Portal:Current events/December 2023
December 2023 was the twelfth and final month of that common year. The month, which began on a Friday, ended on a Sunday after 31 days.
Portal:Current events[edit]
This is an archived version of Wikipedia's Current events Portal from December 2023.
December 1, 2023 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israel–Hamas ceasefire
- The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas ends when a deadline expires on the seventh day. Mediator Qatar says that efforts are ongoing to renew the ceasefire and expressed regret over the resumption of Israeli bombardments. (AP)
- More than 180 Palestinians are killed and hundreds more are injured by Israeli airstrikes on different parts of the Gaza Strip, including the community of Abasan al-Kabira and a home northwest of Gaza City. (Al Jazeera) (AP)
- Aid is stranded near Egypt’s border with Gaza, with truck drivers saying they expected further delays to a complex delivery process that had briefly speeded up during the weeklong truce. (Al Jazeera)
- Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)
- Israeli shelling kills a woman and her son in Hula in southern Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
- Hundreds of Malawians travel to Israel to work as farm labourers. Kondwani Nankhumwa, leader of the Democratic Progressive Party, has questioned the secrecy of the deal amidst the governments awareness of the ongoing war. (Al Jazeera)
- 2023 Israel–Hamas ceasefire
- Iraqi conflict
- Kurdish–Turkish conflict
- The Turkish Air Force launches airstrikes on Kurdistan Workers' Party positions in northern Iraq, reportedly destroying 16 of their targets and killing a number of separatist militants. (Reuters)
- At least eleven civilians are killed in an attack by an armed group in Miqdadiyah, Diyala Governorate, Iraq. No group has claimed responsibility. (AP)
- Kurdish–Turkish conflict
- Moro conflict
- Eleven Dawla Islamiyah and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters militants are killed during a raid by the Philippine Army in Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Maguindanao del Sur. (AP)
- Myanmar civil war
- Allied Karenni rebel groups and local PDF forces launch attacks on junta bases in Kawkareik, Karen State. (The Irrawaddy)
- Somali Civil War
- The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) lifts an arms embargo on the Somali Armed Forces and the Somali government, while continuing sanctions against the al-Shabaab jihadist group. (AFP via The Defense Post)
- War in Sudan
- The UNSC adopts a resolution to end the mandate of its United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) by December 3. (Radio Dabanga)
Arts and culture
- For his role in the film Passages, Franz Rogowski is honored by the New York Film Critics Circle as best leading actor of the year. (Der Spiegel) (Variety)
Business and economy
International relations
- 2023 Guyana–Venezuela crisis
- 2023 Venezuelan referendum
- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) orders Venezuela to refrain from any action that would alter the status quo in Guayana Esequiba ahead of a referendum on its rights to the disputed territory, but does not forbid Venezuela from going ahead with the referendum as Guyana requested. (Reuters)
- 2023 Venezuelan referendum
- Child abductions in the Russo-Ukrainian War
- The International Committee of the Red Cross suspends the Belarus Red Cross after its Secretary General Dzmitry Shautsou refuses to resign following statements that the organization was involved in bringing Ukrainian children to Belarus for health improvement purposes. (AP) (Nasha Niva)
- Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- The Philippine Coast Guard establishes a surveillance station on the disputed Thitu Island in the South China Sea. (AP)
Law and crime
- Crime in Los Angeles
- A serial killer is suspected of having fatally shot three homeless men during the past week in Los Angeles, California, United States. (ABC News)
Politics and elections
- 118th United States Congress
- George Santos is expelled from the United States House of Representatives over criminal corruption charges and accusations of misspending campaign money. (Reuters)
- 2023 Malagasy presidential election
- Madagascar's supreme court confirms Andry Rajoelina's election as president after dismissing several challenges against the provisional results. (Reuters)
Science and technology
- South Korea launches its first military reconnaissance satellite from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, United States, carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. (AFP via SCMP)
December 2, 2023 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- More than 190 Palestinians are killed and hundreds more are wounded by Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, including Khan Younis in the south. (Al Jazeera)
- The United Nations say the fighting will worsen the extreme humanitarian emergency in Gaza. UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said that the people of Gaza had nowhere safe to go and very little to survive on. (Al Jazeera)
- The United States provides BLU-109 bunker buster bombs and other munitions to Israel. Similar bombs made by the US were used by Israel in the Jabalia refugee camp airstrikes, including a strike that levelled an apartment block, killing more than 100 people. (Al Jazeera)
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Islamic terrorism in Europe, Terrorism in France
- 2023 Paris attack
- One person is killed and two others are injured in a knife and hammer attack near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. The suspect is arrested by police. (Reuters)
- 2023 Paris attack
- Moro conflict
- Bomb maker Mundi Sawadjaan, a leader of Abu Sayyaf and suspect in the 2020 suicide bombings in Sulu, is killed by security forces during a military operation in Basilan, Philippines. (The Star)
- Spillover of the Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Chilas bus shooting
- Eight people are killed and 26 others injured in a mass shooting against a bus on the Karakoram Highway near the town of Chilas, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)
- Chilas bus shooting
Business and economy
- The cooling tower of the decommissioned Voerde power station in NRW, Germany is blown up. (NRZ) (RWE) (WDR)
Disasters and accidents
- December 2023 Mindanao earthquake
- A person is killed when a 7.5 magnitude earthquake strikes off the coast of Mindanao, Philippines. Tsunami warnings are issued for the Philippines and Japan, but are later lifted. (Reuters)
Politics and elections
- Al-Qadir Trust case
- The Pakistan Movement for Justice party appoints Gohar Ali Khan as its new chairman, replacing party founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who remains detained on various charges. (AFP via The Daily Star)
- Human rights in Ukraine
- Ukraine's security service stops former president Petro Poroshenko from leaving the country. Poroshenko's political party, European Solidarity, said he had scheduled meetings in Poland and the United States. (Reuters via France 24)
December 3, 2023 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- At least 700 Palestinians have been killed during the last 24 hours by Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. Rights groups object to Israel's increased attacks in southern Gaza, which Israel had declared as a "safe zone". (Al Jazeera)
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- The USS Carney and multiple civilian-owned commercial ships are attacked by the Houthis in the Red Sea. At least three cargo ships are hit by missiles, according to the United States Central Command. (The Washington Post) (The Drive)
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Iraqi conflict
- 2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria
- A CJTF-OIR drone strike kills five militants near Kirkuk, Iraq, in response to rocket and drone attacks on U.S. and coalition forces. (Al Arabiya)
- 2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria
- Kivu conflict
- The East African Community's task force begins withdrawing from North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, after the country refused to renew the force's mandate. (AFP via France 24)
- Moro conflict, Terrorism in the Philippines
- Mindanao State University bombing
- Four people are killed and around 50 others are injured in a bombing during a Catholic Mass at Mindanao State University in Marawi, Bangsamoro, Philippines. The Islamic State claims responsibility for the bombing. (Reuters)
- Mindanao State University bombing
Business and economy
- Alaska Airlines announces their intent to acquire Hawaiian Airlines in a deal worth $1.9 billion. The new company will maintain separate operations for both brands. (Honolulu Star-Advertiser)
Disasters and incidents
- 2023 Africa floods
- At least 47 people are killed and 85 others are injured by landslides caused by flooding in Katesh, Manyara, Tanzania. (AFP via Arab News)
Health and environment
- 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference
- COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber dismisses proposals for a fossil fuel phase-out, with some attendees accusing Al Jaber of climate change denial. (The Guardian)
International relations
- Cambodia–China relations
- China's People's Liberation Army Navy warships become the first foreign naval vessels to dock at the Ream Naval Base in Cambodia. (AP)
- Islamist insurgency in the Sahel
- Burkina Faso and Niger announce their withdrawal from the G5 Sahel security alliance, citing its failure to make the Sahel region safer. (BBC News)
Law and crime
- Crime in New York City
- A man kills four of his family members and injures another in a mass stabbing in Queens, New York City, United States. He also injures two responding police officers before they shoot him dead. (CNN)
Politics and elections
- 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis
- 2023 Venezuelan referendum
- Venezuelans vote in a referendum on the territorial claim to Guayana Esequiba, which is disputed with Guyana. (BBC News)
- 2023 Venezuelan referendum
- 2023 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election
- Former Prime Minister Matata Ponyo Mapon withdraws his candidacy for president and endorses Katanga Governor Moïse Katumbi. (AFP via The Citizen)
- Human rights in Ukraine
- In an interview with Der Spiegel, Mayor of Kyiv Vitali Klitschko says that Ukraine is heading toward authoritarianism and that the President's Office views mayors as an impediment to power consolidation. (Kyiv Independent)
December 4, 2023 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- At least 316 Palestinians have been killed and 664 injured during the last 24 hours in the Gaza Strip. (Al Jazeera)
- Five Israeli soldiers are killed in clashes with Hamas, bringing the IDF's death toll to 80 since the ground invasion began. (Haaretz)
- The Palestinian telecoms company Paltel reports that telecommunication services have been cut off in the Gaza Strip as Israel intensifies its military operations. (Al Jazeera)
