NATION

RATING WARS

THE TV INDUSTRY DEVISES A LABELING SYSTEM TO PROTECT KIDS, BUT WILL IT DO THE JOB?

BAIL BONDSMAN TO THE WORLD

CLINTON'S PICK FOR THE U.N. KNOWS HOW TO BARGAIN, WHEEDLE AND BULLY. JUST ASK THE DICTATORS WHO HAVE CROSSED HIS PATH

THE SILENT TREATMENT

IT MAY BE OVER, NOW THAT THE PENTAGON SAYS CHEMICALS MAY HAVE HARMED THOUSANDS OF GULF VETS

MEET THE FIRM OF...

RAINES RUBIN DALEY & BOWLES EX-INVESTMENT BANKERS AND LAWYERS FORM CLINTON'S ECONOMIC TEAM. SURPRISE! IT'S PRO-WALL STREET

WORKFARE MEANS DAY CARE

WISCONSIN, A WELFARE PIONEER, STRUGGLES WITH THE ISSUE OF QUALITY CARE IN THE CRUCIAL EARLY YEARS

WORLD

BEIJING'S CAPITALIST

CHINA CHOOSES A MILLIONAIRE TO LEAD HONG KONG. CAN HE FOSTER BUSINESS CONFIDENCE IN THE TERRITORY?

TANTRUMS AND CHAMPAGNE

AFTER A FACE-OFF BETWEEN THE U.S. AND FRANCE, U.N. INSIDER KOFI ANNAN OF GHANA GETS THE TOP POST

SCIENCE

SOCIETY

THEY DIDN'T PAY RETAIL (Crime)

A WEALTHY MINNESOTA FAMILY IS ACCUSED OF HIRING A CROSS-DRESSING EX-CON AS THEIR PERSONAL SHOPLIFTER

NO WAY OUT

THE NATION KNOWS MORE NOW ABOUT HOW DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAPS ITS VICTIMS. WILL THIS AWARENESS HELP KAY WEEKLEY?

RELIGION

MARY, SO CONTRARY

TWO NEW BOOKS RE-EXAMINE THE VIRGIN MOTHER, A POPULAR FAVORITE WITH A CHECKERED DOCTRINAL PAST

BRIEFING

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

TOY STORY (Essay)

HERE'S A TIMELY SUBJECT FOR A BLOCKBUSTER FILM: CHILD LABOR

BUSINESS

OVITZ AND OUT AT DISNEY

GIVEN FEW OF MICKEY'S ASSETS TO RUN, MICHAEL NO. 2 ENDS A TURBULENT TENURE AS THE COMPANY'S PRESIDENT

HOLLYWOOD GETS WIRED

TOP TALENT AGENCY CAA AIMS TO GIVE ITS STAR CLIENTS AN EDGE AS ENTERTAINMENT MOVES TO THE PC

REINVENTING SEARS

THE BIG STORE, ONCE CLOSE TO CLOSEOUT, HAS BECOME THE MERRIEST RETAILER UNDER CEO ARTHUR MARTINEZ. HOW LONG CAN HE KEEP IT GOING?

SPECIAL SECTION

15 WHO HAD THEIR 15 MINUTES (The Best Of 1996 / PEOPLE)

THIS TIME NEXT YEAR YOU PROBABLY WON'T REMEMBER THE NAMES OF THESE 15 HUMANS, BUT THEY'LL NEVER FORGET THEIR BRIEF FLASH OF FAME

THE BEST OF 1996 (The Best Of 1996)

AND THE WORST WE SAW THE MOVIES. WE READ THE BOOKS. WE WATCHED THE TV SHOWS, LISTENED TO THE CDS AND SURFED THE NET. AND NOW THE ENVELOPE, PLEASE...

LETTERS