COVER

2012: User's Guide

In our first annual guide to the year ahead, we offer a road map for the next 12 months of news

The GOP Free-for-All (2012 Politics: The Election)

With no limits on spending — or offending — in the primaries, Republicans risk harming their presidential candidate

A Map of Trouble (2012 Politics: Middle East)

What will the Middle East look like in a year? Private intelligence firm Stratfor plots the possibilities

The Son Also Rises (2012 Politics: Asia)

Kim Jong Il's death set strategists in motion across the globe. Here's what they have to think about

Weather Beaten (2012 Science: Meteorology)

The past year was truly disastrous; 2012 figures to be less so, assuming we stop behaving stupidly

China's Buy List (2012 Business: Global Economics)

It's scooping up more commodities, continents — and soccer stars

The End Of Cash (2012 Business: Consumer Spending)

Mobile wallets — and more ways to use them — are making money less useful

10 Questions (2012 Culture: News Quiz)

This time they're for you. Practice your punditry and forecast the 
 coming year's international

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