January 28, 2013 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Northern Mali conflict (2012–present):
- French troops take over Timbuktu Airport as they enter the city without any resistance from the Islamists. Residents report that the French now control all access to the city. (BBC)
- The fleeing Islamists set on fire the Timbuktu library containing the Timbuktu Manuscripts. The extent of the damage is still unknown. (Sky News) (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian)
Arts and culture
- Swedish comedian and television host Petra Mede is announced as presenter for the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö. (Eurovision) (The Local) (ESC Daily)
- The Boomtown Rats reform for Isle of Wight festival, their first show since 1986. (The Guardian)
Business and economy
- Anonymous sources say U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett bid to acquire NYSE Euronext in November 2012, but lost the auction to IntercontinentalExchange. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- A freight train collides with a bus at a level crossing in Heihe City, Heilongjiang province, China, killing at least 10 people and injuring 11 others. (AP via Washington Post) (UPI) (NDTV)
- American fighter aircraft F-16 flying out of Aviano Air Base loses radio contact and crashes in the Adriatic Sea. (Reuters) (Business Insider) (MSN News)[permanent dead link]
Law and crime
- A bouncer is critically injured and a woman is also wounded after a gunman opens fire in a bar in the Central District of Seattle, Washington, United States. The perpetrator was killed by authorities. (Fox News)
- A Manila court finds Philippine social activist, artist and tour guide Carlos Celdran guilty of offending religious feeling and is sentenced with an indeterminate sentence of 2 months and 21 days of imprisonment to a maximum of one year, 1 month and 11 days of imprisonment. Celdran will file an appeal. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) (Manila Bulletin) (Rappler)
Politics and elections
- According to a story by Haaretz, Israel admits it has been giving Ethiopian Jewish immigrants birth-control injections, often without clearly explaining the effects of the drugs. (The Belfast Telegraph)
- Beatrix the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands announces her abdication in favour of her son, Prince Willem-Alexander, on April 30, 2013. (BBC) (The Telegraph) (AP via ABC News)
Science and technology
- Iran's state news agency announces that a monkey was sent successfully into space by the Iranian Space Agency and returned safely aboard the Pishgam rocket. (BBC) (Al Jazeera) (The Guardian)
Sport
- Ivorian footballer Didier Drogba is signed for Turkish champions Galatasaray on an 18-month deal from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. (ESPN) (Fox News) (AP via USA Today)
- In boxing, WBO Super bantamweight titleholder Nonito Donaire is named as 2012 Sugar Ray Robinson Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. (ESPN) (GMA News)