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Presents information on organizations which may demonstrate against globalization at a meeting of world leaders at an economic summit in Genoa, Italy. Efforts of the city to prevent violence and crime during demonstrations; Prediction that activity at the summit may be worse than protests in Goteborg, Sweden, in which hundreds were arrested and dozens injured; View that the radical surge in protesting presents a moral dilemma for mainstream organizations who make up the core of the antigloblization movement.

Focuses on Pope John Paul II and his Jubilee Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. Journey to the Middle East, including a visit to a Holocaust memorial, an interfaith panel in Jerusalem, a refugee camp in Deheisha, and the nativity in Bethlehem; Political ramifications of the journey; The Pope's health.

Presents a look at the battle plan being used by the United States Pentagon in conjunction with other North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries in its war with Yugoslavia in 1999. Use of B-1, B-2 and B-52 bombers; How military pilots are utilizing laser guided missiles; How the terrain of Yugoslavia has led to difficulties; Status of the US precision-guided munitions and when replenishing is expected to be completed; Comments. INSET: A Winning Debut for the B-2, by Julie Grace.

Focuses on the Shroud of Turin being kept by Giovanni Cardinal Saldarini in Italy. Interest in the relic being tracked on the Internet; Diagram of the shroud showing features that match accounts of Christ's Crucifixion; Author Ian Wilson's suggestion the Cloth of Edessa could disprove a claim by a 14th century bishop that the shroud was a fake; Background on the Shroud of Turin; The technical critique of radiocarbon dating process; The question of authenticity.

Highlights Pope John Paul II's trip to Cuba in January, 1998. Compare and contrast of the work, beliefs, and goals of both the Pope and Fidel Castro; How Cuba has fared under Castro's Marxist rule; Why Castro invited the Pope to Cuba; The Pope's motives in going to Cuba. INSET: `You should not expect a miracle'.

Discusses religion on the World Wide Web. The magnitude and variety of religious interest groups finding their ways to the Web including the Amish, Tibetan Buddhists, Lutherans and others; Discussion of some examples of religious Web sites; The effect of the Internet on religion; The posting of holy texts on the Internet; A chronology of historic events related to religion throughout history.

Reports on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) conduction of the largest combat operation in its history, over three successive days, over Bosnia. How NATO airplanes flew 500 missions from bases in Italy and aircraft carriers in the Adriatic Sea; Targets; Why the overrunning of the safe havens of Srebrenica and Zepa set the groundwork for the raids.

Looks at the new trend in the fashion world in which elegant, wearable clothes for women are making a return. Comments from Karl Lagerfeld of the house of Chanel; Reaction of retailers; The style of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; The collection of Han Feng; Donna Karan; Other designers; The style of Audrey Hepburn. INSET: The muse and the master, by Martha Duffy and Dorie Denbigh.

Highlights the life of Pope John Paul II, who was born Karol Wojtyla. His early life; His fondness for his native Poland; His daily duties; The Black Virgin of Czestochowa; The assassination attempt against him in 1981; His literary output; His travels; More.

Addresses the question of who will rule Afghanistan if the Taliban falls. Possible contenders for leadership; Attitudes of bordering nations; Realization by the United States and its allies of the need for a stable postwar Afghanistan; The challenges which Afghanistan faces; Why Iran and Pakistan are interested in Afghanistan's future government; Question of United Nations involvement; Role of the U.S. in rebuilding. INSET: ONCE AND FUTURE LORDS?.

Comments on the visit of Pope John Paul II to St. Louis, Missouri in January, 1999. Focus on Betty Rataj, who attended the Papal Mass; Percentage of Catholic Americans which rejected the position taken by the pope regarding the commuted life sentence of a convicted triple murderer; How Rataj's family reacted to the pope's visit; Rataj's feelings on the ordination of women priests. INSET: Meet Me in St. Louis.

Reports on a possible takeover of Gucci by Prada. History of both companies which focus on fashion designs; Competition between the two companies; Statistics on both companies.

Profiles Michael Schumacher, Formula One racing driver. His racing skill that helped him win the August 19, 2001 Hungarian Grand Prix, which was his fourth Formula One drivers' championship; Career highlights; His employment with the Ferrari team. INSET: STRONGER AND SAFER.

Profiles United States gondola-maker Thom Price, who traveled to Venice, Italy to learn his craft. His apprenticeship with an older gondola-maker; His desire to preserve the tradition of gondolas; Other craftsmen, such as Saverio Pastor; Impact of the lack of gondola-makers on the gondola industry in Italy. INSET: A Brief History of the Gondola.

Focuses on the problem of rising unemployment in Europe, as of August 2001. Reasons for the trend, including an economic slowdown; Impact on workers in Sweden, France, Germany and Italy; Mention of companies which have announced layoffs in these countries, such as Ericsson, Marks & Spencer and Moulinex-Brandt; Amount of unemployment benefits provided by the government; Response of political leaders to the layoffs.

Addresses the death of Carlo Giuliani, a protestor in Genoa, Italy, and the increasing violence in demonstrations since the World Trade Organization met in Seattle, Washington in 1999. Observations on what the author calls a self-destructive course of violence; Arguments for violence against international summits; The author's observation of the false promise of using violence to advance a political cause.

