2022: A Year in Review
It’s the end of 2022. I usually do a “Year in Review” in which I pick some of the biggest stories from each month.
January
In January, actor and comedian Bob Saget unexpectedly died in a hotel room in Florida while he was on a stand-up comedy tour.
The second big news story in January is when the three men who were involved in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery were sentenced to life in prison.
February
In February, President Biden nominated Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. She succeeded Justice Stephen Breyer upon his retirement in June and became the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
The second big news story in February is when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine. The war is still ongoing and it has resulted in thousands of civilian deaths and forced millions of Ukrainians to flee the country.
March
In March, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy gave a remote address before the U.S. Congress and asked for support in defending the country from Russian attacks. Zelenskyy became a major hero around the world for his strength and refusal to flee the country.
The second big news story in March is when Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock during the Oscars after Rock made a joke about Smith’s wife’s hair. Smith won an Oscar that night but was banned from the Oscars for 10 years. He apologized for the slap.
April
In April, a federal judge struck down the federal mask mandate for airplanes. It was a major turning point in the U.S.’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The second big news story in April is when Dr. Anthony Fauci said the U.S. was finally out of the most serious part of the pandemic. The end of masking requirements in airports and Fauci’s announcement really marked the beginning of the end of everyday life dominated by the coronavirus.
May
In May, 10 Black people were killed in a mass shooting at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. The shooter was an 18-year-old white man who was motivated by his hatred against Black people. He has pleaded guilty.
The second big news story in May is another mass shooting. Nineteen elementary school students and two teachers in Uvalde, Texas were killed by an 18-year-old gunman. There was heavy criticism against the police response because it took them over an hour before they finally confronted the gunman and killed him.
June
In June, actor Johnny Depp mostly won his defamation lawsuit against his ex-wife Amber Heard, who made allegations that she was a victim of domestic abuse. The trial was televised live to huge audiences. Both sides reached a settlement this month.
The second big news story in June is when the Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative supermajority overturned Roe v. Wade, a long-standing precedent that gave citizens the right to an abortion. The decision meant states with conservative leaders could impose various abortion bans.
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July
In July, Shinzo Abe, who was a former prime minister of Japan, was assassinated while giving a speech in a city street. The shooter used a homemade firearm and it was a very shocking event for Japan and across the world.
The second big news story in July is when Britain recorded its highest-ever temperature of 40.2 C, which is about 104 degrees F. There were several deaths and reports of infrastructure being damaged by the heat.
August
In August, FBI agents raided Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home as a part of an investigation into the potential mishandling of classified documents.
The second big news story in August is when areas in Pakistan were hit by severe flooding that killed over 1,700 people. It is considered the worst flooding in Pakistan’s history.
September
In September, UK Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96. She was queen for 70 years. An estimated 250,000 people queued to pay their final respects to her and her funeral was watched by tens of millions around the world.
The second big news story in September is when there were massive protests in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, who died after she was arrested for violating Iran’s mandatory hijab law. Over 450 people have been killed in clashes with Iranian authorities. There are still protests going on.
October
In October, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope released a stunning image of “The Pillars of Creation,” a region in space where young stars are forming in dense clouds of dust and gas.
The second big news story in October is when Elon Musk completed his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter.
November
In November during the midterm elections, Democrats maintained control of the Senate with several wins in key states while Republicans took back control of the House.
The second big news story in November is when the cryptocurrency exchange FTX filed for bankruptcy and collapsed, resulting in over $8 billion in losses of customers’ money. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried is facing fraud charges that may send him to prison for life.
December
In December, WNBA star Brittney Griner was released from a Russian prison in a prisoner exchange.
The second big news story in December is when Argentina and its star player Lionel Messi won the World Cup by defeating France.
That’s 2022 in a nutshell. See you next year and stay with the light.