Top world events that made headlines and changed the course of history in 2022 |30 December 2022
From Russia’s deadly invasion in Ukraine and Sri Lanka’s economic crisis to Britain losing its longest-reigning monarch and gaining its youngest PM Rishi Sunak are some top events that shook and also shaped the world in 2022..
As the year 2022 comes to an end, it is safe to say that the world went through a frizzy of events that changed the course of history. No, it wasn’t just grappling with Covid-19, but a flurry of life-changing events out of which a few, the world didn’t see coming.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine- The deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II
The most important world event that future generations will read about in history books has to be Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s growing relationship with Members of NATO led to Russia launching, what it called a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24, 2022. What started with multiple air and missile attacks, the war led many parts of the world towards food shortage, supply disruptions, and big price shocks. Even the global economy was weighed down by fears of a potential recession. Nobody thought Ukraine would be able to withstand the Russian attacks, but it fought back with all its strength. Surprising the Kremlin and many other world leaders, Ukraine withstood the initial Russian attacks and then began to even turn back its military forces. However, with the year ending, the Russian president recently expressed his desire to end the war when he said that Moscow is ready to negotiate over Ukraine.
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The war in Ukraine has inflicted a heavy toll on both the people and the infrastructure of the country
India’s G20 Presidency – Becoming the voice of Global South
The 17th Group of 20 (G20) Heads of State and Government Summit took place in October in Bali, Indonesia. Under the Indonesian Presidency, the G20 in 2022 focused on the theme, ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’.
The Leaders’ Summit is the climax of the G20 process and the intense work carried out over the year through Ministerial Meetings, Working Groups, and Engagement Groups.
India’s G20 presidency has grabbed headlines all over the world. Especially because of the disruption in economies that various countries faced in the face of the Russia-Ukraine war. India positioned itself as the voice of the developing and also less developed countries. India articulated this theme at the G20 summit in Bali as well. In a series of tweets, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India “will work to further promote oneness, inspired by the theme of One Earth, One Family, One Future.” Before the G20 began, S Jaishankar expressed that the G20 presidency for India is taking place at a very critical stage in international affairs. “In these difficult times, it is therefore particularly important that world leaders focus on the right issues. Issues that especially affect the more vulnerable sections of the world,” he had said. All G7 countries came out in support of India’s presidency and its commitments toward an equitable world.
Death of Queen Elizabeth II – Britain loses its longest-reigning monarch
The world came to a standstill when the news of Queen Elizabeth II’s death on September 8 broke out. Millions of people in Britain as well as across the world mourned the loss of Britain’s Queen who served for 70 years. Elizabeth II became the Queen after her father King George VI’s death on February 6, 1952, and reigned for seven more years than Queen Victoria did. The Queen was 96 years old. Her son, former Prince of Wales, Charles, who is reportedly 73 years old, then took over as the King. He has been officially named as King Charles III.
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Queen Elizabeth’s funeral procession in London
Rishi Sunak takes charge as Britain’s youngest PM of Indian descent
On Christmas Day, Rishi Sunak marked his 62nd day as prime minister, far surpassing Liz Truss’s time in office. A trifling achievement, by any measure. Rishi Sunak became Britain’s third prime minister in October 2022 and the first person of colour to take charge of the former imperial power. Sunak, 42, a devout Hindu, is the youngest Prime Minister in Britain’s history in 210 years.
It was indeed a proud and historic moment, especially for the Indians when Sunak took lead as the first Hindu Prime Minister of Indian descent in the UK. The son of a pharmacist mother and a doctor father, Sunak studied at one of England’s most renowned schools, Winchester, and later, Oxford. Sunak married Akshata Murthy, daughter of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy in 2009. The couple has two daughters.
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Rishi Sunak at 10 Downing Street
Sri Lanka’s economic crisis – A country that ran out of money
What started as a fallout of Covid-19, quickly turned into one of the worst economic crises that Sri Lanka observed and the world witnessed. With inflation skyrocketing more than 50%, people were seen struggling and demanding basic necessities like power, food, cooking gas, and fuel. The country didn’t even have enough fuel to run buses, trains, and medical vehicles.
People took to the streets and started protesting in Colombo.
The protests intensified in March and peaked in May, when Mahinda Rajapaksa was forced to resign as Prime Minister. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who refused to resign as president, was forced to flee the country as the agitation grew. He was eventually forced to quit, becoming the first Lankan President to do so mid-term. Ranil Wickeremesinghe was elected by the Lankan parliament for the remainder of Mr Rajapaksa's term.
On July 9, 2022, people stormed the gates of Rajapaksa’s home and demanded his resignation.
The world watched in shock as people were seen taking a dip in his swimming pool. Rajapaksa has since returned to his home country but the reign is now under Ranil Wickremesinghe who took charge as the new president.
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Sri Lankan protesters party in the president's mansion, dip in the swimming pool as he flees the country
Shinzo Abe, Japan's former Prime Minister assassination – An incident that rocked Japan
Japan is largely a peaceful country. So when the news of its former prime minister Shinzo Abe being shot first broke, the world immediately went into a state of shock. He died in a hospital in July after he was shot twice at a political campaign event in the southern city of Nara.
Abe was Japan’s longest-serving prime minister who held office in 2006 for a year and then again took charge from 2012 to 2020, before stepping down citing health reasons.
The hitman, when taken into custody, had reportedly revealed that Abe was shot because of his grudge against the Unification church or ‘Moonies’, who he believed had links to Abe. People also gave a political twist to the assassination post which the popularity of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also plunged. Kishida had to even shuffle the Cabinet to remove the members who had ties to the religious group.
Imran Khan's Ouster as Pakistan’s PM
In April, Imran Khan was ousted as Pakistan Prime Minister, becoming the country's first Prime Minister to lose power by a no-confidence vote. The vote saw high drama, with Mr Khan's attempt to dissolve the national Assembly prompting an intervention by the Supreme Court. Shehbaz Sharif, brother of former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif, succeeded Mr Khan.
But in early November the former PM was wounded in what was considered an ‘assassination attempt’ in Pakistan.
He was shot when his convoy came under fire in eastern Punjab province, party officials and police said.
Protesters took to the streets of Pakistan after the gunman opened fire on a convoy carrying the former prime minister Imran Khan, wounding him and killing a supporter as he led a march on Islamabad to demand snap elections.
Khan, 70, was wounded in his lower leg and was stable after the incident.
Droupadi Murmu Is India’s new President
Droupadi Murmu was sworn in as India's 15th President on July 25, becoming the country's first tribal to hold the highest constitutional office. She is also the second woman after Pratibha Patil to occupy the post. A former teacher, President Murmu has earlier served as the Governor of Jharkhand and minister in Odisha, her home state.
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India’s 15th President Droupadi Murmu signs a register after taking oath in the Central Hall of Parliament, in New Delhi, Monday, July 25, 2022.
Compiled by Marie-Anne Lepathy
