First to 10k posts

January 1 — Deadline by which goods in all member states of the European Union must be sold in metric units (this has already been completed everywhere, except in the United Kingdom). Road signs in the UK are unaffected (road signs in all other member states are already in metric units).

January 1 — Swedish pharmacy monopoly will end.

January 1 — Norway will legalize same-sex marriage, and Hungary will recognize registered partnerships.

# January 1 — The European small claims procedure comes into force throughout the European Union, other than Denmark. The procedure is a small claims procedure applicable to cross-border legal claims under the Brussels regime with value up to 2,000 EUR.[2]

January 3 — 111th United States Congress begins. A new delegate will be added for the Northern Mariana Islands.

# January 15 — International Year of Astronomy 2009 Opening Ceremony at UNESCO HQ, Paris, France.[3]

January 20 — The 44th President of the United States will be inaugurated at 12:00 noon EST (17:00 UTC).

January 26 — Annular solar eclipse.

# January 30 — February 15 — Alpine World Ski Championships 2009 in Val d'Isère, France.

February 1 — The International Cospas-Sarsat Satellite System will stop monitoring for 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz (Class B) distress signals from EPIRBs and other emergency beacons.