23 Dec 2011

2011 – The year of living dangerously

From the Arab Spring to the eurozone crisis, Channel 4 News casts an expert eye on the events that changed the world this year.

It’s been a momentous year of news.

From the Arab Spring, the war in Libya, to the Japanese tsunami and the death of Osama bin Laden. Here in Britain, riots over the summer were followed by the economic crisis – which culminated in David Cameron’s veto at the Brussels summit to save the euro.

Jon Snow is joined by our Political Editor Gary Gibbon, International Editor Lindsey Hilsum, and Economics Editor Faisal Islam, who provides their thoughts on 2011.

The Arab Spring

It was one of the most unpredictable events that happened this year, and nobody thought the death of a vegetable seller in Tunisia would be the spark.

It galvanised people across the region who communicated through social media to lead themselves to revolution. But it is not clear where this is going. There has been great hope that this will bring democracy, but does that mean Islamist parties will come to the fore?

Lindsey Hilsum was in Tahrir Square when the news broke that Egypt’s former president, Hosni Mubarak, would step down.

She was one of many of the Channel 4 News team reporting and blogging during the Middle East uprisings that most recently has seen Gaddafi fall and Assad’s Syrian regime under fire from within his own borders. Watch the video for her analysis.

America in 2011

It’s been a turbulent year for America from extreme weather striking across their states, to President Obama overseeing the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. But with the concentration on their own economy how far will the Americans want to involve themselves with the rest of the world?

Despite some small success stories so far, Faisal Editor gives his view on America’s “mother of all hangovers from the mother of all credit booms”.

Where are Europe’s leaders?

There are elections coming up in two years in Germany, and next year in France – who would David Cameron like to win that one?

Gary Gibbon ponders whether Germany will step up to the plate to help the eurozone out of its crisis. And what about the coalition here at home? Will it survive 2012?