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Chronicles of humanity: The year 2023 in pictures

Chronicles of humanity: The year 2023 in pictures
Rescue workers carry 8-year-old survivor Yigit at the site of a collapsed building 52 hours after an earthquake struck on February 08, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey early Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and were felt in nearby countries. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Here is an incomplete gallery of images of this year's heartbreaking, upsetting, surprising, moving events that happened around the world.

Fireworks light up the London skyline over Big Ben and the London Eye just after midnight on January 1, 2023 in London, England. London’s New Years’ Eve firework display returned this year after it was cancelled during the Covid Pandemic. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

The body of the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) lies in state in Saint Peter’s Basilica for public viewing in Vatican City, 02 January 2023. Former Pope Benedict XVI died on 31 December at his Vatican residence, aged 95. For three days, starting from 02 January, the body will lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica until the funeral on 05 January. EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI

U.S. Rep.-elect Katie Porter (D-CA) reads a book in the House Chamber during the fourth day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 06, 2023 in Washington, DC. The House of Representatives is meeting to vote for the next Speaker after House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) failed to earn more than 218 votes on several ballots; the first time in 100 years that the Speaker was not elected on the first ballot. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

A worker carries traditional red lanterns to dry with others outside a workshop on January 5, 2023 in the village of Tuntou, Hebei province, China. The village of Tuntou which proclaims itself the lantern capital of China, has boosted production for this year after the country abandoned its zero-Covid policy, and is producing millions of the symbolic red decorations associated with the country’s biggest holiday of the year. In Chinese culture, the color red is meant to bring luck and happiness, and the fabric of each lantern is adorned with characters wishing for health, peace, and prosperity. It is a centuries-old tradition and is an enduring contrast to China’s modern cities and rapid growth. In Tuntou, most of the production is at small, family-owned factories that supply markets across China, Asia, and abroad. The Lunar New Year falls on January 22 this year and marks the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit In China, and is followed by a holiday period known as the Spring Festival. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

An unmarried Shembe pilgrim walks on top of the Nhlangakazi Holy Mountain during the annual Nazareth Baptist Church, (Shembe Church) pilgrimage near Durban, South Africa, 07 January 2023. On a hilltop in KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, thousands of members of the Nazareth Baptist Church gather for their annual pilgrimage. Known as the Nhlangakazi Holy Mountain, this sacred site is also the culmination of a 50km journey these predominantly Zulu pilgrims have made by foot, some coming from as far as the city of Durban, on South Africa’s east coast. EPA-EFE/KIM LUDBROOK

Supporters of Brazil’s former president Jair Bolsonaro walk on the dome of the National Congress during a protest in Brasilia, Brazil, 08 January 2023. Hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters stormed the headquarters of the National Congress, the Supreme Court, and the Planalto Palace, the seat of the Presidency of the Republic, in a demonstration calling for a military intervention to overthrow President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. EPA-EFE/ANDRE BORGES

Activists hang in a tripod near the village of Luetzerath, Germany, 10 January 2023. The village in the North Rhine-Westphalia state is to make way for lignite mining despite the decision to phase out coal. The Garzweiler open pit mine, operated by German energy supplier RWE, is the focus of protests by people who want Germany to stop mining and burning coal as soon as possible in the fight against climate change.   EPA-EFE/RONALD WITTEK

French riot police during clashes as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration against the government’s reform of the pension system, in Paris, France, 31 January 2023. The French government plans to delay the minimum retirement age from 62 to 64 by 2030. EPA-EFE/YOAN VALAT

Pope Francis (R) attends a meeting with young people in the Martyrs’ stadium during his Apostolic Journey in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 02 February 2023. Pope Francis is on a six-day trip to Africa that will also include South Sudan. EPA-EFE/CIRO FUSCO

A boy lays on the sand shading his face at North Narrabeen Beach on February 3, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. The initiative is part of the Bush to Beach programme, which now in its 18th year, gives indigenous children a unique opportunity to learn and explore Sydney’s beach culture. The efforts are made possible entirely by volunteers, donations and sponsorship. Bush to Beach is a charity dedicated to inspiring hope, confidence, self-esteem and promoting education for Aussie bush kids, a release by the charity said. This particular trip is a reward for school attendance and an opportunity for the kids to see that there is another world outside their own community and help develop confidence and self-esteem, according to Bush to Beach co-founder Jack Cannons. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

