2. Beijing
Four years after the 2008 Olympics, Beijing represents a microcosm -- if a microcosm can exist on such a massive scale -- of the challenges facing China today. The city's gleaming financial center and landmark architectural projects announce a newfound Chinese swagger, but when massive storms arrived this year, the drainage system failed, killing nearly 80 people. And while Mao Zedong's serene portrait overlooks a now calm, expansive Tiananmen Square, activists like artist Ai Weiwei are refusing to be silenced by the Chinese regime, using their international stardom to expose corruption and abuse.
Above, fog obscures the China Central Television tower in Beijing. On Mar. 17, 2012, more than 400 flights to and from Beijing's international airport were canceled or delayed due to the thick fog and strong air pollution covering the city.
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