In History, Today on May 23

A major earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck Afghanistan, resulting in significant casualties and damage in the Khost Province.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law on the island of Mindanao following clashes between government forces and Islamist militants in Marawi City.

Ireland became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote, with a referendum passing by a significant margin.

The Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River in Washington State collapsed after a truck struck a girder, causing a major transportation disruption.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft made history by becoming the first commercial vehicle to launch and dock at the International Space Station (ISS). This marked a significant milestone for private space travel and the beginning of a new era in space exploration.

Jamaican security forces launched an operation in Kingston to capture drug lord Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, leading to widespread violence and numerous casualties.

The International Court of Justice ruled in favor of Colombia in a territorial dispute with Nicaragua over the sovereignty of several islands in the Caribbean Sea.

The Alaskan volcano Mount Cleveland erupted, sending ash clouds into the sky and prompting aviation warnings.

The United States handed over control of the Abu Ghraib prison to the Iraqi government following the prisoner abuse scandal.

The Dewey Decimal Classification system, used in libraries worldwide, was updated to its 22nd edition, reflecting changes in knowledge organization and library science.

The '55 parties' clause of the Kyoto Protocol was reached after Iceland ratified the agreement, marking a significant step in international efforts to combat climate change.

The United States Senate passed the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, which was a major piece of tax legislation that provided for income tax cuts.

The Good Friday Agreement was accepted in a referendum in Northern Ireland, marking a major step in the peace process.

The first version of the Java programming language was released by Sun Microsystems.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles premiered as a comic book series, created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, later becoming a popular franchise.

The United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Joe Fannie's right to refuse invasive surgery in a historic court decision regarding patient autonomy.

Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping, leading to military escalation preceding the Six-Day War.

The Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion announced the capture of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann.

The United States Army launched the Explorer 1 satellite, indicating the country's entry into the space race.

The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) was established.

Heinrich Himmler, a leading member of the Nazi Party, committed suicide while in Allied custody.

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, infamous American criminals, were ambushed and killed by law enforcement officers in Bienville Parish, Louisiana.

The Associated Press was incorporated in New York as a non-profit news cooperative.

The New York Public Library is created through the consolidation of the Astor Library, Lenox Library, and Tilden Trust.

The Mexican-American War saw its first major engagement at the Battle of the Rio Grande, near present-day Brownsville, Texas, where U.S. troops repelled Mexican forces, solidifying U.S. control over the area.

South Carolina ratified the United States Constitution as the eighth American state.

The Order of St. Anna is established in the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein by Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp.

After being convicted of piracy and murder, Captain William Kidd was hanged in London.

The Second Defenestration of Prague took place, triggering the Thirty Years' War.

The Netherlands declared independence from Spain, starting the Eighty Years' War.

The marriage of King Henry VIII of England and Catherine of Aragon was declared null and void.

Girolamo Savonarola, an Italian Dominican friar and preacher, was executed in Florence.

Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians at the Siege of Compiègne.

King Valdemar IV of Denmark concedes the territory of Scania to the Hanseatic League in the Treaty of Stralsund.

Battle of Clavijo: A legendary battle between the forces of King Ramiro I of Asturias and the Muslim forces of the Emirate of Córdoba, which is said to have taken place near Clavijo, Spain. The battle is notable for the legendary appearance of Saint James, who was said to have aided the Christian forces.