2023 CE

ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, comes into widespread use; Supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro storm the National Congress following his defeat in the 2022 general election; A makeshift memorial to leaders of the Wagner Group, who died in a plane crash two months after rebelling against the Russian government; An alleged high-altitude observation balloon originating from China is detected in U.S. airspace, increasing tensions between the countries; Remains of Titan, a submersible that imploded during an expedition to view the wreck of the Titanic; Azerbaijani soldiers locked in combat in Nagorno-Karabakh amidst an Azerbaijani offensive; Israel invades the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the October 7 attacks by militant group Hamas and spills over into major parts of the Middle East; 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes strike Syria and Turkey, leaving up to 62,000 dead and 121,000 injured.

In the 2020s, the 21st century.

2023 at a glance

World population: about 8.09 billion Our World in Data
United States: Joe Biden (president) Wikipedia rev. 1381278678
United Kingdom: Charles III (king); Rishi Sunak (prime minister) Wikipedia rev. 1381278678
Russia: Vladimir Putin (president); Mikhail Mishustin (prime minister) Wikipedia rev. 1381278678
China: Xi Jinping (general secretary and paramount leader); Xi Jinping (president); Li Keqiang, then Li Qiang (premier) Wikipedia rev. 1381278678
France: Emmanuel Macron (president); Élisabeth Borne (prime minister) Wikipedia rev. 1381278678
Germany: Frank-Walter Steinmeier (president); Olaf Scholz (chancellor) Wikipedia rev. 1381278678
$1 in 2023: $1.11 in September 2026 dollars BLS CPI-U
Gallon of gas (U.S. average): $3.66 ($4.48 in September 2026) BLS
Most weeks at No. 1 in 2023: “Last Night” by Morgan Wallen, 16 weeks Wikipedia rev. 1358117347

Who led every country in 2023 →Born in 2023? What it cost, who led, what was No. 1 →

Geopolitics & Diplomacy

January 8 – Following the 2022 Brazilian general election and the inauguration of Lula da Silva as president of Brazil, supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro storm the Brazilian National Congress, the Supreme Federal Court and the Presidential Palace of Planalto.source
8 January – 2023 Beninese parliamentary electionBenin source
January 24 – The United States grants Trinidad and Tobago a license to develop Venezuela’s Dragon gas field with Shell and PDVSA, aimed at boosting regional energy security.Trinidad and Tobago source
January 25 – Chris Hipkins succeeds Jacinda Ardern as Prime Minister of New Zealand, six days after she announced her resignation.source
February 14 – The European Parliament approves a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in the European Union from 2035, citing the need to combat climate change in Europe and promote electric vehicles.source
23 February - Oman opens its airspace to Israeli airlines for the first time. Israel's Foreign Minister Eli Cohen calls the decision historic.Oman source
March 26 – Honduras switches its formal diplomatic recognition of "China" from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China.source
April 2 – The 2023 Bulgarian parliamentary election results in a GERB—SDS–PP–DB coalition government headed by Nikolai Denkov as prime minister.source
6 April – The International Court of Justice rules that the case of territorial dispute between Venezuela and Guyana over Guayana Esequiba can proceed. Guyanese President Irfaan Ali welcomes the decision and commits Guyana to solve the dispute peacefully. Venezuela had earlier rejected the ruling, alleging that the case cannot be heard without the involvement of the United Kingdom, Guyana's former colonial power.Guyana source
April 30 – The 2023 Paraguayan general election is held, with the Colorado Party candidate Santiago Peña being the president-elect of Paraguay, winning in a plurality.source
13 May – 2023 Gambian local electionsGambia source
May 24 – Canada and Saudi Arabia agree to restore full diplomatic relations after a breakdown in relations in 2018 over the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi.source
June 19 – Qatar and the United Arab Emirates announce that they will restore diplomatic relations after relations were suspended during the Qatar diplomatic crisis.source
June 25 – The June 2023 Greek legislative election is held; Kyriakos Mitsotakis becomes prime minister after his centre-right party, New Democracy, wins a majority of seats in the Greek parliament.source
1 July: 2023 East Timorese parliamentary election: Xanana Gusmão is sworn in as prime minister of Timor-Leste.East Timor source
July 4 – Iran joins the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, becoming the organization's ninth member.source
July 13 – Pita Limjaroenrat fails to become Prime Minister of Thailand in a National Assembly vote after forming a coalition with pro-democracy parties following the 2023 Thai general election.source
July 23 – The 2023 Spanish general election is held, with the People's Party becoming the largest party in the Congress of Deputies.source
August 11 – The Narendra Modi led NDA government wins a no confidence motion in the Lok Sabha moved by the INDIA Alliance after an opposition walkout in response to the ethnic violence in the state of Manipur.source
September 1 – 2023 Singaporean presidential election: Economist and former deputy prime minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam is elected president with a vote share of over 70%.source
12 September – North Macedonia orders the expulsion of three Russian diplomats for alleged violations of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.North Macedonia source
September 30 – 2023 Slovak parliamentary election: Smer, under the leadership of former prime minister Robert Fico, wins a plurality of seats in the National Council.source
October 3 – Elected on January 8, Kevin McCarthy is removed as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, with Mike Johnson being elected new Speaker on October 25.source
12 October – Madagascar's constitutional court postpones the upcoming election from 9 November to 16 November 2023, amidst a political crisis involving protests against the Ntsay government following President Andry Rajoelina's resignation.Madagascar source
October 14 – 2023 New Zealand general election: The National Party wins a plurality of seats under leader Christopher Luxon, while the Labour Party suffers the worst result for an incumbent ruling party in modern New Zealand history.source
October 15 – In the second round of the 2023 Ecuadorian general election, Daniel Noboa of the National Democratic Action is elected as the youngest-ever President of Ecuador.source
November 7 – The Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa announces his pending resignation. The President of Portugal decides to dissolve the parliament and call for early elections to be held on 10 March 2024.source
November 10 – In the Falepili Union treaty, Australia grants "special" freedom of movement and defence rights to Tuvaluans for residence and employment for climate reasons.source
November 24 – Somalia is admitted as the eighth member of the East African Community, having applied for membership in 2012.source
November 27 – After forming a coalition Government with the right-wing ACT and New Zealand First parties, Christopher Luxon is sworn in as the 42nd Prime Minister of New Zealand. The new administration opposes policies promoting Māori culture and addressing inequity between Māori and non-Māori, which leads to allegations of inflaming racial tensions.source
December 10–12 – 2023 Egyptian presidential election: Incumbent President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi wins a third term with 89.6 percent of the vote in the election.source
December 31 – Queen Margrethe II of Denmark announces her abdication effective January 14, 2024, after 52 years on the throne.source

