The year 2016 left a trail of tragedies, and the 10 terrifying predictions for 2017 suggest the sequel could be even darker. From financial meltdowns to geopolitical flashpoints, here’s what could make headlines and shake lives.
10 terrifying predictions that could shape 2017
10 Italy’s Banking System Collapses
Even the most snooze‑worthy warnings can hide a nightmare, and an Italian banking crisis tops that list. For years Italy’s lenders have been throwing cash at borrowers as if the 2008 crash never existed, and now analysts fear the whole system could finally give way.
Italy sits as the world’s eighth‑largest economy and is a core member of the Eurozone, meaning its downfall could drag the entire EU into chaos. Remember the Greek debt debacle that nearly shattered the euro? Italy’s collapse would be like slipping a block of Semtex beneath the single currency and hitting a “Kaboom” button.
The EU, taken as a single economic bloc, rivals China in size. If it implodes, the global ripple effect would be massive, and American shoppers would feel the pain faster than you can mutter “global recession.”
9 The US And China Engage In A Trade War
President‑elect Trump has openly declared his intention to slap tariffs on Chinese imports and square off with Beijing over trade practices. While Beijing might bow out, the opposite scenario—a full‑blown trade war—remains very real.
The two giants swap nearly $600 billion in goods each year. China imports more from the United States than it exports, yet the American products are harder to replace, meaning U.S. consumers could face a hefty “tax” on everything from smartphones to laptops.
Moreover, China’s supply chains weave through Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. A damaging tariff battle would spill over to those economies, unsettling millions of people across Asia.
8 The Taliban Take Over Afghanistan (Again)
Remember the Taliban? Think of them as an unwanted sequel to a blockbuster—only this time the budget is massive and the stakes are the entire nation. Almost 150 of Afghanistan’s 400 districts are already fully or partially under Taliban control, with fighting raging in another 50.
Those numbers are the highest since 2001, fueled by a wave of defections from Afghan security forces. Like ISIS’s 2014 surge, the Taliban are now recruiting former enemies, amassing weaponry, and poised to retake the country unless the tide turns.
7 Marine Le Pen Is Elected President Of France
Marine Le Pen’s Front National currently leads the French polls for the 2017 presidential race. The party sits so far to the right that it makes General Franco look like a progressive activist.
Its founder, Jean‑Marie Le Pen, has repeatedly denied the Holocaust, and the original membership was composed of World War II collaborators who even published Nazi‑styled songs. In 2012, Marine sued a socialist politician for calling the party “fascist,” and a French court affirmed that the label was accurate.
Should Le Pen seize the Élysée, it would be akin to a Brexit on steroids—France exiting the EU and a neo‑Nazi‑flavored leadership sending shockwaves through the continent’s economy and politics.
6 North Korea Goes Full Nuclear
North Korea may be the punchline of many jokes, but its nuclear ambitions are anything but funny. In 2016 Pyongyang conducted two more tests, bringing its total to five—more than any other nation without yet mastering a missile‑ready device.
Kim Jong‑un has placed rocket research at the top of the agenda, and the regime could be nearer than we think to a deployable nuclear missile. Conservative forecasts peg mid‑2018 for full capability, yet the timeline could accelerate, with an estimated 20 warheads already in the arsenal.
For a leader whose ego matches his nation’s size, joining the nuclear club early would be worth any domestic sacrifice, even as his people endure hardship.
5 ISIS Unleashes Carnage In Europe
In the 13 months since November 2015, ISIS‑inspired attackers have claimed over 260 lives across Europe, with even more victims in Turkey—a nation that straddles two continents. Those attacks may merely be a preview of what’s to come.
As ISIS’s strongholds in Iraq and Syria crumble, thousands of Western‑trained jihadists are being sent home, each intent on maximizing civilian casualties.
Europol reports that France, Germany and Britain sit atop the target list, and some plots may even involve weapons of mass destruction such as sarin or anthrax. While many schemes will be foiled, a single successful strike could unleash unimaginable devastation.
4 A Crippling Cyber Attack
On December 23, 2015, hackers breached three major power stations in western Ukraine, plunging 230,000 homes into a bitter winter freeze. It marked the first large‑scale cyber assault on an electricity grid.
Those Ukrainian stations, despite being better protected than most U.S. facilities, were restored after six hours using manual backups—something many American substations lack. If a similar strike hit the United States, power could be out for months.
Cyber incidents are on the rise: in mid‑2015, Russia‑linked actors nearly destroyed France’s TV5, and Ukraine’s grid suffered another hit in winter 2016. It may only be a matter of time before the U.S. becomes the next target.
3 Genocide In Africa And Asia
Current hotspots include Iraq, Yemen and Syria, while Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan also endure relentless violence. Two additional nations could spiral into full‑blown genocide in 2017: Myanmar and the Central African Republic.
The Central African Republic is a failing state riddled with armed gangs, teetering on the brink of ethnic warfare. Observers warn that the simmering tensions could erupt into outright genocide at any moment.
Myanmar, once hailed as a democratic success story, has seen security forces raze villages belonging to the Rohingya minority, engaging in systematic ethnic cleansing. All the warning signs point toward a potential genocide unfolding this year.
2 A Major War
Could 2016 be the new 1913? Signs suggest that major powers might be on a collision course that could spark anything from a regional disaster to a full‑blown World War III.
China is a key flashpoint. Recent skirmishes over the South China Sea and Taiwan have raised tensions, and while a direct clash with the United States would be reckless, China could target smaller U.S. allies, dragging NATO into the fray.
Russia also looms large. A former NATO deputy commander predicts Moscow may annex the Baltic states in 2017, obligating the U.S. and EU to defend them. Alternatively, the assassination of a Russian diplomat in Turkey could spark a direct Russo‑Turkish showdown, pulling the United States in under treaty obligations.
1 A US Insurgency
It sounds like something out of a dystopian novel, but a home‑grown armed uprising in the United States is frighteningly plausible.
Political polarization has reached historic highs. Pew Research shows Americans no longer trust citizens on the opposite side of the aisle. Extremist groups on both ends of the spectrum are fanning the flames on social media, convincing followers that the system is rigged against them, and many are stockpiling weapons.
Coupled with a deeply divisive election and a president many deem illegitimate, the stage is set for a potential civil conflict. While we hope it never materializes, the risk of an insurgency looms as long as the division remains unchecked.