Top 10 Worst Things that Happened in 2022
While many hoped that 2022 would be better than the previous two years, it still brought significant challenges. The year saw the rise of the Omicron variant, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, various natural disasters, and the passing of notable celebrities.
On February 24th, 2022, Russia announced the beginning of its "special military operation" against Ukraine and shortly after began attacking Ukraine using missiles, rockets, and airstrikes. These were followed by a large scale ground invasion on four primary fronts.The ongoing war has caused widespread devastation, contributed to a global economic crisis, a massive humanitarian crisis, and the death of up to 100,000 Ukrainians.
I send my condolences to the families of the victims of these attacks, and I pray that this doesn't escalate into a deadlier attack, or potentially even the third World War. I actually almost cried a little bit ago after seeing something on the news about a massive explosion in Kyiv. I'm scared that it will now more than ever escalate into a World War. Especially with the president that we have, I'm worried that we won't be defending anymore, but fighting.
This should go to the top numbers now. If this keeps going on, what if we have a 3rd world war? We don't want to get killed, do we? Ukraine is being wiped off our Earth if they don't do anything to stop Russia from continuing this. Prayers to all the victims and families of this indescribable mess. 2022 has reached a catastrophe for Ukraine.
We are really close to it. Putin surely needs to be stopped. But I'll say the controversial thing and say Zelensky needs to ease up too. He calls on NATO to launch preemptive strikes against Russia trying to eliminate the possibility of a nuclear strike, but this can honestly lead to said nuclear strike. Everyone does not want this.
My theory is that Putin is going to start a nuclear war in the late 2020s or 2030, and it will go on until 2032, when the nuclear war becomes so intense the entire world is destroyed.
This means the world could end over the years. WWIII may be here. We're doomed. Thanks a lot, Vladimir Putin.
As if you thought the mass shooting at the Buffalo supermarket in New York wasn't enough of a wake-up call, here's a really shocking wake-up call for Texas. 19 children (+ 2 teachers) were killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. This is causing more fear as shootings continue, even though the chances of you or your kids getting shot at any school are very low. It shows us our country isn't at full peace and our gun control laws are stubborn. R.I.P. to the 21 people who lost their lives and pray for their families after Texas's deadliest school shooting and America's deadliest on school property since Sandy Hook, Connecticut in 2012.
Gendron is reported to have described himself as a supporter of white supremacy and an advocate for the "Great Replacement" conspiracy.
Ten people have died based on the Replacement Theory. Everyone should condemn mass shootings and white supremacy. Call out this extremist ideology and several public officials and media hosts who embrace and spread it.
This was a wake-up call for New York and the entire U.S., showing us we haven't found the peace we needed for our country after all. 10 killed? I can't believe it. Rest in peace to all the victims and pray for Buffalo.
Now a supermarket shooting? Why?
Why was this item approved but "Shanghai COVID Lockdowns" wasn't? I added that two weeks ago and it never got approved.
But again, they have gone utterly draconian over the virus. There was a heart-wrenching video of the COVID police there beating a dog, and I couldn't believe what I saw. Plus, another leaked video of cats inside plastic bags. They are quarantining both people and pets, keeping everyone locked up in the worst ways possible.
The Omicron variant of COVID-19 led to a significant surge in infections worldwide in early 2022. Many countries reported record-breaking daily case numbers due to Omicron's high transmissibility. Hospitalization rates varied, with some areas experiencing strain on healthcare systems despite lower severity compared to previous variants. This is making history for the world even though it's said to be a mild variant compared to Delta. It shows us the world may never be normal again.
That sucks. It made me get COVID from January 25th until February 1st. I had to be absent from school for two weeks, and that was where I got it from. And now, my dad has it.
Right when we were hoping for more peace after the Taliban attack, terrorism just grows. Prayers for all the families of Afghanistan and the world.
People like them are the reason for Islamophobia! Our religion, Islam, is a religion of peace, not war! They'll be answering to God.
On January 5th, 2022, North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast. The test was part of a series of missile launches that year, demonstrating advancements in North Korea's weapons programs. The launch was condemned by several countries, citing violations of United Nations resolutions. Seriously, why are they more concerned about killing their "enemies" with nukes than actually making peace with them or, for that matter, their own oppressed people? This alone makes Kim Jong Un easily tied (if not worse) with Xi and Trump as the worst world leader of this century!
I thought North Korea was talking about the environment other than nukes. What happened?
Lots of people are taking fentanyl more often. Fentanyl is said to be a pain medication, but many are going overboard with it. The high usage is causing diseases and deaths.
The Newcomers
Actress and civil rights activist who gained notoriety for her 1973 Oscars speech.
On December 29, 2022, Brazilian football legend Pelé died at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer. Pelé, a three-time World Cup winner, was widely regarded as one of the greatest football players in history. His death prompted tributes from the global football community and a period of national mourning in Brazil. RIP to this Brazilian soccer/football legend.
300 deaths from an airstrike all showing is Ukraine isn't getting any better as the evil Russians keep attacking it.
We're seeing a wide resurgence of gun violence across the country as more people get shot. It's technically a rare chance to get killed in a shooting, but it's seemingly not as rare as it was earlier. We're seeing more innocent people getting killed by mentally ill, messed-up people with guns. It's all causing fear across the nation, which is what the gunmen want. Prayers to all the innocent people and families.
