1st » Greece is admitted into the European Community.
1st » Palau achieves self-government though it is not independent from the United States.
2nd » One of the largest investigations by a British police force ends when serial killer Peter Sutcliffe, the "Yorkshire Ripper", is arrested in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.
8th » A local farmer reports a Trans-en-Provence Case named UFO sighting in Trans-en-Provence called Trans-en-Provence, France, claimed to be "perhaps the most completely and carefully documented sighting of all time".
10th » Salvadoran Civil War: The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front FMLN launches its first major offensive, gaining control of most of Morazán Department Morazán and Chalatenango Department Chalatenango departments
15th » John Paul II receives a delegation from Solidarity (Polish trade union) at the Vatican City e.g Vatican led by Lech Walesa.
17th » President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos lifts Martial law in the Philippines called martial law eight years and five months after declaring it.
19th » Iran Hostage Crisis: United States and Iranian officials sign an agreement to release 52 American hostages after 14 months of captivity.
20th » Twenty minutes after Ronald Reagan is inaugurated, at age 69 the oldest man ever to be inaugurated as U.S. President, Iran releases 52 Iran hostage crisis e.g American hostages.
21st » Production of the iconic DeLorean DMC-12 sports car begins in Dunmurry, Northern Ireland.
25th » Jiang Qing, the widow of Mao Zedong, is sentenced to death.
28th » Ronald Reagan lifts remaining domestic petroleum price and allocation controls in the United States helping to end the 1979 energy crisis and begin the 1980s oil glut.