2023 has been a busy year in terms of attacks, protests, and Elon Musk converting Twitter into X, as mentioned before, this year has been a busy one globally.
Here is the list of the top ten world events of the year that shook and amazed the world at the same time:
India overtakes China in population
India’s estimated population overtook that of China, becoming the world’s most populous country early this year. The UNFPA’s State of World Population Report 2023 confirmed that India’s estimated population was 142.86 crore, marginally ahead of China at 142.57 crore.
World and AI
AI aka Artificial intelligence in 2023, the technology based on so-called large-language models not only got better—the latest version of ChatGPT is reportedly ten times more advanced than its predecessor—governments, companies, and individuals moved quickly to exploit its potential.
This triggered heated debates over whether AI is unleashing a new era of human creativity and prosperity, or opening a Pandora’s box that will produce a nightmarish future.
Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria
Over 67,000 people were killed after a series of devastating tremors hit parts of Turkey and neighbouring Syria early on February 6.
Thousands of buildings tumbled down, trapping tens of thousands of residents. Most of the damage was done by the 7.8 and 7.7 magnitude quakes that struck Antakya within hours. It is estimated to be the largest earthquake in Turkey since 1939.
Lost Titan submersible
The Titan submersible carrying five people onboard imploded in the North Atlantic Ocean on June 18. The submersible was part of a deep sea extreme tourism mission to visit the 111-year-old wreckage of the Titanic more than 12,000 feet underwater. After days of gruelling search and rescue mission, officials confirmed that a debris field was found around 500m away from the bow of the Titanic that was consistent with that of the 22-foot submersible.
Ongoing Israel-Hamas war
The ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has killed nearly 20,000 Palestinians, wounded tens of thousands more, and displaced 90% of the 2.3 million residents of the besieged enclave. The current conflict was triggered by the surprise Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 Israelis were gunned down in their homes, at a music festival, and in other public places by militants who overcame the country’s famed security and intelligence measures. The attack left thousands wounded and over 240 others were taken hostage, of which about half have been released as a part of a temporary ceasefire earlier this month.
Historic SAG-AFTRA strike
From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors’ union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) was on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
As the longest strike in SAG-AFTRA history, its combined impact with the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike resulted in the loss of 45,000 jobs,[3] and “an estimated $6.5 billion” loss to the economy of Southern California.
