Qantas gets more bad news – British cops are cleared of the controversial killing of an unarmed man – A strange find in the animal kingdom – And Dennis Rodman is an idiot.

Moody’s downgraded the credit rating of Qantas to below investment grade, the second ratings agency to do so. Moody’s said a “sharp deterioration in the company's core domestic business” was a key reason for the drop.  The carrier issued a profit warning and announced 1,000 job cuts last month. 

The Turkish Police Purge has spread to the hinterlands.  Police chiefs in at least 15 of Turkey's 81 provinces have been dismissed as the government of embattled Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan tries to stymie a corruption investigation that has touched his inner circle.  A day earlier, 350 investigators were reassigned, many to traffic duty.

An inquest jury has concluded that British cops were justified in killing 29-year Mark Duggan in August 2011.  The episode sparked rioting across England, because even though Duggan was not exactly a model citizen, he was not committing any crimes at the time, was unarmed, and surrounded by cops when they opened fire on him as he sat in a minicab.  Duggan’s family described the jury's conclusion as “perverse” and said they would consider a judicial review.

Residents are fleeing the South Sudan city of Bentiu for the safety of a UN base as the government reportedly prepares to recapture the capital of the the oil-rich Unity state.  It’s one of two cities under rebel control.  Meanwhile, ceasefire talks have stalled.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his conservative archrival Henrique Capriles shook hands at a meeting to reduce crime in the South American country.  This, after 29-year old Soap Opera actress and former Miss Venezuela Monica Spear and her British ex-husband were killed in a highway robbery in front of their 5-year old daughter.  Maduro is vowing justice will be served in the case.

Scientists are collecting skin, muscle, and baleen samples from the only set of conjoined grey whale twins ever to be documented by humans.  Fishermen found the twin calves near Mexico’s Baja Peninsula.  The infants survived for only a few few hours after birth. 

Baby Polar Bear!  Baby Polar Bear!

The Pope wears a sheep.  No, really.  Say what you will about the church, he’s a pretty fun guy.

German soccer star Thomas Hitzlsperger told the newspaper Die Zeit he is gay and wants to speak out in an effort to break down the stigma of homosexuality in sports. Hitzlsperger played in the English Premier League and for the German national team before retiring four months ago.  Reaction has been generally positive, except from haters but no one cares what they think.

Sumo’s Grand Champions Harumafuji and Hakuho greeted the New Year at a shrine in Tokyo.  No injuries were reported.

Kim Jong-Un might be former basketball star Dennis Rodman’s only friend right now.  After making an ass of himself on American TV by angrily defending his North Korea hosts against questions about the imprisonment of a fellow American, the criticism has been coming in hot and heavy.  The family of the imprisoned American as well as the vast majority of pundits condemned him.  Rodman later sang “Happy Birthday” to murderous chubby dictator Kim Jong-Un.  Let's face it, the guy was always going to be remembered for his bizarre behavior, rather than any basketball skills.  Now, he'll be remembered as the jerk who sucked up to a dictator.