| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| January 01 1981 | Greece Enters The European Community |
| January 01 1981 | Palau Achieves Self-government - Still Not Independent |
| January 02 1981 | Yorkshire Ripper Is Arrested In Sheffield |
| January 08 1981 | Farmer Sees UFO In Trans-en-Provence, France |
| January 10 1981 | FMLN Gaining Control In Salvadoran Civil War |
| January 15 1981 | Pope John Paul II Receives Lech Walesa |
| January 17 1981 | President Of Philippines Lifts Martial Law |
| January 18 1981 | Smith And Mayfield Parachute Off Skyscraper |
| January 19 1981 | US/Iran Agree To Release 52 American Hostages |
| January 20 1981 | Reagan Inaugurated, Iran Releases 52 Hostages |
| January 21 1981 | Ireland: DeLorean DMC-12 Production Begins |
| January 25 1981 | Mao Zedong's Widow Sentenced To Death |
| January 28 1981 | Reagan Lifts Price Controls Ending Crisis |