COVER

Bent Out of Shape (The Obesity Myth)

We're all getting fatter, But how much does that matter? Daniel Williams puts the evidence on the scales and finds that fears of a health crisis are overblown

ASIA

The Abe Enigma (Cover Story)

Critics dub him a dangerous nationalist. Fans hail him as a strong leader for an increasingly assertive nation. Meet Shinzo Abe, the man poised to become Japan's new Prime Minister

Lonely Power

As his country slides into chaos, President Hamid Karzai governs Afghanistan from a heavily guarded bubble. Is he still the right man for the job?

The Princess Wars (Letter from Japan)

A newborn royal heir stirs the debate over the modern Japanese woman

ON THE GROUND

BRIEFING

Time Running Out (Notebook)

As diplomats scramble to end the killing in Darfur, the crucial call could be Beijing's

Youth: Just Log Off (Notebook)

Online gaming is being called the newest scourge of Chinese society