The Private Jessica Lynch (Cover Story)
TIME visits U.S. soldier Jessica Lynch as she struggles to recover from her ordeal in Iraq


What's Her Game?
President Kumaratunga's power grab may destroy a delicate peace

Personality Clash
A bitter, public showdown between Sri Lanka's President and Prime Minister has jeopardized the country's hopes for peace with the Tamil Tigers. Here's a look at the two rivals

Pride and Prejudice
A ribald skit by Japanese students at a Chinese university reopens national wounds


If You Can Stand the Heat ... (Time Global Adviser | Time Traveler)
...Get into the kitchen—and learn to bake, roast and fricassee with some of the best chefs in the world

Head for the Hills (Time Global Adviser | The Cost-Of-Living-It-Up Index)
Here's what it costs to spend a week at some of the world's top ski resorts

Wien is the Place for Wine (Time Global Adviser | Grapevine)
Austria tops the wine list for crisp yet full-bodied whites

Notes from the Front (Time Global Adviser | Diversions)
Don't just whistle a happy tune

Giving David a Bath (Time Global Adviser | Dossier)
A group of modern-day patrons helps preserve Florence's extraordinary heritage

The Perfect Match (Time Global Adviser | Do It Yourself)
The best places in the world for a kick in the grass

Behind Closed Doors (Books)
Two memoirs reveal what life is like for women in post-Taliban Afghanistan

Collective Tragedy
English translations of Yu Hua's two best novels introduce the Chinese author to the West


A Tower of Troubles (Notebook | Philippines)
A lethal showdown at Manila's airport caps a week of turbulence

A New Terror Tactic?
Jemaah Islamiah attempts to reignite religious conflict with a massacre of Christians on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi

The Longish March
A pair of adventurers retrace Mao Zedong's epic strategic retreat to find the journey may not have been as long as the history books say

Milestones
"Voyager is beginning to explore the final frontier of the solar system."

Verbatim
Quotes of the week

Letters
Letters to the Editor