Inflation, abortion rights, key events dominates US headlines in 2022

By Betul Yuruk and Iclal Turan

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (AA) - Americans found themselves in the middle of major international issues in 2022 with the Russian war in Ukraine and rising tension in the South China Sea.

But their main concerns were related to other issues, including inflation, growing abortion bans and mass shootings.

Among those concerns, the country witnessed midterm elections in November but the expected ''red wave'' by Republicans failed to materialize, even as they took control of the House of Representatives.

Former President Donald Trump continued to make headlines in 2022 as he announced a White House bid for 2024. At the same time, he faces mounting official probes concerning the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Here are the top 10 events that shaped the US in 2022.

- Abortion

The US Supreme Court on June 6 overturned its Roe v. Wade ruling -- the landmark legislation that made it a federal right to have access to an abortion.

In a 6-3 vote, the Court struck down the 1973 case, dismantling 50 years of protection and allowing states to curtail or outright ban abortion rights.

The ruling sparked nationwide protests with President Joe Biden saying it took the US back 150 years. The president also urged Congress to restore the right to abortion as federal law.

The House passed a bill approving nationwide protections for contraception access after the top court overturned abortion rights. The 228-195 vote was largely along party lines with Democratic support and just eight Republicans following suit.

But the Senate failed to pass the bill due to a procedural hurdle known as the filibuster requiring 60 votes in the 100-seat chamber. The Democrats had only 50 votes.

- Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case

On June 1, a jury in the state of Virginia handed Hollywood actor Johnny Depp a court victory, finding that he was the victim of defamation from ex-wife Amber Heard in a 2018 op-ed.

The jury awarded Depp $15 million in compensatory and punitive damages but punitive damages were capped at $350,000 under state law, giving the actor a $10.35 million settlement.

It also supported the actress' countersuit, awarding $2 million to Heard.

- US-China tension rises when Pelosi visits Taiwan

Competition between the US and China heated up in 2022, with Biden releasing his administration’s national security strategy with a focus on China and Russia.

"China harbors the intention and, increasingly, the capacity to reshape the international order in favor of one that tilts the global playing field to its benefit, even as the United States remains committed to managing the competition between our countries responsibly," Biden wrote in an introduction to the 48-page document.

Amid growing tension in the South China Sea, Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan on Aug. 2, which prompted China to announce military drills around the self-ruled island as well as summoning the US ambassador to Beijing.

Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met Nov. 14 in Bali, Indonesia on the sidelines of a G-20 summit, where the US president stressed the responsibility to “manage our differences, prevent competition from becoming anything ever near conflict.”

- More support to Ukraine

When Russia attacked Ukraine on Feb. 24, Biden said "the world will hold Russia accountable,” vowing to provide support to Ukraine.

Shortly after the war started, the US, along with the EU, UK and Canada, announced economic measures and sanctions to stop Russia, including the removal of certain Russian banks from the SWIFT banking system and a ban on Russian energy imports.

Washington has provided nearly $24 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of the war, according to the US State Department.

Biden announced another $1.85 billion military aid for Ukraine, including a Patriot missile battery, during Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Washington on Dec. 21, which was his first visit abroad since Feb. 24.

Also, the US Senate approved and sent Biden a $1.7 trillion omnibus bill, including an additional $45 billion in emergency assistance for Ukraine.

- Worst inflation in 4 decades

Inflation continued to worsen in the US in 2022 in a post-coronavirus pandemic world with global supply chain problems and the war in Ukraine.

US inflation rates reached its highest in four decades in June forcing the Fed to aggressively raise interest rates and risk putting the world’s largest economy into a recession.

Consumer prices jumped to 9.1% with oil and food prices soaring to record highs.

Soaring oil prices forced Biden to take a controversial trip to Saudi Arabia in what analysts said would bring down prices

Biden's reversal of his promise to make Saudi Arabia a ''pariah'' state by sitting down with the crown prince, who US intelligence said was responsible for the killing and dismemberment of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, drew fierce criticism.

- Mass shooting epidemic

America's gun violence became deadlier in 2022 with more than 600 mass shootings across the country, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

More than 43,000 people died from gun-related events in the US this year.

The US saw the deadliest school shooting in a decade when 19 students were killed May 24 at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

Ten days before the massacre, 10 Black people were killed May 14 in a racist supermarket attack by a white gunman in Buffalo, New York.

One of America's biggest celebrations, the Fourth of July, was also marred by mass shootings and violence. There were more than a dozen mass shootings in the US during the Fourth of July weekend.

Calls for gun legislation became louder after the Uvalde shooting and Congress passed the most significant gun measure in nearly three decades.

- Elon Musk's Twitter dilemma

After monthslong back and forth about whether the world's richest man, Elon Musk, should buy Twitter, he pulled out of a $44 billion deal that was promptly followed by lawsuits. Facing a trial, he closed his purchase of the social media platform on Oct. 27.

Musk began Twitter's ownership by firing top executives and slashing at least half of its workforce. Some users abandoned the popular platform after Musk's acquisition.

He introduced an $8 fee for verified accounts sparking heated discussions. He then briefly interrupted the fee amid the US midterm elections before having it reinstated; suspended several journalists causing free press outcries and finally decided to step down as the ''head of Twitter.''

- Trump not done with America

Two years after his election defeat, twice-impeached former President Donald Trump is not done with America. He announced a White House bid for 2024 on Nov. 15 amid growing legal threats and political setbacks.

The FBI's unprecedented search of Trump's home in the state of Florida in August as part of an investigation into if he took classified documents from the White House started a political firestorm across the country.

- Historic midterm elections

Americans went to the polls Nov. 8 in what the US media called historic midterm elections. The Biden administration fearing, Democrats could lose control of both chambers of Congress, campaigned for saving American democracy which it said was hanging in the balance. The Republicans failed to materialize a ''red wave'' they were hoping for but took control of the House.

The Senate runoff election in the state of Georgia brought an end to a tight race between Democratic incumbent Senator Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker.

Warnock’s win gave Democrats 51 seats and the majority in the Senate ending their reliance on Vice President Kamala Harris for tie-breaking votes.

- Jan. 6 capitol attack investigation

The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol continued to dominate headlines in 2022 as investigations continued in the Justice Department and a House committee.

The committee released its final report Dec. 22, following an 18-month investigation into the deadly riot, including 10 public hearings, interviews with more than 1,000 witnesses and millions of documents.

The report, which accuses Donald Trump of a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the 2020 election, was released three days after the bipartisan committee's nine members voted unanimously to ask the Justice Department to pursue charges against the former president.