What Happened in October 2023

Historical Events

Ruth Bader Ginsburg Honored

Oct 2 US Postal Service issues a commemorative stamp honoring late US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg [1]

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Oct 2 WHO approves second vaccine for Malaria, one that can be manufactured on a massive scale - R21 made by the University of Oxford [1]
Oct 3 Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier for research into attosecond pulses of light [1]
Oct 4 21 people are killed after a bus crashes off a bridge and plunges 15m (50ft) at Mestre, near Venice, Italy [1]
Oct 4 Colombian army apologies for murder of 6,402 civilians and falsely passing them off as left-wing guerrillas to boost their kill rate 15 years after armed conflict with Farc [1]

McCarthy Voted Out

Oct 4 Kevin McCarthy becomes first speaker of the US House of Representatives to be voted out by fellow Republican hard-liners, led by Matt Gaetz [1]

Oct 4 Nobel Prize for Chemistry awarded to Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus and Alexei Ekimov “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots” [1]
Oct 4 South Lhonak lake bursts sending flash flooding through India's Lachen valley, in Sikkim state, killing 70 people, with 76 missing, displacing 10,000 people [1]
Oct 5 Nobel Prize for Literature awarded to Norwegian author Jon Fosse [1]
Oct 5 Record 961 migrating birds die after hitting McCormick Place Lakeside Center building in Chicago during fall migration [1]
Oct 5 Russian missile attack on a cake holding wake in Ukrainian village of Hroza kills at least 51 people [1]

Most Decorated Gymnast of All-Time

Oct 6 American Simone Biles wins all-round gold at the World Championships in Antwerp, Belgium, - becoming the most decorated gymnast ever with 34 world and Olympic medals [1]

Oct 6 Imprisoned Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for fighting the oppression of women in Iran [1]
Oct 6 New research confirms fossil footprints 23,000-21,000 years old at White Sands National Park, New Mexico, probably the oldest evidence of humans in the Americas [1]

Hamas Attacks Israel

Oct 7 Hamas launches a major air and ground attack on Israel from Gaza, killing over a thousand people and taking hundreds of hostages, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare "We are at war." [1]

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu

Oct 7 Two 6.8 magnitude earthquakes strike Afghanistan's Herat Province, killing at least 2,400 people [1]

Verstappen Wins 3rd F1 Title

Oct 8 Dutch driver Max Verstappen scores his 14th win of the F1 season with a dominant victory in the Qatar Grand Prix at the Lusail Circuit; clinches his third consecutive Formula 1 title

Oct 8 Israel formally declares war on Hamas as the death toll reaches about 1,100 on both sides and Israel increases airstrikes on Gaza [1]
Oct 8 South Australia cricket batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk breaks AB de Villiers' 2015 record for the fastest century in a List A game, plundering a 29-ball hundred against Tasmania in Adelaide; out on 125 from 38 balls
Oct 9 Claudia Goldin awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics “for having advanced our understanding of women’s labour market outcomes” [1]
Oct 9 Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launches an independent bid for the US Presidency at Philadelphia’s Independence Mall [1]
Oct 9 World record set for heaviest pumpkin, a jack-o’-lantern gourd weighing 2,749 pounds, grown by Travis Gienger from Anoka, Minnesota - enough for 687 pies [1]
Oct 9 World's largest offshore windfarm, Dogger Bank off the coast of Yorkshire, starts generating power for the UK electricity grid [1]

Merrily We Roll Along

Oct 10 Revival of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical "Merrily We Roll Along", based on George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart's play, opens at Hudson Theater, NYC

Biden Supports Israel

Oct 10 US President Joe Biden pledges support for Israel in the wake of Hamas' attack on the country and its retaliatory bombardment of Gaza [1]

46th US President, Vice President and Senator Joe Biden

Oct 11 Wild beavers re-introduced to Ealing, London, from Scotland after being absence from the city for 400 years [1]

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Oct 12 Concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” premieres at the Grove Shopping Complex in Los Angeles [1]

