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From the presidential election to tragedy in Newtown, a look at the year's most significant stories
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Dream vacations turned to terror an Italian cruise ship wreck kills 32 people.
And that's not all the captain accused of showing off and even abandoning ship.
And a midnight showing of the bad man movie ends -- a real life massacre twelve innocent moviegoers gunned down at a Colorado movie theater.
And that of course only the beginning here's a look at some of the biggest stories of 2012.
Breaking years and Italian news agency now according to survivors have been found inside -- -- aboard that sinking cruise ship.
Off the coast of Italy 48 hours after the singer was found dead in a hotel bathtub yeah.
Family friends and fans are in shock and -- But so many unanswered questions and -- -- sanity is spreading and it just weeks New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin has gone from obscurity to stardom.
-- finally junior and -- Obama.
It's a classic waste fraud and -- I see -- mr.
-- is not with us today and they only pictures I can -- of them -- and -- hot -- sweet Secret Service hooker scandal was growing you'll be pleased to note that justice is just upheld a key part of Arizona's tough immigration law.
-- just hours after the Supreme Court upholds pres Obama's health care law.
Republicans are are ready setting a date to repeal it whatever the ball.
So today's decision was a victory for people all over this country whose lives will be more secure because of this law.
The supreme court's decision to -- We're live outside the movie theater in Aurora Colorado twelve -- -- and -- people and injured after a gunman opens fire in the -- Movie theater tonight the tickets are complete I.
Hey good afternoon from New Orleans where -- well it's been raining.
And they're waiting for -- could come ashore we could -- -- out.
I accept your nomination for president to get -- This is -- Fox News alert.
And I -- -- -- -- murdered and at least one other wounded in the American Consulate in Libya.
There was a systematic failure.
Of leadership within the State Department.
That.
Really contributed to what happened on September 11.
Coastal communities are flooded up and down the eastern seaboard for hundreds of miles it is beyond anything -- thought I'd ever see.
Terrible is -- you seen the graphic there Barack Obama reelected president.
I returned to the White House more determined.
And more inspired than -- about.
Do you think it's a coincidence CIA director Dave Petraeus resigned just days before he was supposed to testify about Ben Ghazi -- Capitol Hill.
-- breaking news to tell you right now there are reports of a school shooting in new town.
Connecticut.
The majority of those who died today were children.
Beautiful kids between the ages of five and ten years old.
May god bless the memory of the victims.
And in the words of scripture.
Feel broken hearted.
And -- up there won't.
Time magazine deputy Washington bureau chief Michael Crowley joins us -- looking back -- the year 2012.
Your thoughts on the big stories.
Well -- I think you know you have to open with the top story being president Obama's reelection.
It was that presidential election that was close that was fascinating.
It was really hard fought and I think.
It was very consequential you know there was a possibility that President Obama was gonna go down as -- kind of Jimmy Carter esque figure -- you know one term kicked out.
Seen as a failure of spending the rest of his life trying to rehabilitate himself he's got four more years now the possibility that the economy will turn around.
And he will be able to go down as -- successful president I also think and this is a big reason why time made him our person of the year.
-- a very interesting diverse winning coalition a lot of people say it was -- new face of America.
Large minority nonwhite vote.
Young voters -- -- more liberal than older voters so I think you can see the changing face of America there.
So that would be my number one story but right behind and related to a Greta is that John Roberts.
Its Chief Justice John Roberts -- in the supreme court's decision that upheld Obama's health care law Roberts -- it kind of compromise solution.
Where he said that's the the individual mandate might not be constitutional but that the -- be justified as a tax so he found this kind of surprising unexpected solution a lot of people said it showed him to be.
A deft politician.
Who was able to hold the court together find it majority opinion.
That I think played a big role in the presidential campaign.
You know certain issues some of the stories that that would that serve banished like immigration was a big story -- -- -- because you know that was so many months -- it's like knots or -- off the radar screen at Iowa -- nicer to focus on the December stories of course who can forget.
New town or even I mean -- we what's happened never it's.
It's so you know it's so overwhelming that story big story and -- very difficult one for everyone in the in the media even the cover what what these people went through.
That's right -- and not just -- of course but a -- of the tragic shooting Colorado so we had two episodes of horrific gun violence and I think beyond the you know -- human tragedy they are too important consequences.
This one is just a kind of -- motive introspection where we say what kind of country are we what is going on why do we have.
These lunatics.
What is happening structurally what -- the failures that.
-- this to keep happening so that leads.
Point number two to debate about mental health and of course a very.
Volatile controversial debate about gun control whether we need more restrictions.
On guns in this country and whether that would make a difference a lot of people say it wouldn't but people say that -- to be saved went -- more stories that -- quickly mention.
One let's not forget foreign policy in the Middle East the Arab Spring continues to unfold -- complicated and sometimes dangerous ways.
Syria may -- it is essentially -- of civil war we may -- your resume -- regime change there.
The Muslim Brotherhood has essentially taken power in Egypt also running the country along with the military Egypt is very much a country in the balance it's not clear whether there will be friend or foe.
And I know you've done many segments on what happened and and guys -- Libya in a fascinating story tragic story that led to Susan Rice.
-- missing her opportunity secretary of state and still some unanswered question still Republicans driving hard to get answers.
Last one for me Greta and -- -- talking to fiscal cliff it's happening right now it's yet to be resolved but everything comes down to that what kind of government shall we have.
What sort of taxes -- -- spending who should pay white and we end a year really with a story that is about everything to do with government that we been arguing that since the start of the election.
I.
Let's let's at least let's have some fun stuff back Lin sanity what happened the Lin sanity in an -- justice or deviate from the from the -- -- below what -- -- insanity.
Right so I think New York Knicks fan I particularly liked.
I particularly enjoyed Lin -- You know it was a wonderful story not only because she was a guy who came from out of nowhere.
You know who had been cut released overlooked by other people but also just didn't fit.
That tight -- an NBA started see the that we see in the modern -- and you know here's an Asian American he's he's a short guy.
Who basically.
A group took hold of the team and the biggest media market in the country and -- the New York Knicks on his terrific winning streak.
Petered out a little bit he still needs to work on his turnovers.
He's having some mixed success now he's in Houston but that was I just say yes that's mentally that was my favorite story -- -- year.
I am not British -- played thirteen pay attention to Africa I think we're going to be hearing a lot more but after being mentioned the Arab Spring but I think African what's going on there is going to be huge and my thirteen but that's -- -- -- you read the military's really aggressive there were doing more drone work they're worried about al-Qaeda.
Of course is good news when they're too but it's important place to watch.
And I -- I save my ban violates push I -- I'm Greta wire but what's going on the Sudan and sustenance terrible president -- the Sudan is killing his people in the Nuba mountains.
And us earlier people are gonna catch onto that story -- it's just it's just.
Brutal and what he Congo is the most violent place on earth unfortunately I -- others -- -- lot competition over -- for violent place anyway.
My god I see it thank thank you Greta happy new year having there if that.
