First News: Memorable moments of 2022

There were highs, lows and everything in between, so let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable moments from the last 12 months.

Happy birthday, Jonathan!
A 190-year-old called Jonathan became the world’s oldest tortoise ever! Jonathan lives on the remote island of St Helena in the Atlantic Ocean and is believed to have been born before 1832, which means he could be even older than we think he is.

All change at 10 Downing Street
The famous house in London played home to not just one PM, but three (thankfully not all at the same time!). Boris Johnson started the year as prime minister, then he stepped down and Liz Truss took over. She quit too, making Rishi Sunak the third PM in two months.

Russia invades Ukraine
On 24 February, Russia invaded Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin became concerned that Ukraine wanted to join NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization). He feared that if this happened it would give the USA and its allies too much power right next to the Russian border, so he took matters into his own hands and started a devastating war.

Ukraine wins Eurovision
Ukraine came out on top at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, thanks to Kalush Orchestra’s song Stefania and overwhelming global public support following Russia’s invasion.

Meet the new Doctor
Ncuti Gatwa was announced as the new Doctor in Doctor Who. Ncuti is the first black person to take on the role of the shape-shifting character. He’ll appear on screen next year.

The Queen passes away
On 8 September, Queen Elizabeth II passed away aged 96. She had reigned over the UK for an impressive 70 years. Thousands queued throughout the night to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall. At its peak, ‘The Queue’, as it became known, reached 16km (ten miles), with a waiting time of more than 24 hours. Her state funeral took place on 19 September at Westminster Abbey and was attended by 2,000 people, including lots of world leaders.

Artemis I launches
NASA’s Artemis I mission, containing the most powerful space rocket ever, finally launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida in November. The space programme aims to eventually send humans back to the moon by 2025.

England win the Euros
Football finally came home when England’s women won their first major trophy, beating Germany 2-1 in the final of the Women’s Euro 2022 at Wembley.

Hamza wins Strictly Come Dancing
Presenter Hamza Yassin won the famous glitterball trophy with his dance partner Jowita Przystał.