2023 at a glance: Global edition
Here are some of the most notable news events that made 2023 a whirlwind of a year. Photo collage by EMI THOMAS, Staff Photographer
Many share the sentiment that since the pandemic, each year has been packed with a slew of major events. 2023 is no different. Here is 2023 at a glance, which includes global, national and California news.
January
On New Year’s Day, actor Jeremy Renner was injured after trying to stop his snow-removal tractor from colliding with his nephew.
Prince Harry’s controversial memoir titled, “SPARE,” was released on Jan. 10.
11 people were killed in a shooting at a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park, California.
February
Over 4,300 people were killed in a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that devastated Turkey and Syria on Feb. 6.
On Feb. 7, NBA Lakers star LeBron James broke the record for the most points scored in the regular season. James passed basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with an overall total of 38,387 points.
The Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 12. Rihanna also made her first performance debut after seven years at the halftime show.
March
Xi Jinping, the president of China, was awarded a third term.
Silicon Valley Bank collapsed on March 10.
Japan tasted victory in the World Baseball Classic Championship against team USA on March 21. Shohei Ohtani secured the win for Japan by striking out his MLB Angels teammate Mike Trout.
April
The state of Oklahoma was hit with a major storm that included several tornadoes.
Just outside the Acura Grand Prix, gunfire broke out in downtown Long Beach on April 16.
Disney sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on April 26. This comes after DeSantis signed a bill that reversed Disney’s long standing ability to self-govern the site of its Orlando amusement parks. Disney claimed that this bill was deliberate after Disney disagreed with DeSantis’ “Don’t Say Gay” bill in 2022.
May
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced their strike on May 2.
On May 6, Charles III and his wife Camilla were crowned king and queen of the United Kingdom at Westminster Abbey.
Music legend Tina Turner passed away on May 24 at the age of 83. The star was known for her captivating stage presence and bold voice, along with her hit song “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”
June
The Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat to become the 2023 NBA champions on June 12.
On June 18, the submersible, the Titan, imploded, before reaching the Titanic wreckage at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Five people were killed in the incident.
The U.S. Supreme Court terminated the affirmative action policy, meaning that colleges and universities in the country could no longer consider race as a factor in the admissions process.
July
The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced their strike on July 13.
Markéta Vondroušová and Carlos Alcaraz triumph in the Wimbledon tennis tournament in the women’s and men’s singles categories on July 15 and 16.
Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” films were both released on July 21, which sparked the “Barbenheimer” meme/phenomenon.
August
41 migrants were presumed dead after a boat sank off the coast of Italy on Aug. 4.
Wildfires devastated the Lahaina community on the Hawaiian island of Maui on Aug. 8.
On Aug. 23, three people were killed in a shooting at Cook’s Corner, a biker bar in Trabuco Canyon, California.
September
Azerbaijan recaptured Nagorno-Karabakh using military force, leading to over 100,000 ethnic Armenians fleeing the region.
President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. would provide $325 million to Ukraine to fund its military efforts against Russia.
The WGA reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on Sep. 25, after 146 days of striking.
Diane Feinstein, the first female senator of California, passed away on Sept. 29. Feinstein had also made history as the first female mayor of San Francisco in 1978.
October
On Oct. 7, the militant group Hamas launched a surprise, terrorist attack on Israelis celebrating a Jewish holiday. The Israeli government reacted with airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, igniting the Israel-Hamas War.
On Oct. 17, at a speed of 104 mph, a driver killed four Pepperdine University seniors who were pedestrians.
Actor Matthew Perry, known for his role as Chandler Bing in the TV show “Friends,” passed away on Oct. 28.
November
The Texas Rangers are crowned MLB World Series champions after defeating the Diamondbacks on Nov. 1.
After 118 days of striking, SAG-AFTRA reached a tentative deal with AMPTP on Nov. 8.
The Israeli government and Hamas agree on a temporary ceasefire. Hamas released hostages in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by the Israeli government.
December
On Dec. 1, Sandra Day O’Connor passed away at the age of 93, losing her fight with dementia. O’Connor was the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court and served for 25 years.
War continues between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. On Dec. 4, Israel’s military troops pushed further into Gaza, in Khan Younis.
A shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) claimed three lives on Dec. 6.
MLB powerhouse Shohei Ohtani announced his 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Dec. 9. Ohtani is now the highest-paid athlete in professional sports history with his new contract of $700 million.
Marvel actor Jonathan Majors, known for his role as “Kang the Conqueror” and variants of the character in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and both seasons of “Loki,” was found guilty of misdemeanor assault and harassment against his ex-girlfriend by a jury on Dec. 18. The same day, Marvel Studios fired the actor.
On Dec. 22, the United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution to provide more humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians throughout the Gaza Strip. 13 countries voted in favor of the resolution, with the U.S. and Russia abstaining.
