Armed conflicts and attacks

In an emergency address to the nation, Congolese president Félix Tshisekedi calls for calm and says "a vigorous and coordinated response against these terrorists and their sponsors is underway" by the armed forces, and also cancels participation in a regional summit with Rwandan president Paul Kagame. (Foreign Policy) (Le Monde)

• https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/29/congo-rwanda-m23-rebels-goma-tshisekedi-kagame/
• https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/01/30/dr-congo-president-says-army-mounting-vigorous-response-to-m23-advance_6737579_4.html

Armed conflicts and attacks

Puntland authorities deport around a thousand undocumented Ethiopians from the cities of Bosaso, Galkayo, Qardho, and the state’s capital, Garoowe, as part of an ongoing crackdown on foreigners without legal status, following the discovery of foreign fighters acting as Islamic State recruiters in the Cal Miskaad mountains of the Bari Region. (Hiiraan Online) (Idil News) (Horseed Media)

• https://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2025/Jan/200008/puntland_deports_hundreds_of_undocumented_ethiopians_over_isis_recruitment_concerns.aspx
• https://www.idilnews.com/puntland-oo-dib-ugu-celisay-dalkooda-boqolaal-itoobiyaan-ah/
• https://horseedmedia.net/puntland-oo-masaafurisay-boqolaal-ajaaniib-ah-oo-sharci-darro-ku-joogay-deegaanadeeda/399908/

Disasters and accidents

A Beechcraft 1900D carrying employees of an oil company crashes in Unity, South Sudan, killing 20 of the 21 people onboard, including one Indian and two Chinese nationals. (CNN) (Reuters)

• https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/29/africa/south-sudan-plane-crash-intl/index.html
• https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/plane-crash-south-sudans-unity-state-kills-18-uns-radio-miraya-reports-2025-01-29/

Disasters and accidents

Thirteen artisanal miners, including three children, are killed when a tunnel at a gold mine floods after a reservoir spill in Kangaba, Koulikoro, Mali. (Reuters)

• https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/mali-gold-mine-accident-kills-more-than-dozen-including-women-children-2025-02-01/

Disasters and accidents

Five people, four from Norway and one from Switzerland, are killed in two separate avalanches while off-piste skiing in the French Alps. (BBC)

• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czep67j3w8do

Law and crime

President Trump announces plans to transform the United States detention facility in Cuba's Guantánamo Bay into a holding center for undocumented immigrants, capable of hosting 30,000 people. (Al Jazeera)

• https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/1/29/us-president-trump-to-transfer-undocumented-immigrants-to-guantanamo

Politics and elections

Ahmed al-Sharaa is declared the president of Syria during the transition period, a month after Bashar al-Assad was ousted by rebel forces. (Reuters)

• https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-leader-sharaa-named-president-transitional-period-state-news-agency-says-2025-01-29/

Sports

Mongolian sumōtori Hōshōryū Tomokatsu becomes the 74th yokozuna. (NHK)

• https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20250129/k10014706251000.html