Arab-Israeli Conflict: A ten-year-old Palestinian girl dies after being shot in the head as she played in her school playground in Rafah. Palestinian witnesses allege she was shot by Israeli fire from the nearby military position, but Israel said an initial investigation suggested they were not responsible, as its troops had not opened fire in that area. An anonymous Israeli military official says Palestinians nearby had been shooting into the air to celebrate their return from the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, but Palestinian residents said no such celebrations had taken place. Hamas launches mortar shells in retaliation, damaging a house in an Israeli settlement. Johan Eriksson, a spokesman for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, said U.N. officials weren't able to definitively identify the source of the gunfire, but that all signs pointed to the Israeli troops. However, a Reuters correspondent stated that Israeli soldiers some 600 meters (yards) away could not have seen into the compound from their position behind high walls. The Palestinian Authority subsequently arrested a Palestinian man who had been shooting in the air. (Reuters) (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&ncid=564&e=1&u=/nm/20050131/ts_nm/mideast_dc_242)(Jerusalem Post) (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1107228084937&p=1078027574097)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4222595.stm)(CBS) (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/02/world/main671061.shtml)
Conflict in Iraq: US guards have shot dead four Iraqi prisoners following an alleged riot at the Camp Bucca prison in southern Iraq. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4224665.stm)
In Chile, former head of secret police, general Manuel Contreras, has been sentenced to 12 years in jail for the 1975 disappearance of left-wing activist Miguel Angel Sandoval(Reuters) (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7471015)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4217519.stm)
In Uganda, police have found the body of Shaban Kirunda Nkutu, killed in 1973 during the reign of Idi Amin(AllAfrica) (http://allafrica.com/stories/200501280388.html)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4215629.stm)
Bird flu spreads in Vietnam with the 12th reported death (Bloomberg) (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=am8oAjfWljfI&refer=asia)(Reuters) (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7478755)
In the Solomon Islands, former rebel leader Harold Keke is put on trial for the murder of a priest Augustine Geve(ABC) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1292163.htm)(Channel News Asia) (http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/130035/1/.html)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4221589.stm)
Sefer Halilovic, former head of the Bosnian army, goes on trial for killing Bosnian Croats during the Yugoslav wars(FENA) (http://www.fena.ba/uk/vijest.html?fena_id=FSA221117&rubrika=ES)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4221361.stm)
In France, 16 people and companies go on trial for effective manslaughter for the Mont Blanc Tunnel fire in 1999(IHT) (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/01/30/news/tunnel.html)(Expatica) (http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=58&story_id=16308&name=Mont+Blanc+tunnel+disaster+trial+set+to+open)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4221565.stm)
Car bomb explodes in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan(ITAR-TASS) (http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=1693936&PageNum=0)(Interfax) (http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=10744401)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4221603.stm)
Polls close in Iraq marking the first multi-party election in 50 years. Electoral officials estimate about a 50–70% turnout. A series of election day attacks across the country killed at least 44 people, mainly in Baghdad. The 275-member National Assembly will create a new constitution, choose a new president and two new vice presidents. Most candidate names on the various party lists remained anonymous. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4220551.stm)Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7476343)News24 (http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Iraq/0,,2-10-1460_1654779,00.html)
Between nine and fifteen British soldiers die as a C-130 Hercules transport plane crashes about 40km north west of Baghdad. The cause of the crash is under investigation. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4220649.stm), (CNN) (http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/30/iraq.britishplane/)
A firefight leaves 3 suspected militants and one Kuwaiti police officer dead after security forces raid an alleged hideout in Kuwait City. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4219741.stm)
In eastern Sudan, demonstrators on their way to a meeting with tribal leaders clash with police leaving up to 17 protestors dead. A Sudanese general states that the protestors were looting and inciting violence against his men. Members of eastern tribes, mainly Beja, presented a list of demands which included better representation to the provincial governor three days ago. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4218591.stm)
In Spain, a bomb explodes at a hotel in the southwest town Denia injuring one. Police officials say the detonation occured after a telephone warning from the BasqueETA group. Spanish parliament is scheduled to debate and vote on a Basque plan for independence from Spain in two days. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4220605.stm)
Talks between the Indonesian government and Free Aceh Movement leaders in Helsinki end a day early, possibly signaling a breakdown in negotiations. (IHT) (http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/01/30/news/aceh.html)
The deadline passes for the finalization of constituencies for Afghanistan's May 21 parliamentary elections, UN officials say. Though the constituencies were supposed to be set up 120 days before the election, officials have not yet announced an election delay. Violence still continues, particularly in the south of the country where the Taliban still remains active. (Pakistan Daily Times) (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_28-1-2005_pg4_16)(Reuters) (http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=662727)