- United Nations shelters across Gaza record a spike in infectious diseases such as diarrhoea and skin infections, while only one hospital can take on complex surgery or critical trauma cases. One UN shelter in Gaza has also reported a hepatitis A outbreak on Friday. (Al Jazeera)
- Qatari prime minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani calls for an "immediate, comprehensive and impartial international investigation" into Israel’s military activities in Gaza. (Al Jazeera)
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Eastern Ukraine campaign
- Battle of Marinka
- The British Defense Ministry reports that Russia likely controls most of Marinka in Donetsk Oblast. (Kyiv Independent via Yahoo News)
- Battle of Marinka
- Foreign involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- The White House says that United States Congress funds designated for providing aid to Ukraine would run out by the end of the year, due to opposition from members of the Republican Party, in a letter made available to the public. (Al Jazeera)
- The Financial Times reports that the European Union is facing difficulties in agreeing on a new aid package, due to opposition from Hungary. (Al Jazeera)
- President of Bulgaria Rumen Radev vetoes a proposed agreement to provide Ukraine with armored vehicles, returning the agreement to parliament. (Kyiv Independent)
- Russian generals killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Voronezh Oblast governor Aleksandr Gusev announces the death of major general Vladimir Zavadsky, deputy commander of the 14th Army Corps, at his combat post in Ukraine. (Reuters)
- Eastern Ukraine campaign
- Nigerian bandit conflict
- Tudun Biri drone strike
- An army drone strike in Kaduna State mistakenly kills at least 85 civilians and injures 60 others during a Muslim festival. (AFP via France 24)
- Tudun Biri drone strike
Business and economy
- Gold prices reach a new peak of US$2,135.39 per ounce, surpassing the previous record from 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. (AFP via The Economic Times)
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 eruption of Mount Marapi
- Thirteen hikers are found dead and eleven others are missing after Mount Marapi's eruption in West Sumatra, Indonesia, on Sunday. (AFP via NDTV)
International relations
- Foreign relations of the European Union, Foreign relations of Niger
- Niger's goverment announces the termination of its military missions with the European Union, including EUCAP Sahel Niger, amidst closer ties with neighboring countries Mali and Burkina Faso. (AFP via Euractiv)
Politics and elections
- 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis
- 2023 Venezuelan referendum
- Voters in Venezuela approve the claim of sovereignty over Guayana Esequiba in a referendum. The National Electoral Council announces that more than 10.5 million votes were cast with 95% being in favour of Venezuelan sovereignty over the region. (The Guardian)
- 2023 Venezuelan referendum
- 2024 United States presidential election
- Guinea-Bissauan President Umaro Sissoco Embaló dissolves the National People's Assembly, citing an attempted coup d'état. (AFP via RFI)
December 5, 2023 (Tuesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Israeli troops and tanks enter Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip. Displaced families in the region are heading further south to Rafah, a town on the Egyptian border. (Reuters) (Al Jazeera)
- More than 100 people are killed in airstrikes near the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, as Israeli forces encircle the medical facility in use as a shelter. Witnesses say anyone attempting to leave was being shot at by Israeli snipers. (Al Jazeera)
- Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)
- A Lebanese soldier is killed and three others are injured by Israeli shelling in Odaisseh, southern Lebanon. (Reuters)
- At the Gulf Cooperation Council summit, Qatari prime minister Al Thani calls for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. (Al Jazeera)
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
Business and economy
- The DAX achieves a new record high, increasing by 0.78%, surpassing the previous record from July. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 eruption of Mount Marapi
- More bodies are found by rescuers on the slopes of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra, Indonesia, bringing the death toll from Sunday's volcanic eruption to 23. (AP)
- Seventeen people are killed when a bus falls into a ravine in Hamtic, Antique, Philippines. (AFP via Malay Mail)
- Fourteen people are killed and 32 others are injured when a double-decker bus veers off the road and crashes into a tree in Prachuap Khiri Khan, Thailand. (AP)
- Ten people are killed when a bus falls into a ravine after crashing into a bridge near Tegucigalpa, Honduras. (Reuters via The Straits Times)
- The Pacific Northwest of the United States experiences an atmospheric river, with record-breaking rainfall reported in Washington and Oregon. One person is killed by flooding in Portland, Oregon. (AP) (CNN)
Health and environment
- New Zealand conservationists announce the first birth of kiwi birds in the wild area around Wellington in over a century. (AFP via The Manila Times)
International relations
- Diplomatic impact of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israel–United States relations
- The U.S. State Department announces visa restrictions for extremist Israeli settlers involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. (AFP via RFI)
- Rwanda–United Kingdom relations
- Rwanda asylum plan
- Rwanda and the United Kingdom sign a treaty in Kigali, Rwanda, on the relocation of asylum seekers to Rwanda. The new treaty will also see British lawyers stationed in Rwandan courts. (BBC News)
- Rwanda asylum plan
Law and crime
- Arrest and trial of Alberto Fujimori
- The Constitutional Court of Peru orders the release of former President Alberto Fujimori, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence for crimes against humanity, reinstating a previously revoked pardon on humanitarian grounds. (AFP via France 24)
- Ecuadorian security crisis
- The National Assembly approves the Private Security and Surveillance Law, aimed at strengthening and regulating security companies to combat the country's rising crime rates. (Xinhua)
December 6, 2023 (Wednesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Sudan
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken accuses both sides of the conflict of committing war crimes, including crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. (CNN)
Disasters and accidents
- A landslide at a gold mine in Bolívar, Venezuela, kills 12 miners. (Reuters)
- A Guyana Defence Force helicopter goes missing while on a border operation near Venezuela. (Newsday)
Health and environment
- Authorities says that dengue fever is on the rise in Mali, as at least 21 deaths and 600 cases linked to the disease are reported. (AP)
International relations
- China–Italy relations
- Italy withdraws from China's Belt and Road Initiative. Both countries have indicated a desire to maintain open channels of political dialogue. (AFP via The Hindu)
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Foreign involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- The United States Senate blocks a supplemental funding bill that included financial aid for Ukraine. (The Guardian)
- International sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- 2022 Russian crude oil price cap sanctions
- Politico reports that efforts to cap Russia's oil revenues has essentially failed, due to widespread circumvention, loopholes and the ongoing fuel business. (Politico)
- In October, Russia earned $11.3 billion from oil exports, exceeding the amount earned prior to the start of the war. (Bloomberg)
- G7 nations agree to impose trade restrictions on non-industrial diamonds from Russia. (AFP via RFI)
- 2022 Russian crude oil price cap sanctions
- Foreign involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Law and crime
- 2023 University of Nevada, Las Vegas shooting
- Three people are killed and three others injured during a mass shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. The perpetrator is shot dead by police. (BBC News)
- Former People's Deputy of Ukraine Illia Kyva, who defected to Russia in March 2022, is found dead in Moscow Oblast. (Meduza)
- Four people are injured in a mass shooting on a shopping street in Brussels, Belgium. The incident is being investigated as a gang-related crime. (Politico)
Politics and elections
- 118th United States Congress
- Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy announces that he will resign from the United States House of Representatives at the end of the year. (CBS News)
- Rwanda asylum plan
- Robert Jenrick resigns as Minister of State for Immigration, citing disagreements with the UK government's asylum plan. (AFP via NDTV)
Science and technology
- Nuclear power in China
- China announces the world's first fourth-generation nuclear reactor has started commercial operations at the Shidao Bay Nuclear Power Plant. (Reuters)
Sports
- In association football, the Major League Soccer (MLS) fines Los Angeles FC $100,000 and suspended supporter group 3252 for engaging in misconduct including the lighting of illegal flares during the team match in the conference finals. (Los Angeles Times)
December 7, 2023 (Thursday)
Arts and culture
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 Guyana Defence Force helicopter crash
- The Guyanese government confirms that five military officers who were in a Bell 412EP helicopter that crashed near the border with Venezuela were killed and that two others survived the crash. The helicopter went missing on Wednesday during bad weather conditions. It is the deadliest incident in Guyanese military history. (AP)
- 2023 Mahé explosion
- The Seychelles declares a state of emergency after a large explosion in an industrial area on Mahé destroys commercial buildings and nearby residential housing, injuring people and also damaging the Seychelles International Airport. A separate state of emergency is also declared for ongoing floods in the country, which have killed at least three people. (Al Jazeera)
- A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA Strike Eagle crashes during a training mission in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, killing both pilots. (AP)
Law and crime
- Weiss special counsel investigation
- U.S. first son Hunter Biden is indicted on nine tax-related charges, three felonies and nine misdemeanors, in California. (AP)
- A 14-year-old girl opens fire at a school in Bryansk, Russia, killing one person and injuring five others before killing herself. (AP)
- The Danish Parliament votes to criminalize the desecration of religious texts after a series of Quran-burnings by far-right activists. (AFP via France 24)
