Grief of a Nation. Relatives and friends gather around the body of a Syrian man allegedly slain by a government sniper in the village of al-Qusayr.
More Money Trouble for Greece
1 | GREECE
The euro zone faced fresh turmoil when Greek political leaders failed to form a government after nine days of tortured power-sharing talks. Parliamentary elections this month saw a big swing toward parties opposed to a deeply unpopular austerity program agreed to as part of a massive E.U.-IMF bailout. As coalition talks between the leftist, antiausterity Syriza bloc and the country's two mainstream parties collapsed May 15, world markets plunged amid heightened fears of an imminent Greek exit from the 17-member single currency. Across Europe, leaders repeatedly warned Greece it could not renege on commitments to cut the public debt. In a matter of days, Greeks withdrew some 700 million euros (nearly $900 million) from banks, fearful that a return to their old currency, the drachma, would wipe out their savings. The debt-ridden country is headed for a month of uncertainty under a toothless caretaker government before another round of voting in mid-June. That contest should yield highly fragmented results once again, with Syriza expected to be the biggest winner.
Drug War Rages On
2 | MEXICO
Narcothugs dumped 49 mutilated and decapitated bodies in the middle of a highway 75 miles (120 km) south of the U.S. border. Officials suspect that the powerful and bloodthirsty Zetas cartel committed the crime; it's likely that some victims were not rival narcos but migrant workers who couldn't pay off Zetas extortionists. Drug-related violence in Mexico has claimed more than 50,000 lives since President Felipe Caldern launched his war on traffickers six years ago. Many pin the crisis on police corruption and the U.S.'s failed antidrug policies.
INDONESIA
'She had better not dare spread her satanic faith in this country.'
SALIM ALATAS, leader of a hard-line Islamist group, protesting Lady Gaga's upcoming concert in Jakarta; police denied the pop star a crucial permit, which may force organizers to cancel the show
E-Music Moguls
3 | CHINA
Even though most of its people don't use the Web--let alone access iTunes--roughly 74% of China's music sales are digital. Why? "There's no major physical competition," says Robert Andrews of PaidContent.org which released the report. Here's how China and other top sellers fare.
[This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine.]
Grief of a Nation
4 | SYRIA
Relatives and friends gather around the body of a Syrian man allegedly slain by a government sniper in the village of al-Qusayr. Despite the presence of U.N. monitors, clashes between rebels and the forces of President Bashar Assad have intensified in recent weeks. Suspected jihadists detonated bombs in Damascus, injuring dozens, and Assad loyalists reportedly gunned down 20 mourners at a funeral in the north.
Trial and Trauma
5 | BOSNIA