January 23, 2012 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2011–2012 Syrian uprising:
- At least 22 civilians are shot dead across Syria by security forces under the Syrian government. (Washington Post)
- A group of Gaddafi loyalists take control of part of the town of Bani Walid and fly the green flag after a battle with NTC forces left 5 dead and 20 injured. (Reuters)[permanent dead link]
Arts and culture
- Jaipur Literature Festival:
- Ruchir Joshi, Jeet Thayil, Hari Kunzru and Amitava Kumar flee Jaipur on the advice of officials at the Jaipur Literature Festival after reading excerpts from Salman Rushdie's The Satanic Verses, which is banned in India. Rushdie, himself banned from the event, is told that police are searching for the four fugitive writers. (The Times of India)
- A proposed video link session with Rushdie tomorrow is outlawed by the government. (The Times of India)
- Tens of thousands of pro-life activists brave the weather in Washington, DC to participate in the 39th annual March for Life. Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia addresses a conference at Georgetown University on the day before the March. (Catholic World News), (Catholic News Agency), (Catholic News Agency)
Disasters
- The death toll of the Costa Concordia disaster rises to 15 as divers find two more bodies in the capsized ship. (Al-Jazeera)
International relations
- The European Union imposes more sanctions on Iran's banking and oil industries in response to Iran's nuclear program. (CNN)
- The Iranian Foreign Ministry calls the sanctions "unfair". (BBC)
- Ghana recognizes Kosovo (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo) (Albanian)
Politics
- The French Senate passes a bill that makes it illegal for citizens to deny the Armenian Genocide by the Ottoman Empire. (BBC)