2022: The year in review
This past year was extremely eventful and, therefore, warrants a timeline of major events.
Even around the time I began writing this piece, 2022 was still producing some attention grabbing events, such as:
- China and Russia holding joint naval drills
- Russian drones, likely procured by Iran, are targeting key Ukrainian targets and infrastructure
- North Korea, in response to Japan’s announcement to double its defense spending, has vowed some type of military response
These three brief headlines, if you will, are the cherry on top of a year full of surprise, controversy, and shock. They are, also, indicative of how 2023 and the rest of the 2020’s may progress. It would seem that 2022 — mostly due to the glaring Russian invasion of Ukraine — has been a year transparency. In that I mean that the ways in which the world powers are aligning themselves is becoming more clear, and with that, tensions are rising and preparations (i.e. militarily and economically) are being made.
So while this piece is to go back, for the sake of history, and highlight the major events we witnessed, I wanted to point out that at this celebratory, rejuvenating time of year, that the world is still in a dangerous, unpredictable state. And, that 2023 may prove to be equally alarming.
With that being said, let us begin!
January 2022
1 — The United States, UK, France, Russia, and China, as the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, deliver a rare unanimous statement, saying that a nuclear war must never be fought.
6 — The Russian led CSTO deploys peacekeepers to Kazakhstan in support of President Tokayev.
13 — Prince Andrew stripped of his titles in the UK.
16 — The controversial decision to deport Novak Djokovic from Australia, thereby making him ineligible for the 2022 Australian Open, is made.
18 — Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard for $70 billion, the biggest gaming/tech takeover.
26 — Neil Young removes his music from Spotify following the deal with Joe Rogan. Young would have his music back on Spotify roughly a week later.
31 — Hit word-puzzle game “Wordle” is sold to The New York Times.
February 2022
3 — ISIS leader al-Qurayshi, during a US Special Forces raid in Syria, commits suicide by an IED vest.
4 — Winter Olympics in Beijing begin.
7 — France’s Macon and Russia’s Putin meet to discuss Russia’s troop build up along Ukraine’s border.
8 — The humanitarian crisis continues around the Horn of Africa; 13 million people affected.
13 — LA Rams win the Super Bowl.
21 — Vladimir Putin, through a decree, declares the Luhansk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine as separate from Ukraine.
24 — Vladimir Putin orders an invasion of Ukraine after weeks of troop build-ups along Ukraine’s border with Russia and Belarus.
26 — In response to the war in Ukraine, Russian banks are removed from the SWIFT payment system, beginning a financial crisis in Russia.
March 2022
1 — An emergency meeting with UN members denounces the Russian invasion of Ukraine and asks Russia to remove troops from Ukrainian territory.
2 — Russian troops seize Kherson, a major city along the Dnipro River that, ultimately, is the gateway to Crimea from the West.
3 — Russian force seize the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Powerplant in Ukraine, the largest in Europe. First fears of a nuclear disaster arrive as footage of fighting at the plant leaks online.
5 — Ernest Shackleton's ship — the Endurance — is rediscovered in the Weddell Sea.
7 — Over a million Ukrainians have fled the war.
8 — The US and UK ban Russian oil while the EU, controversially, only reduces its demand.
16 — US Federal Reserve raises interest rates as US suffers from historic inflation.
23 — US officially declares that Russia has committed war crimes in Ukraine.
28 — Will Smith virtually apologizes for his “Slap” fiasco at the Oscars.
29 — Russia withdraws forces surrounding Kyiv.
April 2022
7 — Russia is suspended from the UN Human Rights Council.
11 — Imran Khan is removed from office in Pakistan.
14 — Ukraine sinks the Russian warship Moskva, the first large warship to be sunk since WWII.
24 — Emmanuel Macron wins reelection in France.
25 — Twitter announces deal to sell to Elon Musk.
May 2022
1 — Nancy Pelosi visits Ukraine.
