Let’s take a moment to look back on 2022 before heading on to 2023. This year has been an archetype for events that nobody saw coming. Millions received Covid jabs worldwide, while other regions saw extreme flooding and record-breaking heat. Some of these events were so powerful that they set the tone for our future discourse. Take a look at the top events of 2022 that no one expected.
1) The longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II died, making Prince Charles the King
The longest-reigning monarch in British history, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away in Balmoral on September 8 at the age of 96. After her passing on September 18, Prince Charles became King Charles III and succeeded her on the throne.
Charles, the first-born child of the queen and her late husband, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, was the next in line to the throne from the time he was three years old. As a result, he is the most experienced and well-prepared successor to the throne in British history.
He is also the oldest king to ever ascend to the British throne at the age of 73. The next in line to the throne of the United Kingdom is Prince William, the eldest son of King Charles and former Duke of Cambridge.
2) Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United
Following his explosive conversation with Piers Morgan on November 23, Cristiano Ronaldo departed Manchester United by mutual consent. The 37-year-old attacker and United came to an understanding to end his contract, according to a 67-word statement United released.
Ronaldo said he felt “betrayed” by the team in the TalkTV interview and that he had “no respect” for Erik ten Hag as manager. “When I missed pre-season because my kid was ill, Man Utd questioned my ability. If Arsenal wins the Premier League, that would make me delighted,” he remarked.
3) Found: a 48,500-year-old zombie virus
After resurrecting a “zombie virus” that has been trapped beneath a frozen lake in Russia for a record 48,500 years, French scientists raised concerns about the possibility of yet another pandemic.
According to experts, irreversible permafrost thawing has already started in large regions, “releasing biological stuff frozen for up to a million years.”
4) Elon Musk buys out Twitter
The billionaire Elon Musk officially declared his desire to buy Twitter on April 14. He made a take-it-or-leave-it for Twitter of $44 billion (about Rs. 36,025 crore). The bid was first rejected by Twitter’s board, which even included a “poison pill” clause in an effort to stop Musk from acquiring the firm forcibly. On April 25, Twitter’s board had a change of heart and decided to accept the offer after all. Musk tweeted, “Yessss.”
5) UK gets its first Indian-origin PM
Rishi Sunak made history after becoming Britain’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister. Following Penny Mordaunt’s resignation from the campaign, he was chosen without opposition as the next leader of the ruling Conservative Party.
6) Taliban ban women from universities
Afghanistan’s Taliban leaders imposed a permanent ban on women attending the country’s universities this year, the ministry of higher education said in a letter issued to all government and private universities.
“You all are informed to implement the mentioned order of suspending education of females until further notice,” said the letter signed by the minister for higher education, Neda Mohammad Nadeem.
7) Europe’s heat melted runways and railroad signals
In July, temperatures in sections of Europe that were experiencing a severe heatwave as a result of wildfires burning over Portugal, Spain, France, Greece, and Croatia suddenly rose drastically. In the midst of this, the UK started to experience sweltering temperatures that reached 40 degrees Celsius. As a result, incidences of public property melting were reported, which negatively impacted the inhabitants’ everyday lives.
8) Iran considers revising age-old Hijab law
The decades-old Hijab legislation, which mandates that all women cover their heads in public, will be reviewed, according to Iranian officials, who announced this on December 3. Following the historic ruling, the nation also eliminated its morality police unit, claiming that it had “nothing to do with the courts.” The declaration was made two and a half months after Iran had violent riots as a result of the murder of Amini, 22, who was being held by the morality police at the time.
