The World

10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

By Harriet Barovick, Ishaan Tharoor, Alexandra Silver, Claire Suddath, Frances Romero, Kayla Webley and Josh Sanburn Monday, Feb. 14, 2011

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    [The following text appears within a chart. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual chart.]

    RUSSIA 2,600

    U.S. 1,968

    FRANCE 300

    CHINA 180

    U.K. 160

    PAKISTAN 95--110*

    ISRAEL 80

    INDIA 60-80

    *INCLUDING NEW ESTIMATES

    SOURCE: FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS; MAY 2010

    6 | Japan

    ROARING TO LIFE

    Shinmoedake, a volcano that is part of the Mount Kirishima cluster of volcanoes on the Japanese island of Kyushu, showed its first sign of activity in 52 years when it erupted Jan. 26. It continued to spew thick ash, toppled trees and shattered windows of buildings and cars as far as five miles (8 km) away, prompting officials to widen the exclusion zone around the peak, which served as the villain's lair in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice.

    7 | Yemen

    Egypt Effect Hits Wider Region

    In a bid to stave off growing protests against his rule, President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced that he would not seek to extend his presidency after his current term ends in 2013. Taking their cues from events in Egypt, Saleh's opponents are seeking the autocrat's immediate ouster. He has ruled the fractious country since 1978. Elsewhere, protests demanding democratic reform prompted the King of Jordan to sack his Cabinet and name a new Prime Minister.

    8 | Tunisia

    Return of an Islamist

    Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of the once outlawed Tunisian Islamist party al-Nadha, returned to his native country after 22 years in exile in London. Thousands greeted Ghannouchi upon his arrival, made possible only after a popular uprising toppled the country's decades-old authoritarian regime. Critics fear al-Nadha's Islamism may erode Tunisia's secular politics. Officials have said that the nation's first free elections could happen within the next six months.

    9 | Belarus

    Sanctioning a Despot

    The U.S. and E.U. imposed sanctions on Belarus in an attempt to get President Alexander Lukashenko to release political prisoners after a postelection crackdown. Since the Dec. 19 vote, 600 political opponents, including seven presidential candidates, have been arrested. Critics say Lukashenko, who has ruled since 1994, stole the election.

    10 | Florida

    A Challenge To Health Care Reform

    A federal judge ruled that last year's landmark health care reform law is unconstitutional because it mandates that people buy health insurance. Twenty-six states signed on to the suit, which is not the first to challenge the legislation. The law, which has been upheld by other judges, will likely end up before the Supreme Court.

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