Fourteen things and people to watch in 2014

As we approach the new year, a round-up of what and who you need to be paying attention to in 2014.

Russia

One thing you have to say about Sochi 2014 is that it has already been the most talked-about Winter Olympics in living memory before even starting. Unfortunately, that has largely been down to international concerns over the country’s treatment of homosexuals.
Some wonder whether the anti-gay regulations will prompt a high-profile protest akin to Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics. Either way, it will certainly put the Russia’s colourful leader Vladimir Putin in a renewed bout of scrutiny.

Virtual money

2013, you might argue, was the year of Bitcoin. The cryptocurrency saw a stratospheric rise in value, meaning anyone who invested £100 in the currency at the start of the year would have finished it with a return £5,000. And that’s even withstanding an almost 50% drop from its peak of $1,200 per coin.
It’s certainly controversial (not to mention volatile) but Bitcoin’s progress will continue to make for fascinating watching; as will the raft of similar ventures growing in popularity, such as Litecoin and Namecoin.

World Cup

Aside from the inevitable arc of hope and despair for England fans, this summer’s World Cup will be an opportunity for Brazil to prove it has overcome safety concerns following a string of riots and some worrying construction problems.
The country’s beleaguered president Dilma Rousseff will be hoping it paints a positive picture of one of the world’s fastest-developing nations. She was roundly booed by a stadium full of Brazilian fans during last year’s Confederations Cup in the country.

3D printing

It seems every day brings another news story about the wonderful/terrible things that can be produced with 3D printers. Human body parts; good. Working guns; perhaps not so encouraging.
2014 is expected to be the year when 3D printers depart the realm of fantasy and move towards becoming available and affordable for members of the public. That’s because a number of key patents that have prevented competitors entering the 3D printing business are set to expire – which will likely see a raft of new prospectors entering the market.
Considering it could mean the end of modern industry as we know it, it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on this particular development.

Commercial space travel

Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is planning the first-ever commercial space flight in August

Another thing coming in 2014 that seems positively space-aged is the onset of commercial space travel – led by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.
The 63-year-old British entrepreneur is set to fly into orbit with his children Holly, 31, and Sam, 28 in August – marking the first ever commercial space flight. Following that, anyone able to pay $250,000 will be able to take their seat onboard the VSS Enterprise - Virgin Galactic says it has 640 people paid up already.

Ed Miliband

After a year which saw something of an improvement in his public image and had his party maintain a steady lead in the polls, Labour’s Ed Miliband faces the first serious test of his policies in the local and European elections coming in May.
If Miliband is to be the next prime minister of Britain, he’ll need to consolidate the PR gains won with his shrewd vow on energy bills – despite his party’s growth in popularity, most polls still have him lagging behind Cameron in terms of personal ratings.

Nigel Farage

Another man to watch in the local elections will be the man some Conservatives fear more than Miliband.
Nigel Farage’s UK Independence Party has enjoyed a swell of support in the years since the 2010 general election, and many are tipping them for significant gains in May’s elections. European elections, with their low turnouts, are often seen as an opportunity for protest voters – something that could well work in UKIP’s favour.

Scotland

The coming year is arguably the biggest in Scotland’s recent history, with both sides already briefing heavily ahead of September’s referendum.
Bookmakers currently seem confident that the vote will go in favour of keeping the Scots in the union, but a lot can change in politics over a short period of time.

Oscar Pistorius

One of the stories of the year was Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius’ fatal Valentine’s Day shooting of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Oscar Pistorius faces trial in March, charged with the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp

Pistorius faces what is likely to be a hugely publicised trial in March and denies a charge of murder – claiming he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder in his Pretoria home.

Hillary Clinton

Wishing her Twitter followers a Merry Christmas, Hillary Clinton finished with a perhaps telling sign-off: “Looking forward to 2014. So much to do.”
The US presidential elections may not be until 2016, but the process of American politics is such that 2014 is likely to be the year we discover whether or not Clinton will put her name forward for the world’s biggest job.
If she does, it’s likely she’ll be the Democrats’ front-runner; meaning a good chance she could become the first-ever female US president.

Afghanistan

On the final day of 2014, British and American combat troops will formally end their controversial occupation of Afghanistan after what will have been 13 years.
That won’t be the end of things entirely, however, and it remains to be seen exactly what form of US and NATO presence will be seen in the country once the 31 December deadline passes.

The tech giants

The jostling of the tech giants is always fascinating to follow, but 2014 promises to be a particularly exciting battle.
All eyes will be on Microsoft – the parent company of MSN – at the start of the year as they seek to point a successor to long-running CEO Steve Ballmer, while plenty of attention will be paid to Tim Cook’s plans to revive Apple’s struggling stock price. And, of course, there’s a host of new tech on the way including Google Glass and the rumoured iPad Pro.

Prince Harry

Following this year’s royal birth, all eyes are now on Harry to provide the next big royal celebration.