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Major Events of February 2013: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 2013 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

history

Major Events of February 2013: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Feb 2013 Dow Jones Surpasses 14,000: The Dow Jones Industrial Average crosses the 14,000-point threshold for the first time since 2007, signaling strong economic recovery and investor confidence in the United States.
  • 02 Feb 2013 Murder of Chris Kyle: Former United States Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, a renowned sniper and author of 'American Sniper', was tragically killed along with another man at a shooting range in Glen Rose, Somervell County, Texas.
  • 03 Feb 2013 Super Bowl XLVII: The Baltimore Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Joe Flacco was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the game.
  • 04 Feb 2013 Massive Football Match-Fixing Investigation: Europol announced a comprehensive investigation into potential match-fixing involving 680 football matches, including World Cup and European Championship qualifiers and Champions League games.
  • 05 Feb 2013 Magdalene Asylums Report Reveals Systemic Abuse: A comprehensive report exposed significant state involvement in the systematic abuse of thousands of women in Ireland's Magdalene asylums, revealing institutionalized oppression where women were forced into unpaid labor and subjected to harsh conditions until less than two decades ago.
  • 06 Feb 2013 Political Assassination in Tunisia: Chokri Belaid, the general secretary of the Patriotic Democratic Party, was shot and killed outside his home in Tunisia. His assassination sparked significant unrest, leading to clashes between police and hundreds of protesters. The Prime Minister, Hamadi Jebali, pledged to form a new government within one day.
  • 07 Feb 2013 Mississippi Officially Certifies 13th Amendment: The U.S. state of Mississippi officially certifies the Thirteenth Amendment, becoming the last state to formally ratify the abolition of slavery. Notably, the state had initially delayed its ratification until 1995, nearly 130 years after the amendment was nationally adopted.
  • 08 Feb 2013 Syrian Civil War Escalation: The Syrian army conducted a massive military operation resulting in over 110 civilian casualties nationwide, further escalating the ongoing Syrian Civil War and highlighting the conflict's brutal nature.
  • 09 Feb 2013 February 2013 Nor'easter: Devastating Blizzard: A massive winter storm sweeps through the Northeastern United States and southeastern Canada, causing significant disruption. At least 15 fatalities were reported, with Hamden, Connecticut experiencing 40 inches of snow. Over 900,000 customers lost power, and more than 5,300 flights were cancelled.
  • 10 Feb 2013 55th Grammy Awards: The 55th Grammy Awards celebrated outstanding musical achievements, with notable wins including Record of the Year for 'Somebody That I Used To Know' by Gotye and Kimbra, Song of the Year 'We Are Young' by fun, and Album of the Year 'Babel' by Mumford & Sons.
  • 11 Feb 2013 Pope Benedict XVI Resignation Announcement: The Vatican officially confirmed that Pope Benedict XVI would resign from the papacy due to his advanced age, marking a rare and historic moment in papal history.
  • 12 Feb 2013 North Korea Conducts Third Nuclear Test: On February 12, 2013, North Korea conducted its third nuclear test, causing an artificial earthquake detected by South Korean officials. The North Korean regime claimed to have successfully tested a small nuclear device capable of weaponization, raising significant international tensions.
  • 13 Feb 2013 Syrian Civil War: Battle for Aleppo Airport: Rebels engaged in intense fighting with Syrian military forces at an army base protecting Aleppo's international airport. Opposition sources claimed 40 Syrian soldiers were killed as large areas of the base were overrun, highlighting the ongoing intensity of the Syrian conflict.
  • 14 Feb 2013 Insurgency in North Caucasus: Five police officers are injured and four of them were killed in a suicide bombing that took place in Dagestan, Russia.
  • 15 Feb 2013 Chelyabinsk Meteor Explosion: A small asteroid approximately 65 feet (20 meters) in diameter entered Earth's atmosphere over the southern Ural region of Russia, causing a powerful explosion that shattered windows and damaged buildings across six Russian cities. The unprecedented event resulted in 1,491 indirect injuries and over $33 million in property damage, marking a rare and significant meteorological incident.
  • 16 Feb 2013 Quetta Market Bombing: A devastating terrorist attack occurred in Hazara Town, Quetta, Pakistan, where a bomb explosion in a local market resulted in the tragic deaths of over 80 people and injured approximately 190 others. The attack primarily targeted the Twelver Shia Hazara minority community, with the extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi later claiming responsibility for the bombing.
  • 17 Feb 2013 Car Bombings in Baghdad: A series of coordinated car bombs targeted predominantly Shiite areas in Baghdad, killing at least 37 people and injuring more than 130 others. These attacks highlighted the ongoing sectarian violence and instability in Iraq following the U.S. military withdrawal.
  • 18 Feb 2013 Nestle Horse Meat Scandal: Nestle removed beef pasta products from Italian supermarkets in France and Spain after laboratory tests confirmed the presence of horse meat in their products, triggering a major food safety controversy.
  • 19 Feb 2013 Tunisia Political Transition: Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali resigned after failing to negotiate the formation of a technocratic government, signaling ongoing political instability in Tunisia following the Arab Spring.
  • 20 Feb 2013 Cameron's Apology for Jallianwala Bagh Massacre: British Prime Minister David Cameron visited Amritsar, India, to formally express regret for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919, a significant diplomatic gesture addressing historical colonial violence.
  • 21 Feb 2013 Severe Car Bombings in Damascus during Syrian Civil War: A devastating car bombing near Damascus' Baath Party headquarters resulted in at least 61 deaths and over 200 injuries. In the Barzeh suburb, three additional bombings killed 22 people and injured 50 more, primarily government soldiers. These attacks represented the most severe violence in Syria's capital since the civil war's inception.
  • 22 Feb 2013 Japan-US Diplomatic Meeting: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with US President Barack Obama at the White House to discuss critical issues including security, trade, economic matters, North Korea's regional tensions, and the disputed Senkaku Islands.
  • 23 Feb 2013 Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Escalation: Tensions escalated in the West Bank as two Palestinians were killed by Jewish settlers, further intensifying the long-standing regional conflict.
  • 24 Feb 2013 Afghanistan Security Tensions: A series of suicide bombings kill two Afghan police officers and two guards in eastern Afghanistan. President Hamid Karzai orders US forces to leave Wardak province due to alleged torture by special forces, escalating tensions between Afghanistan and the United States.
  • 25 Feb 2013 Syrian Civil War Diplomatic Efforts: President Bashar al-Assad's government offers to meet with rebels to seek a diplomatic solution to the ongoing Syrian civil war. The Syrian opposition, after receiving foreign aid, accepts an invitation to an international summit in Rome.
  • 26 Feb 2013 Chuck Hagel Confirmed as U.S. Secretary of Defense: The United States Senate confirmed Chuck Hagel as the new Secretary of Defense, marking a significant moment in the Obama administration's defense leadership transition.
  • 27 Feb 2013 Pope Benedict XVI Delivers Farewell Address: Pope Benedict XVI delivered his final address in Vatican City before his historic resignation, marking an unprecedented moment in modern papal history.
  • 28 Feb 2013 Pope Benedict XVI Resigns: Pope Benedict XVI (born Joseph Ratzinger) resigns as the head of the Catholic Church, becoming the first pope to voluntarily resign since Pope Gregory XII in 1415, marking a historic moment in papal history.