2nd » Glenbrook rail accident named Glenbrook Rail Accident: Seven passengers are killed when two trains collide near Sydney, New South Wales.
2nd » The United Kingdom devolves political power in Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive.
3rd » NASA loses radio contact with the Mars Polar Lander moments before the spacecraft enters the Mars e.g Martian atmosphere.
3rd » Six firefighters are killed in the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire in Worcester, Massachusetts.
7th » 'A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc., 114 F.Supp.2d 896 e.g A&M Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc.': The Recording Industry Association of America sues the peer-to-peer file sharing called file-sharing service Napster, alleging copyright infringement.
20th » Macau is Transfer of sovereignty over Macau called handed over to China by Portugal.
21st » The Civil Guard (Spain) or Spanish Civil Guard intercepts a van loaded with 950 kg of explosives that ETA intended to use to blow up Torre Picasso in Madrid, Spain.
22nd » Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509, a Boeing 747 747-200 called Boeing 747-200F crashes shortly after take-off from London Stansted Airport due to pilot error. All 4 crew members are killed.
24th » Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacked in Indian airspace between Kathmandu, Nepal, and Delhi, India; aircraft eventually landed at Kandahar, Afghanistan. Ordeal ended on December 31 with the release of 190 survivors (1 passenger killed).
26th » The storm Cyclone Lothar or Lothar sweeps across Central Europe, killing 137 and causing US$1.3 billion in damage.
31st » First President of Russia, Boris Yeltsin, resigns from office, leaving Prime Minister of Russia e.g Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as the acting President and successor.
31st » The United States Government hands control of the Panama Canal (as well all the adjacent land to the canal known as the Panama Canal Zone) to Panama. This act complied with the signing of the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties.
31st » Indian Airlines Flight 814 hijacking ended after seven days with the release of 190 survivors at Kandahar Airport, Afghanistan.