Taylor Swift attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Madonna speaks onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Women react at the site of a collapsed building in the aftermath of a major earthquake in the Elbistan district of Kahramanmaras, Turkey, 08 February 2023. More than 9,000 people have died and thousands more injured after two major earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on 06 February. Authorities fear the death toll will keep climbing as rescuers look for survivors across the region. EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

A woman stands on a flooded area following heavy rains since 07 of February in Maputo, Mozambique, 09 February 2023. About 2,400 families were left homeless, and dozens of houses were flooded in the Mozambican capital. EPA-EFE/LUISA NHANTUMBO

Husband and wife Kolya and Olya, 57, walk through a snowstorm as the sound of artillery booms around them on February 12, 2023 in Chasiv Yar, Ukraine in the eastern Donbas region of the country. Almost a year after Russia’s February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Russian forces have reportedly slowly been gaining ground in a winter offensive, at great cost to both sides. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

A rescue volunteer takes a break with dogs in Hatay, Turkey, on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023. The two massive earthquakes that killed over 24,000 people in Turkey are expected to result in an loss to the nations economy of over $84 billion, or about 10% of the GDP, according to estimates of the Turkish Enterprise and Business Confederation. Photographer: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images

A man sleeps on a sofa near a collapsed building on February 13, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of Monday, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and were felt in nearby countries. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

A woman walks on a street amid destroyed buildings on February 17, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of February 6, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and has killed more than 40,000 people. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

A worker points with a torch during search efforts at the site of collapsed buildings after a powerful earthquake hit Hatay, Turkey, 15 February 2023. More than 50,000 people have died and more than 100,000 others were injured after two major earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on 06 February 2023. EPA-EFE/MARTIN DIVISEK

A family do the conga next to a new artwork called ‘Valentine’s Day mascara’ on February 15, 2023 in Margate, England. The image, which centres on the theme of violence against women and girls, appeared yesterday, alongside a refrigerator, which featured as part of the artwork. The fridge was promptly moved by Thanet district council, who said it would return “once it has been made safe”. Since then a wheelie bin has appeared as a replacement and a sheet of plastic covering the image with a sign reading ‘do not touch’. The artwork now appears to have two private security guards despite being on the wall of a privately owned house backing onto council run property. Locals anticipate the piece will likely be removed and sold at auction. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Ukrainian volunteers run through urban warfare training with members of the British Armed Forces at a military camp on February 24, 2023 in South East England. A thousand UK service personnel are deploying to run a training programme giving 10,000 volunteer recruits from Ukraine, with little to no military experience, the skills to be effective in frontline combat. Based on the UK’s basic soldier training, the course covers weapons handling, battlefield first aid, fieldcraft, patrol tactics and the Law of Armed Conflict. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Ukrainian serviceman of the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo” fires a mortar towards Russian positions, at an undisclosed location, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, 17 February 2023. EPA-EFE/OLEG PETRASYUK

An image taken with a slow shutter speed of Ukrainian national flags waving over the graves of fallen Ukrainian soldiers in a military cemetery in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, late 22 February 2023 (issued 23 February 2023), nearly one year since the start of the Russian invasion. Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory on 24 February 2022, starting a conflict that has provoked destruction and a humanitarian crisis. One year on, fighting continues in many parts of the country. EPA-EFE/PAVLO PAKHOMENKO

A collapsed building with Abdulhamid Han Mosque in the background after a powerful earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey, 18 February 2023. More than 45,000 people have died and thousands more are injured after two major earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on 06 February. Authorities fear the death toll will keep climbing as rescuers look for survivors across the region. EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN

Members of a troupe participate in the Battle of Flowers, the first parade of the Barranquilla Carnival, in Barranquilla, Colombia, 18 February 2023. The Barranquilla Carnival was declared an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. EPA-EFE/RICARDO MALDONADO ROZO

Laila Temori (47), from Kunduz but living in Germany, searches for remains of her relatives in the debris of the ship on March 2, 2023 in Steccato di Cutro, Italy. She lost her brother’s entire family, including three children, in the shipwreck. Apart from her 18-month-old nephew, none of the family has been found. So far, least 63 migrants have been reported dead in the shipwreck off the coast of Calabria, whilst eighty people were rescued attempting to cross the sea from Turkey. (Photo by Alessio Mamo/Getty Images)

