January 15, 2016 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2016 Ouagadougou attacks
- Gunmen armed with heavy weapons attack a restaurant called Cappuccino and the Splendid Hotel, taking hostages, in the heart of Burkino Faso's capital, Ouagadougou. At least 20 people are reportedly killed. (BBC) (The Guardian)
- Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) claims responsibility for the attack, which if confirmed would be the first Islamic terrorist attack in the city. (AFP/Reuters via ABC News Australia)
- 2016 Jakarta attacks
- Three men are arrested in the outskirts of Jakarta in connection with the attacks. Police have identified the attackers killed in the raid with two of the men having been imprisoned for terrorism related offences. (AP via Newser)
- War in Somalia
- al Shabaab militants overrun an African Union base in southern Somalia with unconfirmed reports of dozens of soldiers dead. (Reuters) (BBC)
- Syrian Civil War
- UNICEF confirms severe malnutrition in the besieged Syrian town of Madaya. Russia calls for humanitarian aid to be let into besieged towns like Madaya, Fua and Kafraya. (Reuters via Trust) (Reuters via Daily Mail)
Arts and culture
- Wikipedia celebrates its 15th anniversary. (Wikipedia)
Business and economy
- China's Haier Group buys General Electric's appliance unit for $5.4 billion. (Bloomberg)
Disasters and accidents
- A tour bus carrying skiers runs off the road in Japan's Nagano Prefecture with at least 14 people dead and injuring another 27. (Bloomberg) (Irish Independent)
- 2016 Atlantic hurricane season
- Hurricane Alex heads towards the Azores with hurricane warnings in place for several islands. (National Hurricane Center)
- Twelve people are feared dead following a road accident in the Udhampur district of India's Jammu and Kashmir state. (Greater Kashmir)
- The United States Coast Guard and Navy in Hawaii are searching for twelve American servicemen off the northern coast of Oahu following a crash between two United States Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters that were conducting an overnight training flight. (CNN) (Wall Street Journal)
- The U.S. state of Michigan asks for assistance from the federal government to assist with a water crisis in the city of Flint. (Reuters)
- 2015–16 South Pacific cyclone season
- A tropical cyclone warning is issued for the northern Cook Islands as Tropical Cyclone Victor approaches. (Radio New Zealand)
Health
- BIA 10-2474
- One person is brain dead and five people are critically ill in Rennes, France, from a clinical trial of an experimental drug made by Portuguese drug company Bial. The six men, aged 28 to 49, had been in good health prior to the start of this test. All trials on the drug are suspended. (The Guardian) (Reuters via New Zealand Stuff) (Reuters)
- Brazil Zika virus outbreak (2015 - present)
- The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns pregnant women against visiting 14 countries and territories in South America, Central America and the Caribbean due to the Zika virus outbreak. (CDC)
Law and crime
- The Seoul Central District Court fines two South Korean baseball players Seung-hwan Oh and Lim Chang-yong for illegal gambling in Macau. (Yonhap)[permanent dead link]
- 2013–14 Thai political crisis
- Former Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra appears in court to face corruption charges. (Reuters via Trust)
- A trial of the facts regarding allegations of child abuse against 12 former residents of children's homes in Leicester by British lord Greville Janner ends due to his death. (BBC)
- American rapper Mos Def is banned from South Africa for five years, having been living illegally in the country since 2013 on a tourist visa. (BBC)
- Kosovo War
- A special court is set up at The Hague to try Kosovo Liberation Army suspects for alleged war crimes against ethnic minorities and political opponents. (BBC)
Politics and elections
- PKK rebellion (2015–present)
- Twelve Turkish academics are detained for signing a declaration opposing military action against Kurdistan Workers Party forces in southeast Turkey. (AP via Washington Post)
- Anti-corruption campaign in China
- Wei Hong, Governor of Sichuan province, is announced to be under investigation for "breaching discipline" by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. (BBC)
- Azerbaijani National Police use tear gas and water cannons to forcibly disperse protesters in the Quba District who were protesting the country's worsening economic situation, resulting in scores being arrested. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)