The first half of 2023 has been nothing short of eventful with historic moments in entertainment, U.S. politics, sports, and more.
Journalists around the world have come to the forefront this year as they have covered everything from thrilling sports stories to devastating accounts of natural disasters.
As we enter the second half of 2023, we reflect on various news events that have transpired during the months of January through May.
January 2023
Jan. 7:
Republican Kevin McCarthy is elected House speaker after 15 rounds of voting. This marked the longest speaker contest in over 160 years. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Jan. 8:
U.S. President Joe Biden visits El Paso, Texas, for his first border visit as president. President Biden walked along the U.S.-Mexico border before visiting the El Paso County Migrant Services Center. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Jan. 9:
Georgia beats TCU 65-7 in the College Football National Championship. The game took place at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Jan. 21:
A 72-year-old man kills 11 people on Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, CA. The gunman was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound 25 miles from the crime scene. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Jan. 27:
The photo shows a memorial commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Hanover, Germany. Doug Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. president or vice president, attended a memorial at the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
February 2023
Feb. 1:
www.allproreels.com — Washington Football Team vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers from FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland, November 14th, 2021 (All-Pro Reels Photography) (Joe Glorioso | All-Pro Reels)
Feb. 5:
The 65th Grammy Awards take place at the Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, CA. Beyonce won four of her nine nominations to become the most decorated artist with a total of 32 awards. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 6:
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes southeast Turkey near the Syrian border. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit the same area hours later, resulting in a combined total of over 50,000 deaths. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 8:
Patrick Crusius pleads guilty to 90 charges in connection to the 2019 Walmart shooting in El Paso, Texas. 23 people were killed as a result of the mass shooting. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Feb. 12:
The Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII. The game took place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Feb. 15:
A shooting takes place at Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, Texas. A 16-year-old shot three people and killed a 17-year-old boy. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Feb. 28:
El Paso City Manager Tommy Gonzalez is fired by the El Paso City Council. In August 2022, Gonzalez’s contract was extended through 2029. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
March 2023
March 12:
The 95th Academy Awards take place at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, CA. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” stole the show by winning in seven categories. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
March 19:
Willie Cager, a member of Texas Western’s 1966 championship-winning basketball team, passes away at age 81. Cager passed away on the 57th anniversary of Texas Western’s championship victory against Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
March 21:
U.S. President Joe Biden designates Castner Range as a national monument. Located on Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, Castner Range was used by the U.S. Army from 1926 to 1966 as an artillery and munitions range during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
March 23:
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew is questioned for nearly five hours by Congress. The social media app is a risk of being banned for its ties to China. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
March 27:
A mass shooting occurs at Covenant School in Nashville, TN. The 28-year-old female shooter killed three children and three adults before being shot by authorities. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
April 2023
April 2:
LSU defeats Iowa 102-85 in the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship. The game took place1 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
April 4:
Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump will be due in court in December 2023. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
April 5:
UConn defeats San Diego State 76-59 in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The game took place at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
April 11:
UTEP announces that Keitha Adams will return to coach the women’s basketball team. Adams coached the UTEP women’s basketball team from 2001 to 2017 before coaching at Wichita State from 2017 to 2023. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
April 24:
Fox News splits ways with conservative television host Tucker Carlson. The separation comes after Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit with Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million stemming from the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
April 29:
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. However, Biden first addressed the wrongful detainments of American journalists Evan Gershkovich in Russia and Austin Tice in Syria. Biden called for action and said, “Journalism is not a crime.” Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
May 2023
May 4:
A Manhattan jury concluded that Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking Out Loud” did not copy Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” With his victory, Sheeran has decided against following through with his previous threat of leaving the music industry. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.
May 6:
On Election Day in El Paso, Texas, Proposition K, a climate charter, failed. According to unofficial Election Day results provided by El Paso Times, 82% of voters were against Proposition K. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
May 11:
Title 42, a public health policy implemented by the Trump administration to restrict migrants from entering the U.S., is lifted on May 11 at 11:59 p.m. (ET). According to KTSM News, the City of El Paso’s migrant dashboard reports daily migrant encounters as 626, which is significantly less than the 1,300 daily average in April 2023. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Journalists across the world continue to be put to the test as they are expected to follow the “Journalistic Code of Ethics” as they cover current events.
By seeking the truth, minimizing harm, acting independently, and taking accountability for their actions, journalists can quickly and efficiently report the news.
As we enter the second half of 2023, let’s remain optimistic by taking every day to contribute towards a better future for all individuals.
