A French soldier peers into the barrel of a tank at a Malian air base in Bamako. France hit Islamist rebels in Mali with fresh air strikes and deployed armored cars, stepping up its intervention in the West African state as regional allies struggled to accelerate their plans to send in troops. (Reuters)
Indian Hindu holy men, or Sadhus, are silhouetted as they celebrate in the water at Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati, during the royal bath on Makar Sankranti at the start of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. (Reuters)
Members of various non-governmental organizations hold lighted candles during a protest in Islamabad against bomb blasts a day earlier in Quetta. (Reuters)
Actress Emma Stone and 2013 Oscar host Seth MacFarlane present the 85th Academy Awards nominations for Best Actor in Beverly Hills, California. The 85th Annual Academy Awards will take place on Februayr 24 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP)
Ethnic Chinese pay a visit to a temple in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as it decorated Chinese traditional lanterns in preparation of the upcoming Chinese New Year. (AP)
Qatar’s Kasola Mohammed (L) confronts Oman’s Ahmed Mubarak al Hahaijri during their Gulf Cup tournament soccer match at Isa Sports City in Isa Town, Bahrain. (Reuters)
Supporters of political and religious group Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) raise their hands during a protest rally against the targeted killings of their leaders in Karachi , Pakistan. (Reuters)
A student attending a winter military camp reacts during a training session in Ansan, south of Seoul, South Korea. Hundreds of students between 11 and 17 years old attend winter boot camp training courses every year. (Reuters)