A low-key and tightly controlled funeral is held for purged Chinese Communist leader Zhao Ziyang.(AP) (http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050128/w012866.html)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4211157.stm)
Procter & Gamble plan to purchase competitor Gillette in a deal worth $52.4 billion. Industry experts, including Gillette CEO Jim Kilts, expect further industry consolidation this year, spurred in part by a 40% rise in oil prices last year and the need to gain clout against economic giant Wal-Mart. (Bloomberg) (http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aOnwXs1QSP88&refer=news_index)
Michael McManus, author of the U.S.-wide syndicated newspaper column "Ethics & Religion", was paid $10,000 by the DHHS for writing articles promoting a marriage initiative. (Salon) (http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/01/27/mcmanus/index_np.html)
An Australian recently freed from Guantánamo Bay claims U.S. agents told him they killed his whole family and strung the interrogation room with faked photos of his wife and children with animals' heads. He also says he was sexually assaulted and menstrual blood had been put all over him before being left alone in a cell with no water. (news.com.au) (http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12062502-26618,00.html)(yahoo/AP) (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=3&u=/ap/20050127/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/guantanamo_sex_vs_faith)
Asia's richest woman, Nina Wang, is formally charged with forgery of her kidnapped husband's will. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4214877.stm)
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Hamas, contesting their first election, have swept to power in local elections in Gaza. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4214375.stm)
Kim Beazley is re-elected to the leadership of the Australian Labor Party unopposed, succeding Mark Latham, in the fourth leadership change since losing government in 1996. (ABC News) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200501/s1291120.htm).
Latest investigation into the career of UK serial killer Dr. Harold Shipman increases the count of his victims to 284, the first having been killed just after he left medical school. (Reuters) (http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=661968)(Telegraph) (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/01/28/nship28.xml&sSheet=/portal/2005/01/28/ixportal.html)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4212627.stm)
70 Nobel Prize laureates have released a statement that supports United Nations Secretary GeneralKofi Annan in the face of US Republican calls for him to resign (Reuters) (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7460961)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/4214401.stm)
In Russia, special forces have killed seven people in a fight against what they described as islamic militants. The fight happened in an apartment block in Nalchik near Chechnya border (Reuters) (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=7453817)(MosNews) (http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/01/27/nalchikoperation.shtml)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4211625.stm)
President of IrelandMary McAleese causes an uproar when she says that Nazis taught their children to hate Jews like Northern IrelandProtestants taught theirs to hate IrishCatholics(Ireland Online) (http://212.2.162.45/news/story.asp?j=131791138&p=y3y79y844&n=131791898)(RTE) (http://www.rte.ie/news/2005/0127/mcaleese.html)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4214263.stm)
Heavy blizzard in Algeria causes death of at least 13 people and paralyzes traffic in the capital Algiers(Reuters) (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=7452818)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4213129.stm)
Conflict in Darfur: Around 100 people have been killed following an Air Raid into the Darfur region of Sudan according to the African Union. Jean Baptiste Natama, the A.U's spokesperson has described it as a "major ceasefire violation". (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4211595.stm)
Conflict in Iraq: At least 11 people are known to have died in Iraq today, including at least one United StatesMarine. (Bloomberg) (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aZ3uSGS2bq2Y&refer=us)
Holocaust survivors, former Red Army soldiers, leaders of more than 40 countries, and other people gather in Oświęcim, Poland for the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp where more than 1 million people were killed. Reuters (http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=662261)(Jerusalem Post) (http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1106796046722)(Deutsche Welle) (http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1470778,00.html)(BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4210841.stm)(CBC) (http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050126/w012642.html)(Bloomberg) (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aZArzrT6Gx2c&refer=europe)(Reuters Alertnet) (http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L26381430.htm)
French national railways SNCF are severely disrupted by a 24-hour walkout by staff to protest the rape of a ticket inspector on a Toulouse - Cahors train on Tuesday. The inspector had been attempting to charge a man for not having a ticket. A 24 year old man was later arrested. The strike is due to end at 1500 UTC. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4211729.stm)
New York radio station HOT 97 has suspended the staff of the show Miss Jones in the Morning. The show came under criticism for broadcasting a parody song that ridicules the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake. (BBC) (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4211883.stm)(Reuters) (http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=7440350)(MTV.COM) (http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1496296/20050126/index.jhtml?headlines=true)
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