A man fixes the curtains ahead of the Fifth Plenary Session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, 12 March 2023. China holds two major annual political meetings, the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) which run alongside and together are known as ‘Lianghui’ or ‘Two Sessions’.  EPA-EFE/MARK R. CRISTINO

(L-R) Ke Huy Quan, winner of the Best Actor In A Supporting Role award, Michelle Yeoh, winner of the Best Actress in a Leading Role award and Jamie Lee Curtis, winner of the Best Supporting Actress award for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” pose in the press room during the 95th Annual Academy Awards on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

A colorful sunset over military graves in the Kharkiv cemetery 18 on March 15, 2023 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The military section of this large cemetery is almost full as many soldiers come from Kharkiv. Many of the recent casualties were killed in Bakhmut as Ukrainian soldiers are being hit hard on three sides by Russian forces, taking many lives. (Photo by Paula Bronstein /Getty Images)

Riot police are struck by fireworks during violent clashes over the government’s reform of the pension system on March 23, 2023 in Paris, France. Over 1 million protesters took part in demonstrations across the country a week after the government pushed pension reform through parliament without a vote, using article 49.3 of the constitution. Labour unions had fought the move for months with protests in a bid to stop the retirement age from rising to 64 from 62. (Photo by Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump exits after speaking during a rally at the Waco Regional Airport on March 25, 2023 in Waco, Texas. Former U.S. President Donald Trump attended and spoke at his first rally since announcing his 2024 presidential campaign. Today in Waco also marks the 30-year anniversary of the weeks deadly standoff involving Branch Davidians and federal law enforcement. 82 Davidians were killed, and four agents left dead. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

The dome of the Kashmiri Mashjid mosque is reflected in the eye of a Nepalese Muslim while he attends the first Friday prayer of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan at Kashmiri Mashjid in Kathmandu, Nepal, 24 March 2023. Muslims around the world celebrate the holy month of Ramadan by praying during the night time and abstaining from eating, drinking, and sexual acts during the period between sunrise and sunset. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and it is believed that the revelation of the first verse in the Koran was during its last 10 nights.  EPA-EFE/NARENDRA SHRESTHA

ATX Drag Queen Brigitte Bandit gives testimony in the Senate Chamber at the Texas State Capitol on March 23, 2023 in Austin, Texas. People across the state of Texas showed up to give testimony as proposed Senate bills SB12 and SB1601, which would regulate drag performances, were discussed before the Chamber. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Thabo Bester at Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on April 14, 2023 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The convicted murderer and rapist, Thabo Bester escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre (MCC) sometime last year. (Photo by Gallo Images/Frikkie Kapp)

An area view of Muslims breaking fast at Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Or Independence Square) during the holy month of Ramadan on April 02, 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Muslims around the world are observing the fasting month of Ramadan, Islam’s holiest month, during which observant believers fast from dawn to dusk. They celebrate the end of the Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr festival. (Photo by Annice Lyn/Getty Images)

Protesters climb on ‘The Triumph of the Republic’ statue depicting Marianne at Place de la Nation during the annual May Day march in Paris, France, 01 May 2023. Despite the Constitutional Council’s adoption of the law on 14 April raising the retirement age in France from 62 to 64 years old, protests against pension reform are being held in France on this International Workers’ Day. EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON

Janelle Monae arrives on the carpet for the 2023 Met Gala, the annual benefit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, in New York, New York, USA, 01 May 2023. EPA-EFE/JUSTIN LANE

King Charles III and Queen Camilla at the balcony of Buckingham Palace during the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in London, England. The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms takes place at Westminster Abbey today. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. (Photo by P van Katwijk/Getty Images)

Princess Charlotte of Wales and Prince Louis of Wales watch an RAF flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace following the Coronation of King Charles III & Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023 in London, England. The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms takes place at Westminster Abbey today. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)

A woman holds a sign which says “let them eat quiche” during a protest against the the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on May 6, 2023 in Cardiff, Wales. The Coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the other Commonwealth realms takes place at Westminster Abbey today. Charles acceded to the throne on 8 September 2022, upon the death of his mother, Elizabeth II. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Getty Images)