- A woman tries to burn down the former residence of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park in Atlanta, Georgia, US, before bystanders intervene. (NPR)
December 8, 2023 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- The United States vetoes a United Nations Security Council draft resolution calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Thirteen other members voted in favor, while Britain abstained. (Reuters)
- The Gaza Antiquities Ministry reports that the Great Mosque of Gaza, the oldest mosque in the Gaza Strip, was destroyed by Israeli bombardment. (South China Morning Post)
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure
- Russia launches 19 cruise missiles from Tu-95s at Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, killing at least one civilian in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast and injuring several others. At least 14 missiles are intercepted. (Reuters)
- Military aid to Ukraine
- The Kiel Institute reports that pledges of aid to Ukraine have significantly decreased, reaching their lowest level since the beginning of the war. The amount of aid pledged to Ukraine has dropped by nearly 90% compared to the same period in 2022. (Al Jazeera)
- Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure
- Syrian civil war
- Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war
- Syria says that an Israeli airstrike killed four people in a vehicle in Madinat al-Baath, Quneitra Governorate. Local media reports that the victims were affiliated with Iran-backed militias. Shortly after the airstrike, rocket sirens are triggered in Israel's Galilee region. (The Jerusalem Post)
- Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war
Disasters and accidents
- Three people are killed and dozens are evacuated during a fire at a hospital in Tivoli, Lazio, Italy. (AP)
International relations
- 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis
- Amid growing border tensions between Guyana and Venezuela, the U.S. embassy in Guyana announces that the United States Southern Command will conduct joint flight operations with the Guyana Defence Force. (Reuters)
- Armenia–Azerbaijan relations
- Armenia and Azerbaijan agree to exchange prisoners of war and work towards a peace treaty to formally end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and normalize relations. (BBC News)
- Accession of Ukraine to the European Union
- Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán reiterated Hungary's opposition to opening European Union accession talks with Ukraine, citing concerns about Ukraine's readiness and the potential economic impact on the EU. (The Guardian)
Law and crime
- Mexican authorities raid and close 31 pharmacies in Ensenada, Baja California. The pharmacies were found to be selling counterfeit and fentanyl-laced pills. Working with marines and health inspection authorities, they seized 4,681 medication boxes suspected of being offered for sale without proper safety measures. (AP)
Science and technology
- Chinese space program
- Zhuque-2 successfully launches into orbit as the first rocket to achieve this using fuel composed of methane, the same as SpaceX's Starship. (Al Jazeera)
Politics and elections
- 2023 Guatemalan general election
- The Guatemalan Attorney General's Office says that the results of the election are void and should be annulled, due to counting anomalies in the first round in June. (France 24)
December 9, 2023 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Crime in Mexico
- Fourteen people are killed and seven injured during a shootout between gunmen from the Familia Michoacana drug cartel and the residents of Texcaltitlán, Mexico. (AP)
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 Sri Lankan blackouts
- A nationwide power outage occurs in Sri Lanka due to a system failure. (Reuters)
- A series of tornadoes hits Tennessee, United States, killing six people. (Reuters)
International relations
- 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. (AP)
Sports
- 2023–24 NBA season
- 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament
- In basketball, the Los Angeles Lakers win the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament after defeating the Indiana Pacers 123–109 in the championship game. LeBron James is named the tournament's most valuable player. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
- 2023 NBA In-Season Tournament
- 2023 Major League Soccer season
- MLS Cup 2023
- In association football, the Columbus Crew win their third MLS Cup in franchise history, defeating the defending champions Los Angeles FC 2–1. (Columbus Dispatch)
- MLS Cup 2023
December 10, 2023 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Sudan
- Battle of Khartoum
- Two people are killed and seven others are wounded in an attack on a Red Cross humanitarian aid convoy in Khartoum, Sudan. (BBC News)
- Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Hemedti agree to meet in person before the end of the year to end the war between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces in Sudan. (AP)
- Battle of Khartoum
- Yemeni civil war
- French Navy frigate Languedoc shoots down two drones over the Red Sea that were launched from Yemen, according to the French Armed Forces Ministry. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- A fire at a work camp in Pará, Brazil, kills nine workers. (ABC News)
- A nationwide power outage occurs in Kenya as a result of possibe sabotage of the country's electrical grid, according to Transport Minister Kipchumba Murkomen. (BBC News)
Politics and elections
- Inauguration of Javier Milei
- Javier Milei is sworn in as the President of Argentina. (NPR)
December 11, 2023 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Seven Israeli troops are killed in clashes in the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of IDF personnel killed in action to 104. (Haaretz)
- Israel–Hezbollah conflict (2023–present)
- An Israeli artillery strike kills the mayor of Taybeh, Marjeyoun District, Lebanon. (Reuters)
- International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Egypt and Mauritania invoke United Nations Resolution 377 for the UN General Assembly to discuss an immediate humanitarian ceasefire at an emergency session in New York City, in response to the United States vetoing a UN resolution with a similar objective. (Al Jazeera)
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Mali War
- MINUSMA officially departs Mali after ten years of peacekeeping in the country. The two remaining MINUSMA bases in Gao and Timbuktu are expected to end operations before MINUSMA's mandate expires on December 31. (Al Jazeera)
- Myanmar civil war
- Representatives from Myanmar's ruling military junta hold talks with three rebel groups, facilitated by China, amid an ongoing rebel offensive. (Reuters)
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Military aid to Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War
- Representatives of Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán meet with United States Republicans in Washington to discuss ending EU and US military support to Ukraine. (WION)
- The United Kingdom announces that it will donate two Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunters to Ukraine. Doubts are raised over the logistics and timing of their arrival, with Turkey controlling access to the Black Sea through the Bosphorus. (BBC News)
- United States Senator JD Vance says that Ukraine should be willing to give up part of its territory to end the war. Vance and other Republicans have opposed the aid package proposed in the United States Congress for Ukraine. (The Guardian)
- Military aid to Ukraine during the Russo-Ukrainian War
- Yemeni civil war
- M/T Strinda, a Norwegian-owned chemical tanker, is hit by at least one missile launched from Yemen, with the vessel reportedly in flames in the Red Sea. The USS Mason is responding to a distress call from the ship, according to U.S. officials. (The Drive)
International relations
- War in Sudan
- The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs declares fifteen Emirati diplomats personae non gratae over the UAE's support of the Rapid Support Forces. (Dabanga Sudan)
Law and crime
- Two people are killed and another is injured in a shooting in Sion, Switzerland. Swiss police say that the suspect is in custody. (AP)
- Four people are killed and another is injured in a shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
December 12, 2023 (Tuesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Ten Israeli troops are killed in clashes in the Gaza Strip, including a colonel of the Golani Brigade killed in Shuja'iyya, Gaza City, bringing the total number of IDF personnel killed to 115. (Reuters) (The Guardian)
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Daraban police station attack
- A Tehreek-e-Jihad militant blows himself up by ramming a car bomb outside a police station being used by the army in Daraban, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, before five gunmen open fire, killing at least 23 people and injuring 34 others. (Al Jazeera)
- Daraban police station attack
- Islamist insurgency in the Sahel
- Two soldiers are killed by an improvised explosive device while riding a motorcycle in Karimama, Alibori, Benin. (AFP via The Guardian)
Business and economy
- 2021–2023 inflation
- Sri Lankan economic crisis
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) resumes its US$2.9 billion bailout for Sri Lanka, releasing a $337 million tranche, after the country secures a debt restructuring agreement with China, its largest bilateral creditor. (AFP via NDTV)
- The IMF approves a $681 million disbursement for Bangladesh, the second portion of a $4.7 billion loan package. (EFE)
- Sri Lankan economic crisis
- Visa policy of Kenya
- Kenyan President William Ruto announces that all tourists will no longer require a travel visa to enter the country from January, with the visa being replaced by electronic travel authorisation. (Reuters)
- The Entertainment Software Association announces that the annual gaming expo E3 will no longer take place, after having run for over 28 years. (The Washington Post)
- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that Myanmar has surpassed Afghanistan as the world's largest producer of opium. (AFP via France 24)
International relations
- 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis
- Vincentian prime minister Ralph Gonsalves announces that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will host a meeting between the leaders of Venezuela and Guyana on 14 December to discuss the two countries' ongoing dispute over Guayana Esequiba and to prevent an armed escalation. (Al Jazeera)
- International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/22
- The United Nations passes a resolution by a vote of 153–10, with 23 abstentions, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the war in Gaza, the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages, and for both sides to comply with the law of war. (Reuters)
- United Nations General Assembly Resolution ES-10/22
Law and crime
