Predictions for 2012

By  Multiple News    

GroundReport --After a year full of interesting news from around the world, what lies ahead in 2012? Multiple News correspondents make their predictions about the great stories and characters that have to pay attention.

Economic Crisis

The future of the euro is a major concern of Western leaders.
Mark Mardell, North American editor, believes that we are before a collision of tectonic plates. West 500 years ago began its economic domination, political and social world. The story from then on it was on the impact of this imbalance. In his opinion, that era is coming to an end.

Paul Mason, Newsnight's economic editor, create the most important issue is the crisis of the euro. Logic dictates that can only end one way: with the markets forced the European Central Bank to act as lender of last resort against their own rules and culture. Several key actors do not believe can be reached, but the markets because it is lean. The Eurozone is like Barack Obama said, "Scaring the world," but Mason believes the U.S. will also continue scaring their inability to establish a long-term budget.

Owen Bennett- Jones Presenter says protests will increase political and economic elites who do not pay taxes. Claims that the so-called 1% receive less income and pay more taxes will find the most impact.

Syria

Lyse Doucet, World Affairs correspondent, said that Syria is moving towards a civil war. The confrontation was resolved but there will be many months of violence.

Owen Bennett-Jones Bashar al-Assad believes that will remain in power, ignoring international condemnation.

James Robbins, Diplomatic correspondent, next year sees a decline and eventual fall of the Syrian leader as a result of the combination of external pressure, particularly from the Arab League, increasing economic difficulties and growing confidence of their opponents.

Egypt

Lyse Doucet believes that the presidential elections loosen the tensions between the military and Tahrir Square, but failed to end the conflict.

Qatar

Popular protests continue in Syria despite the repression by the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Doucet believes that the prime minister of Qatar Jaber Al Thani, is emerging as a mediator of power in the Middle East, using its wealth from oil, to play a leading role in Libya, Egypt, Syria and even in Afghanistan.

France

James Robbins Francois believes that Holland, presidential candidate for the French Socialist Party, Nicolas Sarkozy will expire in the second round of voting will take place between April and May. He thinks he can be a campaign in which candidates promise more in terms of economic recovery and that detract from efforts to rescue the Eurozone. Former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin both votes subtracted, adding risk to the race.

Pakistan

Lyse Doucet highlights the potential importance Gen. Ashfaq Kayani, Pakistan's army chief, in the management of relations with the United States, the weak civilian leaders of the country, and militant groups in substantiating the regional rivalry.

China

Mark Mardell mentioned Bo Xilai, secretary of the Communist Party of the city of Chongqing. In his opinion, he hopes to be part of the handful of leaders from the Asian giant. He describes him as charismatic, flamboyant and politically populist. Maoists is resurrecting some traditions and asking that the working class get a bigger slice of the pie. Then there is Wang Yang, secretary of the Communist Party of the province of Guangdong, appearing as the champion of democracy and the middle class, who is also seeking a seat on the Politburo of the party. It will be a contest for the future direction of China.

Israel

Owen Bennett-Jones Believes that greater freedom of expression in the Middle East coupled with the U.S. diplomatic weakness will cause the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, looks increasingly isolated.

Marck Zuckerberg

The Facebook IPO has generated high expectations, both in the world of finance as in technology.

Libya

Lyse Doucet believed to grow the concern about the tensions between militiants who refuse to disarm.

International Geopolitics

Lyse Doucet believes that relations between Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States will go from crisis to crisis.

Owen Bennett-Jones For its part stands the figure of Hamza Bin Laden, Osama's son more committed to jihad. In your opinion will have a much more public profile in the coming year.

Technology

Rory Cellan-Jones, Technology correspondent, says that the story that will arouse curiosity next year will be the long-awaited IPO of Facebook, valuing the social network around the $ 100 billion. On the other hand, considers the more important the extension of Internet access to the next billion global users. In addition, more adventure read the news release will probably be 5 or iPad iPhone 3. Cellan-Jones also highlights the task to be Tim Cook to succeed Steve Jobs at Apple.