David Malouf 's novel An Imaginary Life is published.

Georges Simenon's novel The Girl with a Squint is published.

Iris Murdoch's novel The Sea, The Sea is published.

Harold Pinter's play Betrayal premieres.

Tom Stoppard's play Night and Day premieres.

David Hare's play Plenty premieres.

Franco Brusati's film Bread and Chocolate premieres.

The cosmonauts of Soyuz 27 spend a record ninety-six days in space.

The United Nations hosts a monthlong conference on disarmament.

Indochinese "boat people" seek asylum in Malaysia, Thailand, and the United States.

4 Jan.

Gen. Augusto Pinochet of Chile confirms his dictatorship by plebiscite.

10 Jan.

Following the assassination of Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, publisher of the antigovernment newspaper La Prensa, rioting engulfs Managua, Nicaragua.

20 Jan.

President Suharto of Indonesia bans several newspapers and moves to suppress student dissent.

24 Jan.

Fragments of a radioactive Soviet satellite crash into a remote area of Canada's Northwest Territories.

7 Feb.

A nationwide general...