Conflict & Security

20 January – North Macedonia and Bulgaria denounce a hate crime committed against Hristian Pendikov, secretary of the Bulgarian cultural club Tsar Boris III, in Ohrid.North Macedonia source
January 21 – Tigray War: Eritrean forces withdraw from Shire and other major towns in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia.source
February 3 – The US announces it is tracking alleged Chinese spy balloons over the Americas, later announcing that the balloons did not collect any information. One balloon drifts from Yukon to South Carolina before being shot down the next day, and a second hovers over Colombia and Brazil. This event is followed by subsequent detections and shootdowns of high-altitude objects elsewhere.source
February 28 – Over 90 Trinidad and Tobago nationals, including at least 56 children, are unlawfully detained in northeast Syria in camps and prisons associated with ISIS.Trinidad and Tobago source
March 4 – Kivu conflict: Burundi deploys 100 troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to help fight insurgencies by militias, including M23.source
March 8 – Allied Democratic Forces jihadist insurgents use machetes to kill about 35 people in the village of Mukondi, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.source
March 10 – Kivu conflict: Angola announces the deployment of troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, following the failure of a ceasefire between government forces and M23 rebels in North Kivu.source
23 March – 2019 Samoa assassination plot: Two men are found guilty of conspiring to kill the former Prime Minister Tuilaʻepa Saʻilele Malielegaoi after a trial before the country's Supreme Court.Samoa source
March 26 – 2023 Israeli judicial reform protests: Large-scale spontaneous protests erupt across Israel in the wake of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firing his defense minister who criticized the government's judicial overhaul plan.source
April 5 – Clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli police happen at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.source
April 10 – Two document leaks from the Pentagon detailing foreign military aid relating to the Russo-Ukrainian war are leaked onto the Internet.source
April 15 – Fighting breaks out across Sudan between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The RSF captures Khartoum International Airport, and the presidential palace in Khartoum.source
June 23 – Russo-Ukrainian war: The Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, begins an armed conflict with the Russian military, seizing the city of Rostov-on-Don and portions of the Voronezh Oblast before withdrawing the next day, after a peace agreement brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.source
July 3 – In the largest incursion by Israel into the West Bank since the Second Intifada, the Israeli military deploys ground forces and armed drones into the Jenin camp, killing 13 people and injuring more than 100. An attack claimed by Hamas as retaliation for the incursion, occurs in Tel Aviv the following day, injuring nine.source
August 14 – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders meet in Luanda, Angola, to discuss their military mission in the Cabo Delgado region.Mozambique source
September 6 – Tajikistan announces that it killed three Jamaat Ansarullah Islamist militants on 29–30 August after they crossed the border from Afghanistan to carry out terrorist attacks in Tajikistan.Tajikistan source
September 19 – Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Azerbaijan launches a military offensive against the Armenia-backed Republic of Artsakh, which ends with a swift Azerbaijani victory. Protests erupt in Armenia, Artsakh announces the dissolution of government institutions, and over 100,000 ethnic Armenians flee Nagorno-Karabakh.source
September 24 – 2023 Nigerien crisis: French President Emmanuel Macron announces that France will end its military presence in Niger and will recall its ambassador from the country.source
October 7 – Gaza war: Hamas launches an incursion into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,100 Israelis and taking about 240 hostages, prompting a military response from the Israel Defense Forces. Israel launches numerous air strikes on Lebanon after rockets are fired by Hezbollah and further attempts are made to penetrate Israel.source
October 8 – Israel's Security Cabinet formally declares war for the first time since the Yom Kippur War in 1973.source
October 31 – Israel intercepted a Yemeni Houthi ballistic missile with its Arrow 2 missile defense system. The interception occurred above Earth's atmosphere above the Negev Desert, making it the first instance of space combat in history.source
November 2 – The Beatles release "Now and Then", the band's last ever song, featuring restored vocals by John Lennon (1940–1980), as well as guitar tracks by George Harrison (1943–2001).source
November 6 – Gaza war: The death toll in Gaza is reported to have passed 10,000. United Nations Secretary General António Guterres calls for a humanitarian ceasefire to increase the flow of aid to civilians.source
November 20 – A Boeing P-8A Poseidon operated by the United States Navy overshot the runway at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Kaneohe, Hawaii. No one died.source
November 23 – Riots broke out in Dublin, Ireland after a mass stabbing on Parnell Square East which injured 4 people.source
9 December – 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis: The United Nations Security Council holds a closed-door meeting on the ongoing crisis between Venezuela and Guyana over the Guayana Esequiba Region, but takes no immediate action.Guyana source
16 December – Bahrain National Day: The celebrations will be held 3 days later due to the Kingdom's mourning because of the Death of Emir of Kuwait, Nawaf Al-Ahmad.Bahrain source
December 18 – A number of shipping companies announce a temporary suspension of their operations in the Red Sea due to continued attacks on vessels by Houthi rebels.source
December 22 – Gaza war: The death toll in Gaza is reported to have passed 20,000, almost 1% of its population and surpassing the casualties in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.source
December 29 – A genocide case against Israel is brought towards the International Court of Justice by South Africa for Israel's invasion and subsequent bombardment of the Gaza Strip, and its role in the subsequent humanitarian crisis.source
December 29 – Russo-Ukrainian war: Russia launches the largest wave of drones and missiles on Ukrainian cities since the start of the war in an overnight assault, killing at least 39 people and injuring at least 160 others. Ukraine launches a drone assault the following day, killing at least 21 people, including three children, and injuring 110 others, including 17 children.source
2022–23 Djibouti Premier LeagueDjibouti source

