Retrospective 2023

Conflicts, tensions, and geopolitics

• On October 7, the Hamas attack on Israel triggers a full-scale war in the region.  
• Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine, with fierce fighting around the Dnieper River.  
• The Wagner Group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, briefly rebels against Moscow before its leader dies in a plane crash.  
• Finland officially joins NATO, while Sweden remains in waiting.  
• Iran and Saudi Arabia announce renewed diplomatic ties.  
• The African Union becomes a full member of the G20.  
• A devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria kills tens of thousands.  
• In Israel, Netanyahu’s government faces widespread protests over judicial reforms.

Politics and society

• Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron, Xi Jinping, Rishi Sunak, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Ali Khamenei, and Donald Trump remain central political figures.  
• In the US, Kevin McCarthy is elected Speaker of the House but later removed.  
• In France, protests against pension reform mobilize up to 22,000 security forces.  
• The European Union strengthens ties with India, Morocco, Colombia, Pakistan, and Spain.  
• The WHO continues monitoring global health concerns amid lingering tensions.  
• In Lebanon, the economic crisis deepens, highlighted by the collapse of the central bank.

Culture, film, and music

• Everything Everywhere All at Once sweeps the Oscars, with Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert winning Best Director.  
• Brendan Fraser and Michelle Yeoh win acting awards.  
• Anatomy of a Fall by Justine Triet wins the Palme d’Or at Cannes.  
• The Barbenheimer phenomenon (Barbie and Oppenheimer) dominates the global box office.  
• In music, Taylor Swift sells out stadiums worldwide; Lizzo (About Damn Time), Harry Styles (Harry’s House), and Bonnie Raitt (Just Like That) are honored at the Grammys.  
• “Now and Then”, a previously unreleased Beatles track, is finally released.  
• Notable deaths include Tina Turner, Sinéad O’Connor, Tony Bennett, Matthew Perry, Harry Belafonte, David Crosby, Gina Lollobrigida, Milan Kundera, Silvio Berlusconi.

Sports

• Max Verstappen dominates yet another Formula 1 season.  
• Manchester City achieves a historic treble: Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.  
• In the NBA, the Denver Nuggets are crowned champions; in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs.  
• In MLB, the Texas Rangers win the World Series; in the NHL, the Vegas Golden Knights take the Stanley Cup.  
• At the Rugby World Cup, South Africa defeats New Zealand to take the title.  
• In tennis, Carlos Alcaraz confirms his rise; Lionel Messi makes headlines in the US.  
• The Tour de France is won by Jonas Vingegaard; LeBron James becomes the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.

Science, technology, and environment

• SpaceX conducts multiple test flights in preparation for future manned missions to other planets.  
• The Titan submersible, on a tourist trip to the Titanic wreck, implodes in June.  
• OpenAI leads the way in generative AI, sparking global debates and regulatory concerns.  
• Apple and Walmart remain dominant players in the global economy.  
• Climate change takes center stage at COP28 in Dubai.  
• Disasters such as wildfires in Hawaii, flooding in India, and drought in Kenya highlight ongoing environmental emergencies.