1. U.S. liquid again
The U.S. almost became insolvent next Monday. They would no longer have been able to service their debts, public sector employees would no longer have received salaries, and the unemployed would no longer have received social assistance. Every few years, the world's largest economy struggles to put its financial situation on a reasonably solid foundation and avert bankruptcy. But it hasn't been as sharp as this time for a long time.
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U.S. President Joe Biden: Solid political craft
Photo: IMAGO/Ting Shen - Pool via CNP / IMAGO/ZUMA Wire
For weeks, Republicans and Democrats argued about whether the debt ceiling can be suspended until 2025 so that the country remains solvent. Because in the USA, the upper limit for debt is regulated by law, it is currently 28.6 trillion dollars – and the money has been almost completely spent. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen named June 5 as the deadline, until then a compromise had to be found. Last night he was apparently found.
The bill to raise the debt ceiling has now cleared an important formal hurdle in the U.S. House of Representatives. A bipartisan majority of deputies voted in favor in a formal vote in the plenary session of the Chamber of Congress. Now the Senate has to approve the project as soon as possible, and President Joe Biden has to sign the bill into law so that the government does not run out of money.
The procedure degenerated into bitter partisan political tug-of-war and ideological trench warfare between Democrats and Republicans. Right-wing Republicans initially refused to raise the debt ceiling and demanded significant cuts in government spending. This, in turn, was rejected by left-wing Democrats. Centrist politicians from both sides have moved towards each other, now not only is the debt ceiling being pushed upwards, but government spending is also being cut. If a compromise had failed, the US would very likely have had millions of new unemployed and the world would have had a financial crisis.
Our U.S. correspondent Roland Nelles sees this primarily as a negotiating success for U.S. President Joe Biden. He attests to his solid political craftsmanship instead of populist scrambling. By resolving the debt dispute, Biden has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to decide demanding political processes in his favor. Donald Trump and the Republicans would be making a mistake if they were to write it off. "Why Biden continues to receive little recognition for his work is a bit puzzling," Roland writes.
Read the commentary here: Old, underestimated – but successful
2. German school system remains tough
Germany has 16 ministers of education and one federal minister of education – and sometimes you can't help but wonder what they actually do professionally. For example, today, when the text by my colleague Silke Fokken was published. In it, she describes that around one-fifth of all fourth-graders in Germany no longer even reach the minimum standards in German and mathematics. In orthography it is almost a third, in math more than a fifth.
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German lessons in grade 5 at the Theodor-Storm-Gemeinschaftsschule
Photograph:
Kaja Grope / DER SPIEGEL
Imagine if one-fifth to one-third of all employees in Germany were to pursue their jobs only to such a limited extent – there would be something going on in the country. However, if children are so handicapped, it doesn't seem to matter. Yet these are the workers of tomorrow. Educational researchers predict serious consequences: for individuals who would have an increased risk of being unemployed or precariously employed as adults, and for society, which would be threatened with a loss of prosperity due to a lack of education. "I don't know how many more wake-up calls politicians need to draw conclusions," says education economist Ludger Woessmann.
Silke has been dealing with the topic for years, also because the alarming numbers have been rising for years, people complain everywhere, but nothing happens. Everyone knows where the problems lie. It is the social background that determines equal opportunities, it is the investments in the education system, it is the wrangling over competences between the federal and state governments. The student body has changed fundamentally in recent decades, the schools and the curricula seem to remain at the level of the eighties.
If it were up to education experts, the current school system would have to be smashed and rebuilt. "Our children are just as smart as others," says Carsten Haack, headmaster of the Theodor Storm Community School (TSG) in Kiel-Wellingdorf, a school that people say is located in a "socially deprived area." Many endure adversity in their lives that would break others. But we're not starting from scratch with those in first grade, but at minus five," says Haack. The usual curricula, textbooks, even class sizes are not geared towards this and are hardly suitable for adequately schooling the children.
Today, almost 100 associations from the education sector have therefore made an open appeal to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). The letter, which was initiated, among other things, by the Berlin initiative "Schule muss anders", states: "Our society is currently experiencing one of the most serious educational crises since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany."
Read more here: Why school and children no longer fit together
3. Pixelated Soccer Women
When the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg was once renamed the AOL Arena and later the Imtech Arena because the two companies sponsored HSV, it took a lot of getting used to for many football fans. At some point, however, people got used to all the Allianz Signal Iduna Park Red Bull Rhein Energy stadiums. That's just the way it is, whoever pays determines the menu.
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Saki Kumagai from FC Bayern Munich during the match against 1.
Photo: IMAGO/Michaela Merk
However, the fact that a company buys the naming rights of an entire league and renames them accordingly has a new quality. Recently, Google CEO Sundar Pichai visited Berlin and signed a sponsorship deal with the women's national soccer team. Today it was announced that he concluded another deal with the DFB: The group buys the naming rights to the Women's Bundesliga.
