It was another rough year across the globe. From the biggest invasion in Europe since World War II to the World Cup, here are some of the most important stories that made 2022 a year to remember, for better or worse.
1. Russia invades Ukraine
On Feb. 24, Russian soldiers started began their march into Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine have been tensions have been rising since 2014, and Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, decided to invade the country. Since then, there have been many deaths and destructions.
2. Will Smith hit Chris Rock during the Oscars
In April, Chris Rock made a joke about Jada Pinkett’s bald head due to her Alopecia. Will Smith didn’t seem to appreciate the joke and proceeded to walk towards Rock on stage and slap him across the face.
3. Monkeypox re-introduced
In May, health officials discovered a rise in a disease called monkeypox. It was initially reported in the UK and quickly spread across the world.
4. Texas shooting kills 19 students and two teachers
On May 24, a gunman in Uvalde, Texas opened fire at Robb Elementary School, killing 19 students and two teachers. The gunman had killed his grandma and crashed his car near the school moments before he opened fire. This school shooting was the third most deadly school shooting in U.S. history.
5. The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
On June 24, the supreme court overturned Roe v. Wade, which effectively criminalized abortion in many states of the nation. This caused 13 states to ban abortion completely and 12 states to limit abortion.
6. Pro-democracy protests in Iran
Protests began in September when a 22-year-old woman died in the custody of the police. She had been detained for violating the Islamic Republic’s dress code.
7. Queen Elizabeth II dies
On Sept. 28, Buckingham Palace confirmed that the queen died at Balmoral Castle, her official residence in Scotland. Queen Elizabeth II was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch dying at the age of 96. Her eldest son, King Charles III, has taken her place.
8. Elon Musk takes control of Twitter
On Oct. 27, Twitter agreed to sell their company to Elon Musk for $44 billion. This has caused a lot of controversies around the world. Musk started changing the verified symbols to various colors, reinstating controversial accounts, and making it more open to different kinds of speech as soon as the deal was made.
9. WNBA star released from Russia as a prisoner swap
On Dec. 8, Brittney Griner, a WNBA star held in Russia, was released and taken back to the U.S. Griner was held for months in Russia on drug charges and was released with a prisoner swap between the U.S. and Russia.
10. Messi and Argentina win the FIFA World Cup
In the 92nd Edition of the World Cup, Argentina reached their goal of winning the World Cup. In one of the wildest finals in the history of the tournament, Argentina managed to win their third title by beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
