2022: A year of living dangerously

From the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the overturning of abortion laws in the United States, here is a roundup of the biggest events to mark 2022.

War in Ukraine

A Ukrainian soldier of an artillery unit fires towards Russian positions outside Bakhmut on November 8, 2022 AFP

Russian President Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine on February 24, causing millions to flee abroad.

The West imposes unprecedented sanctions on Moscow and sends billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine. 

By September, Putin hastily annexes four Ukrainian regions.

As the year ends, Russian strikes relentlessly batter Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing power cuts.

Nightmare on Downing Street

This combination photo shows Rishi Sunak (L) and Liz Truss Reuters

Britain gets its fifth conservative prime minister in six years. 

Rishi Sunak takes office in October after his tax-cutting predecessor Liz Truss self-combusts in just 44 days.

The year saw the death of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96 and the forced resignation of scandal-hit premier Boris Johnson.

US abortion shock

Protesters hold signs as they attend an Abortion Rights Solidarity demonstration, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade decision that legalized abortion, in London, Britain July 9, 2022  Reuters

The US Supreme Court causes global shock waves in June when it overturns its landmark 1973 "Roe v Wade" decision, which enshrined a constitutional right to abortion nationwide, returning the issue to individual states.

Subsequently, abortion bans are brought in by Republicans in 16 US states, home to 26.5 million women.

Xi cements control, pivots on Covid

File photo: China's President Xi Jinping speaks during the opening session of the 20th Chinese Communist Party's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 16, 2022 AFP

President Xi Jinping cements his control at the helm of China after winning a historic third term in November as leader the world's second-largest economy.

But the Chinese lose patience with the snap lockdowns, mass testing and curbs on movement imposed by the government's signature zero-Covid strategy. 

China's warplane incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone skyrocket while Beijing holds the largest military exercises in decades around the self-ruled island, raising alarm in Taipei. 

Heatwave after heatwave

A woman covers her head with a bag as she walks at Puerta del Sol square during a hot day as Spain braces for a heatwave in Madrid, Spain, June 10, 2022 Reuters

Europe swelters through the hottest summer in its recorded history, with the mercury topping 40°C for the first time in Britain. 

Parts of the Arctic and Antarctic, China and the US also experience record temperatures.

Extreme weather events linked to climate change continue to wreak havoc in developing countries.

Flooding in Pakistan affects vast swathes of the country, Nigeria suffers its worst floods in a decade and parts of drought-hit Somalia face the threat of famine.

Inflation bites

People play cards inside the official residence of Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, in Colombo on July 10, 2022, a day after it was overrun by anti-government protestors AFP

The invasion of Ukraine and resulting sanctions on Russia create an energy crisis of a magnitude unseen in half a century, with costs for gas and electricity soaring globally.

Inflation soars globally, prompting central banks to aggressively hike interest rates, raising fears of another major debt crisis.

Far-right on the march

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during a news conference to present her government's first budget in Rome, Italy, November 22, 2022 Reuters

Voters in Italy elect their most right-wing leader since World War II in post-fascist firebrand Giorgia Meloni.

The anti-immigration Sweden Democrats are the big winners of a general election that brings conservatives to power in that country.

In France, a surge by both the far right and hard left strips President Emmanuel Macron of his parliamentary majority.

Iran's great unveiling

File photo: Iranians wave the national flag as they march during a pro-hijab rally in the capital Tehran on September 23, 2022 AFP

In Iran, the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini following her arrest for alleged violations of the country's Islamic dress code sparks the biggest protests in years. 

The Oslo-based monitor Iran Human Rights on December 19 says Iran's security forces have killed at least 469 people in the protests.

Peace in Ethiopia 

File photo: Residents and militias stand next to houses destroyed by an airstrike during the fight between the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) forces in Kasagita town on February 25, 2022 Reuters

After two years of conflict that have killed untold numbers of civilians and led to near-famine conditions in Tigray, Ethiopia's government and Tigrayan rebels agree on a landmark peace deal.

The agreement allows critical humanitarian aid to resume to the northern region.

World Cup in the desert

Soccer Football - 2022 World Cup Preview - Doha, Qatar - November 10, 2022 A Qatar 2022 logo is seen in front of the skyline of the West Bay in Doha Reuters

Some fans boycott the tournament in Qatar over concerns about human rights and the high number of deaths among migrant workers involved in constructing eight new stadiums.

The decision by the conservative Islamic kingdom to ban alcohol from stadiums also leaves a bitter taste.