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3. THE SYRIAN CONFLICT MUST END
World powers agree that Bashar Assad must go. But disagreements persist over which of Assad's backers will survive into the transitional government.
Passions Flare
3 | EGYPT
In Cairo, a fan of the al-Ahly soccer team celebrates a Jan. 26 verdict that condemned 21 supporters of the rival al-Masry club to death for their involvement in a riot at a stadium last February, which saw more than 70 al-Ahly fans die. The court's findings sparked protests in al-Masry's hometown, Port Said, that dovetailed with a wave of antigovernment unrest across Egypt marking the second anniversary of the country's revolution.
THE NETHERLANDS
'Responsibility for our country must now lie in the hands of a new generation.'
QUEEN BEATRIX, Dutch head of state, on her abdication from the throne after 33 years. She will be succeeded by her son Prince Willem-Alexander on April 30
After Victory, A Retreat?
4 | MALI
An offensive spearheaded by French troops and aerial strikes rolled into northern Mali, which for the past 10 months has been overrun by a mess of militants, including Islamist factions allied with al-Qaeda. Jihadist fighters fled the historic cities of Timbuktu and Gao, where they had imposed a harsh Shari'a. Now, though, the French appear eager to scale down their efforts, handing over ground operations to an untested coalition of African forces.
Monkeying Around
5 | IRAN
By successfully launching a monkey into space, Iran inched closer to a manned spaceflight, according to officials. Although that's good news for the Iranian space program, it has sparked international concern over whether the country will channel this expertise into long-range ballistic missiles. Here's a look back at other big moments in space-animal history.
1957: Dog Launch
The Soviets sent a stray dog named Laika into space; she became the first living creature to orbit the earth
1959: Monkey Launch
NASA sent two monkeys, Able and Baker, into space; they became the first monkeys to endure weightlessness, for about nine minutes during their flight
2010: Mouse-Turtle-Worm Launch
A mouse, two turtles and some worms were on board Iran's first successfully launched space rocket