COVER

EDITOR'S DESK

COMMENTARY

Road to Nowhere

GOP hand-wringing has been fruitless. The changes need to be big and deep

THE CULTURE

FEATURES

Relax, It's Only a Test (Education)

New research shows that teaching kids how to cope with exam stress can lead to better grades

Man in the Middle (World)

How Israel's Oprah turned empathy into an electoral weapon and became the country's newest power broker

We the People (Nation)

The White House petition drive offers a big megaphone for quirky causes. It's also helping Obama advance his political agenda

BRIEFING

Army Strong (Nation)

The ban on women in combat ends. Now what?

Red Alert (Health&Science)

New blood tests promise better, cheaper diagnoses