SPECIAL SECTION

The Good Samaritans (Persons Of The Year / The Good Samaritans)

Melinda Gates, Bono and Bill Gates: three people on a global mission to end poverty, disease—and indifference

The Constant Charmer (Persons Of The Year / In The Name Of Love)

The inside story of how the world's biggest rock star mastered the political game and persuaded the world's leaders to take on global poverty. And he's not done yet

Photos: Common Cause (Persons Of The Year / The Good Samaritans)

Ex-Presidents Bush and Clinton united to bring relief to the World's disaster weary

From Riches to Rags (Persons Of The Year / The Benefactors)

Imagine a kinder, humbler Microsoft--one designed to spend money, not make it. That's the kind of philanthropy Bill and Melinda Gates have invented. The story of a very risky venture

Q&A (Persons Of The Year / Interview)

TIME asks the Bono and the Gates about their unlikely collaboration

When Opposites Attract (Persons Of The Year / Partners of the Year)

Actually, Bush and Clinton discovered they were not so different after all while on the road raising relief money. Inside an improbable friendship

Interview (Persons Of The Year / Partners of the Year)

The former Presidents open up to TIME

6 Tales of Courage (Heroes / Local Heroes of the Year)

Catastrophes create heroes, people who know how to deal with trouble. They come in all shapes and sizes to take the lead: a medical worker, a lottery winner, a neighbor, bystanders, a priest, a child

The Year of Charitainment (Persons Of The Year / Viewpoint)

Celebrity do-gooderism was in fashion. But do we need stars to be our guides?

PEOPLE

People Who Mattered 2005 (People Who Mattered)

A rapper, a spy, two U.S. Presidents (one fictional) and the movie icon we love to hate are all part of our gallery of those who made a difference

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

BRIEFING

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

12 Delights of Christmas

What pop-cultural artifacts will 2005 be remembered for? Is there anything from the year worth keeping? TIME's critics have made their lists--not ranked in any order--of dozens of their favorite things ...

YOUR TIME

LETTERS

ESSAY