Oct 12 Israel says it will not stop the bombardment of Gaza until hostages released, amid growing Gaza humanitarian crisis with 338,000 displaced and population without electricity or water [1]
Oct 12 Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos becomes 1st MLB player to hit multiple home runs in consecutive post-season games, with 2 solos shots in 3-1 win over Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia and advance to National League Championship Series
Oct 12 Roman scrolls burnt in Mt Vesuvius eruption at Herculaneum read for the first time, after computer-science student develops machine-learning algorithm - first word deciphered is purple [1]
Oct 13 Israel orders 1.1 million people to evacuate from north to south Gaza, in anticipation of a ground invasion of the territory [1]
Oct 13 Microsoft completes biggest buyout in gaming history, purchasing Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard for $69bn after approval by UK regulators [1]
Oct 13 NASA launches a spacecraft to explore the metal-rich asteroid Psyche - the largest metallic object in the Solar System [1]
Oct 14 Annular solar eclipse a 'ring of fire' visible across parts of the US, Mexico and South and Central America [1]
Oct 14 Australia votes against altering its constitution to give indigenous communities more rights in a referendum [1]

The Celebration Tour

Oct 14 Madonna opens her Celebration World Tour in London at the O2 Arena, after a three-month delay due to a life-threatening infection [1]

Oct 14 New Zealand general election won by a right-wing coalition headed by Christopher Luxon [1]
Oct 15 Businessman Daniel Noboa at 35 is elected Ecuador's youngest-ever President [1]
Oct 16 Amazon's largest tributary, The Negro River, records its lowest-ever level, confirming the rainforest is in the midst of its most significant drought [1]
Oct 16 Model of a Star Wars X-wing Starfighter used in a "Star Wars" film sells for over $3 million from collection of Hollywood model maker Greg Jein [1]

Belt and Road Initiative

Oct 17 China's President Xi Jinping celebrates 10 years of its Belt and Rod project at summit in Beijing attended by Russian leader Vladimir Putin [1]

Oct 17 India's Supreme Court rules against legalising same-sex marriage and adoption for queer couples [1]
Oct 18 At least 500 Palestinians killed in explosion on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, Gaza Strip, with local officials blaming Israeli missile attack and Israelis blaming misfired Palestinian rocket [1]

Greta Thunberg Arrested

Oct 18 Climate activist Greta Thunberg arrested at a demonstration outside an oil conference in London

Oct 18 Power cut to Guinea-Bissau's capital Bissau by Turkish firm Karpowership over a unpaid $15 million bill [1]
Oct 18 US President Joe Biden makes brief visit to Tel Aviv, Israel in attempt to ease tensions, pledging support for Israel but also urging caution [1]
Oct 20 Claim world's oldest pyramid constructed by humans is under Indonesian prehistoric site of Gunung Padang, West Java and is 27,000 years old causes controversy [1]
Oct 20 MLB Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber passes Reggie Jackson for most career post-season homeruns by lefthander batter (19) in 6-5 loss to Diamondbacks in Arizona

Hackney Diamonds

Oct 20 Polydor releases "Hackney Diamonds", the 24th studio album by British rock band the Rolling Stones (26th album in US); record is their first of original music since 2005, and features appearances by Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney

Oct 20 Storm Babet causes widespread flooding across the United Kingdom, with October daily rainfall records broken in 13 areas [1]
Oct 20 US Army veteran John Gojmerac (99) is awarded France's Medal of Honor for his service in WWII by Consul General of France Jérémie Robert, in a ceremony at the VFW Post in Tonawanda, New York; Gojmerac repaired phone lines needed for military communications, and captured German soldiers who were damaging them
Oct 23 'Superfog' conditions near New Orleans cause a motorway pile-up involving 158 vehicles, causing seven deaths [1]
Oct 23 MLB American League Championship Series: Texas Rangers defeat Houston Astros 11-4 in Houston, winning series 4-3 to advance to World Series
Oct 24 Aid Agency Save the Children says 2,000 children have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombing amid calls for a ceasefire at the UN [1]

The Woman in Me

Oct 24 American pop singer Britney Spears releases her memoir "The Woman in Me" [1]

Trump's Lawyer Pleads Guilty

Oct 24 Former lawyer to Donald Trump Jenna Ellis is the fourth person to plead guilty and accept a plea deal in the Georgia election interference case [1]

45th US President, Businessman and TV Personality Donald Trump

Oct 24 MLB National League Championship Series: Arizona Diamondbacks defeat Philadelphia Phillies 4-2 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, winning series 4-3 to advance to World Series
Oct 24 Women in Iceland go on strike to protest at gender inequalities, including its Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir [1]
Oct 25 At least 18 people killed and 13 injured in a massed shooting in Lewiston, Maine sending the area into lockdown with the suspect still at large [1]
Oct 25 Hurricane Otis makes landfall near Acapulco as a category 5 storm with 65-mph winds, the strongest to hit Mexico's Pacific coast, killing at least 52 people [1]

