COVER

Mean Streets (Europe)

An epidemic of violent crime, teen pregnancy, heavy drinking and drug abuse fuels fears that British youth is in crisis

UNITED STATES

Once a Senator, Never a Saint (Campaign '08)

John McCain's political popularity rests on his reputation as a straight-talking, ax-wielding reformer. So how does he explain his own close ties to special-interest lobbyists?

WORLD

Alliance Of the Unwilling

Amid arguments over troop deployments in Afghanistan and with defense spending continuing to decline in much of Europe, NATO faces fundamental questions about its role

LETTERS

LIFE

Showing Their Metal (Sport)

New Formula One rules make this year's world championship less a test of engineering than of skill

GLOBAL BUSINESS

The Glitter Factory (Mining)

As precious-metal prices soar, China is overtaking South Africa as the world's largest gold producer

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

BUSINESS

Wake Up and Sell the Coffee (Profile)

Howard Schultz is back at the helm of Starbucks and trying to put a jolt into the company that turned coffee into an iconic brand. Is the passionate entrepreneur who started it all the right man for the job?