Discusses former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. His career in politics and business; Speculation on his success in becoming Prime Minister again; Comparison between Berlusconi and former Rome Mayor Francesco Rutelli, who is running against him in the prime ministerial elections; Berlusconi's position as a self-made business tycoon; His liabilities. INSETS: Blood, Sweat and Tears;Making Fun of the Knight, by Martin Penner;The Battle of the Books, by Greg Burke and Martin Penner.

Focuses on a trend of increasing transience and cultural displacement among a generation of young European professionals, as of April 2001. How many of them are multilingual and multicultural; Frequency of international travel among this generation; Minimal national barriers which exist between countries in the European Union; Impact of technology on this trend; Social and political values of young Europeans; How this generation is more individualistic than nationalistic.

Examines the impact of public fears about bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) on European beef consumption. Why European consumers are eating less beef; Alternative meats which are gaining popularity; Measures taken by the European Union to stop the epidemic; Economic impact of lowered demand for beef; Health factors associated with consumption of different meats; Increase in sales of organic beef and other organic crops; How this could affect national cuisines. INSETS: No Beef? Try Ostrich, by Stacey Vanek Smith;A Tale of Two Restaurants.

Discusses the financial crisis that Europe will face by 2030 from the rising number of pensioners. The drastic choices that the European system of state pensions faces as the baby boom generation enters retirement; How different European countries have responded to the looming crisis; When the state pension was invented; Two factors that are making the situation even bleaker. INSET: ON THE GRAY DANUBE.

Reports on the eruption of Mount Etna in Italy. History of the volcano, considered the most active in Europe; Details of the eruption, which began July 13, 2001 and nearly destroyed a refuge called Rifugio Sapienza and nearby stores in Sicily; How records of volcanic eruptions date back to classical times.

Addresses the death of Carlo Giuliani, a protestor in Genoa, Italy, and the increasing violence in demonstrations since the World Trade Organization met in Seattle, Washington in 1999. Observations on what the author calls a self-destructive course of violence; Arguments for violence against international summits; The author's observation of the false promise of using violence to advance a political cause.

Discusses the complexity of electing a successor to Pope John Paul II. Speculation on who will be chosen for Popehood; Importance of positioning and of being a cardinal; View that an American will not be chosen as pontiff; Profile of several cardinals, including Archbishop of Geneoa Dionigi Tettamanzi and Archbishop of Milan Carlo Maria Martini.

Covers the Versace fashion show held in Milan, Italy in October 1997. How the House of Versace was not led by Donatella and Santo; How the company is building on the vision of Gianni Versace; The mood at the fashion show; The star studded audience; The fine sibling relationship that has made the transition smooth; How the industry views the House of Versace.

Reports on the Italian police's capture of Mafia leader Giovanni Brusca. Background on the police operations leading to the arrest; Brusca's personal background; Details on Brusca's career as a Mafiosi; Crimes committed by Brusca.

Presents information on governmental corruption around the world. Longtime Italian Premier Andreotti on trial in Perugia; Ex-Prime Minister of Spain Felipe Gonzalez regime derailed by corruption; Colombia's Ernesto Samper pleads ignorance in drug scandal; Other leaders alledged involvement in corruption.

Provides a glimpse into new variations of the men's suit. Issey Miyake's florid version of the age-old suit; Classic tailored suits by Brioni; Casual formality as exemplified by Valentino; Antisuit piece by Richard Tyler.

Presents information on the Third Way trend in European politics in the late 1990s. Discussion of the politics of the leaders in the European Union's four largest countries and economies; Gerhard Schroder's win in Germany; Great Britain's Tony Blair seen as the movement's most public proponent; Comparisons between Blair and Schroder; The difficulty of balancing market realities with social benefits.

Reports on the rescue of Isabelle Autissier, a French woman who was attempting to complete the Around Alone race, a boat race in which contestants circumnavigate the world. Details of how Giovanni Soldini came to find Autissier's overturned boat; Details of the race and the number of crews lost at sea in 1999; Comments.

Recounts the visit of Pope John Paul II to Cuba in January 1998. The Pope's efforts in stimulating new revolutionary ideas within Fidel Castro's closed society; How the Pope's message was only covertly political, chiding Cuba's lapsed family values harder than its lack of human rights, calling more for Catholic education than confrontation with the regime; Castro as skillful in extending his blessing over the visit.

Looks at speculation about who will succeed Pope John Paul II. Views about whether or not the next pope will be Italian; Carlo Maria Martini; Silvano Piovanelli; Pio Cardinal Laghi; Jean-Marie Lustiger, the Archbishop of Paris; Francis Cardinal Arinze; More.

Speculates that government actions to stem losses from unauthorized copying of computer programs may be causing more problems than them solve. Theft accounted for nearly $7.5 billion globally last year for software publishers; Underlying difficulty in guarding intangible electronic property using laws crafted with printing press technology in mind; Differences between software and other intellectual property; Efforts of US Software Publishers Association.