Biden Hosts Albanese

Oct 25 US President Joe Biden hosts a state dinner at the White House Australian PM Anthony Albanese [1]

Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese

Oct 25 US Republicans elect Mike Johnson of Louisiana Speaker of the House of Representatives after three weeks of infighting [1]
Oct 27 Alliance of rebel armies begin Operation 1027, an offensive against the ruling military junta in Myanmar [1]
Oct 27 Gaza plunged into a total communications blackout as Israel launches one of its biggest nights of bombing so far [1]
Oct 27 Lewiston, Maine mass shooter who killed 18 people is found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his former place of employment [1]
Oct 27 Taylor Swift releases her “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” album, beating her own Spotify record for most streams in a day [1]
Oct 28 10th Rugby World Cup, Stade de France: South Africa become first to win 4 World Cups and second to go back-to-back, after gripping 12-11 win over New Zealand; MVP: Springboks flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit
Oct 29 Turkey celebrates 100 years since the founding of its Republic [1]

Ballon d'Or

Oct 30 FIFA Ballon d'Or: Argentina and Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi wins his record 8th award from Manchester City striker Erling Haaland; Spanish World Cup MVP Aitana Bonmati took out the women's award

Magic Johnson Makes a Billion

Oct 30 Former basketball player Magic Johnson is the fourth athlete to become a billionaire (after Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Tiger Woods), according to Forbes [1]

Oct 30 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejects calls for a ceasefire with Hamas, saying “this is a time for war” amid Israeli ground forces moving into the Gaza strip [1]
Oct 30 US President Joe Biden signs the country's first AI executive order, with directives for US federal agencies use of AI [1]
Oct 30 US Union United Auto Workers reaches potential agreement to end six-week strike following ones with Ford and Stellantis [1]

Charles Express Regret

Oct 31 Kenyan President William Ruto, holds state banquet for King Charles III in Nairobi, whose speech acknowledges “the wrongdoings of the past are a cause of the greatest sorrow and the deepest regret” [1]

Events in 2023

Famous Divorces

Oct 2 Actress Jodie Turner-Smith files for divorce from fellow actor husband Joshua Jackson after four years of marriage [1]
Oct 17 Country music singer-songwriters Maren Morris and Ryan Hurd file for divorce after five years of marriage [1]
Oct 17 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announces on social media her long-term relationship with anchorman Andrea Giambruno is over

Famous Deaths

Oct 1 George Reed, American CFL HOF running back (CFL MVP 1965, 76; Grey Cup MVP 1966; Saskatchewan Roughriders), dies at 83
Oct 1 Julian Bahula, South African-British jazz and world music drummer, composer, bandleader (Jabula), and anti-apartheid activist, dies at 84
Oct 1 Lars Arnesson, Swedish soccer manager (Sweden 1980-86, Kalmar FF, Sweden U-21, Djurgårdens IF, Östers IF), dies at 87
Oct 1 Russ Francis, American football tight end (New England Patriots; Super Bowl XIX San Francisco 49ers; Pro Bowl 1977, 78, 79), dies in an aircraft accident at 70
Oct 1 Tim Wakefield, American baseball pitcher (MLB All-Star 2009; World Series 2004, 07 Boston Red Sox) and broadcaster (NESN), dies of brain cancer at 57 [1]
Oct 2 Francis Lee, English soccer striker (27 caps; Bolton Wanderers, Manchester City 249 games, Derby County), dies of cancer at 79
Oct 3 Bob Wagner, American college football coach (University of Hawaiʻi 1988-95), dies at 76
Oct 3 Lena McLin (née Johnson), American music teacher, composer (Oh Freedom), and Baptist pastor, dies at 95
Oct 3 Patrice Lecornu, French soccer striker (3 caps; Red Star FC, SC Angers, Nantes FC), dies at 65
Oct 4 Giannis Ioannidis, Greek basketball coach (12 × Greek League C'ship; 6 × Greek Cup winner; GS Larissas, Aris, Olympiacos, AEK, Greece 1982–90), dies at 78
Oct 4 Jason Wynyard, New Zealand woodchopper (9 x World C'ship; 14 x Stihl Timbersports Series), dies of Burkitt lymphoma at 49
Oct 5 Dick Butkus, American College-Pro Football HOF linebacker (Uni of Illinois; NFL Defensive Player of the Year 1969, 70; 5×First-team All-Pro; 8xPro Bowl; Chicago Bears), sportscaster (CBS, ESPN) and actor (My Two Dads), dies at 80 [1]
Oct 7 Eric Griffin, American boxer (World C'ship gold Light Flyweight 1989, 1991), dies at 55
Oct 7 Park Jong-hwan, South Korean soccer manager (South Korea 1983-84, 86-88, 90, 95-96; Seoul FC), dies at 85
Oct 7 Phyllis "Pippa" Latour, British secret agent in France during WWII (MBE, French Legion of Honour), dies at 102
Oct 8 Agneta Andersson, Swedish sprint canoer (Olympic gold K-1 500 1984, K-2 500 1984, 96; World C'ship gold K-2 500 1993), dies from cancer at 62

