- Jan 1 Lithuania adopts the euro as its currency, replacing the litas and becoming the 19th member of the Eurozone
- Jan 1 Eurasian Economic Union comes into effect, creating a political and economic union between Russia, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan
- Jan 1 101st Rose Bowl: #2 Oregon beats #3 Florida State, 59-20 (National Championship Playoff Semi-Final)
- Jan 1 81st Sugar Bowl: #4 Ohio State beats #1 Alabama, 42-35 (National Championship Playoff Semi-Final Game)
Event of Interest
Jan 2 The Economist lists Daniel Kahneman as the 7th most influential economist in the world
Daniel Kahneman
- Jan 3 18 people are killed after the Norwegian cargo ship MS Bulk Jupiter sinks off the coast of Vietnam
- Jan 3 Over 2,000 people are killed in north-east Nigeria after Boko Haram militants raze the town of Baga
- Jan 4 Gary Anderson of Scotland wins the PDC World Darts Championship
- Jan 6 Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame
Event of Interest
Jan 7 Terrorist attack on the offices of satirical newspaper "Charlie Hebdo" in Paris kills 12 (including Jean Cabut and Stéphane Charbonnier), injures 11
Stéphane Charbonnier
Film and TV Awards
Jan 7 41st People's Choice Awards: Robert Downey & Jennifer Lawrence win (movie star), Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pomero (TV dramatic)
Jennifer Lawrence
Patrick Dempsey
- Jan 7 A car bomb explodes in Sana'a, the capital of Yemen, killing 38 people and injuring more than 63
- Jan 10 57 people are killed after an oil tanker collided with a passenger coach outside of Karachi, Pakistan
- Jan 10 72 people are killed & 169 hospitalized after a mass poisoning of beer with crocodile bile at a funeral in Mozambique
- Jan 11 Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović is elected as the first female President of Croatia
Film and TV Awards
Jan 11 72nd Golden Globes: Boyhood, Eddie Redmayne, & Julianne Moore win
Eddie Redmayne
Julianne Moore
Football Awards
Jan 12 Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid C.F. wins the FIFA Ballon d'Or for the best player of the year
Cristiano Ronaldo
- Jan 14 63 people are killed and 70,000 are left homeless after floods devastate Mozambique and Malawi
- Jan 15 20th Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Boyhood wins Best Film
- Jan 18 AB de Villiers makes the fastest century in ODI cricket history from 31 balls against the West Indies
- Jan 18 AFC Championship Game: New England Patriots beat Indianapolis Colts 45-7
- Jan 18 NFC Championship Game: Seattle Seahawks beat Green Bay Packers 28-22 (OT)
- Jan 21 Italian fashion label Gucci names Alessandro Michele as its new creative director
Event of Interest
Jan 23 Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is crowned King of Saudi Arabia, on the death of this half-brother King Abdullah
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
- Jan 24 Golden State Warrior Klay Thompson scores the most NBA points in a quarter with 37 & the most 3-pointers in a quarter with 9
- Jan 25 Miss Colombia Paulina Vega is crowned Miss Universe 2014
- Jan 25 60th NHL All-Star Game: Team Toews beats Team Foligno 17-12 at Columbus, Ohio
- Jan 25 NFL Pro Bowl: Team Irvin beats Team Carter 32-28
- Jan 26 Libby Lane is ordained as the first female bishop of the Church of England
- Jan 29 Malaysia officially declares the disappearance of missing flight MH370 an accident
Event of Interest
Jan 30 Shake Shack founded by Danny Meyer first lists on the New York stock exchange
Danny Meyer
Tennis Open
Jan 31 103rd Women's Australian Open: Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova (6-3, 7-6)
Serena Williams
Maria Sharapova
- Jan 31 Sergio Matarella is elected President of Italy