NATION

FORECAST: HEAT WAVE

NO MATTER WHAT THEY DECIDE ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING, CLINTON AND GORE WILL MAKE LOTS OF PEOPLE MAD

THE HEIST AND THE HUNT

SUPPOSEDLY AUTHENTIC PHOTOS OF STOLEN ART TREASURES SHOWED UP LAST WEEK ON PAGE ONE AND TV SCREENS

LET'S GO TO THE VIDEOTAPE

AS RENO SHARPENS HER FOCUS ON GORE, SENATE DONORGATE INVESTIGATORS RECEIVE A SURPRISE PACKAGE: RECORDINGS OF THE CONTROVERSIAL WHITE HOUSE COFFEES

WORLD

TYRANNY OF THE TALIBAN

A VISIT TO THE CAPITAL OF AFGHANISTAN'S EXTREMIST REGIME REVEALS A HARSH WORLD OF SUPPRESSION AND DESPAIR

SCIENCE

IN PRAISE OF SNAKES

LOOK BEYOND THEIR FORKED TONGUES AND LETHAL FANGS, SAYS A NEW BOOK. THEY HAVE A SPECIAL BEAUTY AND MYSTIQUE--AND AN INTERESTING SEX LIFE TOO

HEALTH & MEDICINE

FOOL A COLD (Medicine)

ACHOO! SCIENTISTS TEST A NEW DECOY DRUG THAT RELIEVES-- BUT DOESN'T CURE--THE SNIFFLES

SOCIETY

RELIGION

BUDDHISM IN AMERICA

AN ANCIENT RELIGION GROWS EVER STRONGER ROOTS IN A NEW WORLD, WITH THE HELP OF THE MOVIES, POP CULTURE AND THE POLITICS OF REPRESSED TIBET

ZEN AND THE ART OF MOVIEMAKING

IN SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, WESTERN FILMMAKERS TURN EAST (AND SOUTH TO ARGENTINA) TO TELL A STORY OF PERSONAL ENLIGHTENMENT

BRIEFING

DRUG POLICY (Notebook / THE SCOOP)

WHEN TIMES ARE TOUGH, GO AFTER THE GENERAL

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

BUSINESS

BERNIE'S DEAL

WORLDCOM MAKES A BOLD $30 BILLION STOCK OFFER FOR MCI IN WHAT COULD BE THE BIGGEST TAKEOVER EVER AND ESTABLISH THE UPSTART AS A RIVAL TO AT&T

SEXISM WILL BE SERVED

IN SETTLING A SEX-DISCRIMINATION CASE, THE HOOTERS RESTAURANT CHAIN PROTECTS ITS JIGGLY HIRING PRACTICES

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CINEMA: COOKING UP A HIT (The Arts / CINEMA)

SOUL FOOD HAS A NEW RECIPE--BUT IS HOLLYWOOD REALLY HUNGRY FOR A BROADER RANGE OF BLACK FILMS?

PEOPLE

LETTERS