Afghanistan: Can the U.S. Win This War? (The Well / World)
After more than seven years, the U.S. and its allies are still fighting in Afghanistan — in a battle fueled by joblessness and poverty. Why failure isn't an option
 US Troops Brave Afghanistan's Deadly Korengal Valley
Photos: Photographer Adam Ferguson embeds with the First Infantry as they battle insurgents


At Home Abroad (The Well / Washington Memo)
On his first overseas trip, Obama finds a world ready to work with him. Or at least ready to talk about it

Undocumented And Undeterred (The Well / Nation)
A rough economy and tough enforcement have put unprecedented stress on illegal immigrants. What one Oregon town tells us about why they're staying


Fears of a Clown (Tuned In)
Weeping, joking and predicting apocalypse, Fox News star Glenn Beck turns resentment into ratings

The Diplomacy Surge (The Well / In the Arena)
A trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan reveals how the Obama team hopes to tame the Taliban

Song of Myself
I sing the Joel electric — and yet I am not technically a narcissist. This explains why I'm not famous


Postcard from New York City (Postcard: New York City)
Some came for fame. Others, for glory. But most came because they had nothing better to do. Laughing in the face of layoffs at the Unemployment Olympics
 Unemployment Olympics
Video: Unemployed workers make the most of tough times with fun and games.


The Moment (Briefing)
4|5|09: New York
 Shooting in Binghamton
Photos: At least 14 people are killed at an immigration services center in upstate New York

The World (Briefing)
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

Verbatim

A Brief History Of: Accountants (Briefing)

The Skimmer (Briefing)
Book Review: God is Back by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge

Pop Chart

Milestones

Andrea Lawrence (Briefing)

Rocco Morabito (Briefing)

How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall? (Music)
Practice. Then audition on YouTube

Zombies Are the New Vampires (The Big Picture)
Hang on to your brains — the walking dead are staging a pop-culture coup

Short List
TIME'S PICKS FOR THE WEEK


Economist Mark Zandi: The Recession's Hot Wonk (The Well / The Economy)
When economist Mark Zandi talks, Washington listens. A propeller-head's rise

Why Supplanting the Dollar Would Be Good for America (The Curious Capitalist)
The little-known SDR is making a play to become the world's reserve currency. Maybe that's good news

Get Rich Slow (The Well / Business)
Surprise: there's never been a better moment to bootstrap your own Internet business. All you need is a laptop, a broadband connection and a great idea. Inside the new start-up boom


I Spy a Nintendo DSi (Life / User's Guide)
After so many megahits from Nintendo, its new handheld DSi game player is a bit of a letdown


As Layoffs Mount, Severance Packages More Negotiable (Life / Cash Crunch)
As firms look to cut back on parting deals, more workers are fighting for better terms

Walgreens' Hippocratic Oath (Life / Health)
Lose your job, get free care


Miley Cyrus Meets Hannah Montana, At the Multiplex (Profile)
How a 16-year-old girl can capture Hollywood and the heartland, build a media empire and still make it home in time for dinner
 The Meteoric Rise of Miley Cyrus / Hannah Montana
The teen sensation adds to her already ginormous media empire with the release of Hannah Montana: The Movie
 Dressing Miley Cyrus
Video: Christopher Lawrence designs Miley Cyrus' clothes, and was the costumer for her new movie

10 Questions for Dara Torres (10 Questions)
The five-time Olympian shares her stories in Age Is Just a Number, out now. Dara Torres will now take your questions


Capital Intensive (Global Business / Global Adviser)
Recession may have taken off some of the shine, but Moscow can still dazzle. Ten things to do

Buying Binge (Global Business / China)
With prices down, Chinese firms are snapping up stakes in mining and oil companies to lock in raw materials


Inbox


The TIME 100
To help select the world's most influential people, we asked these newsmakers to offer their nominations for this year's list