World

War Games Mask Worries at Home

1 | IRAN

An increasingly isolated Islamic Republic conducted a 10-day naval exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a pivotal sea lane linking the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world. The Iranians tested a new naval cruise missile and used the occasion to issue a number of bellicose statements, warning the West, specifically the U.S., against meddling in Iranian waters and boasting of Iran's ability to seal off the strait--an act that would wreak havoc on global oil markets. Hobbled by a new round of international sanctions aimed at curbing its nuclear program, Iran has tried to puff out its chest while domestic woes continue to mount. The nation's currency, the rial, hit record lows against the dollar as worries about oil prices and the possible impact of new sanctions took their toll. And cracks have started to show within a panicked regime: the outspoken daughter of reform-friendly former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani was sentenced to six months in prison for "making propaganda" against the state. Meanwhile, Iran has offered to restart talks over its nuclear program, which it insists is peaceable. The U.S., though, is toughening its stance. On Dec. 29, it sealed a $30 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, Iran's chief regional adversary.

New Base of Operations

2 | QATAR

The Afghan Taliban plan to open a political office in the Persian Gulf state of Qatar to hold peace talks with the U.S. The move, which has the grudging support of the Afghan government, follows months of backroom talks between the Taliban and U.S. officials, who hope it might be a first step toward a negotiated settlement of the decadelong war.

CHINA 38

Entertainment shows aired during prime time each week, down from 126 last year--the result of state efforts to cut "vulgar" and Western-style content

SENEGAL

'For a long time, men and women have demonstrated their optimism, dreaming of a new Senegal. I listened. I heard.'

YOUSSOU N'DOUR, celebrated world-music star, announcing his candidacy in the West African nation's February presidential election

Scorched Earth

3 | CHILE

Firefighters hike down the slopes of the Torres del Paine National Park in southern Patagonia en route to combatting wildfires that temporarily closed this tourist hot spot. In all, nearly 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares) were destroyed across the picturesque region, damage Chilean officials blame on global warming. The country has experienced a particularly dry summer.

If Only History Hadn't Ended

4 | RUSSIA

Twenty years after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, a growing number of citizens in former Soviet republics are disillusioned with changes in their nations. A Pew survey in Ukraine, Lithuania and Russia found a marked dip in confidence in democracy and capitalism, with many angered by the corruption and excesses of ruling elites.

[The following text appears within two charts. Please see hardcopy or PDF for actual charts.]

Approve the change to a multiparty system

UKRAINE

'91 72%

'11 35%

LITHUANIA

'91 75%