Robert Jackson comforts his mother Cheryl Jackson as they visit a memorial near the scene of a mass shooting at the Allen Premium Outlets mall on May 8, 2023 in Allen, Texas. Eight people were killed and seven wounded in the Saturday attack in which the gunman was killed by police, according to published reports. Three of the wounded are in critical condition, according to the reports. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Immigrant families cross into the United States from Mexico to seek asylum on May 08, 2023 in El Paso, Texas. A surge of immigrants attempting to cross into the U.S. is expected with the end of the Covid-era Title 42 border enforcement policy this week. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

An aerial view of migrants making their way across a lily weed choked part of the Rio Grande to enter the United States on May 11, 2023 in Matamoros, Mexico. A surge of migrants are expected with the end of the U.S. government’s Covid-era Title 42 policy, which for the past three years has allowed for the quick expulsion of irregular migrants entering the country. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Migrants put their arms between the bars of the wall to grab the food delivered by volunteers in San Diego, California, USA, 12 May 2023. According to humanitarian volunteers, there are about 400 migrants, all families, at this location held on US soil in the no man’s land between Tijuana and San Diego after crossing the border illegally. A significant increase in the number of migrants crossing was expected as the Covid-era Title 42 policy, which allowed for a quick expulsion of illegal immigrants, expired at 23:59 ET on 11 May. EPA-EFE/ETIENNE LAURENT

Sudanese refugees and South Sudanese returnees travel atop a truck transporting them from the border towards the Upper Nile State town of Renk, South Sudan, 12 May 2023. Fleeing the armed conflict between the Sudanese military and the RSF (Rapid Support Forces) militia which started last 15 April, some 40 000 people have arrived into South Sudan according to the UNHCR. Most of the refugees are part of the some 800 000 South Sudanese who had fled the war in South Sudan in the first place and they are returning to a country that is barely out of conflict itself with tensions still remaining in many areas and more than 2 million internally displaced people. The scarcity of food and water and the military escalation had made the stay of most civilians impossible in Sudan. Upon arriving at Joda border crossing the refugees head to a transit area set up by the UNHCR in the small town of Renk, where various UN agencies assist them with registration, food, health check and logistics to either leave Renk which is not equipped to house a large refugee population. EPA-EFE/AMEL PAIN

Buddhists carry lanterns in a parade during the Lotus Lantern Festival to celebrate the upcoming birthday of Buddha on May 20, 2023 in Seoul, South Korea. Buddha was born approximately 2,567 years ago, and although the exact date is unknown, Buddha’s official birthday is celebrated on the full moon in May in South Korea, which is on May 27 this year. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

An image made with a slow shutter speed shows a man cooling off in a small waterfall of the Kalumpang River during a hot day with up to 33 degrees Celsius, in Tanjung Malim, Malaysia, 02 June 2023. Earlier in May 2023 Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi had said that ‘there was not yet a need for Malaysia to declare a heatwave Emergency, but the government would review this if temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius’. EPA-EFE/FAZRY ISMAIL

A member of the Household Division faints due to heat exhaustion whilst participating in the Colonel’s Review at the Horse Guards Parade in London, Britain, 10 June 2023. The Colonel’s Review is the final rehearsal for the Household Division before the Trooping the Color military ceremony that marks the King’s birthday on 17 June.  EPA-EFE/TOLGA AKMEN

Swimmers participate in the annual nude winter solstice swim during Hobart’s Dark Mofo festival at Long Beach in Hobart, Australia 22 June 2023. EPA-EFE/ROB BLAKERS

A farmer drinks a traditional beverage inside a paddy field on National Paddy Day in Tokha village, outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal, 30 June 2023. EPA-EFE/NARENDRA SHRESTHA

A Pakistani man holds the head of a sacrificed cow on his shoulder during the Eid al-Adha celebration in Peshawar, Pakistan, 29 June 2023. Eid al-Adha is one of the holiest Muslim holidays of the year. It marks the yearly Muslim pilgrimage, known as Hajj, to visit Mecca. During Eid al-Adha, Muslims slaughter animals and split their meat into three parts: one for family, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor and needy. EPA-EFE/BILAWAL ARBAB

Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig attend the “Barbie” European Premiere at Cineworld Leicester Square on July 12, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

