Vol. 172 No. 5
COVER
From Australia to Zimbabwe, China to the U.S., TIME takes you on a world tour to introduce you to the most compelling athletes you'll be seeing in the Beijing Games
TO OUR READERS
TIME's worldwide reach brings you a parade of compelling Olympians
NATION
His trip to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East was designed to prove that he could be Commander in Chief. In an interview with TIME, the candidate details what he saw and what he heard
Karadzic a Big Win for Hague Cops (The Well / Commentary)
International trials of war criminals are slow and costly. But they shouldn't be abandoned
ESSAY
It's one thing to host the Games. The real test is learning to play by the rules of the civilized world
McCain's Foreign Policy Frustration (Commentary / In the Arena)
too soon
Activism, Hollywood-Style (Commentary / The Awesome Column)
Joel checks out L.A.'s hot liberal fund-raising scene--and falls for The Fall Guy's girl
NOTEBOOK
A Brief History Of: The Poet Laureate (Briefing)
The Page (Briefing)
Pop Chart
The World (Briefing)
10 ESSENTIAL STORIES
The Moment (Briefing)
The Skimmer (Briefing)
Walter Kerwin (Briefing)
Milestones
Jo Stafford (Briefing)
WORLD
The inside story of how Salim Hamdan went from bin Laden's side to a U.S. military courtroom--and why the war on terrorism may hang in the balance
Postcard: Cheyenne Mountain (Postcard: Cheyenne Mountain)
With Russian and U.S. warheads on a hair-trigger alert, the cold war's last sentries remain ever vigilant. Still training for the end of the world
SCIENCE
Pollution, overfishing and global warming have gravely endangered reefs. Help is finally on the way, and this time the U.S. is taking the lead
HEALTH & MEDICINE
A new study shows that dieters can double their weight loss by jotting down what foods they eat
SOCIETY
In cities in the U.S. and around the world, urbanites are trying to grow more food locally
eHarmony, Meet Fiddler on the Roof (Life)
Tova Weinberg, online matchmaker, 54
TECHNOLOGY
Snails transport e-mail messages
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Back for a second season, Mad Men makes the '60s fresh again with delicious details and a timeless story of self-reinvention. Welcome to Camelot, with a twist
A Year with American Teens (Movies)
The zippy documentary American Teen says kids are anguished, mean, hopeful--just like in the movies
Temptation Island (Books)
A novel in letters about love, death and books shows how, in the right circumstances, quirk works
Dressed Not to Be Killed (Life / Fashion)
Colombian designer Miguel Caballero is building a thriving business as the world's only producer of "designer bulletproof fashion"
5 Things You Should Know About (Downtime)
Miley's breakout, shark bait and a supervillain's blog
PEOPLE
His eponymous Madden NFL video game turns 20 on Aug. 12. John Madden will now take your questions