The U.S. is to send Kyiv 31 Abrams main battle tanks in its more advanced M1A2 configuration, rather than the older A1 version that the military has in storage.

Russia has launched 55 missiles and 24 drones in a massive attack following the announcement that Ukraine will receive German Leopard 2 and U.S. Abrams tanks.

The production of opium increased sharply in Myanmar, rising to a nine-year high due to the political and economic turmoil since the military coup nearly two years ago.

Germany’s decision to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine has pushed shares in the 134-year old arms manufacturer - already surging since the war began - to a record high.

Pope Francis visits the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, delivering a message of peace and reconciliation to two sub-Saharan nations plagued by conflict.

Mikaela Shiffrin, now the most successful woman in World Cup skiing history, could equal the overall record of 86 wins held by alpine legend Ingemar Stenmark on Sunday.

Less than a month into 2023, mass shootings have claimed over 70 lives in in the United States – a country with more guns than people.

A huge iceberg, almost the size of Greater London, has broken off the 150m thick Brunt Ice Shelf in the Antarctic after cracks extended across the entire ice shelf.

After months of reluctance, the U.S. and Germany reportedly plan to send tanks to Ukraine, in what Kyiv hopes will be a game-changer on the battlefield.

The Doomsday Clock, which indicating how near humanity is to annihilation, has moved closer than ever to midnight, largely as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Canadian singer Justin Bieber has joined the growing list of pop stars selling their back catalogue after reaching a deal to sell his music rights for more than $200m.

The Oscars nominations include a nod for Paul Mescal, in the Best Actor category, alongside Austin Butler, Brendan Fraser, Bill Nighy, and Colin Farrell.

Germany is under pressure from Ukraine and some NATO allies to allow Kyiv to be supplied with German-made Leopard 2 tanks for its defence against Russia’s invasion.

As China’s rivalry with the U.S. grows, and economic growth slows, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thinks India could become the next global manufacturing powerhouse.

Seven people were shot dead in the coastal town of Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco, in the second mass shooting in California in three days.

The coronation celebrations will feature street parties, a concert at Windsor Castle, light shows and a public holiday where community volunteering will be encouraged.

Events in February include the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a ban on imports of Russian oil products, and the presidential elections in Nigeria.

Police in the United States have identified the gunman suspected of killing 10 people and wounding 10 more in a ballroom dance studio near Los Angeles.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins will become New Zealand’s next prime minister after ruling Labour party MPs made him their unanimous choice on Saturday.

Graphics show birthdays and anniversaries for each day of the week. Next week’s features include the Space Shuttle Columbia, and the Soviet airline Dobrolyot (later Aeroflot).

Embed “Today in History” into your website and engage visitors every day with a responsive, auto-updating graphic and fact box on international anniversaries and events.

The world’s largest streaming service added 7.66 million paying subscribers globally last quarter – beating its own estimate by more than three million.

It took 13 years for a sequel to James Cameron’s “Avatar” to arrive, thanks in part to needing to invent new technology to realise it. To date, it has grossed $2bn worldwide.

At least 1,000 tech companies laid off at least 154,000 employees last year, while redundancies have continued in 2023, with more than 49,000 layoffs recorded this year.

A huge, venomous cane toad, dubbed “Toadzilla” by rangers in Australia, is believed to be the largest of her species ever found. With no natural predator, the species is a pest.

Movie star Alec Baldwin will be charged with involuntary manslaughter over the shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his movie, “Rust”.

India is expected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country in 2023, and could become the third largest economy in the next five years.

The U.S. is expected to announce it is sending Stryker armoured vehicles to Ukraine for the first time, to help Kyiv launch advanced combat operations.

Champagne sales boomed over the past year to €6 billion and are well ahead of pre-pandemic levels. Exports rose, accounting for 57.5% of sales, up from 42% in 2010.

China could see 36,000 Covid deaths a day during the Lunar New Year holidays, making it one of the most deadly periods of the pandemic, according to new analysis.

Samsung may introduce a new teardrop-shaped hinge in its next foldable phone, the Galaxy Z Fold5, to reduce the visible crease down the centre.

Azerbaijani protesters are blocking the only road linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, and Russia seems unable or unwilling to resolve the situation .

The wholesale price of natural gas in Europe has fallen to a 17-month low of just over €60 per megawatt hour, down more than 82% from a peak of €338 in late August.

With a wingspan of 117 metres, the world’s largest aircraft, the Stratolaunch Roc, has made a record-breaking six hour test flight in California.

Companies from at least 13 countries have helped Myanmar’s military to produce a vast range of weapons that are being used against its own people, former top UN officials say.

China’s population started shrinking in 2022 for the first time in six decades, worsening a demographic crisis for the world’s second-largest economy.

Ukraine has received more than 4,000 armoured vehicles, artillery pieces, aircraft and other weapon systems from allies to help fight Russia, with the UK promising tanks.

Europe is set to ban imports of all Russian petroleum products, including diesel, on Feb 5, in a move aimed at depriving Moscow of a key revenue source.

Oxfam is calling for new taxes on the super-rich to tackle a post-Covid rise in global inequality. The richest 1% captured two-thirds of all new wealth since 2020.

Comparisons have been drawn between the discovery of classified documents linked to President Biden and Donald Trump’s handling of classified material following his departure.

Large deposits of rare earth oxides, essential for high-tech manufacturing including electric vehicles, wind turbines and mobile phones, have been found in northern Sweden.

