What Happened on January 1, 2024

• A magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes Japan's western coast, killing an estimated 120 people and injuring more than 100
• Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE become BRICS members
• Ethiopia makes a controversial deal with Somaliland to lease part of its coastline, including becoming the first country to recognise it as a separate country from Somalia [1]

• Frank Ryan, American football quarterback (NFL C'ship 1964, 3 × Pro Bowl, NFL passing TD leader 1964, 66; Cleveland Browns), dies from complications of Alzheimer's disease at 87
• Mario Boljat, Croatian soccer defender-midfielder (5 caps; Hajduk Split, Schalke 04), dies at 72
• Niklaus Wirth, Swiss computer scientist who invented nine programming languages (Pascal, Oberon) and won the Turing Award in 1984, dies at 89 [1]
• Peter Magubane, South African photographer who documented the cruelties and violence of apartheid, dies at 91 [1]

Holidays: New Year's Day (Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States)

• #1 Song: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
• #1 Song: Last Christmas - Wham!