In Photos: Biggest World Events of 2022

2022 started optimistically after two years of disruption due to the Covid pandemic. With curbs loosened in most parts of the world, sports and public events took center stage again, and tourism received a boost as people left to leave the hard times behind. However, the year was not without difficulties. The war in Ukraine threatened world peace, global inflation impacted household budgets and the challenge of climate change only increased. As 2022 draws to a close, a new wave of Covid cases in China brings back grim memories, and the world crosses fingers for 2023.

The war in Ukraine: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February after President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of being an “anti-Russian” state and claimed that US-led NATO’s expansion to the east poses a threat to Russia’s borders. More than 300 days later, the war is still going on, with Ukraine vigorously opposing the Russian offensive.

Imran Khan’s Expulsion: In April, Imran Khan was ousted as Pakistan’s prime minister, becoming the country’s first prime minister to lose power through a no-confidence vote. The vote was a major drama, with Mr Khan’s attempt to dissolve the National Assembly prompting the intervention of the Supreme Court. Shehbaz Sharif, the brother of former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, succeeded Khan.

Economic crisis in Sri Lanka: As the island nation reeled under the worst economic crisis in its history, people took to the streets. Protests intensified in late March and peaked in May, when Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to resign as prime minister. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who refused to step down as president, was forced to flee the country as the unrest grew. He was eventually forced to quit, becoming Lanka’s first president to do so in the medium term. Ranil Wickeremesinghe has been elected by the Parliament of Lanka for the remainder of Mr Rajapaksa’s term.

Murder of Shinzo Abe: Shinzo Abe, the former prime minister of Japan, was assassinated on July 8 while addressing a political rally outside his home. The man accused of shooting him told investigators he targeted Abe for allegedly promoting a religious group. The alleged shooter said he was upset because the group, called Unification Church, had put his mother out of business.

Droupadi Murmu is chairman: Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of India on July 25, becoming the country’s first tribe to hold the highest constitutional office. She is also the second woman after Pratibha Patil to hold the post. Former teacher, President Murmu previously served as governor of Jharkhand and minister in Odisha, her home state.

European heat wave: Temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius have never been reported in France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom as a heat wave swept through Europe, causing health problems for people and severe droughts. Climate scientists said such temperatures were “virtually impossible” without climate change, Reuters news agency reported. The heat waves may have led to more than 20,000 additional deaths on the continent, Reuters said, citing a report of official figures.

Attack on Salman Rushdie: Author Salman Rushdie, who was targeted by radical forces for his writings, was attacked on August 12 at an event in New York. The attacker, Hadi Matar, stabbed him in the neck and stomach. Matar later said in an interview with the New York Post that he acted alone. He described Mr Rushdie as “insincere”. “I don’t like him. He’s someone who attacked Islam, he attacked their beliefs, the belief systems,” said The Post.

Queen Elizabeth dies: Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, ending the longest reign of a British monarch. She was 96. Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign, the longest confirmed by a female monarch in history, witnessed major world events such as the moon landing and the fall of the Berlin Wall, as well as some of the greatest royal scandals . Queen Elizabeth was succeeded as king by her 74-year-old son Charles.

Xi Jinping’s Historic Third Term: Chinese President Xi Jinping secured a third term as leader of the Chinese Communist Party in October, becoming only the second leader to do so after Mao Zedong, the founder of the People’s Republic. XI’s third term as the party’s secretary general, which solidified its iron grip on power, began with the introduction of a new governing body filled with its loyalists. Xi’s term as China’s leader has witnessed increased censorship and more state control over the economy. He now faces major challenges in the form of an economic slowdown, alienation from the West due to China’s increasing proximity to Russia, and the scramble for Taiwan.

Rishi Sunak is Prime Minister of the UK: On October 25, Rishi Sunak was sworn in as Britain’s first Prime Minister of Color, six weeks after losing to Liz Truss in the race for the top post. Mr Sunak, of Indian descent, bounced back when Ms Truss stepped down amid the deepening economic crisis in the UK. For India, Sunak’s entrance to 10 Downing Street was hugely symbolic due to India’s history of colonial oppression. The 43-year-old conservative leader is known to speak proudly of his Indian connection. This has endeared him to Indians, who hope his elevation would be good for the country’s ties with the UK.

Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover: Tesla CEO and billionaire Elon Musk completed his acquisition of the microblogging site in October after months of dramatic developments. Twitter, which Musk previously described as the world’s “de facto public city square,” has since undergone sweeping changes, including mass layoffs and the reinstatement of suspended accounts. Mr Musk has maintained that he is a free speech absolutist and has opposed the previous enforcement strategies used by Twitter. He has also dismissed reports that there has been an increase in hate speech on the platform since he took over. His radical moves, including a fee for a verified badge and polls on key issues, in fact represent a social media reset that is increasingly shaping global thought processes.

Gujarat Bridge TragedyAt least 135 people, including more than 50 children, died when a suspension bridge over the Machchhu River collapsed on October 30. a long closure for repairs. An investigation into the incident revealed major shortcomings in the renovation and management of the bridge after it reopened. Questions were raised as to why the Oreva Group, known for manufacturing watches and fans, was commissioned to renew the suspension bridge. Nine people, all associated with Oreva, have since been arrested.

Iran protests: Iran is witnessing widespread protests against the country’s strict hijab dress code for women. The protests, which began in September against an economic crisis and the curtailment of freedom of expression, intensified after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in custody following her arrest on charges of not wearing the hijab properly. While the government claimed she died of a heart attack, her family claimed she was tortured by Iran’s “morals police”. During mass protests, women burned hijabs and chopped off their hair. The Iranian government described the demonstrations as “rioting” and cracked down on it, condemning several protesters to death.

Argentina wins World Cup: Argentina defeated France on December 18 to clinch FIFA World Cup glory, 26 years after football legend Diego Maradona led the country to the world’s biggest football trophy. This time it was Lionel Messi who led Argentina to victory as captain, immortalizing a legacy only comparable to that of compatriot Maradona and Brazil’s Pelé. But the road was not easy. Stunning equalizer by France’s Kylian Mbappé took the match to the penalty shootout stage, making it a nail biter that many claimed was the greatest ever FIFA World Cup final.

Covid Spike Concerns: As the year draws to a close, reports of a massive spike in Covid cases in China have brought stark reminders of the devastation the pandemic has wrought in India. Concerns about a new surge have prompted authorities to reassess health infrastructure preparedness as cases rise. So a year that started optimistically ends cautiously. However, authorities have stressed that there is no cause for alarm, citing widespread vaccination coverage and natural immunity resulting from multiple waves of infections.