A resident wearing a scuba-diving mask sprays water at the entrance of a house during a wildfire at Lagonisi area in Attica, Greece, 17 July 2023. Multiple wildfires in Greece left 28 people dead and 75 others injured. EPA-EFE/KOSTAS TSIRONIS

Mykola (41) and his family drive in Dovhenke village, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, 15 July 2023. Mykola came to his sister’s destroyed family home to collect the rest of an apiary damaged during active combat in Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. His own home in nearby Krasnopillia village was also destroyed during the fighting, and he was forced to move with his family to Khrestyshe, where he keeps bees and hopes to one day return home. Russian troops entered Ukraine on 24 February 2022, starting a conflict that has provoked destruction and a humanitarian crisis.  EPA-EFE/OLEG PETRASYUK

A member of the public watches the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO)’s Chandrayaan-3 (Moon Vehicle-3), on board the Launch Vehicle Mark-III Mission 4 (LVM3 M4), lift off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, India, 14 July 2023. Built on a budget of less than $75 million, the Indian space agency attempts to land a rover on the moon and join the group of nations comprising the United States, the former Soviet Union, and China that have made successful soft landings on the moon. EPA-EFE/IDREES MOHAMMED

Kisha Jimenez of Team Croatia, Sharon van Rouwendaal of Team Netherlands and Parizoda Iskandarova of Team Uzbekistan compete in the Open Water Women’s 10km on day one of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Seaside Momochi Beach Park on July 15, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

Evangelia Platanioti of Greece competes in the Artistic Swimming Women’s Solo Free Final on day six of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 19, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

(L-R) Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) reaches out to help Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after McConnell froze and stopped talking at the microphones during a news conference after a lunch meeting with Senate Republicans U.S. Capitol 26, 2023 in Washington, DC. Also pictured, at center, Sen. John Thune (R-SD). McConnell was escorted back to his office and later returned to the news conference and answered questions. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Destruction caused by an alleged gas explosion in the Central Business District (CBD) along Bree Street on July 19, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is reported that at least 24 vehicles, mostly taxis, were damaged when the explosion occurred, damaging the road extensively.(Photo by Gallo Images/Daily Maverick/Felix Dlangamandla)

Collapsed road in the central business district (CBD) along Bree Street on July 20, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is reported that at least 24 vehicles, mostly taxis, were damaged when the explosion occurred, damaging the road extensively. (Photo by Gallo Images/OJ Koloti)

An athlete takes a practice dive prior to the Women’s High Diving preliminaries on day one of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Seaside Momochi Beach Park on July 25, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 10th Anniversary at FNB Stadium on July 29, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The EFF celebrated their 10-year milestone, also effectively kicking off the party’s campaign ahead of the 2024 general elections. (Photo by Gallo Images/Papi Morake)

Crowds of people line the street as the hearse carrying Sinéad O’Connor’s coffin passes by her former home on the seafront on August 8, 2023 in Bray, Ireland. The public lined the streets of Bray today as the funeral cortege of Sinéad O’Connor passed through the town where she lived for 15 years. The iconic Irish singer known for her hit single “Nothing Compares 2 U” passed away at the age of 56 on July 26, 2023. O’Connor was renowned as a protest singer who used her fame to champion human rights, anti-racism, and expose injustice, particularly within the Catholic Church. She leaves behind three children. (Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images)

Russian prisoners of war sit on their beds inside a detention center at an undisclosed location in the Lviv region, Western Ukraine, 03 August 2023. Russia and Ukraine have been accusing each other of abusing and mistreating their respective prisoners of war, prompting a UN investigation in early 2023. Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory in February 2022, starting a conflict that has provoked destruction and a humanitarian crisis.  EPA-EFE/VITALII NOSACH