Exploration & Expansion

April 14 – Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) is launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) to search for life in the Jovian system, with an expected arrival year of 2031.source
June 12 – Eritrea rejoins the Intergovernmental Authority on Development trade bloc almost 16 years after suspending its membership in 2007.Eritrea source
August 22 – Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra returns to Thailand after 15 years of political exile.source
4 September – Israel establishes a new permanent embassy in Manama, however, it remains in an undisclosed location, primarily due to concerns about how Bahraini locals might react.Bahrain source
8 September – Panama announces stricter measures to curb record migration through the Darien Gap, including more deportations, shorter tourist stays, and higher financial requirements.Panama source
2 October 2023 - March 28, 2024: Expo 2023 is an International Horticultural Expo to be hosted by Doha, Qatar.Qatar source
October 11 – The Dominican Republic partially reopens its border with Haiti for some commercial activity after closing it last month.Dominican Republic source
20 October – 5 November: Barbados at the 2023 Pan American GamesBarbados source
24 December – The United Kingdom announces that it will deploy the patrol vessel HMS Trent off the coast of Guyana amid Guyana's dispute with Venezuela over the Essequibo region.Guyana source
25-29 September & 2-4 October – A team from the IMF under the leadership of the Mission Chief for Burundi, Ms. Mame Astou Diouf, visited Bujumbura to discuss developments under this new arrangement.Burundi source

Religion & Belief

1 January – Uzbekistan's Latin alphabet transition is completed.Uzbekistan source
January 5 – The funeral of Pope Benedict XVI is held at St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City. The funeral was attended by an estimated 50,000 people.source
14 January - 2023 Kazakh Senate electionKazakhstan source
February 16 – Lawmakers in the Russian State Duma vote to withdraw Russia from 21 conventions of the Council of Europe.source
24 February – Gambian president Adama Barrow appoints Muhammad B.S. Jallow as the country's new vice-president after the previous one, Badara Joof, died last month in India.Gambia source
21 March – Commissioning ceremony of KDB As-Siddiq at Jetty Bravo, Muara Naval Base.Brunei source
April 21 – The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, representing a majority of the global Anglican population, reject the leadership of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as the head of global Anglicanism over his support for same-sex marriage.source
May 6 – The coronation of Charles III and Camilla as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms is held in Westminster Abbey, London.source
18 October – Nicaragua releases 12 Catholic priests, critical of President Daniel Ortega's regime, and sends them to Rome, Italy, following an agreement with Vatican City.Nicaragua source
3 November – El Hadi Idriss, a member of the Sudan Liberation Movement - Transitional Council, is fired from the ruling Transitional Sovereignty Council of Sudan for unknown reasons.Sudan source
6 November – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China urges the State Administration Council of Myanmar to cooperate with Chinese officials in protecting Chinese border villages, two days after a shell fired by the Tatmadaw kills one and wounds several in China.Myanmar source
12 December – 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis: A meeting is to be held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday to discuss the ongoing dispute between Venezuela and Guyana. Both countries will try to prevent the crisis escalating into an armed conflict.Guyana source

