2023 was a wildly newsworthy year — both close to home and around the world.
The year was marked with two wars overseas — the continuing war in Ukraine started in 2022 by Russia, and the war between Hamas and Israel in the Middle East. As the war in the Ukraine has dragged on to a virtual stalemate, Putin’s forces have been decimated and Ukraine’s resources have begun to dwindle. Ukraine’s support amongst Western allies has begun to wane, particularly in the United States. Members of Congress (particularly Republicans) began to express frustration at the lack of progress and have threatened to withhold funding for Ukraine’s defense.
The war in the Middle East started with an attack and atrocities committed by Hamas, with hostages taken and hundreds of Israelis killed. Israel launched rockets into the West Bank and Gaza, killing thousands. In November, a cease-fire was brokered in order to get hostages released, with some success. The war also brought protests in the U.S. as pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian activists swarmed colleges and Washington D.C., and accusations of anti-Semitism and anti-Arab sentiment thrown around, leading some to violent acts. As of December, both wars were still being waged, with no end in sight.
In other parts of the world, South America also had political and social upheaval as pro-Bolsonaro supporters stormed government buildings in January to protest his election loss. Bolsonaro challenged the validity of the election, despite no evidence of election fraud. In Peru, anti-government protests turned violent, prompting the government to close down cultural sites. The president of Peru attempted to dissolve the government to avoid impeachment proceedings. A crisis erupted in Venezuela as its president Maduro mobilized the country’s army, announcing the annexation of a part of neighboring Guyana that is rich in oil. For the past few years, Venezuela has suffered hyper-inflation and political upheaval. Argentina elected right-wing populist Javier Milei as its president, as he promised to “reconstruct” the inflation-wracked nation.
On the African continent, civil war broke out in Sudan in April, sending foreign visitors fleeing for their lives. A Kenyan minister convinced followers to starve themselves to death in order to get to Jesus sooner. Nearly 100 bodies were found on the church’s property and many others fled after officials entered the compound to rescue the rest of the followers. Over 75 people died when a fire swept through a building in Johannesburg, South Africa in August.
In Europe, the United Kingdom crowned King Charles III in a tradition-rich ceremony. In France, protests over raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 turned violent. In Greece, 36 people were killed when a freight train and passenger train collided.
Closer to home. Canadian wildfires swept through the provinces, surpassing the record set in 1989 for total area burned. Smoke from the fires drifted as far south as the Midwest (including Indiana) and the northeast. In August, wildfires in Maui, Hawaii, destroyed historic villages and threatened the traditional way of life for many. On the other end of the weather spectrum, torrential downpours in Libya washed away entire neighborhoods. Heavy rain fell in the northeast in July, flooding communities in New York’s Hudson Valley, Pennsylvania, Vermont, and other states. In June and July, the south and southwest saw a dangerous heat wave. Much of the violent weather in the summer was attributed to El Nino in the Pacific altering weather patterns. Tropical Storm Hilary struck the southern California region in August in a rare weather event — the same storm devastated parts of Mexico and sent thousands fleeing floodwaters. In late August, hurricane Idalia hit the west coast of Florida with Category 3 winds, then worked its way through Georgia and other states, dumping heavy rains and high winds in the region. In October, a “super fog” enveloped New Orleans and caused a traffic pileup involving at least 158 vehicles and killing 7. Also in October, Hurricane Otis killed at least 27 people in Mexico as it churned through Acapulco. In December, severe storms and tornadoes killed at least six people and destroyed homes in Tennessee. A big winter storm caused travel headaches and damage as it made its way up the east coast of the United States.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Syria and Turkey in February, causing over 55,000 deaths. A series of large tremors shook the region, causing further damage and death. A tsunami followed, striking the coast of Syria. Rescuers frantically tried to find survivors under the rubble for weeks after the first quake. In September, Morocco experienced a 6.8 earthquake that killed over 2,900 people. Afghanistan was hit by a powerful earthquake that killed hundreds in October.
In the January 5, 2024 issue, we’ll cover U.S. and Indiana events from the past year and a list of notable passings.