January 1 in history — What Happened Today in History

A suicide car bomber detonates at a volleyball tournament in Lakki Marwat, Pakistan, killing 105 and injuring 100 more.

Sixty-six people die in a nightclub fire in Bangkok, Thailand.

Bulgaria and Romania join the EU.

Adam Air Flight 574 breaks apart in mid-air and crashes near the Makassar Strait, Indonesia, killing all 102 people on board.

In a vote of confidence, General Pervez Musharraf wins 658 out of 1,170 votes in the Electoral College of Pakistan, and according to Article 41(8) of the Constitution of Pakistan, is "deemed to be elected" to the office of President until October 2007.

Greece adopts the Euro, becoming the 12th Eurozone country.

The Euro currency is introduced in 11 member nations of the European Union (with the exception of the United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece and Sweden).

Following a currency reform, Russia begins to circulate new rubles to stem inflation and promote confidence.

Argentinian physicist Juan Maldacena publishes a landmark paper initiating the study of AdS/CFT correspondence, which links string theory and quantum gravity.

The World Trade Organization comes into being.

The Draupner wave in the North Sea in Norway is detected, confirming the existence of freak waves.

Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU.

The Zapatista Army of National Liberation initiates twelve days of armed conflict in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) comes into effect.

Dissolution of Czechoslovakia: Czechoslovakia is divided into the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic.

David Dinkins is sworn in as New York City's first black mayor.

Seven people are killed and one injured in a mass shooting in Narsaq, Greenland.

The Montreal Protocol comes into force, stopping the use of chemicals contributing to ozone depletion.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America comes into existence, creating the largest Lutheran denomination in the United States.

The Isleta Pueblo tribe elect Verna Williamson to be their first female governor.

The first British mobile phone call is made by Michael Harrison to his father Sir Ernest Harrison, chairman of Vodafone.

Eastern Air Lines Flight 980 crashes into Mount Illimani in Bolivia, killing all 29 aboard.

The original American Telephone & Telegraph Company is divested of its 22 Bell System companies as a result of the settlement of the 1974 United States Department of Justice antitrust suit against AT&T.

Brunei becomes independent of the United Kingdom.

The ARPANET officially changes to using TCP/IP, the Internet Protocol, effectively creating the Internet.

Peruvian Javier Pérez de Cuéllar becomes the first Latin American to hold the title of Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Greece is admitted into the European Community.

the Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and Taiwan Relations Act enter into force. Through the Communiqué, the United States establishes normal diplomatic relations with China. Through the Act, the United States guarantees military support for Taiwan.

Enock Mwepu, Zambian footballer

Frank Onyeka, Nigerian footballer

Noah Kahan, American singer-songwriter

Keegan Hipgrave, Australian rugby league player

Gonzalo Montiel, Argentine footballer

Andreas Pereira, Brazilian footballer

Mahmoud Dahoud, German footballer

Mathias Jensen, Danish footballer

Sardar Azmoun, Iranian footballer

Poppy, American singer and YouTube personality

Brendan Elliot, Australian rugby league player

LaMonte Wade Jr., American baseball player

Larry Nance Jr., American basketball player

Alexander Frater, British travel writer and journalist (born 1937)

Don Larsen, American baseball player (born 1929)

Barry McDonald, Australian rugby union player (born 1940)

David Stern, American lawyer and businessman (born 1942)

Paul Neville, Australian politician (born 1940)

Pegi Young, American singer, songwriter, environmentalist, educator and philanthropist (born 1952)

George, last known Achatinella apexfulva (born c. 2004)

Robert Mann, American violinist (born 1920)

Jon Paul Steuer, American actor (born 1984)

Tony Atkinson, British economist (born 1944)

Yvon Dupuis, Canadian politician (born 1926)

Fazu Aliyeva, Russian poet and journalist (born 1932)

Dale Bumpers, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 38th Governor of Arkansas (born 1925)