China China's Compass satellite navigation system, a rival to the American Global Positioning System (GPS), becomes operational, offering navigation services on the Chinese mainland. The system is expected to become available worldwide by 2020.
Republican candidates Leading Republican Party presidential candidates, including Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, criticize rival candidate Ron Paul for his view that the United States should not act against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program.
North Korea North Korea begins two days of funeral services for former leader Kim Jong-Il, who died on December 17 of a heart attack, aged 69.
Venezuela A Venezuelan campaign group says murder rates in the country are at their highest level ever.
Egyptian President The corruption trial of the former President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, resumes in Cairo.
China In China, 54 government officials and the Ministry of Railways are punished over a fatal high-speed rail crash in July.
African Union The head of the African Union, Jean Ping, arrives in Guinea-Bissau after the country's army chief claims to have foiled a military coup.
Strait of Hormuz The United States Navy responds that it will not tolerate a disruption to the Strait.
Iran Iran threatens to close down the key oil route of the Strait of Hormuz if more sanctions are imposed on it by Western nations.
Lahar Four people are killed and 1,000 others flee their homes amid lahars from the Mount Gamalama volcano in Indonesia.
Crash-landing 31 people are injured following the crash-landing of a passenger jet at Osh Airport in southern Kyrgyzstan.
The Silence of the Lambs "The Silence of the Lambs", a 1991 thriller film starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, is to be preserved by the United States Library of Congress as part of its National Film Registry.
Russia A Russian court rejects an attempt to ban "Bhagavad Gita As It Is", a Russian translation of the Hindu holy book Bhagavad Gita.
Greek Orthodox Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic priests fight in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem over a cleaning dispute; Palestinian police break up the fighting.
Arab A bomb is thrown into an Arabic school in southern Nigeria's Delta State, injuring seven people.
2011 Syrian uprising Syrian state television reports the release of 755 people detained during ongoing civil unrest.
The Washington-based organisation Human Rights Watch accuses Syria of hiding hundreds of political detainees during a visit by Arab League monitors.