Afghan Women And the Return of The Taliban (Cover)
As the U.S. searches for a way out of Afghanistan, some policymakers suggest negotiating with the Taliban. But that would spell disaster for half the country's population: Afghan women
 Living Under the Taliban Threat
Photographer Jodi Bieber meets the extraordinary women of a war-torn nation
 Portraits of the Women of Afghanistan
Video: Photographer Jodi Bieber traveled to Afghanistan to shoot portraits of women there, from an Olympic athlete to politicians to a woman severely burned in a suicide attempt


Double-Dip Delusion (Commentary / The Curious Capitalist)
There won't be a second recession for a lot of people — because their first one hasn't ended

Beyond the Leaks: Our Pakistan Problem (Commentary / In the Arena)
Forget the secret documents and even Afghanistan. What counts is how we deal with Pakistan

Private Spies (Tuned In)
Conspiracy thriller Rubicon replaces Jack Bauer's heroics with a dark story of post-9/11 intelligence for hire

Aw, Nuts! (Commentary)
I had an airtight, zero-tolerance stance on nut allergies. Then my son developed them


The Battle for Ohio (The Well / Nation)
Two tight races in the Buckeye State reveal a 2010 Democratic survival strategy: blame Bush and bash Wall Street. And with Barack Obama's political fate also at stake, the White House is watching closely
 Battleground Ohio
Photos: Leading up to November elections, Democrats in Ohio and beyond hope voters are angrier at Republicans than at them

The Spill's Psychic Toll (The Well / Environment)
For all the environmental and economic harm caused by the disaster in the Gulf, the most lasting--and least visible--damage could be inflicted on the mental health of its victims
 Crabbing in the Gulf after the BP Oil Disaster
Photos: A glimpse into the daily life of the Landrys of St. Bernard Parish, who navigate through daily closures and openings to find crab grounds that haven't been impacted by the spill

Big Spill, Little Damage? (The Well / Viewpoint)
So far, the predictions of ecological catastrophe on the Gulf Coast seem overblown

Funny or Die: How the Web Is Changing Comedy (The Well / Comedy)
Funny or Die is helping reinvent comedy for the Web — and everyone from Oscar winners to teen stars is clamoring to jump on board
 Behind the Scenes at Funny or Die
Photos: Everyone from Oscar winners to teen stars is clamoring to work with the hottest comedy site on the web
 The Laugh Factory: Internet Comedy
Video: Funny or Die is helping reinvent comedy for the Web. But it's not the only player


WikiLeaks's Julian Assange: The Wizard From Oz
Who's the man behind WikiLeaks, the website that's caused so much trouble? An itinerant Australian hacker
 Assange Reviews TIME's Top 10 Leaks
Video: The founder of WikiLeaks gives his opinions on one of TIME.com's top 10 lists — the top 10 leaks

Rock Steady (Music)
Mainstream pop may be struggling, but indie marches on--with Pitchfork Media leading the way
 The Pitchfork Music Festival
Photos: Mainstream pop may be struggling, but indie rock marches on, and Pitchfork Media is leading the way

Q&A Kevin Kline

Short List
TIME'S PICKS FOR THE WEEK


How to Make Cars And Make Money Too (Assignment Detroit)
By keeping it simple, Ford's Alan Mulally has led the industrial comeback of the decade


Building a Better Playground (Life / Parenting)
Swings and slides don't foster much creativity. Why cities are joining the loose-parts revolution
 Building a Better Playground
Video: Imagination Playground is designed to encourage messy, creative play, with a lot of loose parts. On opening day, hundreds of kids tested it out

Big-League Chew (Life / Sports)
Some pros swear by high-tech mouth gear. Is the key to a better golf score in your jaw?
 The Mouthguard That May Help You Cope With Stress
Under Armour claims its new mouthguard will do everything from relieve your headache to improve your golf score. TIME's Stephen Gandel puts it to the test

The Doctor Is in — and Online (Life / Health)
New pilot programs boost doctor-patient e-mailing

The Origin of Cougar Sex Drives (Life / Behavior)
A new evolutionary theory on why women's libidos ramp up premenopause


10 Questions for Jorge Ramos (10 Questions)
The Noticiero Univision anchor has a new book, A Country for All, out now. Jorge Ramos will now take your questions


The Plight of Afghan Women: A Disturbing Picture
This week's cover is disturbing, but the reality it shows in Afghanistan is something from which we cannot turn away
 Photographing Aisha for the Cover of TIME
Video: Photographer Jodi Bieber talks about her approach in making the photograph of Aisha, the Afghan woman on TIME's cover


Inbox (Inbox)


The Moment (Briefing)
7|24|10: Iowa

The World (Briefing)
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

Mark Halperin's Take: The Digital President Loses Two Rounds (Briefing)

GOP Goes (Lame) Duck Hunting (Briefing)

Dems Hedge a Florida Bet (Briefing)

Lab Report: Health, Science and Medicine (Briefing)

Verbatim (Briefing)

Brief History: First Family Weddings (Briefing)
 First Family Weddings
Photos: As former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton heads into her wedding weekend, TIME takes a look at other presidential kids and their nuptials

The Skimmer (Briefing)
Book Review: Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach

Daniel Schorr (Briefing / Milestones)

Alex Higgins (Briefing / Milestones)

Overturned (Briefing / Milestones)