1. Natwo
“Free riders make me angry,” complains the former US president. And then adds: “Everyone has to pay their share.” Yes, the political nerds suspect it: it’s about NATO. But no, this ex-president is not called Donald Trump: It is a quote from Barack Obama, who railed against the Europeans in 2016 at the Atlantic Council think tank. Two percent of economic output for defense was also one of the steady sellers of “Yes, we can” Obama. His message: The alliance is more important than ever. But the USA cannot finance it alone, everyone has to participate. Looking at you, Germany.
Because it's about weapons: Despite all the sharpness, Obama was more rhetorical in his speeches at the time. Donald Trump, on the other hand, is swinging the club on this topic, surprise: "No, I wouldn't protect you," said the Republicans' most promising candidate for president at a campaign event in South Carolina over the weekend. On the contrary: He would “even encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want.” A garbled call for war against allies? "Frightening and dangerous," says Josep Borrell, the EU's foreign affairs representative, who clearly feels he is being addressed directly. NATO should not be “an à la carte” military alliance that depends on the whim of the US President. “Irish statement,” snorts the Federal Government’s Transatlantic Coordinator, Michael Link (FDP). (More reactions here.)
The outrage over Trump's coup is as understandable as it is justified. But the war in Ukraine has shown that the European Union actually urgently needs both: words and weapons. And significantly more of the latter.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius were in Unterlüß in Lower Saxony today. Rheinmetall wants to open a new ammunition factory there. This will not help Germany achieve NATO's two percent target. But the signal is clear: Armament is a matter for the boss.
»Scholz also has his word with the Bundeswehr and the NATO partners. The 'turning point' he proclaimed holds the promise that Germany will do more for its own and Europe's security," writes my colleague Marina Kormbaki, who accompanied the Chancellor. »Now the Chancellor is personally boosting the arms industry – and shows no reservations about it. Scholz stroked grenades almost tenderly during a tour of the factory.
Read more here: Suddenly Scholz strokes grenades
2. Free at last
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Photo: AFP
They came in the night, blew the door open, killed at least three of the guards: Israeli security forces were able to free two hostages from the clutches of Hamas in a spectacular operation. 70-year-old Louis Norberto Har and 60-year-old Fernando Marman. Both were flown by helicopter to a hospital in Tel Aviv. A photo posted by the military correspondent for the Times of Israel shows the visibly exhausted men with their relatives on a yellow sofa; it looks like an image from a WhatsApp family chat. A ray of hope in the war.
"For the Israelis, the liberation of the two men is an important morale boost," said my colleague Thore Schröder, who reconstructed the army's rescue operation. But the two are only the second and third hostages to be brought back by the military. The operation was preceded by heavy air strikes on several targets in the south of the Gaza Strip. Around 100 people are said to have died, said the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health. Many politicians, including Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, had recently warned urgently against expanding the military offensive to the south. Around 1.3 million people are seeking protection there, living in a very small space under catastrophic conditions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who followed the operation in the command room, sees the success in Rafah as an argument for his strategy: Only maximum pressure "until complete victory" could bring back the 134 other hostages. “Hamas should now have been warned about Israeli commando actions,” writes Thore. “The best option for bringing back the still living hostages remains a comprehensive exchange deal.”
More here: How Israel managed to free the two hostages from Rafah
3. The boy who wanted to change the world of sports
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Kelvin Kiptum: “An athlete who had his whole life ahead of him”
Photo:
Warren Little/Getty Images
Last night, the Kenyan Sports Minister announced the death of marathon runner Kelvin Kiptum, 24. He lost control of his car and crashed into a tree. Kiptum and his trainer, who was in the car with him, died at the scene of the accident. A 24-year-old woman, who was also in the car, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.
“The death of the star runner is a shock for Kenya, athletics and the sports world,” reports my colleague Jan Göbel. Just a week ago, Kiptum's world record run at the Chicago Marathon last fall was confirmed by the World Athletics Federation. "The Kenyan was the first person to run under 2:01 hours in an official race and, at 2:00:35 hours, came closer to the magical two-hour limit than ever before." In doing so, he replaced his Kenyan compatriot Eliud Kipchoge, perhaps the greatest long-distance runner in history , as world record holder.
"The sudden death of the miracle runner leaves many questions unanswered about what would have been possible in Kelvin Kiptum's career," writes Jan. "And he leaves behind many mourners."
Read more here: The Chosen One
What else is important today?
Austria recently purchased 98 percent of its gas from Russia - a minister now wants to change that:
In December, Russia was practically Austria's only gas supplier. The high level of dependency is a thorn in the side of the Energy Ministry, which is led by a Green party.
The crisis in the real estate market is increasingly threatening banks:
The crisis in the real estate market is worrying banks. It is feared that quite a few people could get into serious difficulties as a result.
17-year-old Ukrainian youth basketball player killed in Oberhausen:
He fled the war, played basketball in Düsseldorf - now a 17-year-old Ukrainian has been killed at Oberhausen main train station. Three other teenagers were seriously injured.
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL+
A winner, not a loser:
In a historically close vote, the Finns elected Alexander Stubb as president. Foreign policy challenges await him. After the election, the winner and his opponent made a symbolic appearance.
When the computer controls the train:
delays, disruptions, cancellations: the German rail network is reaching its limits. Traffic engineers say that new tracks are no longer necessary. They are increasingly relying on self-driving trains.
Which is less important today
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Travis Kelce yells at his coach Andy Reid
Photo:
Jamie Squire/Getty Images/AFP
Everytime we touch: Travis Kelce
, 34, bumped into his trainer Andy Reid, 65. At the Superbowl final in Las Vegas, which I was supposed to write about in a separate situation in the evening, it would be up to my sports colleagues. Back to the push: Kansas City was behind, Kelce was annoyed that he wasn't on the field and attacked his coach, who briefly lost his balance. As the Internet is, the scene became a meme on social media within minutes, Kelce in anger therapy, Kelce as a whining teenager, Kelce about Taylor Swift.
In the end, the player, who ended up winning with his team, had a very conciliatory explanation for the robust tackle: "I just told him how much I love him." Love actually.
Mini concave mirror
You can find the entire concave mirror here.
Cartoon of the day
And tonight?
Halaudi!
I have déjà vu: Rose Monday, 21 years ago. I was a volunteer at Westdeutscher Rundfunk in Cologne and had to work. It feels like the only one in the entire city, the office is so gray, the streets outside are as colorful as confetti, there are fools singing and singing everywhere, the whole of Cologne is just one motto car: Always there, that's great! Today, Shrove Monday in Hamburg, working is much easier to bear: not a single red nose, especially not in the editorial conference, the only disguise so far is my frayed nerves. But: If you live in one of the strongholds of carnival customs, I recommend that you take our crazy quiz just before you plunge into the pub carnival adventure this evening. It's about which battle cry actually applies where. Sure, Kölle alaaf. But Man Tau? Where do you say that?
It's best to try it out for yourself here.
A lovely evening. Heartfelt
Your Jens Radü
, head of duty