1. The landing on the Red Set
Vladimir Putin would rather see Biden than Trump in the White House - is that one of those Radio Yerevan jokes that my father-in-law is always so happy about? What would be the point? In principle yes, but the other way around?
No, Putin actually just said this in an interview: “Biden, he is more experienced. He's predictable, he's a politician of the old school." In addition, it almost seems as if Putin is defending the US Democrat against malice because of his old age. "When I met Mr. Biden three years ago, people were actually already talking about his shortcomings, but I saw nothing like that." (Read how Biden's people could still replace him here.)
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Chief recommender: Poisoned praise from Putin for Biden?
Photo: Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP
Does Putin want to cause more chaos in the US election campaign? After all, a lot of people already seem to think a lot of nonsense is true: almost one in five believes the conspiracy myths about Taylor Swift (more on that here). Or is it just a propaganda claim to give Trump's people ammunition for the election campaign? That would have worked: Trump's son Donald Junior is already exploiting the quotes and claiming that Putin can manipulate Biden ("play him like a fiddle").
The matter is not that clear, says my colleague Ann-Dorit Boy from our foreign department: "For Russia experts, Putin's rejection of Trump does not come as a surprise." Contrary to what many believe, Putin is not necessarily hoping for Trump's victory. “In Moscow they probably really prefer to deal with a predictable America,” says Ann-Dorit. "And Putin already assumes that the United States is doomed." That's why it doesn't matter much to him who leads the country.
Inquiry to Radio Yerevan: Is the program »Moscow. Kremlin. Putin”, in which the interview ran, an independent journalistic format? In principle yes, it's just not allowed to report freely. And the moderators are not allowed to criticize. Everything else is correct.
Read more here: The master troll from the Kremlin
2. The highest ranked player
The security conference in Munich begins, numerous top politicians arrive, including Boris Pistorius, of course. His popularity ratings astonish the otherwise so calm political Berlin, as my colleague Marina Kormbaki and my colleague Matthias Gebauer report, some believe he is already on the way to becoming chancellor: »You have to add up the satisfaction ratings for Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner "To get around Pistorius's 50 percent." A formidable value on the fictitious Helmut Schmidt scale (which in Bavaria would of course be called the Strauss measure).
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Defense Minister Pistorius: Everyone hopes for his command
Photo:
Nikita Teryoshin / DER SPIEGEL
Dream values for a traffic light politician. After all, Germans look at their government in much the same way that football fans look at the DFL and its investor decision (more on that here). In addition, Pistorius brings disturbing messages. He wants Germany to be "warworthy" and Russia could attack a NATO country in "five to eight years." “People like Pistorius, even though he makes such unreasonable demands,” write Marina and Matthias. “But maybe that’s precisely why.”
But the euphoria could quickly turn into disappointment. “Quite a few in his ministry and in the Bundeswehr are already gossiping,” they both report. "Pistorius' drive is impressive, but there is a lack of work assignments to implement his ideas." He has to be careful not to end up in the political annals as a mere announcement minister. Perhaps no one needs to look for an airport to honor the defense minister by renaming.
Read the full story here: Can Pistorius deliver?
3. The bit of social budget
Johanna von Koczian is dead, she was 90 years old. She was a star of the German 1950s cinema, and in the 1970s the hit “The Little Household” brought her new popularity (more here). The song title, in turn, made it into the headlines again in December when the traffic light coalition and the opposition argued over state finances.
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Actress Johanna von Koczian
Photo:
Arthur Grimm/United Archives/Getty Images
“It could easily give the impression that the German welfare state has expanded excessively in recent years,” says my colleague Florian Diekmann. "As if, to stay with the metaphor, he is now an overweight person who urgently needs to lose weight." Basic child support, inflation compensation for citizens' benefit: "Everything just doesn't work anymore," rumbled CDU leader Friedrich Merz.
But what's the point? Florian evaluated a data collection from the union-affiliated IMK Institute. It shows: German social spending has not grown faster than economic output over the past two decades. “That didn’t surprise me as a specialist editor – but it was something different,” he says. "Compared to other industrialized nations, the German welfare state has actually developed very modestly."
It is quite possible that it will be difficult to finance social systems in the future, especially pensions. "But at least at the moment there can be no talk of a bloated welfare state in Germany."
Read the whole story here: How bloated is the German welfare state really?
What else is important today?
Israel reports the killing of a high-ranking Hezbollah commander:
He co-commanded the Hezbollah elite Radwan unit, and now, according to Israeli information, the militiaman is among those killed in the air strike in Nabatiya. His deputy was also killed.
New York judge paves way for hush money trial against Trump:
The trial over the alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels is scheduled to begin at the end of March. That's what the judge responsible decided - and thereby rejected Trump's request to dismiss the proceedings.
The federal government does not know how much money asylum seekers transfer home:
The first payment cards for asylum seekers are being distributed; they are intended to make it impossible to transfer social benefits back home. However, according to SPIEGEL information, there is still no data on the extent of such transfers.
Teachers fined:
In 2019, Emily, who suffered from diabetes, died on a school trip. The Mönchengladbach regional court has now convicted two teachers of negligent homicide. The father had previously turned to the women again.
My favorite magazine today: “Your SPIEGEL”
Politics is not always easy for children to understand. What helps: Watch, listen and read the news. Go through the world with your eyes open. And every now and then, playfully test how well you know your way around. In »Dein SPIEGEL«, the news magazine for young readers, there are 30 questions with which children (and adults) can test their knowledge of world events. Also in the magazine: a visit to one of the largest animal clinics in Europe. And: KiKa program manager Astrid Plenk tells us who decides what can be seen in the children's program.
The magazine is available at the kiosk and you can order it here.
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL+
The latest traffic light victim:
Ana-Maria Trăsnea lost her mandate in the repeat election in Berlin. The Social Democrat only sat in the Bundestag for nine months. And now?
“A sauna bath I know has even hired a security service”:
Taking clothes into the sauna, filming guests with their cell phones, poor hygiene: According to reports, rule violations in saunas occur again and again. How big is the problem? The managing director of the Sauna Association has the answers.
The German roots of the luxury brand Hermès:
The Hermès company is famous for handbags and silk scarves. It was founded by the son of a Krefeld pub landlord. Researchers have now found out: The family lived on the Lower Rhine for far longer than was previously known.
She's a star, get her out of Wolfsburg:
From Wolfsburg to Bayern, from one top club to another: Lena Oberdorf's move is spectacular and probably more expensive than any before in Germany. How did that happen? An analysis from three perspectives.
Which is less important today
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Photo: Robyn Beck / AFP
You say goodbye, I say J-Lo:
Jennifer Lopez
, 54, said she was scared when she was recognized and spoken to in public for the first time. She told the US magazine “Variety”: “I was so shocked. I thought to myself, 'Oh God, I'm not anonymous anymore. I can't just walk down the street anymore."
Mini concave mirror
You can find the entire concave mirror here.
Cartoon of the day
And tonight?
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Dan Dan Noodles: A little mince, tangy bok choy and addictive sauce
Photo: Helga Lugert / I LOVE FOOD
Could you cook and at the same time celebrate the Year of the Dragon, which has just begun in China, as our columnist Verena Lugert writes. She recommends Dan Dan noodles: "They not only taste absolutely delicious with a little mince, bitter pak choi and, above all, with this addictive sauce made from hot Chinese crispy chili oil, earthy-deep black rice vinegar and sweet-mild sesame oil." They would also promise a long life (more on that here).
See you! Have a nice evening. Heartfelt
Yours, Oliver Trenkamp, Blattmacher in the editor-in-chief