- Illegal immigration to Mexico
- Mexico’s immigration agency detains two buses carrying 102 migrants in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. The majority of the migrants came from the West African nations of Senegal and Guinea, as well as six from Djibouti, two from Congo and one from Mauritania. (AP)
- Mexican drug war
- Six people are killed in a shootout between drug cartel gunmen in Boquilla del Carmen, Zacatecas, Mexico. Police and soldiers also find two people wounded, as well as one armed suspect and guns and a grenade. (AP)
- Several drug dealers and a soldier are killed during a shootout at Jordan's border with Syria. (Al Jazeera)
- A district court in Fukushima, Japan, convicts three former soldiers for sexually assaulting a colleague, Rina Gonoi, during a military exercise in 2021, sentencing them to two years in prison and suspending them from the military for four years. (AFP via WION)
- Five members of a family are shot by gunmen in Guayaquil, Ecuador. Four children die instantly, while their mother died two days later, while their father is injured. The gunmen intended to target members of the Los Lagartos gang in an adjacent house, according to Ecuadorian police. (Express)
Science and technology
- NASA's Perseverance finds evidence that an ancient river delta on Mars held a crater-filling lake billions of years ago. (NASA)
Sports
- 2023–24 Süper Lig
- Halil Umut Meler attack
- In association football, MKE Ankaragücü president Faruk Koca is arrested after attacking referee Halil Umut Meler following the club's match against Çaykur Rizespor. (ITV News)
- Halil Umut Meler attack
December 13, 2023 (Wednesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Mexican drug war
- Six people are killed and two others are injured in a shootout between rival drug cartels in Villanueva, Zacatecas. After the encounter, authorities arrest a suspect and decommissions five assault rifles, grenades and ammunition.(AP) (El Universal)
- Myanmar civil war
- Operation 1027
- Allied rebel forces say that they have seized the town of Maw Luu in Sagaing Region. (The Irrawaddy)
- Operation 1027
- Nigerian bandit conflict
- Four soldiers and two civilian drivers are killed and two South Korean workers are kidnapped in an ambush against a convoy in Rivers State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
- A Russian ballistic missile attack in Kyiv injures over 50 people. (The Guardian)
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
- Yemeni civil war
Arts and culture
- Bulgarian authorities begin dismantling the 45-meter-high Monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia, erected in 1954 to commemorate the Soviet Union's invasion of the country during World War II. (AP)
Business and economy
- Tesla recalls two million cars in the United States due to insufficient safety controls within the vehicles' AutoPilot system. This applies "to almost every Tesla sold in the US since the Autopilot feature was launched in 2015." Tesla will fix the issue with an automatic software update. (BBC News)
Disasters and accidents
- Sixteen people are killed in a multiple-vehicle collision on a highway near Caracas, Venezuela. (AFP via NST)
Health and environment
- 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference
- The controversial conference ends with a historic agreement urging nations to transition away from all fossil fuels. (AFP via The Daily Star)
Law and crime
- The UK's Information Commissioner's Office imposes a £350,000 (US$442,755) fine on the Ministry of Defence for a data breach that exposed the email addresses of 265 Afghans seeking refuge from the Taliban. (AFP via Manila Bulletin)
- Thai police seize a record haul of methamphetamine tablets in the western province of Kanchanaburi, consisting of an estimated 50 million tablets hidden in sacks in a six-wheeler truck stopped at a joint police-military checkpoint. (AP)
- A Colombian congressional committee orders a preliminary investigation into President Gustavo Petro over allegations of crimes in the financing of his election campaign, following reports of alleged irregular campaign contributions involving his son. (AP)
Politics and elections
- 2023 Pakistani protests
- Pakistan’s top court allows military courts to resume the trials of more than 100 supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan on charges of attacking military installations during demonstrations that broke out following Khan’s arrest. (AP)
- 2023 Swiss federal election
- Viola Amherd is elected as the President of Switzerland by the Federal Assembly. (Reuters via The Star)
- Impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden
- The United States House of Representatives votes to formally authorize its ongoing impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. (Reuters)
- Donald Tusk is sworn in as the Prime Minister of Poland, initiating his third cabinet. (AP)
- Slush fund scandal of revenues from fundraising parties
- Japanese Economic Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, Internal Minister Junji Suzuki, Agriculture Minister Ichiro Miyashita, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno resign following a scandal involving alleged kickbacks within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. (AFP via France 24)
- Mark Drakeford announces his resignation as First Minister of Wales and leader of Welsh Labour. A leadership election will be held by the end of March 2024 to select Drakeford's replacement. (BBC News)
- 2023 Indian Parliament breach
- Two individuals enter the Lok Sabha chamber and release a smoke canister, causing panic and adjournment of the session. The attack takes place on the 22nd anniversary of 2001 Indian Parliament attack. (BBC News)
- 15 opposition MPs are suspended by Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar for 'unruly conduct' after they chanted slogans demanding a statement from the home minister Amit Shah. The suspension of one MP, S. R. Parthiban, is revoked after it is revealed that he was not present in parliament for the session. (BBC News)(The Indian Express)
Science and technology
- Voyager program
- Voyager 1, the farthest spacecraft from Earth, launched 46 years ago, stops sending data to Earth due to a technical glitch. However, the spacecraft can still receive commands. (CNN)
Sports
- 2023–24 NBA season
- The National Basketball Association suspends Golden State Warriors player Draymond Green indefinitely due to Green's recurring unsportsmanlike conduct. (AFP via SCMP)
December 14, 2023 (Thursday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis
- Tanzanian Foreign Minister January Makamba confirms that a 21-year-old Tanzanian student was "killed immediately after being captured by Hamas" on 7 October. (AFP via New Vision)
- International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis
- Sistan and Baluchestan insurgency
- Jaish ul-Adl militants attack a police station in Rask, Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran, killing eleven officers and wounding others. Several gunmen are also killed in the ensuing shootout. (Reuters)
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
- Romania says that a Russian drone has crashed in its territory, leaving a crater in Grindu, Tulcea, near the Ukrainian border. Romanian Air Force F-16s and German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons conducted joint patrols in response to the violation of NATO airspace. (Reuters)
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
- Yemeni Crisis
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- Maersk calls for "political action" after a ballistic missile launched by the Houthis in Yemen narrowly misses one of their container ships in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. An unknown vessel claiming to be from the Yemeni Navy also ordered the ship to sail towards the Yemeni coast. (The Drive)
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
Business and economy
- Visa policy of Iran
- Iran lifts travel visa requirements for tourists in 33 countries, including all Gulf states and one EU member state, Croatia. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 Beijing Subway collision
- At least 515 people are injured in a rear-end collision between railroad cars on the Changping line of the Beijing Subway in China near the Xi'erqi station amid snowfall. (AP via 1News)
International relations
- 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis
- Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali hold talks in Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Both leaders agree to use neither threats nor force against the other. A joint commission is announced to address the existing issues, with a report expected within three months. (Reuters) (AP)
- 2023 Nigerien crisis
- Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey announces an agreement with the Nigerien military junta for the country's transition to civilian rule, ready for presentation to the ECOWAS with the aim of lifting Niger's suspension from the body. (AFP via The Hindu)
- Bulgaria–Russia relations
- Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova says that Bulgaria will "fully pay the consequences" of its "shameful decision" to remove the Soviet-era Monument to the Soviet Army in Sofia. (The Daily Express)
- Finland–United States relations
- Finland announces the creation of a defense cooperation agreement with the United States. The agreement will grant Finland access to American military resources for use in defensive operations, while the US will gain military access to Finland in the event of conflict. (Reuters)
- Potential enlargement of the European Union
- Accession of Ukraine to the European Union, Accession of Moldova to the European Union, Accession of Georgia to the European Union
- The EU announces the opening of accession talks with Moldova and Ukraine and the granting of candidate status to Georgia. (Euronews)
- Accession of Ukraine to the European Union, Accession of Moldova to the European Union, Accession of Georgia to the European Union
Law and crime
- Bloody Sunday
- A former British paratrooper will stand trial in the killing of two civil rights protesters during a massacre, where British soldiers shot 13 protesters during a protest march in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland. (AP)
- A United States Navy officer, Ridge Alkonis, jailed in Japan after being found guilty of the negligent driving deaths of two local civilians, has been transferred into American custody, where he was booked into a federal detention center. (AP)
- Ex-FBI agent Charles McGonigal is sentenced to over four years in prison for violating U.S. sanctions on Russia, including laundering money for oligarch Oleg Deripaska. (BBC News)
- Hong Kong police announce HK$1 million (US$128,000) bounties for five activists residing overseas, including Simon Cheng, charging them with inciting secession under the national security law. (AFP via CNN-News18)
