January 3, 2009 (Saturday)
- National Democratic Congress candidate John Atta Mills wins Ghana's 2008 presidential election after narrowly defeating Nana Akufo-Addo of the incumbent New Patriotic Party in a run-off. (BBC News)
- An Israeli airstrike on the mosque in the Gaza Strip village of Beit Lahia kills at least 13 people. (CNN)
- Israel's Defense Forces launch a ground attack on the Gaza Strip. (BBC News) (New York Times)
- The 2009 Dakar Rally begins in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Motorsport)[permanent dead link]
- Governor of American Samoa Togiola Tulafono is sworn into office for a second term. (Samoa News)
- Satoshi Nakamoto creates the genesis block of bitcoin. (bitcoin.it)