January 1 Czech Republic assumes EU presidency January 1 Slovakia replaces its national currency, the Slovak koruna, with the Euro January 3 Israel launches an invasion of the Gaza strip January 7 Russian Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, endorses Russia's decision to turn off gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine January 13 After two years of trying to maintain order, Ethiopian military forces start pulling out of Somalia January 15 U.S. Airways plane ditches in the Hudson River - all 155 passengers survive January 17 Israel declares a unilateral ceasefire in the Gaza War, effective January 18, as Hamas declares a ceasefire of its own January 20 Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States February 1 The Russian Orthodox Church enthrones Patriarch Kirill I of Moscow as Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church February 2 Iran launches first domestically made satellite, Omid, into orbit February 7 Melbourne, Australia records highest-ever temperature, sparking the deadliest brushfires in Australian history February 10 A large amount of space debris is created when a Russan and American satellite collide over Siberia February 11 Morgan Tsvangirai becomes Prime Minister of Zimbabwe after agreeing to share power with President Robert Mugabe February 26 Former Serbian President Milan Mulutinovic is acquitted of war crimes during the Kosovo War March 2 Joao Bernardo Vierira, President of Guinea-Bissau is assassinated during an armed attack on his residence in Bissau March 4 An arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is issued for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur March 4 Eight people are killed, several injured, after gunmen attack a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketeers in Lahore, Pakistan March 17 Marc Ravalomanana, President of Madagascar, is overthrown. New President, Andry Rajoelina, is appointed by the military March 27 At least 99 people are killed after flash flooding and the failure of the Situ Gintung dam in Tangerang, Banten, Indonesia April 2 At the 21st NATO Summit, new Secretary General, former Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is appointed April 6 Nearly 300 people are killed and 1,500 injured near L'Aquila, Italy, after a 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes April 7 Former President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, receives 25 years in prison for ordering killings and kidnappings by security forces April 17 The 5th Summit of the Americas takes place in Port of Spain, Trinidad, thirty-four heads of government attend April 24 Concern about spreading influenza from Mexico and the United States to other countries is expressed by the WHO May 4 Peace talks witht he Tuareg rebel groups in north Niger are held by the President of Niger, Tandja Mamadou May 9 A large column of advancing rebels are defeated by Chadian forces May 18 The C40 Large Cities Climate Leadership Group meets for the third time in Seoul May 23 Under investigation for bribery during his Presidency, former President of South Korea, Roh Moo-hyun, commits suicide May 25 North Korea announces a successful nuclear test in North Hamgyong, the U.N. Security Council condems the test June 1 En route from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Paris, Air France Flight 447 crashes into the Atlantic ocean, killing all 228 on board June 11 The "swine flu", the H1N1 influenza strain is the first condition deemed a global pandemic since the Hong Kong flu of 1967 - 1968 June 18 The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter/LCROSS is launched by NASA to probe the Moon June 25 Internet traffic reaches unprecedented levels after entertainer Michael Jackson's death triggers an outpouring of worldwide grief June 30 One person out of 183 passengers and crew survives the crash of Yemenia Flight 626 off the coast of Moroni, Comoros July 1 Sweden takes over the presidency of the European Union July 15 Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 crashes near Qazvin, Iran, all 168 on board are killed July 16 The parliament of Iceland votes to pursue joining the European Union July 22 A solar eclipse, the longest in history, lasts up to 6 minutes and 38.8 seconds, over parts of Asia and the Pacific Ocean July 25 Dozens are killed and injured when wildfires spread across France, Spain, Sardinia and Greece August 1 Buddhist Treasures buried during the 1930's Mongolian Communist Purge, were discovered in the Gobi desert August 2 Two previously unknown works by Mozart - a concerto movement and a prelude, are performed in Salzburg, Austria August 4 Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has 4,000 prisoners death sentences commuted to life imprisonment August 5 The engine on an airbus A320 plane catches fire at Paris-Orly airport, eight people are injured August 6 A crowd of 50,000 people participate in a memorial service at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park August 9 Typhoon Morakat approaches southeastern China, over one million people are evacuated August 11 A new species of a giant carnivorous plant, Nepethes