A S I A
INDONESIA: Baptized in Blood
As East Timorese vote to secede, pro-Jakarta thugs spread terror across the blood-soaked territory

INTERVIEW: "I Agonize Over Suffering North Koreans"
South Korean President Kim Dae Jung on peninsular tensions

INDIA: Head to Head
With the lengthy election season under way, voters get to choose between family dynasty and political experience

• Reform Test: In one state, a challenge to populism

VIETNAM: Bad Faith
An upsurge in conversions among tribals worries authorities

DIPLOMACY: On the Sidelines
APEC summit meetings have become a forum primarily for bilateral talks--this time between the U.S. and China

T H E   A R T S
BOOKS: The Promising Land
Indian-American Jhumpa Lahiri's heralded debut only partly lives up to its advance hype

E N D   P A G E S
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

SPOTLIGHT

MILESTONES

TRAVEL WATCH:
Need to Chill? Head for India's Hill Stations