COVER

The Game Changer

Barack Obama has refused to play by the old political rules. He's about to be rewarded for it

EUROPE

Kosovo's Curse

Three months after declaring independence from Serbia, the province remains bitterly divided, with Serbian elections keeping old hatreds alive

SOCIETY

VIEWPOINT

A Consuming Need

Food price rises will slow Africa's ascent from poverty until its farmers get a New Deal

BOOKS

CRIME

The New Gangsterism

The expansion of organized crime syndicates exposes the dark side of globalization

GLOBAL ADVISER

Best in Glass Decanters (Grapevine)

Riedel has designed a new set of lead-crystal decanters inspired by the bird life of Murano

Birdhouses: The Tweet Life (Design Watch)

Spare a thought for our feathered friends. Common or garden birds are declining in numbers, especially in cities. Here are four birdhouses that let you say "the flock stops here" in high-flying style

LETTERS

Brown's Big Ideas (Inbox)

The View on Global Warming; The Political Elite; Forgotten Allies