Families walk ashore on Dungeness beach after being rescued in the English Channel by the RNLI on August 16, 2023 in Dungeness, England. Over 100,000 migrants have crossed the Channel from France to England on small boats since the UK began publicly recording the arrivals in 2018. Often, migrant vessels are intercepted by Border Force or the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Last week, six migrants died when their boat sank mid-crossing, highlighting the dangers of the journey. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Australian surfer Olivia Ottaway dives under a wave on August 19, 2023 in Teahupo’o, French Polynesia. Teahupo’o has been hosting the WSL Tahiti Pro event for over two decades and will next year host the surfing event for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Spain players celebrate after the team’s victory in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia on August 20, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Gold medalist Noah Lyles of Team United States reacts after winning the Men’s 100m Final during day two of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023 at National Athletics Centre on August 20, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Portraits of warlords and Wagner Group founders Yevgeny Prigozhin (R) and Dmitry Utkin (L) seen among candles at an informal memorial for PMC Wagner Group at Varvarka street near the Kremlin on August 24, 2023 in Moscow, Russia. Russia’s Civil Aviation Agency says mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigizhin was aboard a plane that crashed north of Moscow. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)

In this aerial view, A boat carrying around 50 migrants drifts into English waters after being trailed by a French emergency tug, the Abeille Normandie from the French coastline on August 24, 2023 The English Channel, England. Most of the small boats are collected on the border by UK Border Force vessels and brought into Dover port, after french naval ships accompany them to the border. Another boat then collects the small rubber crafts and loads them to be taken to a UK border Force facility. Over 100,000 migrants have crossed the Channel from France to England on small boats since the UK began publicly recording the arrivals in 2018. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

A full blue moon rises behind the Royal Liver Building and the Liver Bird statues on August 30, 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. In addition to its “supermoon” status (its closest approach to Earth in a given orbit), this particular full moon will be the second to occur in August, the first having occurred on August 1, thus named “blue moon”. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Bodies line up outside the Johannesburg CBD building at the corner of Delvers and Alberts Streets on August 31, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa. According to media reports, at least 63 people have died and at least 43 others were injured in the fire disaster. (Photo by Gallo Images/Felix Dlangamandla)

The Rolling Stones members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood greet fans at the launch event of The Rolling Stones’ new album ‘Hackney Diamonds’ at Hackney Empire in London, Britain, 06 September 2023. EPA-EFE/TOLGA AKMEN

A woman sits amongst the rubble of her village that was almost completely destroyed by Friday’s earthquake, on September 11, 2023 in Douzrou, Morocco. Over 2600 people are now reported dead following the large earthquake that struck below villages in the High Atlas mountains around 70km south of Marrakesh. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

An aerial view of the city of Bakhmut totally destroyed from heavy battles on September 27, 2023 in Bakhmut, Ukraine. Destroyed towns in eastern Ukraine once again the focus of recovery efforts by Ukrainian forces. (Photo by Libkos/Getty Images)

In this aerial view the ‘Sycamore Gap’ tree on Hadrian’s Wall lies on the ground leaving behind only a stump in the spot it once proudly stood, on September 28, 2023 northeast of Haltwhistle, England. The tree, which was apparently felled overnight, was one of the UK’s most photographed and appeared in the 1991 Kevin Costner film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves.” (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Simone Biles of Team United States competes on Balance Beam during the Women’s Team Final on Day Five of the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships on October 04, 2023 in Antwerp, Belgium. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Rustam Assakalov of Uzbekistan competes against Islam Umayev of Kazakhstan in the men’s 97 kg greco-roman Bronze medal Wrestling event during the 2022 Asian Games at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre on October 04, 2023 in Hangzhou, China. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Former US President Donald J. Trump gestures to the media during a short recess on the third day of his civil fraud trial in New York, New York, USA, 04 October 2023. EPA-EFE/PETER FOLEY

Two displaced women from Nagorno Karabakh talk at a temporary shelter on October 6, 2023 in Artashat, Armenia. Following a 9-month blockade, almost all of the ethnic Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia after Azerbaijan launched a lightning offensive in September. With some 100,000 refugees, Armenia is now facing a humanitarian crisis while mitigating risks of Azeri aggression against its sovereign territory. (Photo by Diego Herrera Carcedo/Getty Images)

Israeli security forces stand near a burned car at a scene where a rocket fired from Gaza strip hit a building on October 7, 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) say that Hamas “had begun a massive shooting of rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory” which the Palestinian militant group has taken responsibility for. The IDF also say that militants had entered Israeli territory in “different locations”. A counterattack has been launched against Gaza. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

A Palestinian man mourns over the body of his dead nephew at the Al-Shifa hospital after an Israeli air strike in Gaza City, 09 October 2023. Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have died since the militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October, and the Israeli strikes on the Palestinian enclave that followed it. EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER

Members of the security forces continue to search for identification and personal effects at the Supernova Music Festival site, where hundreds were killed and dozens taken by Hamas militants near the border with Gaza, on October 12, 2023 in Kibbutz Re’im, Israel. Israel has sealed off Gaza and launched sustained retaliatory air strikes, which have killed at least 1,200 people with more than 300, 000 displaced, after a large-scale attack by Hamas. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 1,200 people and wounding around 2800. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the announcement of an emergency wartime government. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Palestinians injured in Israeli air raids arrive on October 17, 2023 in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Gaza. Gazans are evacuating to the south as advised by the Israeli government, ahead of an expected Israeli ground offensive. Israel has sealed off Gaza, leaving the entire population without fuel, water or aid, and launched sustained retaliatory air strikes, which have killed more than 2,000 people and some 400,000 displaced, after a large-scale attack by Hamas. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing over 1,300 people and wounding around 2,800. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the announcement of an emergency wartime government. (Photo by Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)

An explosion on a residential tower caused by Israeli air raids in the northern Gaza Strip on October 12, 2023 in Gaza City, Gaza. At least 1,200 people, including at least 326 children, have been killed and more than 300,000 displaced, after Israel launched sustained retaliatory air strikes after a large-scale attack by Hamas. On October 7, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel from Gaza by land, sea, and air, killing 1000 people and wounding more than 2000. Israeli soldiers and civilians have also been taken hostage by Hamas and moved into Gaza. The attack prompted a declaration of war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)

A woman cradles her son, eight-month-old Muhammad Bilal Abu Salah, as residents collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in reported Israeli air strikes on October 28, 2023 in Khan Yunis, Gaza. Heading into a third week of heavy bombing from Israel, Gaza buckles under a shortage of basic needs including fuel, whilst several neighborhoods on the Gaza strip have been wiped out and thousands have died and hundreds of thousands have been displaced. On October 7, Hamas launched a deadly attack in southern Israel that sparked a retaliatory siege of Gaza. (Photo by Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)

Al Shifa Hospital is lit up in Gaza City 24 October 2023. The Health Ministry in Gaza warned that electric generators in hospitals will cease functioning within days due to a fuel shortage and that 32 health centers are out of service due to targeting by Israeli warplanes and a fuel shortage. Thousands of Israelis and Palestinians have died since the militant group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October, and the Israeli strikes on the Palestinian enclave that followed it. EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER

Israeli shells strike the northern part of the Gaza Strip during sunset, 29 October 2023. Thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have been killed, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Palestinian health authority, since Hamas militants launched an attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October, and the Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank which followed it. EPA-EFE/HANNIBAL HANSCHKE

A rainbow over destroyed vehicles in the village of Posad-Pokrovske in the Kherson region, 01 November 2023. Russian troops entered Ukrainian territory in February 2022, starting a conflict that has provoked destruction and a humanitarian crisis. EPA-EFE/OLEG PETRASYUK

A teddy bear is seen left on the ground near the bomb shelter of a kibbutz home attacked by Hamas on Oct 7th, near the border with Gaza, on November 01, 2023 in Holit, Israel. According to an IDF officer, two grandparents who resided here held the bomb shelter door closed during the attack to protect their grandchildren. All were injured but survived. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

A Hanukkah menorah is left on a counter of a destroyed house after Hamas attacked this kibbutz on October 7th near the border of Gaza on November 01, 2023 in Kissufim, Israel. More than three weeks since Hamas’s Oct 7 attacks in Israel, which killed 1,400 according to Israeli authorities, just over half have now been laid to rest, and over four-fifths have been identified. Volunteers continue to identify victims at the country’s Shura military facility. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

US tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, owner of Tesla, SpaceX and X, reacts as he attends a conversation event with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (unseen) in central London, Britain, 02 November 2023. EPA-EFE/TOLGA AKMEN / POOL

Fans gather in the streets of Soweto to catch a glimpse of the Springboks during the Rugby World Cup Trophy Tour. The Springboks beat New Zealand in the final on Saturday, winning their 4th Rugby World Cup. 02 November 2023. (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)

Activists holding a giant flag at the International solidarity day march, from Mary Fitzgerald Square through Nelson Mandela Bridge to Constitutional Hill standing in solidarity with people from Palestine on November 29, 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)

