Defenseless Targets (Cover | The School Siege)
The ghastly end to a school siege in the Russian republic of North Ossetia leaves a town in mourning for its lost children. TIME goes inside with the hostages and assesses Russian President Vladimir Putin's handling of the crisis — and the effectiveness of his hard-line policy against the Chechen separatists

Finding Solidarity in Sadness (Beslan | To Our Readers)


Showing Faith in France (Europe | France)
After French journalists are taken captive in Iraq, France's Muslims rally around the republic

Written on Their Skin (The Netherlands)
An 11-minute film by a Dutch MP has sparked praise and outrage among Muslims


After the Carnival Leaves Town (Viewpoint)
The hangover hurts, the bills are yet to be paid, but Athens threw quite a party


Ready For The Showdown (France | Politics)
Hostilities between French President Jaques Chirac and Finance Minister Nicolas Sarkozy aren't over yet

Party's Over
The party's over for former Hollinger chief

Bizwatch

Milestones

Letters

Can This Stout Keep Its Clout? (Business | Guinness)
Ireland's iconic Guinness brewery makes radical changes to succeed in the global market

Opening Up to Charity (Global Business)
As Europe's governments face a budget squeeze, a new breed of corporate philanthropist is taking up the slack


Duke of Wooster-shire (Arts | P.G. Wodehouse)
Robert McCrum's Wodehouse: A Life chronicles the troubled career of the comic novelist


Womb With a View (Global Adviser | Your Health)
Sonographic snapshots of Baby as a fetus make very cool keepsakes, but are they safe?

The King of Kebabs (Global Adviser | Amuse-Bouche)
This food fit for a prince is one to get your teeth into

Capturing Genius (Global Adviser | Exhibitions)
A Paris show reassembles the classic work of three of photography's masters

Bubbly's Best (Global Adviser | Grapevine)
The champagne lovers' guide to the coolest of pilgrimmages

Sit Back and Enjoy (Global Adviser | Tech Watch)
The modern way to put yourself in the catbird seat