Top stories of 2022
This is a year where the news cycle sometimes seems unstoppable, and the ping of an unusual alert brings even more shocking news.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has turned into a protracted and desperate war, now estimated to have killed more than 40,000 civilians and displaced more than 30 million others. The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending constitutional abortion rights in the United States In Pakistan, floods devastated hundreds of villages, killing about 1,500 people and affecting more than 33 million. Iran is experiencing its bloodiest protests in decades.
Economically, these are tough times. The British pound hit a historic low against the US dollar and central banks sharply raised interest rates to curb inflation. As the year draws to a close, heating fuel costs are soaring and a global recession looms. China’s “Covid-free” approach to the pandemic has hurt businesses and stunted growth.
In politics, people voted for change in Australia, Brazil, Italy and Sweden, as well as familiar faces in France and Denmark. In Israel, Bibi is back. Elon Musk now owns Twitter. And in sports, February brought an odd Olympics in Beijing, and an equally bizarre World Cup in Qatar later in the year.
But it wasn’t all doom and gloom: On the lighter side, 2022 brought us Wordle, Abba’s digital residence in London, the inaugural Tour de France Femmes, even even a new album by Beyoncé. Next year there light and skillful moments have been on the scheduleincludes possible changes to daylight savings in the United States and a tribute to Pablo Picasso on the 50th anniversary of his death.
Year in the picture
Each year, our photo editors sift through the images for months in an effort to pick out the most startling, most moving, most memorable images of the year.
The war in Ukraine wasn’t the only story of the year, but visually it was one of the most powerful. The Times photographers submitted about 16,000 photos, often in situations that put their lives at risk.
Joseph Kahn, executive editor of The Times, describes how those images capture the dynamics of change on the ground, as Ukrainians move from terror and disbelief to gritty resignation and resilience. fall. “Moments of optimism and joy will come,” he wrote. “We see what they have lost because of Vladimir Putin’s aggression against their country — but also what they refuse to lose.”
Memorable moment: A bullet-riddled notebook is recovered after a deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. Ketanji Brown Jackson’s daughter gawked in awe as her mother became the first Black woman on the Supreme Court. And the defiance of elegantly dressed Ukrainian teenagers dancing in Odesa.
Abstract art
Concert halls, theaters, galleries: After two years of closure and postponement, this year’s audiences are gradually returning to experience art live.
Our film critics, even as they ponder the state of cinema, have found much to love on the big screen. A.O. Scott’s favorite films of the year, he writes, “seem not only to question the aspects of the human experience they represent, but also their own methods and assumptions. ” Manohla Dargis finds herself excited by all the good and amazing movies that are still being released. Have a lot to enjoy on television.
In the world of visual arts, high score in New York City including an adult Whitney Biennial, contemporary Puerto Rican art, and an excellent Matisse exhibit. Performing in Paris Famous works by Alice Neel and Ed Ruschaand in Kassel, Germany, the Documenta’s major exhibition was “remarkable” or “disastrous,” depending on who you ask.
Our obituary celebrates, honors and revisits the lives of those who shaped the world. Read about the artists we lost in 2022, in their own words, and review five standout obituaries:
Great read
Update on four of this year’s most read stories on The Times:
STORY BACK
A year of summarizing
Your summary message zigzags around the world before reaching your inbox.
It incorporates stories from our reporters around the globe; written by me, Natasha, in Melbourne, Australia; first edited by an editor in New York; and then get the final touches from an editor in our Seoul office.
Finally, just before 1 a.m. Eastern time, or 6 a.m. GMT, it reached hundreds of thousands of readers from Ireland to Israel, along with more than a few night owls in the US.
Since August 2020, when I joined The Times, I have written this newsletter more than 500 times. Sometimes it’s like a historical chart as it happens: vaccines against coronavirus; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine; a change in the presidency of the United States; three British prime ministers (and two monarchs); the once-in-a-generation protests in Iran; the fight for abortion rights in America; and hundreds of other world-changing stories, besides.
Probably my favorite thing about the job is getting notes from readers: what you like as well as what you don’t. I usually can’t help but argue about Spelling Bee or Crossword (even if I share your pain), but I’d love to hear about it as you absorb one of our recommendations from Play, Watch, Eat or when a particular story resonates.
All this to say: Thank you all for reading and also writing. This is another year together.
PLAY, WATCH, EAT
What to cook?
That’s it for today’s briefing. Thanks for joining me this year, and see you tomorrow. — Natasha
P.S. The slogan of The Times, since 1896, has been “All news fit for print.” In a 1996 contest to choose a new slogan, the original won.
On “The Ezra Klein Show,” Ezra replied year-end question from the audience.
Reach Natasha and the team at [email protected].
