Most important events in the first half of 2023

The current year is the 2023rd year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 23rd year of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century, and the fourth year of the 2020s decade. The first six months of 2023 were full of many special and exceptional events. 

January witnessed Croatia’s entry into the Schengen region without borders and its adoption of the euro as its official currency. When it joined the EU in 2013, the nation made a commitment to joining the eurozone, according to the BBC. 

In February, one of the worst earthquakes in at least a century hit central Turkey and northwestern Syria. It killed more than 2,000 people, while a second powerful tremor hours later threatened to overwhelm rescue efforts, the Guardian reported. 

March saw the collapse of the startup-focused lender SVB Financial Group (SIVB.O), which rocked the world's financial markets, as billions of assets belonging to businesses and investors were gone. This made it the largest bank to fail since the 2008 financial crisis, Reuters reported. 

In the same month, pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in connection with the situation in Ukraine. 

Despite condemnations from the Arab and Muslim world, Israeli police invaded Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, one of Islam's holiest sites, in April. This was hours after they first attacked the compound and detained hundreds of Palestinians. The battles, which occurred as Jews celebrated Passover and Muslims observed the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa, provoked retaliatory rocket fire from militants in Gaza, CNN reported. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the horrific coronavirus pandemic that caused lockdowns and killed at least seven million people worldwide, officially came to an end in May. However, the pandemic is still ongoing due to recent increases in cases in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, and the virus continues to claim hundreds of lives each week, CBC stated. 

May also witnessed the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in Westminster Abbey. The coronation had not occurred in nearly 70 years, according to the UK Parliament. 

The Titan submarine carrying five passengers to the Titanic shipwreck had a “catastrophic implosion” in June. After starting to dive, the Titan lost contact with the surface ship an hour and 45 minutes later. An extensive search discovered a debris field near the Titanic that contained pieces of the submarine, AP reported. 

In the same month, the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group launched an armed conflict with the Russian military and was subsequently dismissed by the Russian government. The coup, led by Wagner commander Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was followed by an estimated 5,000 fighters, started a march towards Moscow before stopping 200 kilometers from the city, according to the BBC.