- The New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal acquits Kathleen Folbigg, overturning her 2003 conviction for the deaths of her four children, following new scientific evidence revealing rare genetic mutations as the cause of the deaths. (AFP via NDTV)
- Disappearance of Alex Batty
- Alex Batty, a British boy who went missing in Spain in 2017 when he was 11, is found alive in France. (BBC News)
- Online marketplace company Temu files a lawsuit against online fashion retailer Shein, accusing Shein of "mafia-style intimidation of suppliers". (CNBC)
December 15, 2023 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis, Killing of Alon Shamriz, Yotam Haim, and Samer Talalka
- The Israel Defense Forces says that it mistakenly shot dead three hostages in friendly fire incidents in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood of Gaza City. (The Times of Israel)
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war hostage crisis, Killing of Alon Shamriz, Yotam Haim, and Samer Talalka
- Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Militants attack a regional police headquarters and two military posts in northwest Pakistan, triggering shootouts that killed five security personnel and five insurgents. (AP)
- Yemeni Crisis
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- Two Liberian-flagged vessels in the Bab-el-Mandeb strait are attacked with drones and ballistic missiles launched by Houthi militants in Yemen, causing a fire on one of the ships. No injuries are reported. (Reuters)
- Shipping firms Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk announce a suspension of all container shipments through the Red Sea until further notice amid Houthi attacks on commercial vessels. (AFP via France 24)
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
Arts and culture
- Albania returns 20 icons to North Macedonia that were trafficked a decade ago, according to Albania's Culture Ministry. A handover ceremony is held at the National History Museum in the Albanian capital, Tirana. (AP)
Business and economy
- President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurates the first part of the tourist Maya Train, that runs in a rough loop around the Yucatán Peninsula. The $20 billion, 950-mile line will connect beach resorts and archaeological sites. (AP)
- The International Energy Agency forecasts that global coal consumption is expected to reach a record high this year, as demand in emerging and developing economies remains strong. The demand for coal is predicted to increase by 1.4 percent this year, surpassing 8.5 billion tonnes for the first time. (Al Jazeera)
Disasters and accidents
- English Channel migrant crossings
- One person is killed and another is hospitalized after a boat carrying more than 60 migrants experienced difficulties as it attempted to cross the English Channel from France to the United Kingdom. (AP)
International relations
- 2023 Gaza humanitarian crisis, 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip
- Israel authorizes the temporary use of its Kerem Shalom border crossing to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. (AFP via NST)
Law and crime
- 2023 Nigerien crisis
- An ECOWAS court orders former President Mohamed Bazoum to be freed from arrest and reinstated as president. (AP via ABC News)
- Indigenous peoples in Guatemala
- A ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights finds Guatemala to have violated indigenous rights by allowing a large nickel mine to operate on tribal land. (AP)
- News of the World royal phone hacking scandal
- Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex wins a phone hacking lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mirror in the first of several lawsuits against British tabloids to go to trial. The High Court found that phone hacking was widespread at the Mirror Group and that private investigators gathered information unlawfully. (AP)
- Post-election lawsuits related to the 2020 U.S. presidential election
- A United States federal jury orders Rudy Giuliani, former lawyer for former President Donald Trump, to pay $148 million in damages for defaming two Georgian election officials with false electoral fraud claims. (AFP via France 24)
- Fourteen workers at the Tenerife South Airport in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, are arrested on suspicion of stealing items from checked-in luggage. Police seize allegedly stolen items worth almost €2 million. (AP)
- Keretsky grenade incident
- A councillor detonates three grenades at a meeting of the village council of Keretsky, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine, injuring 27 people, including himself. (AFP via Barron's)
- State prosecutors in Thailand indict a member of the country’s Senate, Upakit Pachariyangkun, on six charges involving narcotics trafficking, money laundering and association with a transnational criminal organization. (AP)
- Chile's police arrest at least 55 people in one of the country's largest fiscal fraud cases, amounting to about $275 million and implicating small- and mid-sized companies in different parts of the country. The suspects will stand trial for tax crimes, criminal association, money laundering, customs fraud and making false declarations. (AP)
Politics and elections
- Corruption in Belgium, Chinese intelligence activity abroad
- A joint investigation by the Financial Times, Der Spiegel, and Le Monde reveals that Belgian Vlaams Belang politician Frank Creyelman accepted bribes from the Chinese Ministry of State Security for three years in order to influence discussions within the European Union. Creyelman was subsequently expelled from the party. (Financial Times)
December 16, 2023 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Myanmar civil war
- Operation 1027
- The Three Brotherhood Alliance claims to have captured Namhsan in the northern Shan State, following a joint offensive against the Myanmar military despite a temporary ceasefire mediated by China. (AFP via France 24)
- Operation 1027
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Southern Ukraine campaign
- Russia says that two civilians are killed and two others are injured in a Ukrainian missile strike on the Russian-occupied village of Nova Maiachka in Kherson Raion. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
- Southern Ukraine campaign
- Yemeni Crisis
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- 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. (The Guardian)
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 Libya migrant boats sinking
- A boat departing from Zuwarah, Libya, carrying about 86 illegal immigrants from various African countries, sinks in the Mediterranean Sea, killing about 61 of them. (The Telegraph)
- At least 13 people are killed after a thunderstorm strikes Bahía Blanca, Argentina. (Reuters)
- Three people are killed and two others injured when a wall of the Gate of Floggers collapses while it is being renovated in Kairouan, Tunisia. (The Guardian)
Health and environment
- The China Meteorological Administration issues a low-temperature warning, forecasting a cold wave affecting most of the country. (AFP via The Straits Times)
Law and crime
- Capital punishment in Iran
- Iran executes an alleged Mossad agent in Sistan and Baluchistan province. (Reuters)
- Gansu ultramarathon disaster
- A court in Baiyin, Gansu, China, sentences five organizers of a 2021 ultramarathon to prison terms ranging from three to five and a half years, following the deaths of 21 runners due to extreme weather during the event. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- Fifteen suspected drug smugglers are killed and about 2 million methamphetamine tablets are seized during a shootout with soldiers at Thailand's border with Myanmar. (AP)
- A court in the Holy See sentences Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu to five and a half years in prison for embezzlement. (Reuters)
Politics and elections
- Emir of Kuwait Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dies at 86. His half-brother, Crown Prince Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, succeeds him as the new emir. (AFP via TBS)
December 17, 2023 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Pope Francis accuses the IDF of committing war crimes, in response to Israeli snipers killing two Palestinian Christians and injuring seven others who were taking refuge in the Holy Family Church in Gaza City yesterday. (Reuters)
- The French Foreign Ministry condemns Israel's the bombing of Rafah four days earlier for killing one of its staff members, and demands an "immediate and durable" ceasefire. (Al Jazeera)
- Jabalia airstrikes
- Israeli Air Force airstrikes in Jabalia kill at least 90 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. (CBC)
- International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Mexican drug war
- Salvatierra massacre
- In Mexico, twelve people are killed during a mass shooting at a Christmas season party in Salvatierra, Guanajuato. Three others are killed and four injured at a bar in Tulum, Quintana Roo, while four people are killed in Salamanca, Guanajuato. (AP)
- Salvatierra massacre
- War in Sudan
- Battle of Wad Madani
- The Sudanese Armed Forces says that it has repelled a Rapid Support Forces (RSF) assault on Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira State. The RSF reportedly withdraws following heavy resistance. (Sudan Tribune)
- Battle of Wad Madani
- Syrian civil war
- Military shelling in Aleppo Governorate kills six civilians in Darat Izza and two in Abzimou. (Middle East Eye)
Business and economy
- The Civil Aviation Authority approves SaxaVord Spaceport on the Scottish island of Unst as the United Kingdom's first spaceport for vertical rocket launches. The first launches are expected to take place in 2024. (BBC News)
Disasters and accidents
- Nine workers are killed and three others are injured by an explosion at a factory in Nagpur district, Maharashtra, India. (AA)
Politics and elections
- 2023 Serbian parliamentary election
- Serbians elect members of the National Assembly. (Reuters)
- President Aleksandar Vučić declares victory for his Serbian Progressive Party, claiming a majority with 127 seats, while opposition leader Radomir Lazović of the Green–Left Front raises concerns of electoral irregularities including vote buying and falsification. (AFP via news.com.au)
- 2023 Chadian constitutional referendum
- Chadians vote in a referendum on a new constitution. (AFP via Arab News)
- 2023 Chilean constitutional referendum
- By a margin of 56% to 44%, Chileans vote to reject the proposed new constitution drafted by the Constitutional Council. (AP)
December 18, 2023 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Sudan
- Battle of Wad Madani
- The Rapid Support Forces launch a second assault and capture Wad Madani, the capital of Gezira State, after being repelled by the Sudanese Armed Forces yesterday. (Sudan Tribune) (Sudan Tribune 2)
- The RSF capture the city of Rufaa, north of Wad Madani. (France 24)
- The International Organization for Migration say at least 250,000 people have fled Gezira State since the start of hostilities in the region. (The Globe and Mail)
