From the record number of displaced people on the planet to the death of the world's oldest dog, here are ten standout numbers of 2023
Sizzling temperatures, millions fleeing their homes, multitudes flocking to a movie about a doll—2023 was another year of extremes.
By the end of September, 114 million people had been driven from their homes by wars in Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo and a humanitarian crisis in Taliban-run Afghanistan, among other factors, according to UN refugee agency the UNHCR.
They have since been joined by at least 1.9 million Gazans.
The northern hemisphere had its hottest summer ever and temperature records were also smashed in the southern winter, with the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires experiencing its warmest August 1 on record at 30 degrees Celsius.
"People who are not from South Africa don't understand what it means for our country. It is not just about the game. Our country goes through such a lot," captain Siya Kolisi said.
After peaking in 2022 at 1.426 billion, China's population has started to fall for the first time in six decades. By 2100 its population might be only half that of India, experts say.
But for the first time ever, nations participating in the UN's annual climate summit agreed to "transition away" from coal, oil and gas.
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The film hit the billion-dollar box office mark faster than any film in Warner Bros.' 100-year history and made Gerwig the highest-grossing woman director ever.
He is now joint record-holder for men and women with Australia's Margaret Court who won 24 singles Grand Slams in the 1960s and 1970s.
The baby grand was snapped up for over £3 million as part of the mega-auction of Mercury memorabilia that included items as diverse as a moustache comb and the door to Mercury's garden.
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Facebook was hit with a record penalty of 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) in Ireland for illegally transferring personal data between Europe and the United States, in breach of EU rules requiring Europeans to consent to the ways in which their data is used.
The purebred Rafeiro—a dog with a typical life expectancy of 12-14 years—lived to the ripe old age of 31 years and 165 days, with his owners crediting his longevity in part to his "human" diet.