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Events on Thursday 31 December 2009 4
20092009: Jenson ButtonBrawnButton won the title with the Brawn GP team, a fairy-tale outfit formed from the ashes of Honda's withdrawal. Six wins in the first seven races sealed an improbable championship.
2009Person of Cultural MeritDesignated a Person of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government, one of the country's most prestigious cultural honours.
2009Uber foundedRide-sharing disrupts transportUber was founded in San Francisco in 2009 by Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp. It grew to operate in over 70 countries, fundamentally disrupting the taxi industry worldwide.
2009Women Without Men FilmVisual artist Shirin Neshat adapted Women Without Men into a feature film that won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival.