The 10 most important things in the world right now

Reuters/Mike Blake

Former ballerina Luke Willis plays on a sand berm after sunset in Encinitas, California, January 12, 2016.

Good morning! Here's what you need to know on Friday.

1. Alan Rickman, star of 'Die Hard' and 'Harry Potter', passed away aged 69 after suffering from cancer. He died in his hometown of London, having kept his illness private.

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2. Indonesia must strengthen its defenses against Islamic State and work with neighboring countries to fight it, Jakarta's police chief said on Friday, a day after an attack by suicide bombers and gunmen in the heart of the Southeast Asian nation's capital.

3. Republican presidential candidates have clashed in the first GOP debate of 2016. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and real-estate mogul Donald Trump faced off on multiple occasions.

4. Leonardo DiCaprio's revenge tale 'The Revenant' has led the way with 12 nominations for the 2016 Academy Awards. The 88th Academy Awards will take place Sunday, February 28, hosted by comedian Chris Rock.

5. The end of the trading week in Asia is looking lacklustre. Pushing aside a strong rally on Wall Street overnight, regional stocks are trading modestly higher to lower, although all remain well off the intrasession peaks seen earlier in the session.

6. Stock market volatility is likely to increase in 2016 compared to 2015, although it's unlikely to remain around the levels seen in recent weeks, Goldman Sachs' Krag Gregory has said.

7. China plans to land the first probe ever on the dark side of the moon in 2018, marking another milestone in its ambitious space program, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

8. Foursquare's chief executive, Dennis Crowley, is stepping down and will be succeeded by Jeff Glueck, the company's current chief operating officer. Foursquare, which makes apps that helps users find restaurants and stores and "check" into them, also raised $45 million in funding, Glueck said in a blog post on Medium.

9. Bankrupt teen apparel retailer American Apparels board has rejected the latest takeover offer involving the company's controversial founder, Dov Charney, a source told Reuters. Earlier this week, the LA-based company received a $300 million bid from a group of investors who are backing the return of Dov Charney.

10. Julian Assange's confinement in the Ecuadorian Embassy in Knightsbridge, London, may finally be approaching its end. The Ecuador government has agreed to cooperate with Sweden on an interrogation of the activist publisher over a rape allegation, according to RTE and other publications.

And finally ... These are the 22 best employers in Britain, according to a recent study carried out by Bloomberg.