In The World in 2013, published by the British magazine The Economist, editor Daniel Franklin writes in his editorial: "From a showdown with Iran over its nuclear plans to a catastrophic break-up of the euro zone, it is not hard to think of disasters that could strike the world in 2013" (Nov. 21, 2012).

A Financial Times article at the beginning of 2012 carried the drophead "Peaceful acceptance of deep differentials is coming to an end" (Moisés Naím, "Economic Inequality," Jan. 2, 2012). The author predicted, "In 2012 peaceful co-existence with inequality will end and demands and promises to fight it will become fiercer and more widespread than they have since the end of the Cold War." This secular prophecy may well apply much more to 2013 and beyond than to last year.

Still, in 2012 European protestors took to the streets in various locations to voice their grievances. The following were some of the newspaper headlines in October and November: "Leftists March in Paris Against Austerity Plans"; "Dealers [in stock exchanges] Run for Cover in the Face of Europe's Angry Marching Millions"; "Europe's Day of Anarchy"; "Violence That Proves Euro Shouldn't Survive."

The last article, from the Daily Mail, began with: "Rubber bullets fired in Madrid . . . violent protests in Milan . . . armoured police cars guarding the Athens parliament . . ." (Nov. 14, 2012).

Besides economic distress, we'll turn attention in our overview to a number of leadership, geopolitical and even religious issues confronting our global life today.