Reuters

Germany is rapidly descending into chaos on the heels of a wave of attacks allegedly perpetrated by refugees in Cologne on New Year's Eve. A PEGIDA protest had to be broken up by water cannon-wielding riot police on Saturday and in an eerie twist of fate, the seven decade ban on publication of "Mein Kampf" expired this month.

As China’s leaders figure out that pegging the yuan to the dollar while quintupling their debt in five years was a colossal mistake, they are, apparently, concluding that the only way out is a sudden, sharp currency devaluation...

It was an ominous beginning to what is poised to be a most tumultuous year. Market participants are quickly coming to appreciate that China does in fact matter. Few understand why. Most – from billionaires to fund managers to retail investors – will “Do Nothing.” This has worked just fine in the past – repeatedly. Not understanding and not doing anything will be detriments going forward.

"I am not in the habit of replying to silly comments on Poland made by foreign politicians. Such words, said by a German politician, cause the worst of connotations among Poles. Also in me. I'm a grandson of a Polish officer, who during World War II fought in the underground National Army with 'German supervision.' I came to a sad conclusion that it is easier for you to talk about fictitious threats to media freedom in other countries than to condemn censorship in your homeland." - Polish justice minister Zibgniew Ziobro

“The commonwealth has committed itself to a ‘scorched earth’ strategy of blaming its fiscal and structural problems on lenders, Congress and others, in an effort to deflect responsibility and obtain retroactive application of bankruptcy laws.”

South Korea - which Kim Jong-Un says is "jealous" of the North's "H-bomb" test - has resumed blaring anti-Pyongyang propaganda over loudspeakers installed on the two countries' border, a move the North says has once again brought the Korean Peninsula "to the brink of war."

Time Magazine cover says she could lead the only Chinese democracy.  The same woman also said "Violence Is Normal in a Democratic Society"

Here is precisely where the brand new gold vault of the world's biggest bank will be located.

"Some people are never too old to find new ways to lose money."

"I commend the law enforcement for apprehending these two individuals, but their apprehensions raise the immediate question: Who else is there? What are they planning next? We need to see a systematic and careful retroactive assessment of refugees brought in from high-risk countries."

"We're here for the people of Harney County. We're here because people were being ignored. Now we're getting ignored again."

"I didn't come here to argue."

• U.S. jobs market seen fairly healthy despite slowing economy (Reuters)
• China State Funds Said to Buy More Shares After Market Rout (BBG)
• Global Stocks Gain Some Respite (WSJ)
• U.S. Jobs Data Take on Added Importance With Markets in Turmoil (BBG)
• GOP Health Plans Are Works in Progress (WSJ)
• For economy czar of crisis-hit Venezuela, inflation 'does not exist' (Reuters)

U.S. STOCK INDEX FUTURES PAIR GAINS SLIGHTLY AFTER CHINA'S CENTRAL BANK SAYS IT WILL FURTHER LIBERALIZE INTEREST RATES - RTRS

Translated: even more devaluation + even less intervention = bad for risk.

"They keep saying things like Mohammed is the prophet. Similar to Bin Laden. They are paving the way for him in North Africa."