When Silence Kills (Cover Story)
India's AIDS crisis is huge and growing, but both its government and wider society have yet to acknowledge the scale of the problem. The first step: get honest about sex

AIDS: The Race for a Vaccine (Interview)
"We Do Not Have the Key"


At Least Some of Us Do ...
Beijing has deftly tripped up Hong Kong's democracy movement


Bones of Contention
Is a small, 18,000-year-old skeleton the older cousin of modern-day Pygmies—or a new human species?


Speed Read: China and Japan
Tokyo's Troublesome Shrine

Talks and Threats
As Indonesia's president wraps up a successful visit to the U.S., American embassies at home shut due to security concerns

A Bloody Holiday in Pakistan
A mosque blast in Islamabad highlights the ongoing threat of sectarian violence

Milestones

Verbatim

Letters
Show of Force

A Brush With Perfection
A dazzling exhibition of Korean art recalls a lost world of lyrical elegance

The Gourmet of Life (Appreciation: Ismail Merchant, 1936-2005)
He made good films, friends and food, and savored them all to the fullest


Hopelessly Devoted (Essay)
Being a fan is like having your own personal time machine


Jungle Music (TIME Global Adviser)
Malaysia's Rainforest World Music Festival offers musical talent amid the trees

The Far Side (TIME Global Adviser)
Ultramarathoners are finding a new place to run wild: Mongolia

Summertime Hues (TIME Global Adviser)
The coming season should be shown in full color

Sydney's Hot Tables (TIME Global Adviser)
Dining out on some of the best that New South Wales has to offer