- Battle of Wad Madani
- Yemeni Crisis
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- A Norwegian-owned tanker en route to Réunion, M/V Swan Atlantic, is attacked in the Red Sea. The owner of the ship saying that it was hit by an "unidentified object" that struck its port side causing a small fire but no injuries. (Reuters)
- British multinational oil and gas company BP suspends all shipments through the Red Sea in response to an increase in Houthi attacks on commercial vessels. (BBC News)
- U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announces a coalition of ten nations, called Operation Prosperity Guardian, to enforce security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden amid Houthi attacks. (CNN) (The Independent)
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- Syrian civil war
- Jordanian intervention in the Syrian civil war
- The Royal Jordanian Air Force carries out airstrikes in southern Syria against drug gangs linked to the Syrian government. (AP)
- Jordanian intervention in the Syrian civil war
- Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
- Allied Democratic Forces kill ten people in a mass shooting in Kyabandara, Kamwenge District, Western Uganda. (Daily Monitor)
Arts and culture
- Christianity in Malaysia
- The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia permits halal-certified bakeries in the country to include Christmas greetings on cakes, overturning a previous directive that prohibited such messages. (AFP via The News)
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 Sundhnúkur eruption
- The Sundhnúkur volcanic eruption occurs on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland after weeks of earthquakes prompting the evacuation of 4,000 people. The Icelandic Meteorological Office says that the risk of lava flowing toward the town of Grindavík is high. (RÚV)
- 2023 Jishishan earthquake
- At least 127 people are killed and over 720 others are injured by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Jishishan, Gansu, China. (AFP via CNA)
- At least 13 people are killed and at least 88 are injured by an explosion at an oil terminal in Conakry, Guinea. (Reuters)
- A major winter storm hits the Northeastern United States, killing four people and causing flash flood warnings, flight cancellations and school closures. (AP)
Law and crime
- Capital punishment in China
- China executes serial killer Lao Rongzhi for the murders of seven people between 1996 and 1999. (WION)
- Around half of Iranian petrol stations are disrupted by cyberattacks. Iranian state media reports that the Israeli-linked Predator Sparrow hacker group claims responsibility for the attacks. (Reuters)
Science and technology
- Twitter under Elon Musk
- The European Union formally begins legal action against X, formerly known as Twitter, due to illegal content and disinformation on the platform, as well as breaches of transparency. (BBC News)
December 19, 2023 (Tuesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Kivu conflict
- Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
- The United Nations Security Council votes unanimously to start the withdrawal of the United Nations peacekeeping force from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The withdrawal will start in South Kivu in eastern Congo, gradually handing over its responsibilities to the Congolese government. (AP)
- Allied Democratic Forces insurgency
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip kill at least 29 people in a residential area in Rafah, and at least 13 people in Jabalia. (Al Jazeera)
Politics and elections
- 2024 United States presidential election
- Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign, Anderson v. Griswold
- The Colorado Supreme Court disqualifies former U.S. president Donald Trump from the state's primary ballot under the Fourteenth Amendment. (NBC News)
- Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign, Anderson v. Griswold
- 2023 Indian Parliament breach
- Forty-nine Lok Sabha MPs are suspended from parliament for taking part in protests relating to a security breach in parliament, bringing the total number of suspensions to 141: 95 from the Lok Sabha, and 46 from the Rajya Sabha. (BBC News)
December 20, 2023 (Wednesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- The death toll in the Gaza Strip since Israel began airstrikes increases to at least 20,000 people. (Al Jazeera)
- Insurgency in Balochistan
- In Pakistan, Sarfraz Bungulzai, leader of the separatist Baloch Nationalist Army, surrenders to authorities alongside 70 other militants in Balochistan. (AP)
Business and economy
- 2021–present United Kingdom cost-of-living crisis
- 2022–2023 United Kingdom industrial disputes and strikes
- Junior doctors in England begin their longest strike action yet, spanning nine days, to address pay-related disputes with the National Health Service. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
- 2022–2023 United Kingdom industrial disputes and strikes
- 2018–present Argentine monetary crisis
- Argentine president Javier Milei announces a series of economic deregulation measures, targeting over 300 regulations including property and labor laws, to address the crisis. (AFP via France 24)
- Japanese electronics company Toshiba is delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange after 74 years. (Reuters)
Disasters and accidents
- Twelve people are killed and 13 others are injured when a mining cart runs off the tracks in Jixi, Heilongjiang, China. (AP)
Health and environment
- Canada implements a single-use plastic ban as part of its initiative to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030, despite a court ruling that deemed such restrictions unconstitutional. (AFP via Daily Tribune)
International relations
- International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israel–Malaysia relations
- Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim announces that Israel-registered ships, and all foreign vessels heading to Israel, are banned from docking within their ports or receiving cargo. (Al Jazeera)
- United States–Venezuela relations
- Venezuela releases ten Americans and extradites fugitive Leonard Glenn Francis, while the United States releases Alex Saab, an ally of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro, in a prisoner exchange between the two countries. As part of the deal, Venezuela will also release around 20 political prisoners from jail. (AP)
Law and crime
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war protests
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war protests in the United States
- Pro-Palestine protesters vandalize the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. with graffiti reading "Free Gaza". (The Hill)
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war protests in the United States
- December murders
- Former Surinamese president Dési Bouterse is sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 1982 murders of 15 men. (NOS)
- Murder of Brianna Ghey
- A Manchester Crown Court jury convicts two teenagers of murdering trans girl Brianna Ghey in Warrington, Cheshire, England. (AFP via NDTV)
- The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan votes 59–5 in favor of passing a bill to modify the national flag. (AKIpress)
Politics and elections
- 2023 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election
- Voters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo elect their president, members of the National Assembly, provincial assemblies, and commune councils. Voting is extended until December 21. (Reuters)
- 2023 Guinea-Bissau coup attempt
- President Umaro Sissoco Embaló dismisses Prime Minister Geraldo Martins, appointing Rui Duarte Barros as Martins' successor. (AFP via France 24)
- The U.S. state of Minnesota votes to change its flag. (The New York Times)
December 21, 2023 (Thursday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Siege of Gaza City
- The Israel Defense Forces says that it has established full "operational control" of the Shuja'iyya neighborhood in Gaza City, which has been the scene of intense clashes between Israeli troops and Hamas in recent weeks. (The Times of Israel)
- Siege of Gaza City
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Yemeni Crisis
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- At least 10 more nations, including Australia and Greece, join the United States-led Operation Prosperity Guardian task force to counter Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. (Reuters)
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
- Four Indian soldiers are killed and three others are injured after gunmen opened fire against two army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir, India. (AP)
International relations
- Angola leaves OPEC over a dispute on crude oil production quotas. (BBC News)
Law and crime
- 2023 Prague shooting
- Fifteen people are killed and 24 others are injured in a mass shooting at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. The perpetrator, a student at the university, kills himself after police arrived. The perpetrator had also killed his father prior to the shooting and is also suspected of killing a man and his daughter on December 15. (AP)
- An unidentified victim of Gary Ridgway, also known as the Green River Killer, is identified by authorities as Lori Anne Razpotnik after 38 years. (CNN)
- In Pakistan, police assault and arrest several protestors during a march from Turbat to Islamabad, where around 200 people planned to rally to draw attention to the killing of a man in police custody in Balochistan in November. (AP)
- The National Telecommunications Commission of the Philippines announces a 30-day suspension of the broadcast operations of Sonshine Media Network International following allegations of franchise violations. (Bloomberg) (CNN Philippines)
- A trial court in Butuan, Philippines publicizes the conviction of three KAPA personnel, including its founder, of syndicated fraud for being the masterminds in the country's largest illegal investment scheme. (CNN Philippines)
Science and technology
- A Stanford Internet Observatory investigation finds more then 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse in the AI database LAION, an index used to train AI image-makers such as Stable Diffusion. In response, LAION temporarily removes its datasets. (AP)
- The International Trade Commission rejects Apple’s appeal to a order blocking the company from using technology underlying the Blood oxygen measurement feature on its smart watches. In response, Apple suspends sales of the products. (AP)
Sports
- 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. (Bleacher Report)
December 22, 2023 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 2720
- The UN Security Council passes a resolution on aid for Gaza. (The Independent)
- United Nations Security Council Resolution 2720
- Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts
- Islamist insurgency in the Sahel
- Jihadist insurgency in Niger