Economy & Finance

January 1 – Croatia adopts the euro and joins the Schengen Area, becoming the 20th member state of the Eurozone and the 27th member of the Schengen Area. This is the first enlargement of the Eurozone since Lithuania's entry in 2015, and the first enlargement of the Schengen Area since Liechtenstein's entry in 2011.source
5 January – Sato Kilman orders an investigation into the Vanuatu People's Investment and Equity Fund after failing to deliver on promised financial returns.Vanuatu source
25 January – The United States bars former president Ricardo Martinelli from entering the country, accusing him of accepting bribes during his 2009–2014 administration.Panama source
February 1 – Lebanese liquidity crisis: The central bank of Lebanon devalues the Lebanese pound by 90% amid an ongoing financial crisis.source
February 2 – The European Central Bank and Bank of England raise their interest rates by 0.5 percentage points to combat inflation, one day after the US Federal Reserve raises its federal funds rate by 0.25 percentage points.source
March 10 – Silicon Valley Bank, the 16th largest bank in the United States, fails, creating then the largest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, affecting companies around the world.source
March 24 – Rahul Gandhi, the official opposition leader of India is disqualified from the Lok Sabha after he was convicted in a defamation case filed by BJP MLA, Purnesh Modi.source
March 29 – Brazil and China sign an agreement to trade in their own currencies, ceasing the usage of the United States dollar as an intermediary.source
May 1 – 2023 banking crisis: San Francisco-based First Republic Bank fails and is auctioned off by the US FDIC to JPMorgan Chase for $10.7 billion. The collapse surpasses March's collapse of Silicon Valley Bank to become the second largest in US history.source
Mozambique is added to the FATF “grey list” for deficiencies in anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing policies.Mozambique source
July 3 – Indian oil refiners start payments for Russian oil imports in Chinese yuan as an alternative to the US dollar due to increasing sanctions against Russia.source
July 8 – In the Netherlands, the governing coalition collapses and Prime Minister Mark Rutte announces his upcoming resignation.source
July 9 – New Zealand signs a free trade agreement with the European Union, increasing bilateral trade.source
17 July – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a 38-month arrangement of about US$ 261.7 million under the Extended Credit Facility.Burundi source
5 September – The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) begins inspections in Manama and Northern Governorates, uncovering violations of labor and residency laws at shops and work sites.Bahrain source
September 14 – The European Central Bank (ECB) raises eurozone interest rates to an all-time high of 4%, amid ongoing inflationary pressures across the continent.source
October 4 – Trinidad and Tobago launches an auction for 13 shallow-water oil and gas blocks, introducing fiscal incentives to attract bidders.Trinidad and Tobago source
17 October - Kaïs Saïed asked Minister of Finance Sihem Boughdiri to assume the portfolio of interim Minister of Economy and Planning following the dismissal of Samir Saïed from the position.Tunisia source
21 December - Angola leaves OPEC after disagreements about crude oil production quotas. The price of oil falls by over $1 as a result.Angola source
The best-selling video game in 2023 was Hogwarts Legacy.source

