January 17, 2009 (Saturday)
- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declares a unilateral ceasefire beginning January 18 at 2:00 am Israel Standard Time (UTC+2) in its conflict with Hamas. However, Israeli Defense Forces will remain in the Gaza Strip until further notice. (CNN)
- North Korea claims to have "weaponized" 30.8 kilograms of plutonium, enough for four to five nuclear warheads. (CNN)
- The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party defeats Barisan Nasional in Malaysia's Kuala Terengganu by-election. (Reuters)
- A suicide attack kills two Afghans and one United States Army soldier and wounds 30 other people in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Los Angeles Times)
- An Israeli Defense Forces airstrike kills 13 people in Gaza City. (MSNBC)