Focuses on Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. How he was elected despite the allegations of corruption surrounding him during his campaign; His promise to work for tax cuts, higher pensions, new jobs, major public works and crime reduction; Criticism of a possible conflict of interest due to his control of most of the country's television networks; Conservative nature of Berlusconi's government; Implications for the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Focuses on former Aghanistan monarch Mohammed Zahir Shah. Efforts of European officials to involve him in an anti-Taliban coalition and bring peace to the region; Recollection of Afghans that his reign was a period of relative peace and prosperity.

Focuses on the efforts of Roman Catholic nun Joan Chittister of the Mount Saint Benedict monastery to force the Catholic Church to allow the ordination of women as priests. View of the Church on ordaining women as priests; Effort by the Church to enlist Sister Christine Vladimiroff of the monastery to penalize Chittister for her activism; Fear that members in attendance at the Women's Ordination Conference in Dublin, Ireland would ordain women as priests.

Reports expectations for antiglobalization demonstrations and for Greek and Spanish anarchists to protest the summer 2001 G-8 summit meeting in Genoa, Italy.

Discusses the increasing role of exorcism in religion in the late 1990s. Details of an exorcism performed by Pope John Paul II; Revision of the Rite of Exorcism by the Vatican in response to the growing demand for exorcisms; Rerelease of the motion picture 'The Exorcist,' which is known for its realism in portraying exorcisms.

Compares an organized crime illegal stock scam to an episode of the television program, 'The Sopranos.' Arrest of New York mobsters for setting up brokerage operations to buy and sell penny stocks; Use of high-pressure phone calls as a sales tactic; Victimization of senior citizens in the telephone scheme.

Presents celebrity news briefs as of June, 2000. Marriage of actress Candice Bergen to Marshall Rose; Death of co-author for CNN 'NewsStand,' Judd Rose; Death of golf architect Robert Trent Jones Sr.; Death of Empress Dowager Nagako.

Focuses on pledges made by Texas Governor George W. Bush and United States Vice President Al Gore in the 2000 presidential campaign. Promise by Gore to eliminate the national debt and conquer HIV; Pledge by Bush to provide cash for the disabled; Prediction that there will be at least 100 pledges made by each candidate before election day.

Focuses on musical recordings of Bruce Springsteen that discuss police. How '41 Shots/American Skin' makes a reference to the shooting of Amadou Diallo; 'Highway Patrolman,' which is perceived as being supportive of the police; 'Working on the Highway,' which is thought to have an anti-police slant.

Focuses on Pope John Paul II and his work. What he plans to accomplish in Jubilee Year 2000, including his visit to Portugal to beatify two children; Speculation that the next pope will be an Italian Cardinal.

Discusses the journey of the Vatican's Pope John Paul II to the Holy Land. Details of his trip to Jordan, Israel and the West Bank; The issue of Catholic-Jewish amity; His scheduled mass at Nazareth's Basilica of the Annunciation.

Focuses on Sicilian ornithologist Anna Giordano, who has fought successfully against the poaching of birds, particularly raptors. How she started this work as a teenager, against poachers near her home; Her leadership at the World Wildlife Fund's Natural Saltwater Reserve in Paceco, Italy, and its Center for the Rehabilitation of Wild Animals in Messina, Italy.

Focuses on comments made by Bishop Karl Lehmann about whether Pope John Paul II should retire from his position. Medical condition of the Pope; Questions as to whether he is capable of carrying out his duties; How there has been no voluntary papal abdication since 1294; Power of a retired Pope.

Discusses the sculpture of Gian Lorenzo Bernini. How his work defined the Roman Baroque period; Creation of the Ponte Sant' Angelo; His famous works including Apollo and Daphne in the Villa Borghese and the Fountain of the Four Rivers in the Piazza Navona; Exhibition of `Bernini: Director of the Baroque' marking the 400th anniversary of his birth which includes the section entitled `The Faces of Power: Popes, Cardinals, Patricians and Kings.'

Discusses how members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are standing firm on the crisis in the Serbian province of Kosovo. How the war has sharpened political tensions within a number of NATO counties; Challenges facing German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, French President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Italian Prime Minster Massimo D'Alema and Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis. INSET: Hugging and Puffing in Moscow, by Paul Quinn-Judge.

Discusses the decision by the Supreme Court of Chile to try soldiers suspected of kidnapping or murdering missing Chileans or foreign nationals during the 1973-1990 reign of former President Augusto Pinochet. Consideration by the Supreme Court president to extradite General Manuel Conteras to Italy for sending a hit team to Rome to kill Bernado Leighton, a Christian Democrat Party Leader and critic of Conteras; Belief that the wall of immunity built around military officials in Chile has crumbled.

Discusses the rebirth of the Orthodox Church in Russia. Changes the Orthodox Church has undergone since the fall of Communism in Russia; The proposed re-unification between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church; Ventures the Orthodox Church is now involved with; Relations between Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope John Paul II.

Focuses on the Italian Mafia. Italian government's efforts to kill the Mafia; Factors working against the Mafia; Background on the Italian Mafia; Psychological blows suffered by the Mafia; Public officials' fight against the Mafia. INSET: The war against the Mafia..