump's inauguration last Friday. (BBC) (Politico)
Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Israeli authorities approve 153 construction permits for settlement homes in East Jerusalem, and plan to approve another 11,000 in the coming months. (Al Jazeera)
North Korea and weapons of mass destruction
- New satellite imagery released by think tank 38 North indicates North Korea has resumed operations at its Yongbyon Nuclear Scientific Research Center in North Pyongan Province. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Protests take place in Cameroon following the arrest of several opposition leaders and internet services being cut off in the nation's English-speaking areas. (Al Jazeera)

Politics and elections

California independence referendum
- Yes California, the campaign to reinstate the independence of California launches its signature campaign. (New York magazine), (CNBC)
Presidency of Donald Trump
- President Trump signs an executive order limiting refugees and immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The order also prioritizes the vetting of Christian refugees of the Syrian Civil War. (Reuters) (BBC)
- Vice President Mike Pence gives a speech at the March for Life promising to end the tax-payer status of abortion providers. (The Washington Post)

Science and technology

Two Harvard scientists report, in the peer-reviewed journal Science, the first creation of metallic hydrogen in a laboratory, using a diamond anvil cell. Other researchers did not agree with this finding when it was first posted on the arXiv preprint server in October 2016, and have not yet changed their positions. (BBC) (Scientific American) (Chemistry World)

January 26, 2017 (Thursday)

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Armed conflicts and attacks

Libyan Civil War (2014–present)
- Forces of the Libyan National Army claim to have captured one of the last remaining strongholds of Benghazi from Ansar al-Sharia. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economics

Tankers anchored in the Caribbean Sea are unable to deliver over four million barrels of crude oil, due to Venezuela's state-owned oil and natural gas company being unable to pay for hull cleaning, inspections, and other port services. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Two to three days of freezing weather and heavy snow kills at least 27 children in Jowzjan Province, Afghanistan. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) (Khaskbahar Hindi)
At least 14 Indian Army soldiers and four civilians are killed in a series of avalanches near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. (BBC)

International relations

Mexico–United States relations
- Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto cancels the meeting scheduled for next week with U.S. President Donald Trump, citing his plan to build a border wall between the two countries. (The New York Times)
- Donald Trump calls for a 20% tariff on Mexican imports to pay for the cost of a wall on the U.S–Mexican border. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that this is one of the ideas that the administration is considering to make Mexico pay for the wall. (NBC News)

Law and crime

The Supreme Court of Greece rejects the extradition of eight soldiers accused by Turkey of involvement in the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt. (BBC News)

Politics and elections

Patrick F. Kennedy, Joyce Anne Barr, Michele Thoren Bond and Gentry O. Smith resign from the United States Department of State, after Victoria Nuland and Gregory B. Starr had declined to stay on in the Donald Trump administration. (The Herald Scotland)
2016–2017 Gambian constitutional crisis
- Gambian President Adama Barrow returns to the Gambia after being sworn in as president in Senegal, bringing an end to the country's political crisis. (The Guardian)
Ard van der Steur the Minister of Security and Justice of the Netherlands resigns after allegedly misinforming the House of Representatives over the fallout of a payments scandal. (BBC News)

Science and technology

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moves the Doomsday Clock thirty seconds forward, to two and a half minutes before midnight. (The Washington Post)

More January 2017 events...

Ongoing events
Disasters European cold wave UK and Ireland windstorm season Political European migrant crisis (timeline) Romanian protests South China Sea disputes More details on ongoing conflicts below Sport 2017 Africa Cup of Nations 2016–17 Bundesliga 2016–17 La Liga 2016–17 NBA season 2016–17 NFL playoffs 2016-17 NHL season 2016–17 PBA season 2016–17 Premier League 2016–17 Serie A 2016–17 EuroLeague 2016–17 EuroLeague Women edit sidebar

