“The Head of the Dragon”

Cover story: The most enterprising building projects, the most up-to-date department stores, the most permissive bars – China’s future has a name: Shanghai. The city on the Huang-p’u river is in the process of winning back its reputation as the “Paris of the East”. The party is promoting Shanghai as a model, and celebrating its having been awarded the spectacle of the 2010 World Exhibition as a victory for its economic reform course. But what does the Shanghai model stand for? For a return to Manchester-style capitalism with a cheap, exploited workforce and a super-rich avant-garde? For a moderate style of socialism which tries to give all inhabitants a reasonably fair share of the rising standard of living? Of for some shape of Maoist utopia made up of better “new people”?

“Obsessed with Sex and Egomaniacal”

SPIEGEL interview with writer Anchee Min about Shanghai’s youth, literary figures and her own sufferings in life:

“Public toilets: it’s things like that which have dramatically improved in Shanghai. And of course the fact that no one has to worry about the party in their everyday lives any more nowadays – the hope lies in a return to the private realm. … A new “ego generation” is emerging. I understand young people wanting to have their fling, they have every right to. But it still depresses me that they are so ahistorical and cynical.”

“Hair on End”

Arms: In view of the argument within the governing coalition in Berlin, Israel is at the moment not insisting on the delivery of the “Fuchs” armoured transport vehicles. It has diplomatically expressed its “understanding” for the fact that the debate has come at an inconvenient time for Berlin. Jerusalem will withdraw its application, re-examine it and then resubmit its request at a later date via Foreign Office channels. However the Israelis are using the opportunity which the German-American quarrel over a Bush war against Iraq appears to offer for another venture. No sooner was the “Fuchs” and “Patriot” issue off the table than David Shoval, the Israeli envoy in charge of “technology”, unexpectedly announced that his country could do with two new submarines.

“We Trust Germany”

SPIEGEL interview with Israeli president Moshe Kazaw about his country’s expectations towards the German government, the conflict with the Palestinians, and the battle against the terrorist network of Al Qaida:

“We are threatened from many sides. There are still plenty of Arab organisations in our neighbourhood that would like to destroy Israel. Germany can help us to prevent that. … The vast majority of the population has been ready for a peace agreement for years. But the Palestinians can only achieve anything via talks. If they stop the violence now, they can accomplish more than ever before. … Terrorism is an international epidemic, which no country is immune to. That’s why we all have to work together.”

“New Fanatics for Al Qaida”

SPIEGEL interview with British Iraq expert Toby Dodge about Saddam Hussein’s military strengths and weaknesses and the consequences of an American attack on Iraq:

“The Americans can use their technological superiority far less effectively in conurbations than in the rural battle zones of Afghanistan or in the deserts of Iraq. And that’s precisely what Saddam has in mind as he proceeds to withdraw his most loyal troops into the cities. The more civilian casualties there are, the greater will be the uproar in the international media. Dispelling a well-entrenched enemy from an urban area always results in huge losses. … So far, international terrorism has not been one of Saddam’s methods. The alleged connections with Al Qaida – those are all just propaganda. But there’s one thing this war will certainly achieve: it will drive many thousands of new fanatics into the arms of Al Qaida. … Politically it might work, if after a victory in Baghdad Bush were to phone the rulers in Teheran or Damascus and tell them: Watch out, you see what could happen to you. But the sociological reasons behind the growing fanaticism – suffering under despotic regimes, the Palestinian conflict – aren’t even touched upon by it.”

“The Old World Is Recreating Itself”

Europe: The great adventure of eastward enlargement is about to begin. The admission of ten new EU states, which was agreed upon at the Copenhagen summit meeting, has been accompanied by certain anxieties and worries. In fact, the reunification of the continent should be cause for hope. A world power is taking shape. 75 million new EU citizens, including 700,000 Russians in Latvia, are joining. The 25-nation European Union will be home to 451 million inhabitants, living in an area of four million square kilometres. The economic giant – its gross domestic product of 9,300 billion euros is almost as large as that of the USA – may even grow beyond its stature as a political dwarf, with its own constitution, its own currency and its own army as the military arm of a common foreign and security policy. But now that the hour of European re-unification is actually drawing near – it is scheduled to take effect from 1 May 2004 – the big words sound strangely threatening. Is Europe really a model of brotherliness and readiness?

“Visiting Supporters”

Iraq: Baghdad’s inhabitants are expecting war, but they are not afraid of it. The city is permeated by a strange calmness, before the bombs come the weapons inspectors, the journalists and the angels of peace – turncoats from the camp of the attackers. As yet, Kathy Kelly is alone in Baghdad, but over the coming days and weeks, the members of her “Iraq Peace Team” will be arriving. They come from Italy, France, and the USA, and include men and women like Kelly, peace fundamentalists who are not prepared to simply accept the fact that the president of the United States of America has declared the entire world to be his own back yard.

“Don Quixote in California”

Actors: With his contribution to the episode film “11’09”01” and an open letter to the Washington Post, actor and director Sean Penn is turning against the America of President Bush – and suddenly seems like a very, very lonely rebel. While Hollywood colleagues like the comedian Robin Williams are flying to Afghanistan, entertaining the troops and, on their return, telling people on television that “there are loads of roofs missing down there right now”, Penn has a different view of patriotism. Penn is convinced that true love of one’s country does not consist in hanging a flag over your terrace, and dropping bombs on Afghanistan or Iraq. True love of one’s country would mean bringing down the Bush administration; because, according to Penn, it represents the interests of big money.

“Rodent Globetrotters”

Wildlife: Beavers have been reintroduced to Bavaria so successfully that they have become a source of real annoyance to many farmers. Now, the rodents are being deported. Some 6000 of these robust rodents are estimated to live in 1500 territories between Bayreuth and Munich. For conservationists, the successful reintroduction of the beavers is a model project – for farmers it’s a nightmare. Together with colleagues, Gerhard Schwab, an adviser on beaver issues, has transported more than 450 Bavarian beavers through half of Europe. Beavers from Bavaria now dive in the rivers and lakes of Croatia and Hungary; and, thanks to the rodent imports, Romania and Belgium also have beavers once again.

“Entering the Kingdom of the Dead”

Archaeology: German archaeologists have made a unique discovery in Syria – a fully equipped royal grave dating back to the Bronze Age.

“Springy Sheets of Metal”

Cars: Jaguar is building the first series-production car along the lines of an aeroplane – using riveted aluminium. But the material is proving tricky. Assembly using 3180 rivets instead of welding points, partly assisted by adhesive joints, is a complete novelty in series-manufacturing modern cars – and is evidence of bold intentions. Much like the Ingolstadt-based Volkswagen subsidiary Audi, the English brand is now also keen to establish a reputation for breaking new ground.