Technology & Infrastructure

4 January – ZESCO, Zambia's largest power company, announces increased power cuts from six hours to twelve hours as a result of lower water levels at the Kariba Dam between Zambia and Zimbabwe.Zambia source
February 28 – A train crash in Thessaly, Greece, kills 57 people and injures dozens. The crash leads to nationwide protests and strikes against the condition of Greek railways and their mismanagement.source
3 March – First match day of the 2023 Brunei Super League was played.Brunei source
March 14 – OpenAI launches GPT-4, a large language model for ChatGPT, which can respond to images and can process up to 25,000 words.source
June 6 – Russo-Ukrainian war: The Nova Kakhovka dam in the Russian-controlled region of Kherson is destroyed, threatening the region with devastating floodwaters.source
June 14 – Scientists report the creation of the first synthetic human embryo from stem cells, without the need for sperm or egg cells.source
25 June – 2023 Guatemala City mayoral electionGuatemala source
July 14 – SAG-AFTRA announces it will begin a strike against the major film and TV studios in protest of low compensation, ownership of work, and generative AI.source
18 July – The National Initiative for Agricultural Development (NIAD) has completed the second phase of the "Forever Green" afforestation campaign, launched by Princess Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, to address climate challenges and achieve zero neutrality by 2060. The campaign planted over 50,814 trees and shrubs in various projects.Bahrain source
12 September – Police launch an investigation after discovering a tunnel from an apartment to a Podgorica court depot holding seized drugs and evidence.Montenegro source
September 20 – Archaeologists in Zambia find the world's oldest wooden structure, dating back 476,000 years, consisting of two interlocking wooden logs connected by a notch securing one perpendicular to the other.source
September 21 – Rupert Murdoch announces his retirement and passes his businesses on to his son Lachlan. Murdoch led News Corp and Fox, and formerly Sky Group.source
September 21 – BP and Shell reach an agreement with the Trinidad and Tobago government to explore three deepwater offshore blocks for hydrocarbon production, following Cabinet approval.Trinidad and Tobago source
4–8 September – The Africa Food Systems Forum 2023 Summit is held, in Dar es Salaam, on sustainable agriculture and food security.Tanzania source
October 17 – Whoosh, the first high speed rail in Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and the Southern Hemisphere, opens.source
November 1 – The first AI Safety Summit takes place in the United Kingdom, with 28 countries signing a "world first agreement" on how to manage the riskiest forms of artificial intelligence.source
25 November – Anti-mining activists gather outside Panama’s Supreme Court in Panama City as deliberations begin on constitutional challenges to First Quantum Minerals’ contract for the Cobre Panamá mine.Panama source

Science & Discovery

January 23 – Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy Minister Stuart Young proposes the creation of a Caribbean energy alliance with Guyana and Suriname during an energy conference in Port of Spain.Trinidad and Tobago source
1 February – Jamaica implements the Road Traffic Act 2018 and a digitised Traffic Ticket Management System; pre-2018 tickets are nullified, and points for later tickets are expunged if paid.Jamaica source
10 February – A Russian missile launched as part of an attack against Ukrainian infrastructure crosses the airspace of Moldova.Moldova source
March 20 – The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releases the synthesis report of its Sixth Assessment Report on climate change.source
25 March: Russian President Vladimir Putin announces that Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus by July. The nuclear missiles will be operated by Russian forces. It will be the first time that Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed abroad since 1996.Belarus source
April 20 – SpaceX's Starship rocket, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, launches for the first time in a test flight from Texas. It explodes four minutes after launch.source
May 14 – The 49th G7 summit takes place in Hiroshima, Japan. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Japan on the second day of the summit.source
August 1 – Global warming: The world's oceans reach a new record high temperature of 20.96 °C, exceeding the previous record in 2016. July is also the hottest month on record for globally averaged surface air temperatures by a considerable margin (0.3 °C).source
August 23 – India's Chandrayaan-3 becomes the first spacecraft to land near the south pole of the Moon, carrying a lunar lander named Vikram and a lunar rover named Pragyan.source
30 August – Sherine Hussain of Bahrain sets a world sub-junior record with a remarkable deadlift of 156.5 kilograms.Bahrain source
September 2 – The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launches Aditya-L1, India's first solar observation mission.source
20 September – The oldest known wooden structure, a 476,000 year old log structure, is discovered at the Kalambo Falls in Zambia according to a study from the Nature journal.Zambia source
October 11 – ExxonMobil announces it will acquire Pioneer Natural Resources for US$65 billion, the first of two major energy industry acquisitions of the month. The second occurs less than two weeks later on 23 October, where Hess announces it will be acquired by Chevron for $50 billion.source
November 17 – The global average temperature temporarily exceeds 2 °C above the pre-industrial average for the first time in recorded history.source
November 23 – CENTCOM reports that the USS Thomas Hudner has shot down "multiple" Israel-bound attack drones launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen over the Red Sea. No injuries or damage are reported.Lebanon source
December 6 – Google DeepMind releases the Gemini Language Model. Gemini will act as a foundational model integrated into Google's existing tools, including Search and Bard.source
16 December – The Royal Navy's HMS Diamond shoots down a drone launched from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen over the Red Sea using a Sea Viper missile.Yemen source

