Person of the Year
For sharpening the debate until the choices bled, for reframing reality to match his design, for gambling his fortunes—and ours—on his faith in the power of leadership, George W. Bush is TIME's 2004 Person of the Year

Making Their Mark
From the newly enfranchised women of Afghanistan to the ordinary people of Hong Kong, 2004 was the year Asians made their votes count

People Who Mattered: Dr. Hwang Woo Suk
The most important people of 2004

People Who Mattered: Chen Shui-Bian
The most important people of 2004

People Who Mattered: Silent Witness
The most important people of 2004

In Memoriam
From Ronald Reagan to Ray Charles, a roll call of those we lost in 2004


Santa's New Elves
For one Chinese city, business is beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Paying For It
Doing business with regimes may cost American companies cash as well as goodwill

Three Steps Back
There have been signs of crackdown on freedom of expression Since President Hu Jintao assumed full control

Milestones
Events of the Week

Verbatim 2004
Quotes of the Week

Letters
Asia's Odd Couple

Logging Off (TIME Global Adviser)
Can ecotourism save Australia's Tarkine forest from destruction?

Street Fare (TIME Global Adviser)
An all-night seafood binge in Seoul

Amuse Bouche (TIME Global Adviser)
Recipes for Making Trouble

Diversions (TIME Global Adviser)
For outdoors fun, head for the hills of Yangshuo, China

Style Watch (TIME Global Adviser)
Keeping Up With Kids

Curtain Raiser (TIME Global Adviser)
Los Angeles gets ready for Martin Luther King Day