2022 – A Year in Review

February

• 4^th-20^th – Winter Olympics – Easy to forget but yes, Beijing really did host the 2022 Winter Olympics this year.  After the uproar around Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup in November and December, I can’t now help but feel like there should have been more international resistance to China’s own human rights abuses.
• 21^st – COVID rules end 
  • Jakub Trybull – “After 2 years of confusion and U-turns and in classic Johnson fashion (fanfare and flags), the then Prime Minister announced to Parliament that he would be ending the final COVID-19 restrictions on personal freedoms, including the legal obligation to self-isolate.  His attempt to butter up the British public in face of the developing Partygate fell short. I guess making a mess of a pandemic, partying through it, and then restoring back the basic rights we had been deprived of doesn’t really do us any favours…”  
• 24^th – Russia invades Ukraine, just days after recognising the independence of two breakaway regions.
  • The most defining event happened in February when Vladimir Putin stunned many by crossing the border and invading Ukraine, starting the war that is still going on today.  The invasion saw shows of support around the world and especially in Oxford.  We covered these and direct messages from Ukraine.  I was lucky enough to speak to many in cities across the country in one of my most humbling journalistic experiences to date.
  • We also published a letter from the frontline which offered a truly special insight into the pain of the Ukrainian people.
• 24^th – Russia invades Ukraine, just days after recognising the independence of two breakaway regions.
• Leah Mitchell looked at the lasting impact of the pandemic and lockdowns on our society.
• Elsewhere, Maggie considered its impact on the nature of protests.