1. Energetic dispute
Germany has long since said goodbye to nuclear power, but fuel elements are still manufactured in Lingen in Emsland. The French company Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF) operates a factory there that has so far mainly produced parts for Western reactors. However, the French want to convert their operations so that fuel elements for Soviet-designed Eastern European nuclear power plants can also be manufactured. This is intended to make power plants in Eastern Europe more independent of supplies from Russia.
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Demo of the anti-nuclear organization “broadcast” against Rosatom on January 20th in Lingen
Photo: Lars Hoff / .broadcast
Lower Saxony's Energy Ministry must now decide whether to approve production involving the Russians. Surprisingly, Putin's nuclear company has so far been excluded from the EU's sanctions, as otherwise energy supplies in some Eastern European countries would be at risk.
Rosatom has been trying to get involved in the fuel element plant in Emsland through its subsidiary TVEL for years, reports my colleague Claus Hecking. TVEL and Framatome originally wanted to set up a joint venture in Germany, but politicians such as Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) expressed concerns and a submitted application for an examination was withdrawn. A few months later, the French and Russians established their joint venture in France instead. Now the Russians want to try this detour. The calculation goes that you will hardly drive into the friendly neighbor's parade.
Lower Saxony's Energy Minister Christian Meyer (Reasons) demanded at the end of December: "Business with Putin should be ended, this also and especially applies to the nuclear sector." He is politically opposed to solidifying these relationships through joint ventures or Russian investments in view of Putin's "brutal energy war." Europe” for fatal.
Nevertheless, Meyer is bound by the legal framework - and according to the Atomic Energy Act, it has so far looked as if he would have to approve the conversion to Eastern European fuel elements. But now there is a new report that Claus reports on.
The nuclear lawyer Gerhard Roller refers to the aspect that Russian employees should also be deployed in Lingen. Therefore, there are opportunities for sabotage and glaring security concerns. According to Claus, Roller's report fundamentally changes the situation. “Even if the approval requirements are met, the authority can refuse approval,” writes the expert.
So it's possible that it won't be Germany and Russia that will be quarreling in the near future, but rather Germany and France. Both are likely to be to Putin's liking: the main thing is unrest.
Read more here: Is Putin's nuclear company expanding in Emsland?
2. Irradiated debate
Sometimes you might think that Donald Trump is already US President again. The current debate about his NATO statement during the election campaign is so exciting. (More about that here.)
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Katarina Barley (SPD)
Photo: Jonas Walzberg / dpa
And sometimes you could think that Friedrich Merz is already Chancellor, or at least he is making striking statements on many global political issues. The Union faction leader is now also demanding: “There is a treaty and it is called the NATO treaty,” Merz told the Welt-TV broadcaster. »The only time where the promise of assistance was actually activated was September 11, 2001, that was the attacks on America. Maybe we should tell Americans that every now and then.”
Perhaps Merz also suspects that if he were actually Chancellor, he would have to do more for the alliance than any previous Chancellor.
The SPD's leading candidate for the European elections, Katarina Barley, is even bringing up the EU's own atomic bomb: "On the way to a European army, this can also become an issue," she told the "Tagesspiegel." Some politicians expressed criticism of Barley in SPIEGEL. And this comes not only from the opposition, but also from the governing parties SPD and Greens (more on that here).
Until the US election in November, Europe will not have developed its own defense strategy, let alone have its own nuclear bomb in its arsenal - especially since France is already a nuclear power. Perhaps it would be appropriate to wait and see who actually moves into the Oval Office before everyone competes in a verbal arms race.
Read the whole story here: Barley brings up the EU's own nuclear bombs
3. Community under power
Tesla boss Musk, factory in Grünheide
Photo:
Volker Gehrmann / Amazing Aerial Agency / picture alliance; Patrick Pleul / dpa-Zentralbild / picture alliance
The American car manufacturer Tesla is currently having a lot of trouble with its only factory in Europe. First, production stalled due to delivery problems, then there were quarrels over works council elections. Now residents in Grünheide are making life difficult for the Kusk Group.
Tesla plans to expand its premises by a good 100 hectares. Not only do large areas of forest have to be cleared, but interventions in the complicated groundwater system are also planned. My colleague Franziska Schindler met with supporters and opponents of the project in Grünheide. After all, the company involves local residents. On Thursdays there are always consultation hours in one of the company's lobby.