- The French Armed Forces complete their withdrawal from Niger, marking the end of their presence in Sahel, following demands from Niger's military junta. (AFP via France 24)
- Jihadist insurgency in Niger
- Piracy around the Horn of Africa
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure
- Russia launches a mass drone attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, striking multiple residential districts. A block of flats is damaged in Solomianskyi District, injuring at least two people, and heavy damage is also reported in Holosiivskyi District. (Reuters)
- Russian strikes against Ukrainian infrastructure
- War against the Islamic State
- Turkey–Islamic State conflict
- Police in Turkey arrest at least 304 people suspected of links to the Islamic State during simultaneous raids conducted across the country. (AP)
- Turkey–Islamic State conflict
- Central African Republic Civil War
- Suspected 3R gunmen attack an army outpost in the village of Nzakoundou, Central African Republic, killing a soldier and injuring many others, before attacking and burning civilian homes in the village and killing 20 villagers. (AP)
- Spillover of the Kivu conflict
- Nineteen civilians and a policeman are killed, while nine other people are injured, in an attack by the RED–Tabara rebel group in Vugizo, Makamba, Burundi. (AFP via The Hindu)
- War in Sudan
- De facto ruler of Sudan Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announces that he will meet with Rapid Support Forces leader Hemedti. The announcement comes after the Rapid Support Forces took control of Gezira State from the Sudanese Armed Forces. (Radio Dabanga)
Arts and culture
- Catholic Church and homosexuality
- A number of Catholic bishops around the world, including in Africa and Poland, say they will not implement the new Vatican policy allowing blessings for same-sex couples announced by Pope Francis. (AP)
Business and economy
- Corruption in the United States
- Delaware’s largest hospital system, ChristianaCare, will pay more than $47 million to settle whistleblower allegations by its former compliance officer that it provided kickbacks to outside doctors in return for patient referrals, resulting in fraudulent Medicaid billing. (AP)
- Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announces Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD Company will open its first European EV production factory in Szeged, Hungary, and is expected to provide thousands of jobs to the region. (AP)
- China passes a series of regulations aimed at limiting video game microtransactions. The new rules include banning rewards for logging on for multiple consecutive days and banning rewards for players if they spend money in a game for the first time. (Reuters)
Health and environment
- The World Health Organization reports that reported cases of dengue globally to a record 5.2 million in 2019, with climate change and the growing spread of virus-carrying mosquitoes being the main causes. (AP)
International relations
- Algeria–Mali relations
- Mali recalls its ambassador in Algeria after accusing it of interference in its internal affairs by meeting rebel leaders, deepening diplomatic tensions over efforts to end the separatist and Islamist insurgencies in northern Mali. (AP)
Law and crime
- Assassination of Jovenel Moïse
- A former Colombian soldier, Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios, pleads guilty to conspiring in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. (AP)
- Killing of Elijah McClain
- A jury in Colorado, United States, convicts two paramedics of negligent homicide in Elijah McClain's death in 2019. (AFP via NDTV)
- Kenya's anti-corruption commission charges the country’s former tourism minister and two others with economic crimes for the alleged fraud of tens of millions of dollars in inflated costs for the construction of a hospitality college. (AP)
- Former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas requests asylum in Mexico. (Reuters)
Sports
- 2023 FIFA Club World Cup
- In association football, English club Manchester City win their first Club World Cup title after defeating Brazilian club Fluminense 4–0 in the final. Rodri wins the tournament's Golden Ball award. (AFP via Manila Bulletin)
December 23, 2023 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 attack on the Chem Pluto
- A drone launched from Iran strikes the Liberian-flagged, Japanese-owned chemical tanker Chem Pluto in the Indian Ocean. (Reuters)
- 2023 attack on the Chem Pluto
- Kurdish–Turkish conflict
- Seventeen PKK militants and 12 Turkish soldiers are killed during two days of shootouts in northern Iraq. (AP)
- Nigerian bandit conflict
- At least 113 people are killed and over 300 others are injured following coordinated attacks by local "bandits" on more than 20 communities in Bokkos and Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, with hostilities continuing into early Monday. (AFP via The Hindu)
- Yemeni Crisis
- United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg announces that the conflicting parties agree to a new ceasefire and to participate in a UN-led peace process. (AFP via The Philippine Star)
Law and crime
- Human rights in India
- Kashmir conflict
- Locals in Indian-controlled Kashmir say the Indian Army tortured three detainees to death, with five other surviving detainees reporting that they were also subjected to torture. (AP)
- Kashmir conflict
Politics and elections
- 2024 Russian presidential election
- The Central Election Commission rejects journalist Yekaterina Duntsova's candidacy for president, citing errors in Duntsova's submitted documents. (AFP via France 24)
Science and technology
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war protests
- The Arabic edition of Wikipedia is taken offline for one day in protest of the ongoing war in Gaza. (Roya News)
December 24, 2023 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- Fifteen Israeli soldiers are killed in clashes with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of IDF personnel killed to 153 since its ground invasion began. (Sky News)
- At least 70 people are killed in an Israeli airstrike against the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. (Al Jazeera)
- 2023 Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip
- War in Sudan
- Residents of White Nile State flee south toward the border with South Sudan amid rumours of an impending Rapid Support Forces assault on the region. (Radio Dabanga)
Disasters and accidents
- Eighteen workers are killed and 41 others are injured in a fire at a nickel smelter plant in Morowali, Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. (Reuters) (AP)
International relations
- 2023 Guayana Esequiba crisis
- 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. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- 2023 Serbian parliamentary election, 2023 Belgrade City Assembly election
- 2023 Serbian election protests
- Hundreds of opposition supporters in Belgrade, Serbia, are tear gassed by police outside the City Assembly building while protesting alleged vote irregularities during last week's general election. (AP)
- 2023 Serbian election protests
- Police in Sri Lanka announce the arrests of 14,766 people during a week-long military-backed crackdown, leading to the seizure of nearly 440 kilograms (970 lb) of narcotics. (AFP via CNA)
Sports
- India's Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports suspends the newly-elected governing body of the Wrestling Federation of India, accusing it of ignoring rules by hastily announcing championships. (Al Jazeera)
December 25, 2023 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Myanmar civil war
- Operation 1027
- The Ta'ang National Liberation Army of the Three Brotherhood Alliance captures the town of Mantong in northern Shan State. (The Irrawaddy)
- Operation 1027
- Syrian civil war
- Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war
- High-ranking Iranian general Sayyed Razi Mousavi is killed in an Israeli airstrike in Syria. (BBC News)
- Iran–Israel conflict during the Syrian civil war
- New People's Army rebellion
- Nine New People's Army rebels are killed by the Philippine Armed Forces during clashes near Malaybalay, Bukidnon, amid a unilateral truce declared by the communist rebels. (AFP via SCMP)
- Turkish–Kurdish conflict
- Twenty-six Kurdish separatist militants and eight civilians are killed by airstrikes launched by Turkey in the autonomous region of Rojava in Syria. (AP)
- War in Sudan
- Local leaders and government officials in eastern Sudan call on the general population to mobilize and prepare for potential Rapid Support Forces attacks. The Sudanese Armed Forces is reportedly arming civilians amid fears that they will not be able to stop the militia. (Sudan Tribune)
Disasters and accidents
- Two people are killed and 29 others are injured in a fire at a residential building in Seoul, South Korea. (Xinhua via The Star)
Law and crime
- Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe grants amnesty to more than 1,000 convicts and releases them from jails across the country to mark Christmas. (Al Jazeera)
December 26, 2023 (Tuesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Eastern Ukraine campaign
- Battle of Marinka
- Ukraine's commander-in-chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi confirms the loss of the city of Marinka to Russian forces. (BBC News) (The New York Times)
- Battle of Marinka
- Crimea attacks
- The Russian Ropucha-class landing ship Novocherkassk is destroyed by a Ukrainian airstrike in Feodosia, Crimea, killing at least one person and injuring four others. (Al Jazeera) (AP)
- Eastern Ukraine campaign
- Herder–farmer conflicts in Nigeria
- Nigerian bandit conflict
- 2023 Plateau State massacres
- Armed bandits kill about 140 people in Plateau State, Nigeria. Many houses are burned down. (AP)
- 2023 Plateau State massacres
- Nigerian bandit conflict
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- A drone launched from the direction of the Red Sea is shot down near the Egyptian resort town of Dahab, according to the Egyptian military. The drone fell into the sea with no casualties or damage reported. (Reuters)
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- Iraqi conflict
- Islamic State insurgency in Iraq
- Two men from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia on a hunting trip in Iraq are killed when their vehicle hits a roadside bomb planted by Islamic State insurgents in Al Anbar Governorate. (AP)
- Islamic State insurgency in Iraq
Business and economy
- Daihatsu, a subsidiary of Japanese automaker Toyota, suspends all production at its four factories in Japan amid a transport ministry investigation into improper tests for safety certifications. (AP)
- The administration of Argentina's new president Javier Milei says the government will not renew contracts for more than 5,000 employees hired this year before he took office, as part of plans for cutbacks to the government. (AP)
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 Africa floods
