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In a SPIEGEL interview, genetic scientist Craig Venter discusses the 10 years he spent sequencing the human genome, why we have learned so little from it a decade on and the potential for mass production of artificial life forms that could be used to produce fuels and other resources.

It is the starting point for our oceans' food chain. But stocks of phytoplankton have decreased by 40 percent since 1950, potentially as a result of global warming. It is an astonishing collapse, say researchers, and may have dramatic consequences for both the oceans and for humans.

British Prime Minister David Cameron has caused a furor in Pakistan by claiming it supports terrorists. Islamabad vehemently rejects the charge and accuses the West of blindly believing the WikiLeaks war logs.

The German government is currently considering how to reform the German armed forces, with the country's defense minister even talking about abolishing conscription. Former Defense Minister Volker Rühe and retired Vice Admiral Ulrich Weisser argue that the Bundeswehr must remain strong if Germany is to fulfill its obligations to its allies.

With Germany still reeling from the tragic deaths of 21 people after a mass panic at last weekend's Love Parade, officials, politicians, organizers and police continue to foist the blame on each other. The German press is appalled.

The beloved Trabant, a trademark of communist East Germany, is dying out fast. The number rattling around on German roads has dwindled to 35,000 from close to one million shortly after reunification. Last year's cash-for-clunkers program appears to have persuaded many owners to ditch their brand loyalty.

Compulsory military service may be outdated, but Germany is finding it hard to give it up. The defense minister has made no secret of his desire to scrap conscription, but many conservatives see military service as a key part of their identity and are fighting to keep it.

With the financial crisis fading into the past, speculation on agricultural commodities markets has returned in force. Food prices are climbing once again as hedge funds rediscover the immense profits that can be made -- led by a British chocolate baron.

A German court has ordered Verena Becker, a former member of the far-left Red Army Faction, to be put on trial for alleged involvement in the murder of Attorney General Siegfried Buback in 1977. The case was re-opened after new forensic technology revealed her DNA on a letter claiming responsibility for the killing.

China may have no intentions of using its growing military might, but that is of little comfort for Western countries. From the World Trade Organization to the United Nations, Beijing is happy to use its soft power to get what it wants -- and it is wrong-footing the West at every turn.

An 88-year-old retired civil servant has been charged with participating in the murder of 430,000 Jews in a Nazi death camp. The former guard came under the radar of the prosecutors during their investigation into John Demjanjuk.

Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, appears frequently in the war logs obtained by WikiLeaks. They suggest that even as Pakistan served as an ally to the United States, it was still secretly helping the Taliban in its insurgency in Afghanistan. The documents also suggest a major role is played by former ISI chief Hamid Gul.

Who is to blame for the Duisburg Love Parade disaster? Four days after the festival, no one has accepted responsibility. SPIEGEL ONLINE has listed the main questions and tried to provide answers. Amid all the contradictions, excuses and lies, it's already clear that no one in authority was entirely blameless.

The publication of the Afghanistan war logs by WikiLeaks has sparked a new debate about Germany's involvement in the conflict. The Social Democrats are threatening to withhold support for an extension of the German mission's mandate if the government does not provide answers about alleged wrongdoings revealed in the secret reports.

British oil giant BP presented its new CEO on Tuesday after announcing that Tony Hayward was stepping down. The fresh face at the helm may help improve public relations, but German papers on Wednesday argue that the company really needs to rethink its entire strategy.

Theo Albrecht and his brother Karl introduced the world to discount shopping when they founded Aldi half a century ago. The two intensely secretive men were considered some of the richest people in Germany. On Saturday, Theo died at the age of 88.

It is difficult for politicians to admit they were wrong. But when it comes to Afghanistan, the consequences of not doing so could be high. It is time for the West to cut its losses and withdraw.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has been conspicuous by her absence from the site of Saturday's Love Parade disaster. Her presence would have been a much-needed show of solidarity with the people of Duisburg as local officials refuse to accept responsiblity. In other countries, government leaders would not have stayed away.