Historical timeline for October 23

Myanmar Air Force airstrikes a concert in Hpakant Township, Kachin state killing at least 80 people, including senior Kachin Independence Organisation officials, in the Hpakant massacre.

Xi Jinping is elected as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party by the Central Committee, beginning a third term of the paramount leader of China.

Second Libyan Civil War: The Second Libyan Civil War comes to an end as all parties to the 5+5 Joint Libyan Military Commission agree to a ceasefire.

War against the Islamic State: Philippine defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana declares the end of the Siege of Marawi.

The lowest sea-level pressure in the Western Hemisphere, and the highest reliably-measured non-tornadic sustained winds, are recorded in Hurricane Patricia, which strikes Mexico hours later, killing at least 13 and causing over $280 million in damages.

The Libyan National Transitional Council deems the Libyan Civil War over.

A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Van Province, Turkey, killing 582 people and injuring thousands.

A storm causes the Mexican Kab 101 oil platform to collide with a wellhead, leading to the death and drowning of 22 people during rescue operations after evacuation of the platform.

Space Shuttle Discovery is launched on STS-120, with Pamela Melroy becoming the second female space shuttle commander.

A powerful earthquake and its aftershocks hit Niigata Prefecture in northern Japan, killing 35 people, injuring 2,200, and leaving 85,000 homeless or evacuated.

Second Chechen War: Chechen separatist terrorists seize the House of Culture theater in Moscow and take approximately 700 theater-goers hostage.

Apple Computer releases the iPod.

Israel and the Palestinian Authority sign the Wye River Memorandum.

Yolanda Saldívar is found guilty of first-degree murder in the shooting death of popular Latin singer Selena.

The Troubles: A Provisional IRA bomb prematurely detonates in Belfast, killing the bomber and nine civilians.

Signing of the Paris Peace Accords which ends the Cambodian–Vietnamese War.

Bankruptcy of Wärtsilä Marine, the biggest bankruptcy in the Nordic countries up until then.

An explosion at the Houston Chemical Complex in Pasadena, Texas, which registered a 3.5 on the Richter magnitude scale, kills 23 and injures 314.

The Hungarian Republic officially replaces the communist Hungarian People's Republic.

Lebanese Civil War: The U.S. Marines Corps barracks in Beirut is hit by a truck bomb, killing 241 U.S. military personnel. A French Army barracks in Lebanon is also hit that same morning, killing 58 troops.