The year in review: Top news stories of 2022 month-by-month
"Sunday Morning" host Jane Pauley looks back on key events of a dramatic year.
January
The James Webb Space Telescope entered orbit. The telescope has since yielded a series of stunning images of deep space.
- The James Webb Space Telescope: Looking back towards the beginning of time ("Sunday Morning")
- Spectacular image of heart of Phantom Galaxy highlights power of Webb and Hubble telescopes
- The James Webb Space Telescope is so powerful, it can detect the heat of a bumblebee as far away as the moon — and other surprising facts
- NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captures thousands of never-before-seen young stars in the Tarantula Nebula
- Webb space telescope reveals "Pillars of Creation" in stunning new detail
- James Webb Space Telescope captures stunning new image of Neptune and its rings: "It's just absolutely remarkable"
- James Webb Space Telescope spots what may be the most distant galaxy yet found
February
Russia invaded Ukraine, igniting a bloody conflict now in its tenth month.
- Ukraine vs. Russia: A modern-day David vs. Goliath story ("Sunday Morning")
- Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a test for America: John Dickerson ("Sunday Morning")
- What is Putin's endgame now? ("Sunday Morning")
- Putin's war creates schism in Russian Orthodox Church ("Sunday Morning")
- What are the prospects for pursuing Vladimir Putin for war crimes? ("Sunday Morning")
- Another Russian quagmire: Putin and the shadow of Afghanistan ("Sunday Morning")
- Russia's invasion after 100 days: Ukraine goes on the offensive ("Sunday Morning")
- Switchblade drone: How the "kamikaze" anti-tank weapon works ("Sunday Morning")
- U.S. arms to Ukraine: Is it enough? ("Sunday Morning")
- How HIMARS launchers are shifting momentum in Ukraine's fight against Russia ("Sunday Morning")
- Zelenskyy vows Ukraine "cannot be broken" as Russia bombs civilians into darkness, but runs short of missiles
March
Researchers discovered the wreck of Endurance, the ship from Ernest Shackleton's ill-fated trans-Antarctic expedition that got underway in 1914.
- A tale of Endurance ("Sunday Morning")
April
Ketanji Brown Jackson was confirmed as a Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
- Who is Ketanji Brown Jackson? ("Sunday Morning")
- Why Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson's Supreme Court confirmation resonates across generations ("CBS Mornings")
May
A gunman in Uvalde, Texas killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. It was the third-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history.
- Grim task at hand after Texas school shooting: planning 19 children's funerals
- Texas school shooting: Grief, vigils and outrage ("Sunday Morning")
- "Grief overwhelms the soul": Politicians and celebrities react to Texas elementary school mass shooting
- Texas school shooting already generating "horrifying" conspiracy theories
- Teacher killed trying to protect kids in Texas school shooting and her husband who died two days later are laid to rest in Uvalde
- Uvalde schools police chief: I didn't know I was in charge at the shooting scene
- Mother of 10-year-old Uvalde school shooting victim suing gun manufacturer, store and local law enforcement
June
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively criminalizing abortion in much of the nation.
- The threat to Roe v. Wade, and to the Supreme Court's legitimacy ("Sunday Morning")
- How Supreme Court conservatives are reshaping Americans' rights ("Sunday Morning")
- With Roe v. Wade overturned, which states would restrict or protect abortion rights?
- The end of Roe v. Wade: America reacts
- "Women are going to die": Hillary Clinton on Supreme Court's overturning Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights ("CBS Mornings")
- Sherri Chessen on her 1962 abortion, and the fate of Roe: "We can't go back to willow sticks and knitting needles" ("Sunday Morning")
- Kansas voters uphold right to abortion
- Abortion rights supporters score midterm victories in at least 4 states
July
Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated, just two days before that country's parliamentary elections.
August
The FBI conducted a search of Mar-a-Lago, the home of former president Donald Trump, and found classified materials, including documents labeled "top secret."
- National Archives identified over 100 documents with classified markings in first 15 boxes collected from Trump
- Material on foreign nation's nuclear capabilities seized at Trump's Mar-a-Lago (Washington Post)
- Detailed list of property seized in Trump FBI search released
- Former Attorney General Bill Barr says it's "unprecedented for a president to take all this classified information" and put it "in a country club"
- The fallout from Donald Trump's unparalleled legal problems ("Sunday Morning")
- Classified: Keeping close the nation's secrets ("Sunday Morning")
- New classified records found in Trump storage unit
September
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II died in Scotland, at the age of 96. Her son Charles succeeded her as king.
- Queen Elizabeth II: Why she will be missed ("Sunday Morning")
- Britain's royal history: More than 1,000 years of family drama ("Sunday Morning")
- The Queen on screen: Actors discuss playing the most private of public persons ("Sunday Morning")
- Tina Brown on Elizabeth II: "The monarchy was incredibly lucky that it is she who inherited the throne" ("Sunday Morning")
- The Queen's animal companions ("Sunday Morning")
- Former President Bill Clinton on Queen Elizabeth II: "She was an amazing woman" ("Sunday Morning")
- 7 things you might not know about the late Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch
- Commentary: Queen Elizabeth's epic reign, and why the monarchy matters ("Sunday Morning")
- Charles III: What changes might we see from Britain's new king? ("Sunday Morning")
October
Elon Musk took control of Twitter, bringing to the social media giant a brash leadership style – along with thousands of layoffs.
- Who is financing Elon Musk's $44 billion deal to buy Twitter? (Reuters)
- Elon Musk set to fire roughly half of Twitter's workers
- Musk job cuts continue at Twitter; Contractors pink slipped over weekend
- Twitter workers flee after Elon Musk's "hardcore" ultimatum
- SpaceX workers say they were fired for complaining about Elon Musk's tweets
- Growing number of companies are freezing their Twitter ads after Elon Musk takeover
- Elon Musk and Twitter: Is he in over his head? ("Sunday Morning")
- Hate speech's rise on Twitter is unprecedented, researchers find (New York Times)
- Elon Musk tweets that he will step down as Twitter CEO once he finds a replacement
November
A projected "red wave" fizzled, as Republicans won a slim majority in the House, and Democrats held control of the United States Senate.
- Anticipated Republican wave in midterms turned into "Republican sprinkle," analyst says ("CBS Mornings")
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar says Democrats "defied the tides of history" in midterm elections ("CBS Mornings")
- CBS News Election Center: 2022 results
December
A suspect was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of four University of Idaho students; and WNBA star Brittney Griner returned home after a prisoner swap with Russia. She said she'll return to the court this season.
- Arrest in Idaho murders caps weeks of fear, frustration ("CBS Saturday Morning")
- Brittney Griner breaks silence after being released from prison in Russia: "It feels so good to be home!"
Story produced by Robert Marston. Editor: Chad Cardin.