"Misled Thinking"

SPIEGEL in-depth interview with German foreign minister Joschka Fischer:

"The position of the federal government has not changed. There are no German soldiers in Iraq, and there won't be any in the future... I'm not willing to speculate about possible election outcomes in the United States - I am referring solely to what is necessary in Iraq. We did not leave our most important ally and friend in the lurch there, instead we had good reasons for not becoming involved. And the way in which the reasons for the war are now being discussed confirms our scepticism... Back then, when there was no such thing as September 11 yet, I attached a different degree of importance to the issue of the borders with Iraq, Iran and Syria than I do today. After the terrible events in the United States it suddenly became clear to me, where European security would be determined in the future. That will be the Middle East, where I am just as anxious about the nuclear programme in Iran and the Palestinian conflict in Israel, as I am about the situation in Iraq. Added to which there is the terrorism issue... [The EU membership talks with Turkey are] an open-ended process - not open in terms of the aim, but in terms of the course and the final assessment. Relevant questions still remain open, which I would however answer affirmatively: Can the EU cope with the membership of such a large country, when the time comes? For us the decisive question is whether the Mediterranean region - to which the Middle East belongs - becomes a region of cooperation, or of confrontation. That is as important a question as that of West Berlin's security was back in Cold War days."

"Problems with Implementation"

SPIEGEL in-depth interview with Günter Verheugen, the designated EU industrial commissioner, about Europe's aim of becoming the world's biggest economic power, the massive movement of jobs into the new member states, and the industries with the greatest opportunities for growth:

"I don't think we'll manage to catch up with the United States by 2010. But we could reverse the trend... The migration of jobs from high-wage countries has nothing at all to do with European enlargement. It's a result of globalisation.... The job of politics is to help along this structural change. Not through subsidies, which I consider totally wrong, but instead through more research and innovation and through the development of new growth poles... I want to develop a form of cooperation in which we end up doing what we jointly consider right. I am to assume the chairmanship of the group of those commissioners who are assigned to the Competitiveness Council. The effectiveness and political reputation of this council are - to put it very mildly - in considerable need of improvement."

"A World Full of Friends"

Foreign policy: Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is hurriedly redefining the priorities in German foreign policy. Human rights have become a subordinate issue, business is the way to maintain influence. First Turkey, then China and most recently Libya - what started off as a vague outline is now assuming concrete shape: an about-face in German foreign policy. Instead: the focus lies on promoting German economic interests. The new strategy does not only include the demand for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council; the portfolio also comprises a new attitude towards German arms exports and overall a more relaxed approach to Germany's own interests.

"We Have Got to React"

SPIEGEL interview with Fritz Henderson, head of General Motors Europe, and Carl-Peter Forster, head of Opel, about the cost-cutting programme and management errors:

Henderson: "The programme with which we intend to lower our costs by 500 million euros a year is designed for the years 2005 and 2006. It can be achieved without closing a single plant...Yes [an entire plant might be closed down too.] When it comes to long-term plans for new products such as the next compact class, we have to determine where it is most sensible to concentrate its production. But that's not due to happen until 2008... Our plans for 2004 weren't realistic. That's why we have got to react now."

Forster: "There are other trends that we didn't recognise in time. But we're going to change that."

"Stopped up the Holes"

Consulates: The German government intends to prevent the abuse of tourist visas by drastically restricting the issue of visas. The change in course, which has been in preparation at the Foreign Office for months, is the equivalent of an answer to an angry letter written by the man who claims to be the only one to correctly judge how endangered German is: Minister of the Interior, Otto Schily. He considers the liberal handling of visas in times of international terrorism to be grossly negligent or even a grave risk to security.

