In an interview, Chinese artist Zhao Zhao, who has a new exhibition in Berlin, discusses the state harassment he has experienced, his role as a troublemaker and why, recently, he is spending more time on his art than activism. more... [ Forum ]
There are good dentists and bad ones, but here's a story of the dentist from hell. He pulled 20 of a patient's teeth without asking for permission. He appealed against a decision to revoke his license -- and lost. more... [ Forum ]
A Disney film about altruistic chimpanzees has been a huge hit in the United States. The movie is about to be released in Germany, where it is being marketed as a true story. Now a German researcher who was the flick's main scientific adviser has admitted large parts of the touching story were made up. By Jörg Blech more... [ Forum ]
For a year, Andrea Gjestvang photographed teenagers who survived the massacre on Utøya island. Her resulting photo series, "One Day in History," just earned the Norwegian the top prize in the Sony World Photography Awards. In an interview, she talks about the challenge of recording the internal and external scars of the survivors. more... [ Forum ]
In his debut novel, SPIEGEL ONLINE International editor David Crossland posits the question: What would happen if a Jewish candidate ran to become chancellor in Germany? An excerpt addresses the dangerous phenomenon of xenophobia and neo-Nazism in the country today. more... [ Forum ]
After lying about a summit he didn't actually make, Austrian "skyrunner" Christian Stangl now wants to be the first person to scale the three highest mountains on each continent. But even if he sets the record, will he ever be able to clear his own? By Walter Mayr more... [ Forum ]
Soccer teams in China's first-division Super League are luring top international players and coaches with astronomical salaries. But their close ties to the construction industry do nothing to help Chinese soccer shed its reputation for corruption and mediocre play. By Bernhard Zand more... [ Forum ]
When household appliances and technological devices break, they often end up in the trash. But at a "hackerspace club" in Wuppertal, engineers, computer buffs and DIYers are helping locals save them from the garbage dump -- and strengthening the community in the process. By Judith Horchert in Wuppertal more...
Wolf D. Prix, the Austrian architect behind the new headquarters for the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, says everything is connected. Even the ECB and Spanish football team FC Barcelona. more... [ Forum ]
Nearly 80 years ago, Nazi supporters burned German author Erich Kästner's work as smut. Unlike other condemned writers, he showed up to watch, and refused to leave the country during WWII. But he paid a price for this, ultimately giving in to self-censorship from which he never truly recovered. By Georg Diez more... [ Forum ]