2 — Draft of apparent decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is leaked online.
4 — US Federal Reserve increases interest rate again; largest since 2000.
15 — Finland issues statement voicing intent to join NATO.
16 — Sweden announces intent to join NATO.
23 — Indo-Pacific Economic Framework is launched to counter China.
27 — Top Gun: Maverick is released 36 years after original Top Gun movie.
28 — Real Madrid win the Champions League over Liverpool.
June 2022
24 — Roe v. Wade is overturned.
26 — G7 leaders meet in Germany to discuss the war in Ukraine.
28 — NATO summit begins in Spain, where members discussed the future of defense and deterrence following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
July 2022
8 — Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is assassinated by a lone gunman who fired twice from his homemade firearm.
18 — Murmu is elected as President of India.
31 — al-Zawahiri, one of the planners of 9/11, is killed in a drone strike.
August 2022
4 — China conducts its largest military exercise around Taiwan, and event which was spurred on by Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan.
12 — Novelist Salman Rushdie is stabbed at a public lecture in Chautauqua, NY, USA.
17 — Israel and Turkey agree to normalize diplomatic relations.
September 2022
1 — A UN report acknowledges the CCP’s internment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang as a crime against humanity.
2 — G7 members implement a price cap on Russian gas exports.
6 — Liz Truss becomes PM of the UK.
8 — Queen Elizabeth II dies at age 96. She reigned from 1952 to 2022, the longest reign of any British monarch. Charles III succeeds as King.
12 — Armenia and Azerbaijan clash along their borders over undiluted tensions surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
16 — Protests begin in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini while she was in police custody.
21 — After making little progress in the war, Putin announces a mobilization of reserve forces to supplement the forces in Ukraine.
27 — Hurricane Ian begins in the US and Caribbean region.
27 — Russian-administered referendums in Russian occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk reveal “overwhelming” support for Russian annexation.
30 — Putin signs treaty that declares Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia all parts of the Russian Federation.
October 2022
16 — The 20th National Congress of the CCP in China begins; Xi Jinping remains in power for another 5 year term.
25 — Rishi Sunak becomes PM of the UK after a resignation by Truss. She held her position for 50 days.
28 — Elon Musk acquires Twitter for $44 billion.
29 — Over 150 people are killed in a stampede during a Halloween event in Seoul.
30 — Jair Bolsonaro loses the Brazilian general election.
November 2022
1 — A group led by Benjamin Netanyahu win the legislative election in Israel, positioning Netanyahu for a third term as PM.
11 — Ukrainian forces retake Kherson after a public Russian withdrawal.
15 — A missile, originally thought to be Russian, lands in Poland and kills to Poles; luckily level headedness — despite calls for NATO to join the war — prevailed after an investigation determined the missile was not Russian.
16 — NASA launches Artemis 1.
20 — The World Cup begins in Qatar.
December 2022
5 — Iran shuts down its Morality Police unit, allegedly. Protests and violence continues.
7 — Pedro Castillo’s coup attempt fails in Peru.
7 — China eases COVID restrictions after weeks of protests that grew into anti-Xi and anti-CCP riots. They were the largest, openly anti-government protests in China since Tiananmen Square.
11 — Abu Mas’ud, accused of the Lackerbie Bombing, is in American custody.
13 — Sam Bankman-Fried, FTX founder, arrested for money laundering and fraud.
16 — Japan announces it will double its defense spending over five years in response to rising threats from China, North Korea, and Russia. The largest defense build-up in Japan since WWII.
16 — Pokemon characters Ash and Pikachu to leave the series after 25 years.
18 — Argentina win World Cup over France; Messi’s first World Cup victory in his last performance in the tournament.
21 — Ukraine’s Zelenksyy addresses US Congress in Washington, DC.
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That is by no means an all-encompassing list for 2022, but it sure does cover some of the major events.
What did I miss? Let me know in the comments below!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