Sales of second-hand luxury watches will overtake the market for new models within a decade as buyers seek out scarce timepieces, according to Swiss-based LuxeConsult.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan believes the government is in “denial” about the damage Brexit is doing to the UK. A new poll shows falling support for its withdrawal from the EU.

Britain and Greece are trying to negotiate an agreement that could see the Parthenon Marbles returned to Athens, ending a feud dating from the 1800s.

The House of the Vettii, renowned for its frescoes preserved by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79, has reopened to the public after a 20-year restoration.

Supplying Ukraine with modern battle tanks such as Britain’s Challenger 2 or the German-made Leopard 2 would mark a significant step-up in Western support for Kyiv.

Russia’s flagship Urals grade crude oil is trading more than a third below the price of international benchmark Brent following sanctions targeting the Kremlin’s revenue.

A 1987 international agreement to stop using harmful chemicals that damage the ozone layer has been successful, meaning it may recover in a few decades.

Astronomers have discovered over 200 stars that form the Milky Way's edge in the stellar halo component of our galaxy – halfway to the Andromeda galaxy.

French President Emmanuel Macron plans to overhaul his country’s costly pensions system by raising the retirement age, but faces strong opposition.

Since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have had to secure income from alternative sources. They are currently believed to be worth $60m.

Germany and the U.S. have joined France in sending armoured fighting vehicles to Ukraine – a move seen as a significant boost to Kyiv’s military capability.

The frigate “Admiral Gorshkov” has been sent to the Atlantic Ocean armed with the new Zircon hypersonic cruise missile, the centrepiece of Russia's hypersonic arsenal.

The global technology industry is shedding tens of thousands of jobs amid a downturn in advertising revenues and slowing sales as the cost of living crisis bites.

Canada granted a record 437,000 permanent residency permits in 2022. Over the next three years they intend to allow 1.45 million foreigners to become residents.

Amazon may be responsible for selling fake Christian Louboutin shoes, the European Court of Justice has ruled, sending two cases back to lower courts for final judgement.

Japan is stepping up measures to combat rural depopulation by offering financial incentives for families to leave Tokyo – a family of four would receive three million yen ($23,000).

The Patriot missile system would be the best long-range defence, able to intercept ballistic and cruise missiles – but not cost effective for bringing down cheap Iranian drones.

Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece, aiming to claim his maiden major title, and supreme Novak Djokovic contest the men’s singles final at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina and Arnya Sabalenka -- in her maiden major final -- contest the women’s singles final at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

The Six Nations championship kicks off, with England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy set for six weeks of fierce rivalries, tough tackles and thrilling sporting theatre

UEFA Champions League holders Real Madrid are aiming to lift their fifth Club World Cup trophy in Morocco – Flamengo are the representative from South America.

The 2023 MotoGP season comprises 21 Grands Prix, commencing with the Portuguese GP in March and concluding in Valencia, Spain in November.

The Australian Open, the first Grand Slam tournament of the season takes place – Novak Djokovic returns to Australia after his controversial deportation in 2022.

Iga Swiatek begins the season tipped to continue her dominance, but faces tough competition from a women’s field aiming to claim their maiden Grand Slam title.

Defending champion Rafael Nadal heads the men’s seeds for the Australian Open, and is projected to face No.7 seed Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals.

World No.1 Iga Swiatek heads the women’s seeds for the Australian Open, and is projected to face No.7 seed Coco Gauff in the quarter-finals.

The FIA Formula E Championship, the first fully electric single-seater street racing series, features four new events in Hyderabad, Cape Town, Sao Paulo and Portland.

The 74th Formula One World Championship, comprising up to 24 races around the world, commences with the Bahrain Grand Prix and concludes in Abu Dhabi in November.

Eleven separate nations have lifted the men’s world handball title since the tournament began in 1938 – all from Europe, where the sport continues to enjoy popularity.

Poland and European champions Sweden co-host the biennial IHF World Championship, where reigning champions Denmark will aim to win a third successive title.

With a power output equivalent to an F2 car, the Formula E Gen3 uses new technologies to make it faster, lighter, more powerful and more sustainable.

The season features 65 ATP tournaments, including the four majors – Australian Open, Roland Garros, Wimbledon and U.S. Open – before concluding with the ATP Finals.

The partial WTA schedule – as the tour celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2023 – features 45 tournaments, including all four Grand Slams and seven WTA 1000 events.

The 74th Formula One World Championship, comprising 24 races around the world, commences with the Bahrain Grand Prix and concludes in Abu Dhabi in November.

The UEFA Champions League Last 16 draw pits Real Madrid against Liverpool, while heavyweights Paris St-Germain and Bayern Munich clash and Dortmund tackle Chelsea.

The draw for the knockout round play-off in the UEFA Europa Conference League has taken place, as 16 teams hope continue their European adventure to the final on June 7.

As the tournament reaches the knockout stages, struggling European heavyweights Barcelona and Manchester United are set to clash in a bid to avoid elimination.

The 2023 Tour de France begins in the autonomous Basque Country of northern Spain on July 1, and finishes on the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 23.

The draw for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 sees co-host nation New Zealand open the tournament against Norway at Auckland’s Eden Park on July 20.

The 57th edition of the FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup features five North American venues and the first cross-border event in Europe, before the season finale in Andorra.

Women’s football continues to thrive after the success of the European Championships as Europe’s new UEFA Women’s Champions League season kicks off on October 19.

The qualifying draw for UEFA Euro 2024 has taken place in Frankfurt, Germany, with 2020 finalists Italy and England drawn in the same group. Matches begin March 2023.