Oct 8 Alcides Báez, Paraguayan soccer goalkeeper (16 caps; FC Cerro Porteño, FC Libertad), dies at 76
Oct 8 Burt Young [Gerald DeLouise or Richard Morea], American character actor (Rocky; Convoy; The Choirboys), screenwriter (Uncle Joe Shannon), and visual artist, and visual artist, dies at 83 [1]
Oct 8 Stewkey [Robert Antoni], American power pop-rock vocalist and keyboard player (Nazz - "Open My Eyes", "Hello It's Me), dies of cancer at 75
Oct 9 Charles "Buck" Trent, American country and bluegrass banjoist, dobro player, and singer (Hee Haw), dies at 85
Oct 9 Chuck Feeney, American businessman (Duty Free Shoppers Group) and philanthropist (The Atlantic Philanthropies) who gave away almost his entire $8B fortune, dies at 92
Oct 9 Gerhard Grimmer, German cross-country skier (World C'ship gold GDR 50km, 4×10km relay 1974), dies at 80
Oct 10 (Charles) Mark Goddard, American actor (Lost in Space - "Don West"; The Detectives; Roller Boogie), and teacher, dies of pulmonary fibrosis at 87
Oct 10 Brendan Malone, American basketball coach (RI Uni; Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers), dies at 81
Oct 10 Terry Dischinger, American College Basketball HOF guard (Purdue; 3 x NBA All-Star; NBA Rookie of the Year 1963 Baltimore Bullets; Detroit Pistons; Olympic gold 1960), dies at 82
Oct 11 Gayle McKinney-Griffith, American ballerina (Dance Theater of Harlem), dancing coach, and choreographer, dies of cancer at 74 [1]
Oct 11 Gérard Murillo, French rugby union outside back (2 Tests; Stade Dijonnais) and manager (Saint-Jean-de-Luz Olympique Rugby 1962-81), dies at 91
Oct 11 Pauline Jani, Zimbabwean netball goal keeper-shooter (113 caps), dies at 34
Oct 12 Lara Parker [Mary Rickey], American actress (Dark Shadows - "Angelique"; Save the Tiger; Race with the Devil), and novelist, dies at 84
Oct 12 Rudolph Isley, American rock singer (Isley Brothers - "Shout"; "Twist and Shout"; "It's Your Thing"), and minister, dies at 84 [1]
Oct 13 Burdette Haldorson, American basketball forward (Olympic gold 1956, 60; University of Colorado Boulder), dies at 89

Oct 14 Andy Bean, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1980, 89 runner-up; British Open 1983 runner-up; 11 x PGA Tour titles), dies from complications of double lung transplant surgery at 70
Oct 14 Piper Laurie [Rosetta Jacobs], American Emmy Award-winning actress (The Torn Birds; Twin Peaks; Carrie; The Hustler), dies at 91
Oct 15 Carmen Petra-Basacopol, Romanian composer and educator Bucharest Conservatory (1962-2003), dies at 97
Oct 15 Gerry Ryan, Irish soccer forward (18 caps Republic of Ireland; Bohemians FC, Derby County, Brighton & Hove Albion), dies at 68
Oct 15 Suzanne Somers (née Mahoney), American actress (Three's Company, 1977-81 - "Chrissy"; Step by Step), dies from complications of breast cancer at 76
Oct 16 Eric Tweedale, Australian rugby union prop (10 caps; NSW RFU, Parramatta RFC), dies at 102
Oct 17 Carla Bley [Lovella Borg], American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer (Escalator Over The Hill; Fictitious Sports), dies of brain cancer at 87 [1]
Oct 18 Dwight Twilley, American power pop singer-songwriter ("I'm On Fire"; "Girls"), dies of complications from a stroke at 72 [1]
Oct 19 Anfisa Reztsova, Russian biathlete (Olympic gold 7.5k sprint 1992, 4×7.5k relay 1994) and cross-country skier (Olympic gold 4×5k relay 1988; World C'ship gold 4×5k relay 1985, 87, 99), dies at 58
Oct 19 Atsushi Sakurai, Japanese rock vocalist and songwriter (Buck-Tick), dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 57