"Robust towards Everyone"

SPIEGEL interview with the new UN administrator Soren Jessen-Petersen, 59, about his attempt to persuade Serbs and Albanians to enter into negotiations on the final status of the crisis-ridden province:

"But you may be sure that we will in future resort to more robust measures, towards everyone. There are politicians, both within the Serb minority and on the Albanian side, who are systematically trying to block the return of the Serbs. Neither of them want Kosovo to succeed as a multi-ethnic community. I am authorised to put a stop to that in future... However in the meantime the international community has agreed that the present status quo cannot be maintained indefinitely. Compared with the thankless task faced by my predecessors, I have been given a clearly defined goal: we will lead the development through to the status issue. Because as long as that hasn't been solved, the entire Western Balkans will not achieve peace."

"Toothless in Faizabad"

Afghanistan: The German soldiers of the Isaf troops in the mountain province of Badakhshan are having to manoeuvre between the country's bitter poverty and the power of the rich drug barons. The men pulling the wires in the background are just waiting for the foreign military forces to make a mistake. Everyone knows that the small units are toothless if it should come to a test of strength. They could at best defend themselves. But the constant patrols are changing the climate in the town and its immediate surroundings. They are like a promise that one day it will no longer be the laws of a handful of despots that count here, but a genuine rule of law, if the international community is serious about its long-term commitment. Entire generations in Halkajar have placed their hopes in the false promises of occupiers, warlords and central governments. But until now, nothing has ever changed.

"I Shoot Down the Apple"

SPIEGEL interview with singer Tom Waits, 54, about song-writing with his wife Kathleen Brennan, his fear of political group pressure, and the American songs on his latest album:

"I work for no one other than myself. I'm not so naive as to believe that you can decide presidential elections through songs. Songs against war have about as much effect as throwing peanuts at charging gorillas... Music is always a form of teamwork, sometimes more, sometimes less so. In most cases she balances the apple on the top of her head so that I can shoot it down. She is definitely the more courageous of us both... The audience is like a wild animal. It's best when it's not too well fed. And besides: long tours, all the hassle with the hotels and strange people just make me even grumpier."

"Spy from the Cold"

Military: A female translator appears to have intended to sell secret German submarine plans to the Chinese. The federal prosecutor's office is investigating her on suspicion of attempted treason. The translator was supposed to translate the military manual for the submarine class 212A, as the Kiel shipyard HDW calls its miracle weapon. The shipyard developed the vessel for the German navy. It is the most up-to-date non-nuclear submarine in the world. And the technical manual is the key to it, a potential passepartout for the technology inside. The case is both embarrassing and sensitive for the German government. The Chinese are a self-confident and difficult partner. Berlin would best of all like to see the prospective buyers in Beijing not even mentioned, because it does not want the espionage affair to put a strain on the economic relations which the chancellor himself has been promoting.

"Wishing Machine in the Head"

Brain research: The American Matthew Nagle is the first human being to live with a chip in his brain which reads his thoughts and acts upon them. This allows the paraplegic to control his computer, television set and heating from a distance - and perhaps one day even his arms and legs. Nagle imagines drawing a circle, and the circle appears. What actually happens is, however, frighteningly confused: countless brain cells fire off electric signals one after another at enormous speed - with no trace of a readable thought. The computer has to filter out the bulk of this excitation pattern. Then it has to search through the remains at lightning speed for clues as to what its master may be wanting - to be carried out ideally instantaneously. An enormous feat. The race for mind readers is picking up speed - vigorously backed by the US military research agency Darpa, whose strategic planners are dreaming of thought-controlled fighter-bombers and are sharing out large amounts of money within the community.

"Switching off the Juice to the Tumour"

Medicine: The horrific drug thalidomide, which once maimed thousands of children in the womb, is undergoing a surprising comeback as a cancer remedy. Pharmaceutical companies are anticipating a huge business. At the moment it is being tested against prostate and kidney cancer, and a particular type of brain tumour. But most of all it appears to be effective against multiple myeloma. A whole series of studies are now confirming its therapeutic success. But thalidomide also produces massive side-effects.

"Silence on the Airwaves"

Radio technology: Large parts of the wave spectrum are scarcely used at all. The computer industry is therefore demanding more frequencies for wireless Internet access, in order to avoid data congestion.