On January 1, 2022, Arianna Delane, the 4-year-old niece of George Floyd, was shot while sleeping in her bed in Houston, Texas. A gunman fired multiple shots into her family's apartment, injuring Arianna in the torso. She was hospitalized and underwent surgery for her injuries. Who the hell has the heart to shoot an innocent 4-year-old relative of one of the most well-known victims of racial inequality? And why didn't the police respond to the event quickly? If anything, racism is still an underlying problem and sadly anyone nowadays (even kids!) is in danger thanks to what's happening right now!
Arianna is recovering, thank heavens, but the perpetrator has not even been announced yet. I hope they are brought to justice as soon as possible.
Lots of people know who shot her, but the "no snitching" honor code is more important to uphold than bringing them to justice.
On August 8, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The search was part of an investigation into the handling of classified documents that were allegedly taken from the White House after Trump's presidency. The unprecedented action led to significant political reactions and legal debates. So much for "innocent until proven guilty." What did he do? Unless you have solid, irrefutable evidence that he did something criminal, you have to get a search warrant for this garbage. It feels like we're living in Biff Tannen's Hill Valley in Back to the Future II, not the United States.
I'd like to say this will backfire on the Democrats, but after a good six years of Democrats (Hunter Biden, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton) colluding with our foreign adversaries, doing crimes, or both, they never get held accountable! Meanwhile, if Trump steps in dog poop, he gets investigated!
On January 3, 2022, in Lamu County, Kenya, armed assailants attacked the villages of Widhu and Hindi, resulting in the deaths of at least six people. The attackers burned homes and targeted residents in what authorities suspect was an act by the al-Shabaab militant group. The incident heightened security concerns in the region near the Somali border.
On January 3, 2022, Islamic State militants launched a rocket attack targeting the Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq's Anbar province, which houses U.S. and coalition forces. The assault involved five rockets but resulted in no casualties or significant damage. The attack underscored ongoing security challenges in the region despite the group's territorial losses.
Beginning on January 2, 2022, protests erupted in Kazakhstan's city of Zhanaozen over a sudden increase in liquefied petroleum gas prices. The demonstrations quickly spread nationwide, reflecting broader discontent with the government and former president Nursultan Nazarbayev. In response, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency and requested assistance from the Collective Security Treaty Organization to restore order. It shows us it's still not at peace.
This was a wake-up call. It's Afghanistan's deadliest earthquake since 2002. 1,163 were killed (1,150 in Afghanistan and 13 in Pakistan), and there's no food storage space or shelter for the people or families. It was a magnitude 6.2. It's the deadliest earthquake anywhere on Earth since Haiti's in 2021.
Good thing the U.S. has better infrastructure than Afghanistan. Makes a difference. Thankfully, rescue teams are delivering items to save lives there. Rest in peace to all the victims of a historic Afghan disaster. A truly devastating way to start summer in Afghanistan.
On January 1, 2022, a stampede occurred at the Vaishno Devi Temple in Jammu and Kashmir, India, resulting in the deaths of 12 pilgrims and injuries to at least 16 others. The incident happened during a large influx of devotees marking the New Year. Authorities cited overcrowding and a reported altercation among pilgrims as contributing factors. This was a horrible start to the new year. 12 pilgrims were killed at the Vaishno Devi Temple. R.I.P. to them and prayers to their family.
In 2022, Russian airstrikes targeted infrastructure in Idlib, Syria, leading to the destruction of water stations supplying hundreds of thousands of residents. The attacks intensified the humanitarian crisis in the region, where many rely on aid for survival. The damage to the water supply left civilians without access to clean drinking water and sanitation. Poor people. This shows us how seriously horrible bombings are.
On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-reigning British monarch, passed away at the age of 96. Her death marked the end of a 70-year reign that began in 1952. Her son, Charles, ascended to the throne as King Charles III. Her private secretary has confirmed that Elizabeth II, the queen who held the reign for 70 years, has died today. She died peacefully, and Operation London Bridge has begun immediately. She was the most famous and iconic person in British history and of all the previous monarchs.
Charles III has taken the throne as king, and everyone in Britain will mourn this day. It's likely that about 20 years later, William, Duke of Cambridge, will be king at about 60, and his son, Prince George of Cambridge, will be king at about 44, with the math done on age 95. It's crazy how life is going fast.
159 killed at the Itaewon Halloween festival in South Korea's capital, Seoul. This was among the deadliest stampedes in South Korea. It was supposed to be the first Halloween festival there since before COVID-19. It's among the biggest tragedies anywhere in 2022 and among the biggest Korean tragedies of all time. We should have learned more about safety since the Astroworld stampede in 2021.
Rest in peace to all the victims taken and prayers for the families. We may never view events and their safety the same way again.
Over 156 people have died and over 152 others were injured in this crowd crush during a Halloween party in Itaewon, a neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, making it the deadliest disaster in South Korean history since the sinking of MV Sewol. It's crazy and unexpected seeing how many people have died in a Halloween party, which killed more people than many terrorist attacks.
This was easily the most horrific thing that ever happened at a game in Indonesia after the 2004 earthquake and tsunami.
Prayers go to all the families affected by this horrible event. R.I.P. to all those lives lost.
In January 2022, violent clashes erupted in Colombia's Arauca region between armed groups, including the ELN and former FARC dissidents. The fighting resulted in dozens of deaths and displaced hundreds of civilians. The conflict intensified concerns about security in border areas and the influence of armed groups in the region.