January - Novak Djokovic detained
Tennis star Novak Djokovic was detained in Australia in January of 2022, facing deportation after his visa was cancelled for a second time in relation to his vaccination status.
The Serbian said via social media that he had gained a medical exemption to enter the country despite being openly unvaccinated which sparked outrage amongst Australians.
After winning an initial legal case around 'unfair treatment' upon his arrival in Australia, Djokovic's visa was cancelled for a second time just a few days later, which the Serbian chose not to fight, instead opting to head back to his home country.
February - Ukraine war
On February 24, 2022, at 5:30 am Moscow time, Russian state television channels were interrupted to broadcast an address by President Vladimir Putin announcing a "special military operation" in the Donbas region.
Nearly a year on since the first invasion, the war has claimed thousands of casualties, billions of dollars in military aid and support and has directly contributed to drastic economic changes in New Zealand and around the world.
March - Oscars drama
A slap that shook the entertainment world.
Popular film star Will Smith stole the headlines at the 2022 Oscar Awards in March when he stormed on stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after Rock made a joke about Smith's wife having short hair.
Jada Pinkett Smith suffers from a condition called alopecia which causes sudden hair loss and was rocking a shortly shaved head at the awards ceremony.
Her husband has since come out with what some have questioned as a rather disingenuous apology video addressing the incident and apologising for his actions.
Smith was banned from attending any Academy award ceremonies for the next ten years as a result of his unruly behaviour.
April - Twitter deal with Musk
Tesla and Starlink creator Elon Musk agreed to a nearly NZ$70 billion deal to purchase social media platform Twitter.
While it took a number of months of legal battles, including Musk attempting to terminate the deal, the then world's richest man eventually pulled the trigger, taking over as the owner and CEO of one of the world's most popular social media platforms.
Musk has made a host of controversial moves since taking charge, the most recent of which saw him resign as the CEO after posting a twitter poll which saw 57.5 percent of the 17.5 million voters opt him out of the head role.
May - Uvalde school shooting
Two adults and nineteen children were killed in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde County in the deadliest shooting ever at a Texas public school.
The police response has been largely criticised following the tragic event and the acting Uvalde police chief at the time of the shooting resigned later in the year.
June - Queen Elizabeth's 70th jubilee
Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Platinum Jubilee for 70 years on the British throne in June of 2022 shortly before her death.
The late Queen reigned longer than any of her predecessors in 1000 years, having held the position since the age of 25.
While much of the Commonwealth was celebrating her service, for the monarchy itself, the focus was very much on the future.
Although she was unable to attend most of the major Jubilee events due to what the palace called 'episodic mobility problems' she did manage to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace flanked by the next three Monarchs - Charles, William and his eldest child Prince George.
June - Roe v Wade
A historic move from the US Supreme Court overturning the Roe vs Wade ruling in June, 2022, meaning there is no longer a federal constitutional right to an abortion in the United States.
This regressive change was met with outrage around the globe and saw marches and protests from Wellington to Washington and everywhere in between.
Overturning Roe vs Wade means that independent states now control legislation around the legality of abortions, which is illegal in some states but accepted in others.
In the states where abortion is now outlawed, even health professionals offering abortion advice or advising a potential patient where they could legally and safely get an abortion can be seen as illegal and in some cases, punishable by jail time.
July - Boris Johnson resigns
After just two years in the role, Boris Johnson resigned from his role as Prime Minister of the UK in early July this year.
Johnson was put under a lot of pressure by fellow MP's and government officials to step down, even surviving a vote of no-confidence before his eventual departure.
Liz Truss took over the role in early September but her reign as the top dog was short lived, resigning just 45 days after being appointed.
Rishi Sunak, who resides at number 10 Downing Street at the time of writing this, was then appointed as the third Prime Minister in two months in late October after Truss failed to even outlast a lettuce as UK Prime Minister.
July - Drone strike kills Al Qaeda leader
Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama Bin Laden's successor as leader of al-Qaeda, was killed by a US drone strike in Afghanistan at the beginning of August this year.
