- Jan 1 International Year of Elderly
- Jan 1 The Euro currency is introduced.
- Jan 1 85th Rose Bowl: #9 Wisconsin beats #6 UCLA, 38-31
- Jan 1 65th Sugar Bowl: #3 Ohio State beats #8 Texas A&M, 24-14
- Jan 2 A brutal snowstorm smashes into the Midwestern United States, causing 14 inches (359 mm) of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 19 inches (487 mm) in Chicago, where temperatures plunge to -13°F (-25°C); 68 deaths are reported.
- Jan 2 65th Orange Bowl: #7 Florida beats #18 Syracuse, 31-10
- Jan 3 Israel detains, and later expels, 14 members of Concerned Christians.
- Jan 3 The Mars Polar Lander was launched.
- Jan 4 Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura is sworn in as Governor of Minnesota
- Jan 4 Gunmen open fire on Shiite Muslims worshipping in an Islamabad mosque, killing 16 people and injuring 25.
- Jan 4 1st BCS National Championship: #1 Tennessee beats #2 Florida State, 23-16, at 28th Fiesta Bowl
- Jan 6 An agreement is reached by the NBA and the players union to end a 204-day lockout which shortened the season by 50 games
Event of Interest
Jan 7 Impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton begins in the US Senate.
Bill Clinton
Event of Interest
Jan 8 Tree planting protest against the privatisation of Karura Forest, including Wangari Maathai, attacked in Kenya prompting outrage
Wangari Maathai
- Jan 10 Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook) achieves his third UK No.1 single with 'Praise You'
Film and TV Awards
Jan 10 25th People's Choice Awards: Tom Hanks & Sandra Bullock win (Dramatic Motion Picture) and Tim Allen & Helen Hunt win (TV)
Television Debut
Jan 10 "The Sopranos", starring James Gandolfini as mobster Tony Soprano, debuts on HBO
James Gandolfini
Music Awards
Jan 11 26th American Music Awards: Celine Dion & Eric Clapton win
Celine Dion
Eric Clapton
Event of Interest
Jan 11 Marty Schottenheimer resigns as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs
Marty Schottenheimer
- Jan 11 Bülent Ecevit becomes Prime Minister of Turkey for the 4th time
Event of Interest
Jan 13 Basketball player Michael Jordan announces his retirement only to return in 2001
Michael Jordan
- Jan 14 Mel Lastman, Mayor of Toronto, calls in the Army to help with snow removal and emergency medical evacuations after major snowstorm hits the city
- Jan 15 The Racak incident: 45 Albanians in the Kosovo village of Racak are killed by Yugoslav security forces
- Jan 17 "The Miss", NFC Championship Game; Minnesota Viking Gary Anderson misses field goal fourth quarter allowing Atlanta Falcons to tie and eventually win in overtime, despite becoming 1st kicker to finish the regular season without missing
Event of Interest
Jan 17 AFC Championship Game: Denver Broncos beat New York Jets 23-10
John Elway
- Jan 17 NFC Championship Game: Atlanta Falcons beat Minnesota Vikings 30-27 (OT)
- Jan 20 The China News Service announces new government restrictions on Internet use aimed especially at Internet cafés.
- Jan 21 In one of the largest drug busts in American history, the US Coast Guard intercepts a ship carrying 4,300 kg of cocaine
- Jan 22 Australian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons are burned alive by radical Hindus while sleeping in their car in Eastern India
- Jan 24 David Duval eagles the 18th hole for a final round 59 to win the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic at PGA West to become only the 3rd player to fire a sub-60 round on the PGA Tour
- Jan 24 49th NHL All-Star Game: North America beats World 8-6 at Tampa, Florida
Film and TV Awards
Jan 24 56th Golden Globes: "Saving Private Ryan", Jim Carrey, and Cate Blanchett win
Event of Interest
Jan 31 Seth MacFarlane's "Family Guy" first airs on Fox
Seth MacFarlane
- Jan 31 Super Bowl XXXIII: Denver Broncos beats Atlanta Falcons 34-19 at Pro Player Stadium, Miami, John Elway MVP
- Jan 31 87th Men's Australian Open: Yevgeny Kafelnikov beats Thomas Enqvist (4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-6)
Tennis Open
Jan 31 87th Women's Australian Open: Martina Hingis beats Amelie Mauresmo (6-2, 6-3)
Martina Hingis
- Jan 31 15th Sundance Film Festival: "Three Seasons" wins Grand Jury Prize Dramatic