Health & Medicine

2 January – Malawi have suspended schools opening in Lilongwe and Blantyre following a cholera outbreak, which has killed 595 people so far. Nineteen people died on New Year's Eve alone.Malawi source
March 23 – World Athletics, the global governing body for athletics, bans trans women who have gone through male puberty from competing in female events.source
March 24–27 – A tornado outbreak kills at least 26 people in Mississippi and Alabama. This includes a violent tornado which devastated the city of Rolling Fork and the town of Silver City in Mississippi, killing 16 people and injuring 165 others.source
March 31 – April 1 – A historic and widespread tornado outbreak occurs in the United States, killing 33 people, injuring more than 218 others, and caused over $5.4 billion in damage. This tornado outbreak produced 147 tornadoes, making it the third-largest tornado outbreak in history.source
6 April – The Gambia confirms a case of bird flu.Gambia source
April 24 – India surpasses China as most populous country.source
April 25 – A mass cult suicide is uncovered in Shakahola forest in Kenya. 429 followers of the Good News International Ministries are found in shallow graves throughout the forest, with over 613 people missing.source
May 5 – The World Health Organization ends its declaration of COVID-19 being a global health emergency, but continues to refer to it as a pandemic.source
May 11 – The World Health Organization ends its declaration of mpox being a global health emergency.source
3 June – The EU imposes punitive measures on Kosovo for failing to reduce tensions in the north, including exclusion from high-level meetings and suspension of pre-accession funds until 2024.Kosovo source
July 2022 - May 2023: 2022–23 Liga Nacional de GuatemalaGuatemala source
August 21 – Saudi Arabia is accused of mass killing hundreds of African migrants attempting to cross its border with Yemen.source
4 September – Thousands of protestors gather in Skopje over allegations that patients at a state cancer hospital missed life-saving treatment because staff were stealing the drugs to sell on the black market.North Macedonia source
12 October – International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva confirms that Zambia, the first African nation to default following the COVID-19 pandemic, has agreed to a debt agreement with foreign creditors, concerning US$6.3 billion of its debt.Zambia source
October 17 – An explosion occurs at the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, where displaced Palestinians are taking refuge. Many fatalities are reported, but estimates vary significantly, from 100 to as many as 471, depending on the source.source
November 9 – U.S. surgeons at NYU Langone Health announce the world's first whole eye transplant.source
30 November – Montenegro postpones its population census to 3 December after the opposition threats to boycott the headcount.Montenegro source
December 6: A Malian health director said that Dengue fever was on the rise in the country, with 21 deaths and 600 cases of the disease counted days earlier.Mali source

Crime & Justice

9 January – Prague's municipal court acquitted Andrej Babiš of charges of subsidy fraud.Czech Republic source
20 February – A Rescue mission begins after a number of foreign citizens and local guides are kidnapped in a remote region of the country.Papua New Guinea source
5 March - A group of four prisoners escape from the Nouakchott Civil Prison.Mauritania source
March 17 – The International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for Russian president Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, marking the first arrest warrant against a leader of a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.source
11 April – Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera pardons 200 prisoners, including a former minister convicted of corruption, his office says.Malawi source
May 3 – A school shooting occurs in Belgrade, Serbia. A second mass murder occurs the next day near Mladenovac and Smederevo. These events leave 19 people dead, causing the government to increase regulations on gun ownership and mass anti-government protests to begin.source
August 10 – Tapestry, the holding company of Coach New York and Kate Spade, announces it will acquire Michael Kors' Capri Holdings, which also owns Versace and Jimmy Choo.source
8 September – Greece and North Macedonia, alongside the European Centre for Byzantine Monuments, sign a deal to save Byzantine frescoes from the 12th century. The fresco paintings were found inside St George's church in North Macedonia and are an example of Byzantine art in the Balkan region.North Macedonia source
September 9 – At the 18th G20 summit in New Delhi, the African Union is announced as the 21st permanent member of the G20.source
September 28 - The landmark Sycamore Gap Tree, beside Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, is illegally felled. A 16-year-old boy is subsequently arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.source
October 3 – Sam Bankman-Fried, an American entrepreneur and founder of cryptocurrency exchange company FTX, is put on trial and later convicted on 7 charges of fraud and conspiracy. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 28, 2024.source
October 25 – 40-year-old Robert Card shoots and kills 18 people at two locations in Lewiston, Maine, making it one of the deadliest spree shootings in U.S. history.source
4 November – Guinean commando forces forcefully remove former president Moussa Dadis Camara and several other officials from a central prison in Conakry amid gunfire. Camara is later taken back into police custody shortly after the alleged kidnapping attempt.Guinea source
December 15: An ECOWAS court orders former President Mohamed Bazoum to be freed from arrest and reinstated as president.Niger source
20 December: Dési Bouterse, former president of Suriname, is sentenced to 20 years in prison for the December murders of 1982.Suriname source
December 21 – The European Court of Justice rules that threats by FIFA and UEFA to sanction football clubs that wish to join the European Super League are unlawful.source
December 21 – The deadliest mass shooting in the Czech Republic's history occurs at a Prague university, with 15 killed, including the perpetrator, and 25 others wounded.source

