2022 is a year that will likely be remembered in the history books for the war in Ukraine that started in February when Russia invaded the country, then rattled the nuclear sabers. It was the largest ground invasion of another country in Europe since World War II. Ukraine’s defiance was inspiring, as ill-equipped Russian forces rolled in and sometimes abandoned equipment and fled. As of the end of the year, Ukraine President Zelensky’s leadership against Putin is holding, thanks to allies in the west and the bravery of his own people.
The upheaval in Russia cut oil and natural gas supplies to Europe, which in turn affected oil prices everywhere as demand outstripped supply. Fuel prices soared, and in turn, the price of everything increased dramatically during the year in numbers not seen since the 1970s inflation crisis — which was also started with surging oil prices. As winter came to Europe and the cost of natural gas rose, many had to make hard choices between food and fuel. Inflation levels in the United States rose sharply through the summer but appeared to be leveling off as the year ended.
Elsewhere overseas, China hosted the Winter Olympics, but under tight COVID restrictions. The government’s “Zero COVID” policies later in the year shut down vital industries and led to widespread protests not seen in many years. In Great Britain, Boris Johnson resigned after a firestorm of scandals and mass resignations in this cabinet. In his place, the Conservative Party selected Liz Truss as the new leader, but she lasted only 44 days before being replaced by Rishi Sunak — the youngest Prime Minister to hold the office since 1821. Also in Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at her castle in Balmoral after a reign of 70 years. Her son Charles III ascended the throne, and will hold his coronation in 2023.
Several coups and political turns affected Burkina Faso, Peru, and there was an assassination attempt in Guinea-Bissau. Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro lost his bid for re-election, but he claimed election fraud was to blame for his loss.
In the United States, the Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal in the country, throwing abortion back to the states. The majority opinion stated that privacy was not protected by the Constitution, which also brought into question challenges to other decisions that opened the door to marriage equality and interracial marriage. Several states quickly instituted near-total bans on the procedure, and others continued to allow it on demand. The Supreme Court also decided that states have no right to impose regulations on guns, allowing concealed carry laws in some states to go forward.
The saga of former President Donald Trump continued into 2022, when a subcommittee investigated his role in the January 6, 2021 insurrection. Public hearings included bombshell testimony from former officials that shed light on the last days of the Trump administration and his efforts to undermine the election. In December, the subcommittee recommended four criminal charges be brought by the Department of Justice against Trump and several others on federal crimes. The investigation revealed that Trump removed top secret and classified files that by law should have been sent to the National Archives and left them unsecured at Mar-a-Lago.
Mid-term elections did not bring the “red wave” expected by Republicans. The primary in Kansas also included a referendum on protecting abortion access in the state, which won in a landslide and called into question the support for strict anti-choice measures. The November mid-term election proved something of a bust for Republicans, as they squeaked out a tiny majority in the House.
Several mass shootings in the United States made headlines in 2022, including an elementary school shooting that killed 19 children and two adults in Uvalde, Texas. Other mass casualty assaults happened in a grocery store in Buffalo, NY and a 4th of July parade in Highland Park, IL. A gunman killed five in a LGBT club in Colorado Springs, Colorado in November – he was subdued by two patrons. Another shooting, a few days later in a Walmart in Texas, killed six employees.
Natural disasters came through fire and flood in 2022. Volcanic eruptions in the Pacific caused a tsunami in Tongo and raised alerts as far away as Alaska in January. The massive eruption devastated the tiny island nation and cut them off from the world. Mauna Loa in Hawaii erupted, sending lava A major earthquake (7.3) just off the coast of Japan sent people scrambling and brought up memories from the Fukushima tsunami in 2011. Four people died in the earthquake. A major earthquake in June in Afghanistan killed hundreds. At the end of July, a major earthquake hit Luzon, Philippines, causing fatalities and widespread damage. In November, over 160 people were killed in a powerful earthquake in Indonesia. Over a thousand people in Pakistan died after floods ravaged the country in August. Hurricane Fiona inundated Puerto Rico in September, knocking out power and causing major flooding. Hurricane Ian reached Category 4 strength and slammed into Florida, leaving widespread damage and death in its wake. Over 100 people lost their lives when Ian destroyed several communities on the west coast of the state, including Sanibel Island and Fort Meyer. Flash floods in July closed I-70 in St. Louis, stranding motorists. Dozens of deaths were reported in Kentucky at the end of July as a storm system dumped several inches of water overnight. Meanwhile in western states, the megadrought persisted, contributing to wildfires that threatened national parks and decimated vital reservoirs and lakes in the area.
Next issue: Indiana, Indianapolis, and a list of the those who passed in 2022.
