One more speech
Joe Biden gave his traditional State of the Union address a few hours ago.
The US President is attacking Donald Trump, as my colleagues Roland Nelles and René Pfister from Washington report (read the analysis of the speech here).
Of course, Biden's speech was eagerly awaited.
Since Tuesday, the so-called Super Tuesday, it has been clear that the incumbent president will have to compete against his predecessor Donald Trump in this year's election.
Despite an overall positive balance, Biden certainly has to fear for his re-election.
There are many reasons for this, one of which has been added in recent months.
Many younger people in the country believe that Joe Biden is supporting the Israeli government too much in the war in the Middle East.
Although the US President repeatedly criticizes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is now once again increasing aid for the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, he hardly seems to be getting any traction, at least with the younger generation.
Ezra Klein, columnist for the New York Times, had Richard Haass as a guest on his podcast “The Ezra Klein Show” a week ago.
The American diplomat called on Biden to give a big speech in the Knesset.
In this way, according to Haass, the US President could make it clear that he speaks with his own voice and that his views are by no means identical to those of Netanyahu.
More background: Biden switches to attack against Trump
Politicians want to deal with the pandemic
Four years ago today, the first German died as a result of Covid-19.
It was a 59-year-old Hamburg firefighter.
Back then, no one could have imagined what would come to the world.
And although the pandemic is now over, it still has a political impact in many countries.
The polarization in Germany, but also in the USA, has increased as a result of the pandemic.
Since then, parts of the population have developed a fundamental distrust of established politics.
There's no point in simply dismissing it.
As my colleagues from the SPIEGEL capital office report, politicians from the government coalition and the opposition are calling for a thorough review of corona policy.
And that's right.
Health politicians from the FDP want to set up a “pandemic” study commission in the Bundestag.
The aim is to clarify whether aid flowed in the right direction and whether individual measures were justified, FDP member of the Bundestag Andrew Ullmann told SPIEGEL.
The legal scientist Stefan Huster, who chaired the expert council to evaluate the pandemic measures, is also in favor of it.
For Irene Mihalic, first parliamentary director of the Greens in the Bundestag, a study commission would be too long-term a project.
The traffic light still has to deal with the pandemic period in the current legislative period, said Mihalic.
Helge Braun (CDU), former head of the Chancellery under Angela Merkel, said the challenge was to agree on a uniform framework for measures in the next pandemic.
He has in mind a federalism commission.
More background: The fission virus
Space: a case for Marie Kondo?
We humans produce a lot of waste.
We know that. Now our remnants are even orbiting in space, which is a bit embarrassing.
A discarded battery pack from the International Space Station (ISS) has been flying around the Earth for three years.
Now the space debris is supposed to enter the atmosphere.
Today, debris could return to where it was produced: it could fall to earth.
The Federal Office for Civil Protection even distributed official danger information via several warning apps - even though Germany is not said to be at risk.
The warning, according to the office, serves “transparency.”
Who actually cleans up space when it gets too messy?
It probably won't be the Japanese order advisor Marie Kondo.
More background: At least this problem doesn't have to worry us much
Read the current SPIEGEL editorial here
218 has to go!
The freedom to terminate a pregnancy has recently been included in the constitution in France.
While Germany still criminalizes pregnant women who want to have an abortion.
That needs to change.
Click here for the current daily quiz
The starting question today: Who did the expression “bread and circuses” come from?
Winners of the day…
...are of course the women.
Because today is International Women's Day.
And today the German actress Christiane Paul (“Under the Radar”) turns fifty.
And tomorrow the French actress Juliette Binoche (“Chocolat”) turns 60.
And the day after tomorrow, Swedish singer Neneh Cherry ("I've Got You Under My Skin") will also be 60 years old.
What does International Women's Day have to do with all these birthdays?
A whole lot.
I think women in their fifties and sixties have a new self-confidence.
This is an important step in emancipation - namely emancipation from the traditional idea that female self-confidence is only available to younger people.
I once wrote an entire book on the subject (“The Happy Ones”).
Christiane Paul was one of my protagonists.
The most popular men's excuses - and why they block progress
The latest reports from the night
Trump cannot delay enforcement of judgment:
Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million in damages to author E. Jean Carroll.
A judge now decided: He has to pay – or at least post bail – by Monday.
Gunmen apparently kidnap hundreds of children from school in Nigeria:
There has been another attack on a school in Nigeria.
Up to 300 children are said to have been kidnapped.
Manufacturer recalls smoothies sold by Lidl and Netto:
They could cause nausea, vomiting and indigestion: A dairy is recalling certain bottles of two smoothies that were on the shelves at Lidl and Netto.
They should under no circumstances be drunk.
I would particularly like to recommend this story to you today:
Who knows Germany's most successful winter sports athlete?
Ramona Hofmeister wins the overall snowboard World Cup for the fourth time.
But hardly anyone in Germany knows her.
TV broadcasts are a rarity and therefore there is a lack of appreciation for the sport.
Hofmeister would like a rethink.
“We are a sport that is simply part of a classic winter sports Sunday, especially because we are so successful,” she says.
My colleague Fynn Hornberg portrayed the athlete – and spoke to her about the search for attention.
I wish you a good start to the day.
Yours, Susanne Beyer, author of the editor-in-chief