- Twenty-two people are killed by floods in Kasaï-Central, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Several houses and structures are damaged, with a major road being cut off. (AP)
- At least 40 people are killed during the explosion of a gas tanker in Totota, Liberia. (Al Jazeera)
- A fire at a guest house in Prahova, Romania leaves six people dead, two others injured, and several others missing. (Euronews) (AP)
International relations
- Nuclear program of Iran
- The International Atomic Energy Agency says that Iran has reversed a slowdown of its enrichment of uranium, and is now enriching uranium at up to 60%, bringing the country closer to reaching the enrichment level required to make a nuclear weapon. (Reuters)
Law and crime
- Fukushima nuclear accident
- The Tokyo High Court rules that TEPCO, the operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, will be solely responsible for compensating evacuees and reduced the amount to half the amount a lower court initially ordered, while also absolving the government of any liability. (AP)
- A man is arrested in Sevres, Île-de-France, France, for killing his four children and their Haitian mother at their flat in Meaux the day before. (AP)
Sports
- 2023–24 NBA season
- In basketball, the Detroit Pistons lose their 27th consecutive game and break the single-season record for the most consecutive losses in a National Basketball Association regular season, surpassing the records set by the 2010–11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013–14 Philadelphia 76ers, who both lost 26 straight games. (The Detroit News)
December 27, 2023 (Wednesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
- Russian drone and artillery strikes kill at least five people and cause power outages for around 70% of households in Kherson, according to Kherson governor Oleksandr Prokudin. (AP)
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
Business and economy
- Renewable energy in Colombia
- Colombia approves regulations that encourage local communities and indigenous groups to produce energy using renewable sources and sell the energy to the national grid. (BBC News)
- Thousands of union members and activists in Argentina protest a decree from President Javier Milei imposing deregulation and austerity measures meant to revive the country's economy. (AP)
Disasters and accidents
- Death of Ana Clara Benevides
- A forensics report by Rio de Janeiro's Forensic Medical Institute in Brazil finds that hyperthermia led to cardiorespiratory arrest that killed Swiftie Benevides. It says she did not have preexisting conditions or substance abuse that could have led to her death. (Reuters)
- At least 10 people are killed by thunderstorms and strong winds in the eastern Australian states of Queensland and Victoria. (ABC News Australia)
- A Hellenic Air Force T-2 Buckeye trainer jet crashes in a rural area near Kalamata, Greece, killing the pilot. (AP)
December 28, 2023 (Thursday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Southern Ukraine campaign
- Greek-owned cargo ship Vyssos travelling to Ukraine hits a Russian naval mine in the Black Sea, injuring three crew members, Ukraine says. (BBC News) (Xinhua)
- Southern Ukraine campaign
- Mexican drug war
- La Familia Michoacana drug cartel kidnap 14 people from Texcaltitlán, state of Mexico, in retaliation for a previous incident in which 10 cartel members were killed by residents of the town. (AP)
Disasters and accidents
- At least 13 people are killed when a bus catches fire after colliding head-on with a truck on a highway in Guna district, Madhya Pradesh, India. (India Today)
- At least 10 people are killed and 57 others are injured in a multiple-vehicle collision on motorway Otoyol 7 in Sakarya Province, Turkey. (AP via New Haven Register)
International relations
- Bulgaria and Romania reach an agreement with Austria to become members of the Schengen Area through sea and air routes in March, with discussions regarding the opening of land borders scheduled to begin next year. (AFP via Le Monde)
Law and crime
- Capital punishment in Qatar
- Gypsy Rose Blanchard, a victim of her mother's Munchausen syndrome by proxy, is released early from prison after serving seven years of a ten-year sentence for conspiring to murder her mother Dee Dee Blanchard in the U.S. state of Missouri in 2015. (BBC News)
Politics and elections
- 2024 United States presidential election
- Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign, 2024 presidential eligibility of Donald Trump
- Former President Donald Trump is returned to the primary ballot in Colorado, after the Colorado Republican Party appealed Trump's removal under the 14th Amendment earlier this month. Separately, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows removes Trump from the state's primary ballot under the 14th Amendment. (CBS) (AP)
- Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign, 2024 presidential eligibility of Donald Trump
December 29, 2023 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
- 29 December 2023 Russian strikes on Ukraine
- Russia launches the largest wave of drones and missiles on Ukrainian cities since the start of the war in a widespread overnight assault across the country, killing at least 39 people and injuring at least 160 others. (AP) (Ukrainian Pravda)
- One of the Russian cruise missiles enters NATO airspace as it travels over Polish territory, prompting the Polish government to summon the Russian charge d'affaires for an explanation. (Reuters) (Bloomberg)
- 29 December 2023 Russian strikes on Ukraine
- Russian strikes against infrastructure
- Mexican drug war
- 2023 Ciudad Obregón shooting
- Six people are killed and 26 others are injured in a mass shooting at a party in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, Mexico. The shooting's target, a cartel member, is among those killed. (AP)
- 2023 Ciudad Obregón shooting
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 Africa floods
- At least 20 people are killed by landslides caused by torrential rains in Mwenga, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AP)
- Around 120 people are rescued from a breakaway ice floe on Upper Red Lake near Bemidji, Minnesota, United States. (CNN)
International relations
- Foreign relations of Argentina
- Argentine president Javier Milei sends a letter to BRICS, rejecting the bloc's invitation for Argentina to join it. (La Nación) (BBC News)
Law and crime
- Capital punishment in Iran, Iran–Israel proxy conflict
- Four people are executed by hanging in West Azerbaijan province, Iran, after being convicted of links to Israel's Mossad spy agency. (Al Jazeera)
- International reactions to the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Israel–South Africa relations
- South Africa files a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. (Reuters)
Politics and elections
- The National People's Congress of China appoints Commander of the People's Liberation Army Navy Dong Jun as Minister of National Defense, succeeding Li Shangfu. (CNA)
December 30, 2023 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Russo-Ukrainian War
- Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- 30 December 2023 Belgorod shelling
- Ukraine launches drone and missile strikes against the city of Belgorod, Russia, killing 25 people, and injuring 110 others, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. (AP) (BBC News)
- 30 December 2023 Belgorod shelling
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Bombing of Kharkiv
- Russian forces attack Kharkiv with missiles, injuring at least 16 people, including a foreign journalist, and damaging civilian infrastructure. (The Kyiv Independent)
- Bombing of Kharkiv
- Attacks in Russia during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- The Israel Defense Forces says that dozens of militants have been killed in Gaza amid continued tank and aerial assaults on Khan Yunis. (Times of Israel)
Disasters and accidents
- 2023 South Africa floods
- Flash flooding kills 21 people in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. (ABC News)
- Three people are killed and three are injured in a house explosion in Northfield Township, Michigan, United States. (NBC News)
Law and crime
- Corruption in Albania
- A court in Albania orders that former president and prime minister Sali Berisha be placed under house arrest following accusations of corruption. (Reuters)
Science and technology
December 31, 2023 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2023 Israel–Hamas war
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- Attacks on the MV Maersk Hangzhou
- Ten Houthi militants are killed during an engagement between four Houthi boats and United States Navy helicopters defending the cargo ship Maersk Hangzhou in the Red Sea. (Al Jazeera)
- Attacks on the MV Maersk Hangzhou
- Houthi involvement in the Israel–Hamas war
- Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Bombing of Kharkiv
- Russian forces bombard Kharkiv. Ukrainian authorities say that 26 people were injured and many residential buildings in the city center were destroyed. The Ukrainian Air Force reports shooting down 21 of 49 attacking drones. (tagesschau.de) (tagesschau.de 2)
- Bombing of Kharkiv
- Afghan conflict
- Taliban defense minister Mullah Yaqoob says that security forces have killed or arrested several militants from Tajikistan and Pakistan who are accused of multiple attacks in Afghanistan. (AP)
Law and crime
- Cologne Cathedral bomb plot
- In Bochum, NRW, Germany, police arrest a fifth suspect in relation to a car bombing at Cologne Cathedral which Islamic State – Khorasan Province had planned for today. (DW)
Politics and elections
- 2023 Democratic Republic of the Congo general election
- President Félix Tshisekedi is declared the winner of the general election. (BBC News)
- Abdication of Margrethe II
- Eighty-three-year old Margrethe II of Denmark announces her abdication during her televised New Year's Eve address, effective January 14. (BBC News)
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2023 events and developments by topic
Arts
Animation (Anime) · Architecture · Comics · Film (Horror, Science fiction) · Literature (Poetry) · Music (Classical, Country, Hip hop, Jazz, Latin, Metal, Rock, UK, US, Korea) · Radio · Television (Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK, Scotland, US) · Video games
Politics and government
Elections · International leaders · Sovereign states · Sovereign state leaders · Territorial governors
Science and technology
Archaeology · Biotechnology · Computing · Palaeontology · Quantum computing and communication · Senescence research · Space/Astronomy · Spaceflight · Sustainable energy research
Environment and environmental sciences
Climate change · Weather (Heat waves · Tornadoes · Wildfires)
Transportation
Aviation · Rail transport · Transportation technology
Establishments and disestablishments categories
Establishments · Disestablishments
Works and introductions categories
Works · Introductions · Works entering the public domain
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