Top 10 international stories of 2010

In one horrifying stroke, a nation’s political, military, cultural and religious elite -- including the president, his wife, legislators, top clerics and military leaders -- was wiped out by the crash of the Russian Tupolev airplane that was flying them to a historic commemoration for Polish victims of the World War II Katyn massacre.  (Czarek Sokolowski / Associated Press)

Unnerved by high debt levels, financial markets tested the resolve of the euro zone to hang together. Greece became the first country to seek billions in bailout aid from its partners; Ireland finally bent to pressure and consented to accept help late in the year, as the markets swung their attention to bigger countries such as Spain and Italy. Above, European Union finance ministers at talks to bail out Ireland.  (Georges Gobet / AFP / Getty Images)

Israel’s decision to drop commandos onto the deck of ships attempting to break its blockade of Gaza spawned a deadly brawl that left nine activists dead, Israel deeply embarrassed if unrepentant, and its relations with onetime ally Turkey on the rocks. Above, Israeli navy soldiers intercept one of several boats headed towards the Gaza Strip.  (Uriel Sinai / Associated Press)

Combat deaths soar to a record rate as the United States raised troop levels and the stakes in what is now the longest war in its history, with no end in sight.  (Martin Bureau / AFP / Getty Images)