Disasters & Accidents

8 January – Kaffrine bus crash: Two buses collide near Gniby in the Kaffrine Region, killing 40 and injuring 101. The government declares three days of mourning and introduces road safety measures.Senegal source
January 15 – Yeti Airlines Flight 691 crashes during final approach into Pokhara, Nepal, killing all 72 people on board.source
January 18 – A helicopter crash in Brovary near Kyiv, Ukraine kills 14 people including Ukrainian Minister of Internal Affairs Denys Monastyrsky.source
February 3 – A Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derails in East Palestine, Ohio. Multiple train cars burn for more than two days, followed by emergency crews conducting a controlled burn of several additional cars, releasing hydrogen chloride and phosgene into the atmosphere.source
April 15 – Nuclear power in Germany ends after 50 years, with the closure of the final power plants.source
June 2 – A train collision in Odisha, India results in at least 296 deaths and more than 1,200 others injured.source
June 14 – At least 82 people die and 500 are reported missing after a boat carrying migrants capsizes off the coast of the Peloponnese.source
19 June – At least two people were confirmed dead, and many others injured in a stampede during a qualifier game for the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations in Cotonou, Benin.Benin source
August 6 – Demnate bus crash. A minibus carrying 24 passengers overturned on a bend and plunged off a ravine at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, killing everyone on board.Morocco source
August 16 – The death toll from the August 14 explosion in San Cristobal rises to 13 after two more bodies are found.Dominican Republic source
August 17 – A Beechcraft 390 Premier I business jet crashes onto an expressway interchange near Elmina, Selangor, Malaysia, killing 10 people.source
23 August – 2023 Wagner Group plane crash.Russia source
19 September – A bus carrying 30 passengers plunges into a ravine on the road between Budva and Cetinje, killing two people and seriously injuring nine others.Montenegro source
September 23: An Ilyushin Il-76 military transport plane reportedly linked to the Wagner Group crashed in Gao International Airport after exceeding the runway.Mali source
October 22: A fuel truck explosion in Tirmini killed six people and injured about 30. The explosion occurred after a fuel truck collided with another vehicle.Niger source
28 November –The Supreme Court declares the law granting First Quantum Minerals a mining contract for the Cobre Panamá mine unconstitutional, after which President Laurentino Cortizo announced that the mine would be closed.Panama source

Climate & Environment

4 January – Severe flooding is reported in the north of the country.Republic of the Congo source
8 January – A 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes offshore near Sanma, Vanuatu.Vanuatu source
January 10–17 – A cold snap in Afghanistan kills 166 people and nearly 80,000 livestock.source
16 January – 1 February – Cyclone Cheneso kills at least 33 people.Madagascar source
January 27 – Widespread unrest erupts in Israel following an Israeli military raid in Jenin the previous day, which killed nine Palestinians. Incendiary air balloons are launched into Israeli-populated areas following it. Israel responds with targeted airstrikes. Later the same day, seven Jewish civilians are killed in a synagogue in Neve Yaakov in a terrorist attack.source
February 4 – Cyclone Freddy forms in the Indian Ocean. It would become the longest lasting tropical cyclone in history and cause over 1,400 deaths and countless injuries and property damage across southeastern Africa.source
February 6 – A 7.8 Mww earthquake strikes southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria followed by a 7.7 Mww aftershock on the same day, causing widespread damage and at more than 59,000 fatalities and 121,000 injured.source
March 11 – Cyclone Freddy hits Mozambique, causing floods, infrastructure damage, and at least five deaths.Mozambique source
29 March – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad reshuffles the government's cabinet amid an increase in prices and shortages of food due to the severe economic situation the country, which was worsened by the recent earthquake.Syria source
3 April – 2023 Papua New Guinea earthquake: A 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea, killing eight people, injuring several others, and causing damage.Papua New Guinea source
May 3 – 2023 Manipur violence: Ethnic violence erupts in the state of Manipur between the Kuki and Meitei people.source
May 4 – A series of floods and landslides strikes villages in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, resulting in over 400 deaths.source
May 9 – Cyclone Mocha forms in the Indian Ocean, killing over 400 people and injuring over 700 as it strikes Myanmar and Bangladesh.source
8 June – Heavy rainfall in Savai'i, causes widespread flooding and infrastructure damage.Samoa source
July 19 – Typhoon Doksuri forms in the eastern Pacific Ocean, going on to kill 137 people in Southeast Asia.source
July 23 – 2023 Greece wildfires: Tens of thousands of tourists flee Rhodes, Greece, amid wildfires and a major heatwave, in what officials say is the largest evacuation in the country's history.source
August 16–21 – Hurricane Hilary, a Category 4 Pacific Hurricane, strikes the Baja California peninsula and later causes record flooding in Southern California.source
August 21 – 2023 Canadian wildfires: 68% of the Northwest Territories are forced to evacuate to other parts of the country due to wildfires.source
August 30 – The death toll from torrential rains in Tajikistan rises to 21, as flooding, landslides, and mudflows affect towns near Dushanbe.Tajikistan source
September 8 – 2023 Marrakesh–Safi earthquake: A 6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes Marrakesh–Safi province in western Morocco, killing at least 2,960 people and damaging historic buildings.source
September 10 – Storm Daniel, a Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone, kills at least 5,000 people, with a further 10,000 to 100,000 reported missing. In the city of Derna in Libya, two dams collapse, resulting in a quarter of the city being destroyed.source
October 7 – A series of earthquakes occur in Herat Province in Afghanistan, killing over 1,000 people and injuring nearly 2,000, with tremors felt in Iran and Turkmenistan. The earthquakes are the deadliest in the country since 1998.source
October 13 – After British regulators' approval, Microsoft closes its US$68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.source
October 25 – Hurricane Otis, an eastern Pacific tropical cyclone, makes landfall in Mexico near Acapulco, leaving at least 80 dead. It is the most powerful Eastern Pacific hurricane to make landfall in Mexico, with the highest winds reaching 165 mph, surpassing Hurricane Patricia's landfall in 2015.source