Recent deaths
January 2017 31: John Wetton 28: Christopher Bland 28: Many Clouds 27: Emmanuelle Riva 26: Mike Connors 26: Barbara Hale 26: Tam Dalyell 25: John Hurt 25: Mary Tyler Moore 24: Butch Trucks 23: Gorden Kaye 23: Douglas Reeman 22: Jaki Liebezeit 22: Naqsh Lyallpuri 22: Masaya Nakamura 22: Andy Marte 22: Yordano Ventura 20: Harry J. Middleton 20: Emma Tennant 19: Miguel Ferrer 18: Rachael Heyhoe Flint 18: Roberta Peters 17: Peter Abrahams 17: Colo 16: Eugene Cernan 16: William Onyeabor 15: Eddie Long 15: Jimmy Snuka 14: Zhou Youguang 13: Antony Armstrong-Jones 13: Magic Alex 12: William Peter Blatty 12: Anthony King 12: Graham Taylor 10: Roman Herzog 10: Clare Hollingworth 10: Oliver Smithies 9: Michael Chamberlain 8: Pioneer Cabin Tree 8: Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani 8: Peter Sarstedt 7: Nat Hentoff 7: Mário Soares 6: Ricardo Piglia 6: Om Puri 6: Tilikum 5: Jill Saward 4: Georges Prêtre 4: Milt Schmidt 2: John Berger 2: Albert Brewer 1: Tony Atkinson 1: Derek Parfit edit sidebar

Ongoing conflicts
Africa Algeria and Tunisia Maghreb insurgency ISIL insurgency in Tunisia Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria Boko Haram insurgency Central African Republic Civil war Democratic Republic of the Congo Kivu conflict ADF insurgency Ituri conflict Lord's Resistance Army insurgency Libya Civil war Mali Northern Mali conflict Somalia Civil war South Sudan Ethnic violence (South Sudanese Civil War) Sudan War in Darfur South Kordofan conflict Sudanese nomadic conflicts Americas Mexico Mexican War on Drugs Peru Internal conflict in Peru Asia Afghanistan Afghanistan War China Xinjiang conflict India Naxalite–Maoist insurgency Insurgency in Northeast India India and Pakistan Kashmir conflict Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines Moro conflict Cross border attacks in Sabah Indonesia and Papua New Guinea Papua conflict Myanmar Internal conflict in Myanmar Pakistan War in North-West Pakistan Balochistan conflict Philippines CPP-NPA-NDF rebellion Thailand South Thailand insurgency Europe Armenia and Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Georgia Abkhaz–Georgian conflict Georgian–Ossetian conflict Russia Chechen–Russian conflict North Caucasus insurgency Ukraine War in Donbass Russian military intervention in Ukraine Middle East Egypt Sinai insurgency Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria Arab–Israeli conflict Iran Iran–PJAK conflict Iraq American-led intervention in Iraq Iranian intervention in Iraq Iraq and Syria (map) Military intervention against ISIL Israel and Lebanon Israeli–Lebanese conflict Israel and Palestine Gaza–Israel conflict Israeli–Palestinian conflict Syria American-led intervention in Syria Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War Turkish military intervention in Syria Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon Turkey Turkey–PKK conflict Turkey–ISIL conflict Yemen Yemeni Civil War Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen Al-Qaeda insurgency edit sidebar

Elections and Referendums
Upcoming February 5: Liechtenstein, Landtag 12: Turkmenistan, President 19: Ecuador, President and Parliament, Referendum edit sidebar

Trials
Recently concluded Australia: Roger Rogerson and Glen McNamara Cambodia: Sam Rainsy China: Wan Qingliang, Ling Jihua, Zhoi Bin, Guo Boxiong Iran: Babak Zanjani Netherlands: Geert Wilders Philippines: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Nur Misuari, Joel Villanueva Romania: Liviu Dragnea, Gheorghe Ștefan, Gabriel Sandu, Dorin Cocoş, Dumitru Nicolae Spain: Lionel Messi United Kingdom: Chris Denning, Adam Johnson, Ched Evans United States: Bob McDonnell, Paul Anthony Ciancia International ICTY: Radovan Karadžić Ongoing China: Bai Enpei, Pan Yiyang, Yang Weize Germany: Beate Zschäpe Indonesia: Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Mary Jane Veloso Pakistan: Waseem Azeem, Mufti Abdul Qawi Philippines: Andal Ampatuan, Jr., Leila de Lima, Rodrigo Duterte, Jovito Palparan Romania: Dan Șova, Elena Udrea, Radu Mazăre, Gheorghe Nichita, Marian Vanghelie Russia: Alexei Navalny South Korea: Park Geun-hye and Choi Soon-sil Spain: Gürtel case, Spanish Royal House, Bárcenas affair United States: Etan Patz United Kingdom: Rolf Harris, Barry Bennell International ICC: Laurent Gbagbo ICTY: Ratko Mladić Upcoming China: Wu Changshun Egypt: Mohamed Morsi Estonia: Edgar Savisaar Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi United States: Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Bill Cosby edit sidebar