Swingeing cuts will be needed to balance the books as well as far-reaching change. One of Europe's most controversial and most expensive defence projects, the Eurofighter, is becoming airborne. Dogged by criticism over its cost and performance, the European defence fighter will be delivered to customers shortly. The picture shows the first two fighters bought by the German Luftwaffe being tested after six months' final assembly in Northern Germany. Few countries are as viscerally opposed as Germany to genetic modification of foodstuff and human cells.
Emotions run very high indeed.
After years of struggle, the German government has finally reformed the pensions system. Sponsored by Walter Riester, social minister, and Chancellor Gerhard Schr der, it has now passed the Bundesrat, the upper house of German parliament. Over Cigarette Ban German advertisers love cigarettes. German publishers love cigarettes. So Germany is fighting to prevent a Europe-wide ban on cigarette advertising.