They can vote for or against the expansion in a resident survey until February 16th. In the end, the local council will decide on the building law issues surrounding the expansion, writes Franziska. The Brandenburg State Environmental Agency and the Lower Water Authority specify the conditions under which Tesla may build in the drinking water protection area. The critics do not believe that the project can be stopped. But at least to enforce tough conditions.
However, you hear less criticism from other commercial companies. The largest water consumer in Brandenburg is not Tesla, but a lignite-fired power plant.
Read more here: Rebellion against Tesla
What else is important today?
US Senate votes for billion-dollar Ukraine aid package:
The US Senate has approved a bill to support Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with a total of $95 billion. Ukrainian President Zelensky immediately thanked him. However, the vote of the House of Representatives is still pending.
Consumer advocates warn of fraud involving “capped gas prices”:
After the end of the gas price brake, the “basic supplier” comes to your home and records data? This is a new trick scammers are using to rip you off at your front door.
King Charles is back in London:
King Charles III has a week. spent at his country estate Sandringham. Now the British monarch, who is suffering from cancer, is back home in London – and is apparently in a positive mood.
My favorite video today: Lindner vs. “Last Generation”
Federal Minister of Economics Christian Lindner (FDP) was recently at a discussion event in Leipzig. It was supposed to be about national debt, but soon it became about national patience. Because Lindner was repeatedly interrupted when answering questions from the audience. It turned out that representatives of the “Last Generation” were in the hall and wanted to challenge the FDP man. There were verbal battles and it took a while before Lindner could continue his monologues. SPIEGEL TV reporter Adrian-Basil Mueller happened to be there and filmed the scenes with his cell phone. Lindner insinuated that it was a set-up between the journalist and the activists. It is disturbing to observe how, after each of his tirades, Lindner looked around the audience, making sure and grinning, to find out who was scoring more points. Him or the troublemakers. Confident is different.
Watch the whole video here: Lindner against the last generation
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL+
The senior president:
He is older than the atomic bomb, the transistor radio, superglue. Is Joe Biden fit enough for another four years in the White House? According to surveys, Americans have major reservations.
"Lots of hugs and tears, not many words":
Israel's security forces manage to spectacularly free two hostages from the Gaza Strip. But it is questionable whether this can be repeated. Hamas could react even more harshly.
Why do I sit in front of the screen and cry?
A long-lost star from the 1980s sang at the Grammy Awards - and our author's feelings got lost. Apparently millions of people felt the same way. Scientists know why.
Can I charge my cell phone or e-bike in the office?
Smartphone, e-bike, car battery: your own technology is quickly plugged into the socket at work. What seems obvious can, however, cost the job. You should keep this in mind.
Which is less important today
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Photo: Reuhl / photo booth / IMAGO
Is the chemistry right?
The YouTuber
Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim,
36, wants to get involved in Berlin politics. She became known to a large audience during the corona pandemic when she explained information about the virus and its consequences on her channel maiLab, disproving myths scientifically but in a way that everyone could understand. She stopped the series ten months ago. Now there seems to be at least an indication of what the doctor of chemistry plans to do in the future: "Communication is a very important part of political work."
Mini concave mirror
You can find the entire concave mirror here.
Cartoon of the day
And tonight?
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Demonstration on Erfurt Cathedral Square
Photo: Jacob Schröter / dpa
This year there will be three state elections in the east of the Federal Republic. The AfD is leading in the polls in Brandenburg as well as in Saxony and Thuringia. The interest and need for information is correspondingly high. What makes people sympathize with this party? What initiatives are there to avert a shift to the right? Where is it worth taking a closer look? Every now and then you hear that the media landscape, which is often influenced by West Germany, is not interested enough in the East.
But what about it is cliché and what is reality? You could subscribe to the ownsx newsletter to keep track. Every two weeks, journalist and author Anne Haeming brings together everything that has appeared in the German media landscape in the form of studies, texts, radio broadcasts, podcasts or TV reports about the East - a kind of press review for East-West perspectives, so to speak. And a lot comes together. The 100th issue was published yesterday. It also includes the interview with Christina Morina and Andreas Wirsching that my colleagues Eva-Maria Schnurr and Susanne Beyer conducted for SPIEGEL. The guest article by Daniel Kubiak is also included in the recommendations. I recommend this evening’s newsletter to you – and possibly many more once you get your bearings.
A lovely evening. Heartfelt
Yours, Janko Tietz, Head of Germany/Panorama Department