NATION

At Home With Laura

Loyal but self-assured, the next First Lady is going to surprise us, says a journalist who knows her well

Portrait Of A Killer

In the wake of a massacre, police and the courts attempt to trace the strange journey of Michael McDermott

WORLD

A Bridge To Peace

Inside President Clinton's last-minute stab at a deal: with the clock ticking, he sets a hard line

Birth of A Nation

Demolished by a decade of civil war, Somalia is trying to creep back to normality

Friendly Skies

At $3 million, the ultimate in billionaire protection

SCIENCE

Noah's New Ark

The imminent birth of a cloned gaur signals a new approach to preservation

SOCIETY

Path of A Falling Star (Crime)

Mark Chmura, the onetime Mr. Clean of the Green Bay Packers, fights for his freedom and to clear his name against an ugly charge of sexual assault

PRESS

Plan B from Cyberspace

A growing number of websites are going back to the future. The new horizon: old-fashioned print

BRIEFING

Gore 2001 (Notebook)

Tokyo Teens Flock to Flick--Art Imitates Life?

C'est La Vice (Notebook)

For Mitterrand's Son, a Holiday Season in Prison

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

BUSINESS

EDUCATION

The New College Try (Education Special Report)

Universities are working to improve public schools and to prepare more poor and minority kids for higher education

Graded By My Students (Education Special Report)

Through some dubious teaching techniques, I've learned to win good evaluations from my classes

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Books: The Church as Sinner (The Arts / Books)

A new book claims that Christianity, not just bad Christians, is to blame for persecution of the Jews

Cinema: Soderbergh's Choice (The Arts / Cinema)

The director hits homers with Erin Brockovich and Traffic, thus facing off against himself in the Oscar race

YOUR TIME

Coed Sleepovers (Personal Time / Your Family)

If your teen asks you to hold one, the easiest response is to just say no. If that doesn't work...

Hooked Again (Personal Time / Your Technology)

Beware of websites offering free games. Unless you want to end up like me, an Alchemy junkie

Feel No Pain (Personal Time / Your Health)

What you need to know about the new rules for treating pain at hospitals and other facilities

PEOPLE

LETTERS