attenboroughii, is discovered in the central Phillipines highlands August 14 More than 2,000 people found in Poland's largest mass grave during World War II are reburied in a military cemetary August 19 U.S. Army officer William Calley publicly apologizes for the mass killings in the Vietnamese community of My Lai August 22 Fearing that turkeys contracted swine flu from humans, two turkey farms in Valparaiso, Chile are quarantined September 1 Phillipine police arrest a new terror suspect one week after the head of the militant Rajah Solaiman Movement is captured September 2 A bomb explodes outside of Athens' stock exchange, damaging the building and a female passer-by September 4 North Korea claims it has entered the final phase of uranium enrichment, tells the United Nations it is open to dialogue September 9 President Obama promises the will 'get something done this year' on healthcare reform September 11 Inmates at Iraq's notoriuous Abu Grraib prison start a fire and clash with guards during two days of unrest September 16 An Australian navy ship intercepts a boat carrying 60 suspected asylum seekers September 19 Panic ensues when an earthquake strikes off the Bali coast in Indonesia, causing few injuries and little material damage September 23 A gun battle between U.S. agents and suspected people smugglers shuts down San Ysidro U.S. Mexico border crossing September 26 Two mass graves relating to Columbia's long fight with the Farc, were found in northwest and south Columbia October 2 The International Olympic Committee awards the 2016 Olympics to Rio de Janeiro October 5 A train travelling through heavy rain in Hua Hin in southern Thailand, is derailed, killing serval people and injuring dozens October 14 A new kind of flying reptile fossil, Darwinopterus, lived over 160 million years ago, is found in China October 14 U.S. Senate Committee passes healthcare reform bill, hailed as a 'critical milestone' by President Obama October 15 Six people sentenced to death over ethnic rioting in July that killed almost 200 in the region of Xinjiang October 18 A Sri Lankan migrant ship seized off of Canada's Pacific Coast, carried 76 suspected Sri Lankan immigrants October 20 European astronomers discover 32 extrasolar planets, or exoplanets - planets that orbit a star other than the Sun October 24 A magnitude 7.0 quake strikes off the coast of Indonesia, setting off a tsunami alert which is then withdrawn October 26 U.S. Scientists believe to have discovered an antibody that can miminize internal bleeding in trauma victims October 29 Oil giant Dutch Shell warns its outlook remains uncertain after reporting its quarterly profit fell by 73% October 31 Margarito Montes, a prominent union leader, is found among fifteen people killed on a ranch in northern Mexico November 1 U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urges Israeli-Palestinian peace talks to resume as soon as possible November 6 U.S. Commerce Department imposes high anti-dumping tariffs up to 99% on imports of Chinese tubular goods November 7 Eight Eastern Europeans are accused of stealing $9 million in a huge computer payroll scam November 9 President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, urges his armed forces to prepare for a possible war with Columbia November 14 Slovenia agrees to allow Russia's South Stream gas pipeline to Europe pass through their country November 15 Kosovo holds its first local election since declaring independence from Serbia November 18 The 2009 Corruption Perceptions Index reports declares Somalia the most corrupt, New Zealand is least corrupt, among 180 countries November 20 An ethnic conflict over fishing rights in the Democratic Republic of the Congo kills 100 people, displaces 50,000 November 25 A Pakistan court charges seven suspects involved in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai November 29 Pirates from Somalia capture the Maran Centaurus, a Greek-owned oil tanker, off the coast of Somalia December 1 For the first time in 17 years, North Korea raises the value of its currency December 4 20 people are killed in a fire at a nightclub in the North Sumatra capital of Medan, Indonesia December 5 Tens of thousands in Rome, Italy, participate in a demonstration demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Silvio Burlusconi December 7 The United Nations opens its Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen December 8 At a ceremony in eastern Shan State, Burma, authorities burn $93 million in seized narcotic drugs December 12 Cuban and Venezuelan leaders sign over $3.2 billion worth of trade and cooperation agreements December 13 Italian Prime Minister Silvio Burlusconi is knocked to the ground and hit in the face after a political rally in Milan, Italy December 15 U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Danish hosts urged countries to agree on a new U. N. pact aimed at averting climate change and global warming December 18 30,000 Phillipine people remain in temporary shelter as scientists predict the Mount Mayon volcano will erupt in the coming weeks December 20 Nearly 100 people are killed by a runaway truck at a market in Kogi State, Nigeria
