World politics in the backroom
The USA is wavering on its support for Ukraine, Donald Trump is threatening NATO partners, German politicians are thinking about a European atomic bomb and Russia is apparently working on an “anti-satellite nuclear weapon” for space. This could destroy civil and military communications and surveillance. This was reported by the New York Times and other media that night, citing US intelligence information. However, the weapon is not said to be ready for use yet. The USA has therefore informed its allies in Europe about the new threat.
What is Vladimir Putin up to? Does he want to keep the world in suspense with a new nuclear weapon?
These are questions that are now likely to be discussed at the Munich Security Conference (MSC). It doesn't officially begin until tomorrow, but some of the approximately 50 heads of state and government and 100 ministers, such as US Vice President Kamala Harris, are already arriving today. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is also expected to come on Saturday.
It is the most important meeting on security policy; this is where world politics is made in back rooms, where friends and foes meet and the tone for the debates is set. The MSC is an institution that has been led for two years by the former German ambassador to the UN, Christoph Heusgen. Only the people of Munich don't love them. Your city will be in a state of emergency until Sunday evening, and more than 5,000 officers will be on duty.
You can read more background information here: Russia is apparently working on nuclear weapons for space
Pigtails, boos and little glamour
Yesterday a mob broke up the Green Party's political Ash Wednesday celebrations in Biberach, Baden-Württemberg. There have been similar actions recently; Robert Habeck, for example, was harassed at a ferry pier at the beginning of January. The party is not new as an object of hate, but physical attacks by angry farmers – that is new. One might have expected that the Vice Chancellor would face similar resistance at the start of his two-day trip to Saxony and Thuringia. After all, he has few fans here. The Economics Minister also had some bad news in his luggage: He had to announce that the economy is only expected to grow by 0.2 percent this year. That, according to Habeck, is “dramatically bad.” But apart from a few boos, nothing happened. Habeck was able to form yeast braids, solder copper pipes and plan boards unmolested at the Leipzig craft fair.
The program for today includes a “canteen dialogue” with Jenoptik employees, a visit to the candy manufacturer Viba in Floh-Seligenthal and a meeting with medium-sized entrepreneurs in Erfurt. These are trips with little glamor. But the fact that the economics minister is talking to people who probably won't vote for his party is commendable. Votes will be held in Saxony and Thuringia in the fall, and the AfD is ahead in each case. Both state associations are classified and monitored by the constitutional protection offices there as definitely right-wing extremists. Every attempt to stop the AfD from winning is important.
Read the whole story here: “That was the moment when things got really, really tough.”
No brown people on the red carpet
The 74th Berlinale begins in Berlin, the most important film festival in Europe alongside Cannes and Venice. As my colleague Lars-Olav Beier writes in today's commentary, it could be the "most turbulent, unpredictable and exciting Berlinale in years." This is not only due to the 199 films from 51 countries that will be shown until February 25th, but also to internal quarrels and the political environment. There is the Gaza war, which leads to protests. But also the fight for fair wages and better working conditions for the filmmakers and cinema chain employees who want to demonstrate today.
And then there is the dispute over the AfD MPs. Like their colleagues, they were initially invited to today's opening ceremony in the Berlinale Palast, then they were disinvited in writing by the festival management. Browns on the red carpet – just don’t. The back and forth didn't seem particularly confident.
But yes, it's also about cinema, so: Matt Damon, Cillian Murphy (the "Oppenheimer" actor) and many German film and television celebrities have been announced for the opening ceremony. This year's jury president is Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o ("12 Years a Slave"). The opening film will be “Small Things Like These,” in which Damon and Murphy are involved. It's about the inhumane conditions in Catholic institutions for young "fallen" women in Ireland, the last of which were only closed in the 1990s.
You can read the comment here: By the way, there are also films
Click here for the current daily quiz
Today's starting question: How many gold stars can be seen on the EU flag?
Loser of the day...
...is Fani Willis. The US district attorney is leading the investigation in the state of Georgia against Donald Trump, who is charged there with conspiracy to manipulate the election. It is the procedure that could possibly be most dangerous for the ex-president. But now it is questionable whether it can even take place. And that's because of an affair. Willis has a relationship with prosecutor Nathan Wade, who is also involved in the case. The judge in charge therefore wants to clarify in a public hearing today whether the relationship represents a conflict of interest - according to the Trump camp's accusation. Willis and Wade have to testify under oath, and a lot of intimate details can be expected. Above all, the question of when exactly their affair began is likely to play an important role: before Willis hired Wade - or after?
“Even if the judge rejects the request, it will all be a highly embarrassing event,” says my colleague Marc Pitzke, who will be following the hearing today, and “a distraction from the actual, state-destroying allegations against Trump.” However, if the judge finds a conflict of interest and orders Willis' dismissal, the proceedings could be postponed or even collapse altogether. Trump would then have gotten away with his attempted coup in Georgia and cleared an important hurdle for his re-election.
You can read more background information here: Alleged love affair endangers explosive Trump trial
The latest reports from the night
Shots fired at the Super Bowl victory parade – one dead and many injured:
An act of violence overshadowed the Kansas City Chiefs' Super Bowl celebration. Shots were fired on the sidelines of the parade, and rescue workers say one person was dead and many were injured. The police arrested three people.
According to the US government, Ukrainian soldiers are running out of ammunition:
US Republicans continue to block all military aid to Ukraine. The White House is now lamenting the “cost of this inaction” in the fight against Russia.
Driver spontaneously helps with birth on sidewalk - child gets its name:
A heavily pregnant woman was surprised by her contractions on the street near Paris. A man reacted immediately and shortly afterwards he was holding the baby in his arms. For this he is now receiving a personal honor.
I would particularly like to recommend this interview to you today:
“The EU sanctions are a particularly unfortunate mechanism
”: When Vladimir Putin’s troops invaded Ukraine, the West responded with all sorts of punitive measures. Among other things, the accounts of numerous Russian billionaires were frozen. The aim was for the oligarchs to use their power and put pressure on Putin. Today we know: nothing came of it. Why not? My colleague Benjamin Bidder spoke about this with Andrei Yakovlev. The Russian elite researcher says: The sanctions against individuals were decided hastily and also affected people who were not Putin's closest friends. Nevertheless, Yakovlev believes that the rich can bring about change in Russia.
I wish you a good start to the day.
Your Juliane von Mittelstaedt, deputy head of the international department