COVER

John McCain's Code of Honor (United States / The Republicans)

Ho-nor: (noun) honesty, fairness or integrity in one's beliefs and actions. It's John McCain's greatest strength ... and his greatest weakness

McCain's Prickly TIME Interview (United States / The Republicans)

In a Q&A with TIME's James Carney and Michael Scherer, the GOP candidate denies — at times testily — that his campaign has deviated from the old "straight talk express"

ASIA

Mission Accomplished. Now What?

The Beijing Olympics were a big success, but the glow from the Games will fade quickly if China doesn't grant citizens greater freedom

ESSAY

China Play

The Olympic Games were, above all, a statement about a nation and its people

BRIEFING

COMMENTARY

Stop the Rot

Japan is facing recession again, but the right reforms could ease the pain

GLOBAL ADVISER

Double Your Fun (Check In)

These days, one private pool simply isn't enough

Dab Hands (On Show)

A Tokyo exhibit of Studio Ghibli's animation is testament to why the pen is still sometimes mightier than the mouse

Stepping Out (After Dark)

Paying for the all-star treatment at Miami's Mandarin Oriental

Reykjavík (Sense of Place)

Iceland's capital, as seen through Baltasar Kormákur's cult 2000 film 101 Reykjavík

LETTERS