It’s the time of year when everyone makes predictions for the coming 12 months. Here is our list.

Unless something really, really important happens, the Global Watchtower will not publish from 26 December until 3 January so that our analysts can celebrate the winter solstice holiday of their choice.

Last week the International Herald Tribune reported that "U.S. bids to be host to future Olympic Games will be damaged by the U.S. government’s decision to prevent Cuba from playing in the inaugural World Baseball Classic in March, according to a member of the International Olympic Committee."

Idiom Technologies [software solutions for globalization initiatives] announced new pricing, packaging, and translation memory tool. Separately, the company said that many of the companies in its pilot LSP Advantage program have moved into production and are ready to offer language services through the WorldServer technology. Idiom also announced that Continental Airlines used its software to translate its new Spanish-language Travel Center, including transactional elements such as flight booking and frequent flyer reward program.