COVER

Behind the First Noel (Cover Story)

Who were the wise men? What about that star? And is it possible Jesus was born in Nazareth? How the story of Christ's birth came to be

ASIA

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A Dangerous Lark

In Chasing the Dragon, journalist Roy Rowan recalls his adventures amid the chaos of 1940s China

GLOBAL ADVISER

Treats Are a Trap (TIME Global Adviser)

But by following a few holiday rules, kids can have their cake and eat it too

Dog Days Of Winter (TIME Global Adviser)

It's not just for artic explorers anymore: Take a dogsledding tour of the world's coldest hot spots

Screen Gems (TIME Global Adviser)

Once the art world's poor relation, film and video are coming of ageas two shows at London's Tate galleries prove

Living for the City (TIME Global Adviser)

The power of the Pharaoh is at your fingertips in Immortal Cities: Children of the Nile

Style Watch (TIME Global Adviser)

The Art of the Close Shave

Under The Volcano (TIME Global Adviser)

Verne's volcano overlooks Iceland's latest must-stay hotel

SPECIAL REPORT

BUSINESS

A Whole Lot to Swallow

Squeezed at home, China's biggest computer maker, Lenovo, is buying IBM's money-losing PC business. But venturing abroad is fraught with risk

BRIEFING

Check and Balance (Notebook)

An electoral upset puts a damper on Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian's agenda

Back to Reality (Notebook)

Wary consumers and a plunging dollar are dampening Japan's recovery

Verbatim (Notebook)

Quotes of the week

Letters (Notebook)

The Best of Asia