COVER
The Ballad Of Kim Jong Il (Asia)
The New York Philharmonic gives a rousing performance in Pyongyang — and enables the world to glimpse the oppressiveness of the world's most reclusive nation
ASIA
Lowered Expectations as Malaysia Votes
Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi is certain to win re-election, but he is not the man the country once thought he would be
A Wound in The Earth
In Indonesia, an entire district has been buried by an eruption of boiling, noxious mud. Was it a natural disaster — or an industrial accident?
COMMENTARY
Presidential Pragmatism in South Korea
South Korea's new leader vows to practice realpolitik in his foreign policy — including relations with North Korea
LIFE
The Indian Century (Sport)
A new league is revolutionizing once conservative cricket with a big injection of money
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Benazir Bhutto: A Woman Divided (Books)
Benazir Bhutto's posthumous memoir reveals both the wily politician and the Islamic idealist
GLOBAL BUSINESS
Getting India's Railroads On Track (Transportation)
Once notoriously slow and inefficient, India's sprawling train system is on a new track
GLOBAL ADVISER
Body Politic (Style Watch)
Kali Arulpragasam uses her dramatic jewelry to make political as well as personal statements
Private Views (Amuse Bouche)
Singapore's new Privé eatery is the place to be seen, rather than see
The Small Screen (Check In)
Awash in traditional inns, Kyoto welcomes its first cutting-edge boutique hotel
One Night in Manila (TIME Traveler)
Get the best out of the Asian Havana. Three residents give you their suggestions
Watch This Space (Diversions)
Singing benches, smart refrigerators and walls that change color at the touch of a button: Samsung presents the house of the future