Culture & Society

February 1 – February 11: 2022 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco.Morocco source
24 February – 2023 Vaimauga 3 by-electionSamoa source
March 8–21 – The 2023 World Baseball Classic is held in, and won by, Japan.source
20 March – Beginning of 2023 SAFF U-17 Women's Championship which could last till 28 March. Bhutan ended on final position in 2023 SAFF U-17 Women's Championship.Bhutan source
23 April: 2023 Paraguayan general electionParaguay source
6 May – Coronation of Charles III as King of Papua New Guinea and the other Commonwealth realms. Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae attend the ceremony in London.Papua New Guinea source
May 9–13 – The Eurovision Song Contest 2023 is held in Liverpool, UK. Swedish contestant Loreen wins with the song "Tattoo".source
13 July – Religious leaders in Lilongwe march against same sex-marriage ahead of a constitutional court hearing brought by Jana Gonani.Malawi source
July 14–30 – The 2023 World Aquatics Championships took place in Fukuoka, Japan. Léon Marchand broke the world record in the men's 400-meter individual medley, which was previously held by Michael Phelps.source
July 20–August 20 – The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is held in Australia and New Zealand. In the final, Spain wins 1–0 against England.source
July 23 – Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard wins the Tour de France for the second consecutive time.source
July: Ivory Coast at the 2023 World Aquatics ChampionshipsIvory Coast source
September 8 – October 28 – The 2023 Rugby World Cup is held in France and is won by South Africa who beat New Zealand in the final at the Stade de France, claiming a record fourth Rugby World Cup title.source
October 5 – November 19 – The 2023 Cricket World Cup is held in India, with Australia defeating India in the final.source
November 1–2 — All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day are celebrated in both the Christian and Haitian Vodou religion.Haiti source
The highest-grossing movie in 2023 was Barbie.source

Deaths

January 9 – Juliaca massacre: At least 18 people are killed and over 100 others are injured when the Peruvian National Police fire upon demonstrations in Juliaca.source
April 11 – Myanmar civil war: In the village of Pazigyi, at least 165 people are killed by the Myanmar Air Force during the opening celebrations of a People's Defence Force administration office.source
April 19 – At least 90 people are killed and another 322 injured in a crowd crush during a Ramadan charity event in Sanaa, Yemen.source
May 24 – Tina Turner, 83, American-born Swiss Hall of Fame singer ("River Deep – Mountain High", "What's Love Got to Do with It") and actress (Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome), eight-time Grammy winner.source
June 12 – Silvio Berlusconi, 86, Italian politician, three-time prime minister, MP (1994–2013, since 2022) and twice MEP, leukemia.source
June 13 – At least 106 people are killed when a wedding boat capsizes on the Niger River in Kwara State, Nigeria.source
June 18 – Titan submersible implosion: All five crew members of Titan, a deep-sea submersible exploring the wreck of the Titanic, are killed following a catastrophic implosion of the vessel.source
June 20 – At least 46 people are killed after a riot between MS-13 and Barrio 18 gang members at a women's prison near Tegucigalpa, Honduras.source
July 30 – 63 people are killed and over 200 are injured after a suicide bombing occurs in Khar, Pakistan; the Islamic State – Khorasan Province claims responsibility for the attack.source
August 8 – 2023 Hawaii wildfires: 17,000 acres of land are burned and at least 101 people are killed, with two others missing, when a series of wildfires break out on the island of Maui in Hawaii.source
August 23 – Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder Dmitry Utkin and eight others are killed when their plane crashes in Russia.source
August 31 – 2023 Johannesburg building fire: 77 people are killed and more than 85 are injured in a fire in a building that had been taken over by gangs who rented it out to squatters.source
September 25 – An estimated 170 people are killed and over 300 are injured during an explosion at a gas station in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh.source
25 September – Obie Wilchcombe, 64, politician.Bahamas source
7 October - 2023 Herat earthquakes: At least 2,445 people are killed and 9,240 others are injured when two magnitude 6.3 earthquakes strike Herat Province.Afghanistan source
20 November: Ten people are killed during a gold mine collapse in Suriname.Suriname source
November 29 – Henry Kissinger, 100, German-born American diplomat and politician, national security advisor (1969–1975), secretary of state (1973–1977) and Nobel Prize laureate (1973), heart failure.source
12 December – Two soldiers are killed by an improvised explosive device while riding a motorcycle in Karimama, Alibori.Benin source
23 December - Iván Almeida, 45, football player (Sportivo Patria) and manager (Sportivo Trinidense, Resistencia).Paraguay source