The early-morning strike in the heart of downtown Kabul capped a 21-year manhunt for the Egyptian radical.
The strike was carried out by the CIA on the balcony of a safe house in Kabul.
Today FM's World News Editor Kate Gregan explained the significance of the event.
August - Pakistan flooding
Mother nature showed no mercy to Pakistan in 2022 as tens of millions of people had their lives upended by destructive flooding which claimed over 1000 lives.
Over 300,000 homes have been completely destroyed with another 700,000 significantly damaged in one of the most significant natural disasters in recent history.
September - Queen Elizabeth dies
Just after 5am (NZST) on September 9, 2022 much of the Western world came to a stand still as the Royal Family announced the official passing of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96.
The UK's longest serving Monarch, was honoured with one of the most viewed funerals of all time, attended by some of the world's most prestigious diplomats, leaders and celebrities.
Her eldest son, Charles was officially proclaimed as the new King of the United Kingdom just days later, renewing the promise of lifelong service to his role.
Tributes came in from around the world, commemorating the late Queen, from the Sydney Opera House in Australia to the Empire State Building in New York.
Hundreds of thousands of her most loyal supporters lined up along the river Thames to pay their respects to the late Queen, with some waiting over 48 hours to walk through Westminster Hall while her coffin laid in state.
The world lost one of the most notable and loved leaders of recent history in 2022, and while she is, unfortunately, gone forever, the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II will live on in history.
September - Protests in Iran
22-year-old Iranian Mahsa Amini was found dead three days after morality police detained her for allegedly showing too much hair outside of her hijab.
Despite the coroner's report attributing her death to multiple organ failure caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain and not as a result of being beaten in custody, not everyone is convinced by this response.
Her death sparked outrage as protesters gathered in Iran and around the world, in the biggest challenge to Iran's leaders in years.
The conflict continued throughout the remainder of 2022, with a number of world leaders condemning Iran's treatment of women.
October - Indonesia stadium crush
Teargas used by police in response to rioting fans invading the pitch at a football match in Indonesia saw at least 125 people killed and over 300 injured in the chaos that ensued.
Hundreds of fans rushed towards a single exit causing many to be crushed and suffocated in the panic.
Officials and organisers faced scrutiny over the tragedy including the use of teargas by security.
October - South Korea crush
Halloween celebrations took a dark turn in South Korea this year as over 150 people were killed in a street party for the spooky season.
It was the first outdoor, no-mask Halloween event since the COVID-19 pandemic with around 100,000 people reportedly taking to the streets.
Social media posts from earlier in the evening show some people suggesting the Itaewon area was so crowded that it felt unsafe.
The large crowd surged into a steep, narrow alleyway off the main thoroughfare when the pushing led to some partygoers losing their balance, causing a domino effect.
South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol has pledged a full investigation into the death, describing it as "a tragedy…that should not have happened."
November - Trump announces 2024
In November, 2022 former Republican President Donald Trump announced he will again run for United States President in the 2024 election.
The timing of his announcement left many confused, while some are adamant the former President won't even be the chosen candidate to run for the opposition party.
Despite having a significant group of loyal supporters, Trump won't necessarily have a clear run to the elections with a number of other US politicians looking to oust the former President as the chosen candidate to represent the Republican Party in the 2024 election.
December - Messi wins World Cup
In what many are calling 'the greatest World Cup Final of all time,' Argentina, led by captain Lionel Messi, won their first FIFA World Cup in 36 years.
Tied 3-3 with previous holders France at the end of extra time, with 23-year-old superstar Kylian Mbappe bagging a hattrick for the European side, Argentina prevailed in the penalty shootout winning 4-2 to send Buenos Aires into jubilation.
The iconic image of Messi holding aloft the only major trophy in football to elude his grasp was posted to his Instagram, shattering the record for not only the most liked image on the platform but the most liked image on social media as a whole with over 70 million likes and counting.
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