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A Look Back at 2023

Here’s a review of some of the year’s top news stories.

Messi in America 

MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images

In June, sports fans around the world got shocking news: The biggest soccer star on the planet had decided to play in the U.S. The arrival of Lionel Messi immediately made his new team, Inter Miami CF, the main attraction in Major League Soccer. 

Messi had spent 19 seasons playing for some of the top teams in Europe. He also led his home country, Argentina, to the 2022 World Cup championship. This year, Messi was named the world’s best player for the eighth time. 

Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection

This Barbie Made History

CHRIS DELMAS/AFP via Getty Images

This year’s biggest movie star is a doll that’s been around for more than 60 years. Barbie hit theaters in July. The film, starring Margot Robbie, passed $1 billion in ticket sales worldwide in less than three weeks.

Barbie’s co-writer and director, Greta Gerwig (right), made movie history. No film directed by a woman has ever earned more money in the U.S. 

Touchdown! 

Pallava Bagla/Getty Images

An illustration of the Indian spacecraft on the moon

On August 23, India became the fourth nation to land a spacecraft on the moon. An uncrewed spacecraft from its Chandrayaan-3 mission was the first to ever land near the lunar south pole. 

Other countries, including the U.S., are planning missions to the moon’s south pole. The craters in the area are filled with frozen water that might be used by astronauts for future missions.

Island on Fire

Matthew Thayer/The Maui News via AP

Flames swallow a church in Lahaina, Hawaii, on August 8.

On August 8, tragedy struck the Hawaiian island of Maui. Deadly wildfires engulfed much of the town of Lahaina. Dry conditions and strong gusts of wind fueled the flames, which spread quickly across the town. Some people were forced to leap into the Pacific Ocean to avoid the heat and flames.

Sadly, at least 99 people were killed in the disaster. The fires were the deadliest in the U.S. since 1918. More than 2,000 buildings, mostly homes and businesses, were destroyed. 

Months later, the cleanup continues, and thousands of residents are still living in hotels. Rebuilding Lahaina is expected to cost about $5.5 billion.

Taylor-Made Success

Shanna Madison/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

In July, a small earthquake rocked a stadium in Seattle, Washington. The shaking didn’t come from underground—it was caused by the music and crowd at a Taylor Swift concert! Thanks to millions of “Swifties,” the pop star’s sold-out Eras Tour is on pace to break the record for the biggest moneymaking concert tour of all time. 

Fans who couldn’t get tickets to see Swift in person—or who wanted to see her concert again—headed to theaters to see the Eras Tour movie this fall. 

Swift’s big year also included three No. 1 albums. They helped make her the first musician to become a billionaire from only her songs and performances.

1. Why are countries interested in exploring the moon’s south pole?

2. Based on the article, why was this summer’s wildfire on Maui able to spread so easily?

3. What are two record-setting accomplishments described in the article?

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