THE TALK OF THE TOWN
COMMENT/ INDEFENSIBLE/ Frances FitzGerald on the Presidentís missile-defense fixation.
THE WEEK IN DIGNITARIES/ HOT TICKET/ Ben McGrath at an appearance by the President of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf.
ROME POSTCARD/ BOFFO BEATITUDE/ John Seabrook on how Mel Gibson might have helped make a saint.
OVERHAULS/ POINT OF VIEW/ Dana Goodyear on the Marriott Marquisís revolving restaurantís new look.
THE FINANCIAL PAGE/ GOOD GROOMING/ James Surowiecki on Michael Eisner and the importance of succession planning.

SHOUTS & MURMURS/ Christopher Buckley/ Rules of Engagement
A REPORTER AT LARGE/ George Packer/ The Next Iraqi War?/ Where ethnic tensions in Kirkuk may lead.
FICTION/ William Trevor/ "The Dressmaker's Child"

THE CRITICS
BOOKS/ Ruth Franklin/ God in the Details/ Graham Greene's religious realism.
POP MUSIC/ Sasha Frere-Jones/ Four Singles/ Faith, war, and commerce.
ON TELEVISION/ Nancy Franklin/ Rather Knot/ This time, CBS really broke the news.
THE CURRENT CINEMA/ David Denby/ Battle States/ "I ♥ Huckabees," "Silver City."