Responding to Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif's comments that Iran is "open to dialogue with its neighbors", Saudi Arabia's Adel al-Jubeir blames Iran for recent tensions in the Middle East and for attacks onships and oil facilities; which Iran denies. (CNBC)
Six people are killed and two others wounded when a man opens fire on his family members in Rot am See, Germany. The mass shooter's parents are among the dead. (ABC News)
Current events of January 23, 2020 (2020-01-23) (Thursday)
Malaysian agriculture giant FGV Holdings Berhad announces it will increase its sugar imports from India from 88,000 tonnes to 133,000 in an attempt to resolve the palm oil trade dispute between the two nations. (Reuters)
Elliott Management, a prominent hedge fund, has sold all its shares in the Hyundai Motor Group of South Korea. It had long quarreled with Hyundai's management, demanding more generous dividend pay-outs. Their departure from the shareholder ranks is likely welcomed by Hyundai executives. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
Police in the Solomon Islands launch search operations to find nine people from a capsized boat near Isabel Province. Five men, two women and two children were on board. (RNZ)
Chinese authorities quarantine the entire city of Wuhan to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus as the death toll rises to 17. Nobody in the city will be able to leave starting from 10 a.m. local time on January 23, and all public transport in the city is suspended. (The Guardian)
After having announced it the previous month, Boeing temporarily stops production of the new 737 MAX planes. Already produced ones will remain grounded an additional month until June or July. (CNN)(NPR)
Two judicial sources announce that the trial of seven Cameroonian soldiers has begun for the killing of two women and two children in July 2018, in a case that sparked international outcry. Six of the soldiers admit to the charges, but say they were given the order to open fire. (Reuters)
A man facing eviction shoots three police officers, killing two, then sets a house on fire, which spreads to four nearby houses, in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. He is presumed dead in the fire. (Hawaii News Now)
