• Israeli–Palestinian conflict
  • A shooting takes place at a pub in Tel Aviv, Israel, leaving two dead and eight injured. The gunman managed to escape and possibly killed his accomplice, an Arab taxi driver, whose body was found nearby. The police identified the shooter as 30 year old muslim Nisa'at Melkham from Ar'ara and searched his home. (Haaretz)

• A new 28-foot tall statue of Jesus, dubbed "Jesus de Greatest," is unveiled on New Year's Day outside St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Abajah village, Nigeria's Imo state, which is described as the tallest Jesus statue in Africa. (USA Today)

• About one thousand houses in Manila's Tondo district in the Philippines are set ablaze following New Year's Eve firecracker festivities that left one dead and 380 others injured. (AP via CTV News)

• The EU-Ukraine Free Trade deal officially comes into force, coinciding with a Russian food embargo on Ukraine. (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

• The two-child policy takes effect in China, allowing couples in the country to have at most two children, replacing the controversial one-child policy. The change in law was announced by the ruling Communist Party on October 29 and passed the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on December 27, five days prior to its effect. (AFP via Channel NewsAsia)

• Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, who has been the President of Iceland for 20 years, announces in his new-year speech that he will not seek reelection for a sixth term when presidential elections will be held in June. (Visir)