Starting next season, the league will be officially called the "Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga". The digital company wants to use the business to promote its smartphones. According to the company, it has also acquired "digital activation rights" so that fans can create and distribute content around the games. Officially, Google wants to increase the visibility of women in football. What you say in order to bring a business to the people reasonably well in terms of arguments.
Read the full story here: Women's Football League to be called "Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga" in the future
News and background information on the war in Ukraine:
Kiev launches investigation into allegedly locked bunker: Several people were killed in a Russian missile attack in Kyiv – possibly because they did not make it to a shelter in time. Mayor Vitali Klitschko now wants to have all bunkers checked.
In the morning in rush hour traffic – and suddenly rocket debris crashes onto the road: Kiev as an unmolested island at war? This phase is over: the Russian army is again terrorizing the Ukrainian capital with rocket fire. The victims are civilians. Here is the video.
Here you will find all the latest developments on the war in Ukraine: The news update
What else is important today
Faeser blames the AfD for attacks on refugees: Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the neo-Nazi-motivated murder of Walter Lübcke – Interior Minister Faeser continues to see the greatest extremist danger in Germany in the right-wing spectrum. The AfD is part of the problem.
Inflation in the euro area weakens surprisingly sharply in May: Inflation in the euro area has eased significantly thanks to falling energy prices, and the price surge in countries such as Germany is slowing noticeably. However, the ECB cannot yet be lulled into a sense of security.
Scientists record forest fires in the northern hemisphere: Hot and dry: Spring weather has favored wildfires in many regions in the northern hemisphere. The EU's atmospheric service Copernicus reports record fire emissions – for example in Spain.
Australian elite soldier may be called a murderer: He fought in Afghanistan and was considered a national hero – then several media outlets proved that Australian non-commissioned officer Ben Roberts-Smith had committed brutal war crimes. A court now described him as "callous and inhumane".
My favorite story today...
... is more of a message that shows what effect research can have. The collaboration between celebrity chef Christian Jürgens and Althoff Hotels has come to an end. The previous gourmet restaurant »Überfahrt« in Rottach-Egern on Lake Tegernsee is scheduled to reopen on June 20 under new management with a new concept and a new name.
The kitchen manager had been released from his position as restaurant manager on 5 May. Previously, my colleagues Maria Christoph and Nora Voit had reported in SPIEGEL about allegations of inappropriate behavior by the top restaurateur, who has been awarded three Michelin stars. Around two dozen former employees had accused Jürgens of abuse of power, harassment and, in some cases, sexual harassment (read the detailed research here).
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL+
The Shadow War: Ships carry out suspicious manoeuvres over submarine cables, drones approach satellite systems, spies are exposed: in the far north, the Kremlin is targeting critical infrastructure in the West – and Norway is arming itself against it.
"Now my mother sees how much happier I am": He is considered one of the biggest stars of his generation – but actor Elliot Page had to fight for years. Here he talks about coming out as a trans man, depression and the double standards of Hollywood.
How to get your balcony power plant now – and what you need to consider: Ready-to-plug solar systems are offered by every hardware store, the sun is shining – and now the government wants to remove legal hurdles. So can you start with the installation? The most important questions and answers.
The King and the Collective: He plays like a 130-kilo dancer and commands the utmost respect from LeBron James: Serbian Nikola Jokić has led Denver to the NBA Finals – thanks to traditional basketball values of his homeland.
What is less important today
Enlarge imagePhoto: Valery Hache / AFP
Heidi mute: In the foreseeable future, it will probably not happen that Germany's Last Top Model Heidi Klum is silent for a while and makes herself scarce. You are more likely to do this if you become age-wise and mild. And Klum is still too young for that: Today she celebrates her 50th birthday. That's why we have 20 photos for you today.
Mini concave mirror
Here you will find the whole concave mirror.
Cartoon of the Day
And tonight?
Today is International Children's Day, a day that was always celebrated solemnly in my childhood (born in Saxony in 1972). I was also allowed to watch an extra episode of »Lolek and Bolek« or »Rabbit and Wolf« (Original: Nu, pogodi!; Russian Ну, погоди! – Well, wait!) look at. Of course, you don't need to come to the children with that anymore. But maybe with the new superhero epic »Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse«?
Enlarge imagePhoto: Everett Collection / IMAGO
My colleague Andreas Borcholte was in the cinema without children, because the film is also something for adults, although Andreas says that the fast cuts in the film are probably less challenging for children than for parents.
There is much, very much to see in this storm of brightly colored pictures, crazy cameo appearances and spectacular action, Andreas writes in his review. Every second shot or scene you want to hang on the wall as a poster. »Across the Spider-Verse« is not only a triumph of animation over the limitations of live-action adaptations of the comic medium, but also proof that superhero films can be pop art works of art.
So, take your time and your kids by the hand - and then off to the cinema of your choice. Enjoy!
Have a nice evening. Heartily
Yours, Janko Tietz, Head of Department Germany/Panorama