Makeover For A Warlord
A much feared Afghan strongman is trying to repackage himself as a servant of the people

Afghanistan's Turf Wars
Karzai nominally rules the nation, but the warlords truly call the shots


Lean and Hungrier (Health)
Is a recently discovered hormone the reason why folks who lose weight can't keep it off?


Can a Church Go Broke?
Probably not. But the cascade of sexual-abuse lawsuits is moving Catholic officials to devise innovative ways to shield their vast assets


River Of Death
The Green River Killer may be the worst serial murderer in U.S. history. It's one cop's mission to stop him


Beyond Premenstrual Syndrome (Personal Time/Your Health)
PMDD is like PMS in overdrive, but it responds to treatment with some familiar drugs

Your Health (Personal Time/Your Health)

Managing Your College Loans (Personal Time/Your Money)
You can consolidate them at favorable rates this year if you follow a few simple rules

The Goddess of Clean (Personal Time/Your Technology)
With her daily e-mails, the FlyLady offers devotees inner peace through a clutter-free home

Your Technology (Personal Time/Your Technology)

The Three Faces Of Eminem (The Arts/Music)
On his new album, the real Eminem finally stands up and makes a case for his artistry

Sex, Not Sexy (The Arts/Books)
A French memoir arouses more debate than lust

Welcome to Sunny Vietnam (The Arts/Books)
A reporter's fond but undeluded look at America's onetime enemy and now very eager friend

Here Come The Fancy Pants (The Arts/Fashion)
How the jeans genies turned basic blues into the most fashionable threads of all

Elegant Nightmares (The Arts/Movies)
In Insomnia, whiz-kid director Christopher Nolan wants to give you the creeps

Finding God in a Pickle (The Arts/Show Business)
Good gourd! Vegetables retelling Bible stories are such a hit with kids, they're going to the big screen

Beach-Blanket Verite (The Arts/Television)
"Reality mini-series" The Hamptons follows the rich and not-so-rich around New York's Riviera


A Survivor's Guide to Cell Phones (TIME Bonus Section/Tech Time)
The coolest, smartest models

The Cool Ones (TIME Bonus Section/Tech Time)

Which Plan is Best for You? (TIME Bonus Section/Tech Time)
The price wars are on, and no matter which service provider you have, it's a good time to check out your options. Your choice of plan should depend on what kind of cell-phone user you are.

How To Buy a Digital Camera (TIME Bonus Section/Tech Time)
A quick-and-easy guide to the world of megapixels

Set Up A Wireless Home Network (TIME Bonus Section/Tech Time/How To Do It)
Don't be intimidated; it's not as hard as it seems