[World] Mali town recalls Islamist invaders as both terrifying and gentle

Mali town recalls Islamist invaders as both terrifying and gentle
http://www.smh.com.au/world/france-wrests-control-of-key-city-in-north-mali-20130127-2deiz.html
DIABALY, Mali - The militants came with gifts of dates, milk, peanuts, cookies and plastic prayer beads, extolling Islam and promising townspeople they wouldn't hurt them.

India Rape Case Tests Fast-Track Courts
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323854904578261551780617048.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
NEW DELHIâ€"The trial of five men accused of raping a 23-year-old student last month on a moving bus in New Delhi is taking place at a new "fast-track court" set up to accelerate India's snail-paced judicial process.

Attacking Syria tantamount to attacking Iran: Iranian official
http://www.brecorder.com/top-news/108-pakistan-top-news/103200-attack-on-syria-would-be-seen-as-attack-on-iran.html
A military truck carries the long-range drone during an annual military parade in Tehran in 2010. Unmanned aerial vehicles like this one are being sent to Syria from Iran, along with a host of other weapons and artillery.

Second anniversary of the Egyptian revolution celebrated
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/egypt-years-accountability/story?id=18305604
To celebrate the second anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution of January 25th, the Ambassador of Egypt, Said Hindam, hosted a lunch-time reception at his residence.

In the making: Rahul's Congress
http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/India/In-the-making-Rahul-Gandhi-s-Congress/Article1-1002327.aspx
Always preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once,' is one of the 48 laws of power by Robert Greene and Rahul Gandhi knows this instinctively from the experience of his father Rajiv Gandhi who was cornered by the old guard and failed ...

Guest post: Time for Obama to put LatAm back on the agenda
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j9BiCdj4SUfyKR0MGHs82W01BgtQ?docId=CNG.c0c924257c889018b88a25e094b23caf.a91
Latin Americans still like and admire President Obama, yet they no longer expect much from him. He mostly ignored the region in his first term, and never mentioned it during his re-election campaign.

First Patriot Battery in Turkey Operational - NATO
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2013/0126/breaking17.htm
MOSCOW, January 27 (RIA Novosti) - The first of six Patriot batteries being deployed by NATO along Turkey's border with Syria was declared operational on Saturday, the alliance said in a statement.