International Solidarity Day march, which left from Mary Fitzgerald Square through Nelson Mandela Bridge to Constitutional Hill standing in solidarity with people from Palestine, November 29, 2023 (Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)

TAC members are gathered at the Constitutional Court as part of their 25th anniversary commemorations on December 11, 2023.(Photo: Felix Dlangamandla)

An Afghan refugee rests on a bed in the open as refugees return to their homeland through the Afghanistan-Pakistan border at Torkham, as the Pakistani government’s deadline to expel undocumented immigrants is over, in Torkham, Afghanistan, 18 November 2023. Pakistan is preparing to implement its plan to expel undocumented immigrants as the deadline for them to leave the country was due on 01 November. The move particularly affects the millions of Afghan refugees who have fled their homeland, many of them driven by decades of armed conflict and the return to power of the Taliban. Since the Pakistani authorities announced the deadline in early October, a huge migratory flow has been recorded on the porous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. According to official data, there are about 4.4 million Afghan refugees in the country, of which 1.7 million are not registered. Most of them fled during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s. EPA-EFE/SAMIULLAH POPAL

A ‘save Palestine’ sign adorns a wall as Israeli infantry soldiers take part in a live firing tactical advance exercise near the border in readiness for possible deployment across the border into Gaza on November 20, 2023 in Southern Israel. More than a month after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attacks, the country’s military has continued its sustained bombardment of the Gaza Strip and launched a ground invasion to vanquish the militant group that governs the Palestinian territory. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

UN workers try to help an injured man who was shot while returning from the south to the north of the Gaza Strip along the Salah Al Din road, in the central Gaza Strip, 25 November 2023. After Israel and Hamas agreed to a four-day ceasefire mediated by Qatar, the USA, and Egypt, and that came into effect on 24 November, some Palestinians who were still in central Gaza moved towards the south, while others already internally displaced in the south went back to the northern part to check on relatives they had left behind and to collect salvageable belongings from their houses. As part of the ceasefire, the agreement included that 50 Israeli hostages, women and children, are to be released by Hamas. 150 Palestinian women and children who were detained in Israeli prisons are to be released in exchange. Thousands of people have died since Hamas militants launched an attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October, and the Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank which followed it. EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER

The snow-capped Etna spews hot lava, near Catania, Sicily, Italy, 27 November 2023. One of Europe’s most active and tallest volcanos has erupted again on 25 November 2023. EPA-EFE/Orietta Scardino

An image of Santa Claus is projected on the Rochers-de-Naye mountain on the sidelines of the Montreux Christmas market, in Haut de Caux near Montreux, Switzerland, 06 December 2023. The figure is projected from a distance of 2300 meters and covers a surface of over 28000 square meters, a world record according to the author of the project Swiss light artist Gerry Hofstetter. EPA-EFE/VALENTIN FLAURAUD

A child wounded in Israeli airstrikes on southern Gaza reacts as she arrives at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, 07 December 2023. Israeli forces resumed military strikes on Gaza after a week-long truce ended on 01 December. More than 16,000 Palestinians and at least 1,200 Israelis have been killed, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), since Hamas militants launched an attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip on 07 October, and the Israeli operations in Gaza and the West Bank which followed it. EPA-EFE/HAITHAM IMAD

A team of scientists works on the ridge of a volcanic fissure as lava spews during a volcanic eruption, near the town of Grindavik, in the Reykjanes peninsula, southwestern Iceland, 19 December 2023. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) announced the start of a volcanic fissure eruption near the Sundhnuka crater, north-east of Grindavik, on the night of 18 December, following weeks of intense earthquake activity in the area. The power and seismic activity of the eruption have decreased over time, IMO reported on 19 December, adding that since the eruption began, about 320 earthquakes have been recorded. EPA-EFE/ANTON BRINK DM

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  • Vas K says:

    Who wrote the captions? Some ANC cadre, no doubt. That’s whom I would expect to call Hamas “militants” – a term nowadays associated with activists and protesters. The civilized countries and people use the term “terrorists”. What’s next?: guerrillas? freedom fighters, heroes?

  • G MARSHALL says:

    Thank you for the amazing Year 2023 in pictures. Let us hope that 2024 will be more peaceful, hopeful and uplifting.

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