How to Save Afghanistan (Cover Story)
As violence subsides in Iraq, it's surging in Afghanistan. A veteran diplomat and student of the country on what it really needs--and why more troops won't help

McCain and Obama on Afghanistan (Cover Story)
The candidates' strategies for Afghanistan


85% of US Unhappy with Economy (The Well / Economy)
An exclusive TIME / Rockefeller Foundation poll shows unprecedented dissatisfaction — and very little optimism

Frenemies: The McCain-Bush Dance (The Well / Campaign '08)
McCain has defied the President more than any other Republican, yet he can't escape Bush's shadow. A close look at the political relationship that could cost McCain the election


That's Not Funny! (Tuned In)
The flap over the New Yorker's Obama cover shows why our body politic needs to lighten up

The New Social Contract (Viewpoint)
Innovative products and policies are needed to give Americans a modern economic safety net

Throw the Bums Out!
And bring in some new bums. Why 2008 is a great time to be a political outsider


Beijing's Revolution (Olympic Preview)
On the eve of the Summer Games, China's capital is buzzing with a hot cultural scene, creative entrepreneurs and a collection of new buildings

Postcard: London
A mysterious bug found in a museum garden has entomologists wondering what might have prompted its sudden appearance. A scientific detective story


The World (Briefing)
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

A Brief History Of: Un-Retirement (Briefing)

The Skimmer (Briefing)

Pop Chart

Verbatim

Confidence Game. (Briefing / The Moment: Pasadena, Calif.)
Economic anxiety may be all in our heads. But our heads may be right

Tony Snow (Briefing)

Bobby Murcer (Briefing)

Milestones

Rash Redux (Health / Health)
Why chicken pox strikes some adults a second time--as shingles--and how to avoid the repeat


Warming to the Kindle (Life / User's Guide)
How Josh Quittner learned to love Amazon's digital book-reading device despite its imperfections

Postage with the Mostage (Life / Geek Chic)
A new stamp in Bhutan includes a mini documentary on CD-ROM


The Pursuit of Teen Girl Purity (The Well / Society)
Striking back against a Girls Gone Wild culture, many fathers and daughters are choosing a much different path

This Ain't No Wine Cooler (Life / Libations)
Will caffeinated alcohol be the next teen-drinking fad?


Crisis? What Crisis? (The Curious Capitalist)
Another month, another emergency resolved. But Washington can't bail us out forever


Take a Chance on Mamma Mia? (Movies)
The film of the hit musical Mamma Mia! is either awful or irresistible. It all depends on how much you like Abba



Giving Up the Fight (Viewpoint)
What kept the U.S. from liking Abba for three decades? One longtime fan has the answer

A Fan's Notes (Books)
A new book teaches us how to read novels. But wait--didn't we already know how to do that?

5 Things You Need to Know About (Downtime)
New Nas, lustful puppets and a letter from captivity


10 Questions for Lang Lang (10 Questions)
The world-renowned piano virtuoso recalls his musical childhood in a new memoir, Journey of a Thousand Miles. Lang Lang will now take your questions


The Service Agenda
TIME is helping to lead a major push to make national service a priority in Washington. And we want you to get involved


Karachi Dreams Big (Global Business / Megacities)
Its ambitious mayor has visions of Dubai, but there are grittier issues to resolve first

String Theory (Global Business / Small Business)
Sharon Rowe saw the green wave in reusable shopping bags. She was just a couple of decades early

Business Books
Globalization's next chapter. The corporate code--minority division. Why one irate customer might be one too many


Inbox