Table of Contents: Dec. 6, 2004

10 QUESTIONS: Tom Brokaw on retirement, replacement and regret 8

LETTERS 10

NOTEBOOK

Pork-Packed Budget Plus: Rebels resume attacks in Sudan; North Korea's Kim Jong Il resurfaces 21

MILESTONES: Dan Rather steps down; author Arthur Hailey dies 27

IN THE ARENA: Joe Klein on the need for a unified spy system 29

NATION

Flagrant Foul An ugly basketbrawl leaves sports fans and players wondering what ever happened to sportsmanship 30

PENALTY KICK: Fan violence is worse--and much more common--at soccer games in Europe 34

SHOOT TO KILL: A family holiday hunting trip turns deadly. Did race play a role in the massacre? 36

ROAD TRIP: The costliest highway project is either a great innovation or a Texas-size boondoggle 40

WORLD

Bomb Threats The mullahs' nuclear showdown with the West has helped Iran's hard-liners get back--and stay--on top 44

RECOUNT: With Russia and the U.S. taking sides, an election crisis risks plunging Ukraine into civil war 50

LITTLE FALLUJAH: Iraqi insurgents are taking the fight--and more deadly tactics--to the big city 56

COVER

Simmer Down One in 3 adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure. Here's how to lower yours 72

DANGER ZONES: A primer 76

ADVICE: Eight dos and don'ts 78

A to Z In 2004 cinnamon soared while Vioxx sank 82

BUSINESS

Toys "R" Bust How video games are taking the fun out of the toy business 60

GIFT CARDS: Use 'em or lose 'em 63

INNOVATORS

Educators Three who make a difference 65

SOCIETY

Sip and Savor Karen MacNeil shows why wine isn't just for snobs 71

ARTS

George Clooney The Ocean's Twelve star is disarmingly direct 100

POETRY: Plath is back 108

SHORT STORIES: Alice Munro and Annie Proulx are golden 109

THEATER: West Germany in the '70s is betrayed by Democracy 112

TV: Who was Peter Sellers? 113

YOUR TIME

MONEY: Free credit checks 121

HEALTH: News on dementia 122

LIVING: Holiday cookbooks 125

PEOPLE: Q&A with Alan Alda 127

ESSAY: Michelle Cottle on the real problems facing liberals 128

COVER: Digital photomontage by Arthur Hochstein