Betsy Rawls (1928-2023)

Oct 21 American golfer (US Women's Open: 1951, 53, 57, 60; PGA C'ship 1959, 69; Western Open 1952, 59), dies at 95

Oct 21 Bobby Charlton, English soccer midfielder (106 caps; World Cup 1966; Manchester United) and manager (Preston NE), dies from complications of dementia at 86
Oct 21 Bobi, Portuguese purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo dog and claimed as world's oldest recorded dog, dies at 31 years and 165 days (now disputed) [1] [2]
Oct 21 Reino Börjesson, Swedish soccer midfielder (10 caps; FIFA World Cup runner-up 1958; Jonsereds IF, IFK Göteborg, Norrby IF, Örgryte IS), dies at 94
Oct 22 Raul Machado, Portuguese soccer centre-back (11 caps; Leixões SC, SL Benfica), dies at 86
Oct 23 Bishan Singh Bedi, Indian cricket spin bowler (67 Tests, 22 as captain, 266 wickets, BB 7/98, 1 x 50; Northern Punjab, Delhi, Northamptonshire CCC), dies at 77 [1]
Oct 23 Chronis Aidonidis, Greek folk and traditional music singer, dies at 95
Oct 23 István Láng, Hungarian composer (Impulsioni), and pedagogue, dies at 90
Oct 23 Mervin Shiner, American honky-tonk country and hillbilly singer, and guitarist, dies at 102
Oct 24 Anderl Molterer, Austrian alpine skier (Olympic silver Giant slalom, bronze Downhill 1956; Hahnenkamm Race 1959), dies at 92
Oct 24 Richard Roundtree, American actor (Getting Even; Shaft), dies of pancreatic cancer at 81 [1]
Oct 25 Ed Sandford, Canadian ice hockey forward (NHL All-Star 1951, 52, 53, 54, 55; Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings), dies at 95
Oct 25 Zdeněk Mácal, Czech conductor (Milwaukee Symphony, 1986-95; New Jersey Symphony, 1992-2003; Czech Philharmonic, 2003-07), dies at 87 [1]
Oct 26 Guy Camberabero, French rugby union flyhalf (14 Tests 110 points; ROC La Voulte Sportif, US Tyrosse RUC), dies at 87
Oct 26 Richard Moll, American actor (Night Court - "Bull"; House - "Big Ben"; Dungeonmaster), dies at 80

Li Keqiang (1955-2023)

Oct 27 Chinese Premier of the State Council and China's head of government, dies of a heart attack at 68 [1]

Oct 27 Viktor Mamatov, Russian biathlete (Olympic gold USSR 4 × 7.5k relay 1968, 72; World C'ship gold 20k individual 1967, 4 × 7.5k relay 1969, 70, 71), dies at 86

Matthew Perry (1969-2023)

Oct 28 Canadian-American actor (Friends - "Chandler Bing"), drowns after a cardiac arrest in a jacuzzi at 54 [1]

Oct 29 Heath [Hiroshi Morie], Japanese rock bassist, singer and songwriter (X Japan), dies of colorectal cancer at 55
Oct 29 Robert Brustein, American theater critic, playwright and writer, dies at 96
Oct 30 Frank Howard, American baseball utility (4 × MLB All-Star; World Series 1963 LA Dodgers; NL Rookie of the Year 1960) and manager (SD Padres, NY Mets), dies at 87
Oct 30 Vladimir Markelov, Russian gymnast (Olympic gold team 1980, silver 1976; World C'ship gold team 1979, silver 1974), dies at 66
Oct 31 Donald Longmore, British cardiac surgeon (part of first UK heart transplant team), dies at 95
Oct 31 José Luis Dolgetta, Venezuelan soccer forward (20 caps; Carabobo FC), dies of a heart attack at 53
Oct 31 Ken Mattingly, American USN naval officer, and NASA astronaut (Apollo 16; STS-4, -51-C), dies at 87 [1]
Oct 31 Oleg Protopopov, Russian figure skater (Olympic gold USSR pairs 1964, 68; World C'ship gold pairs 1965, 66, 67, 68 [Ludmila Belousova]), dies at 91
Oct 31 Ronnie Rees, Welsh soccer winger (39 caps; Coventry City, WBA, Nottingham Forest), dies at 79