Maria Amanpour picks her big three global news stories for 2014 . She covers the Russia - Ukraine crisis , the Syrian conflict , changes in U.S.-Cuba relations . Note : The slavish pro-Putin propaganda and the stifling of an independent press had brought nationalist fervor to fever pitch and put the majority of Russians behind him , but when their ruble and their living standards started to collapse by year 's end , the grumbling also started . 2015 will be partly characterized by response to Russia , Syria , Cuba crisis of this year .
Maria Amanpour picks her big three global news stories for 2014 . She covers the Russia - Ukraine crisis , the Syrian conflict , changes in U.S.-Cuba relations . Note : 2015 will be partly characterized by response to Russia , Syria , Cuba crisis of this year .