1. Basic child welfare is far from secure
The traffic light coalition has recently argued violently over so many issues that one important dispute has almost been forgotten: basic child welfare, a social reform from the family ministry of the Green Minister Lisa Paus that was advertised as revolutionary. In principle, writes my colleague Milena Hassenkamp, no one can object to freeing needy children from poverty. And the Family Minister remains confident that she will be able to make her reform a reality before the end of the legislative period.
But what Milena has researched behind the scenes of the coalition gives little reason to believe that this will happen: “The law on basic child security should be passed by the Federal Council at the end of February. Only then, as the Federal Employment Agency explained, would there still be enough time to technically implement the project by 2025. But at the end of March it is not even clear when the law will be debated further in the Bundestag, let alone the Bundesrat." Paus is too at odds with the responsible MPs from the coalition partners SPD and FDP, the skepticism is too great: "The Greens It is said that the family minister underestimated the size of such a reform.
After all, negotiations are now taking place again for the first time in months.
Read the whole story here: The traffic light's most important social project is in danger of failing
2. Markus Söder's foreign policy ambitions
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Söder with panda figures in a hotel lobby in Chengdu: “Very cute animals”
Photo: Peter Kneffel / dpa
Actually, one would think that there is no convincing reason to ever leave the Free State of Bavaria: the mountains, the lakes, the entire landscape is more beautiful than anywhere else, and the beer also tastes better here. Well, some people may want to escape the permanently ruling CSU, but certainly not their own chairman. So what does Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder aim at with his numerous trips abroad? My colleague Jan Friedmann is currently traveling with Söder in China and is observing how the busy Franconian presents himself in the Far East: "Söder musing on a bench in front of the pond of a temple complex, Söder in the control room of a magnetic levitation train test track from a Bavarian-Chinese joint venture, Söder in group photos with students from Baden-Württemberg who recognize and speak to him in the imperial residence in Beijing.
Before China, Söder has recently paid statesmanlike visits to Israel, Sweden and Serbia; he likes to open Bavarian foreign offices all over the world and distribute steins and gingerbread hearts to distinguished visitors in Munich. Is someone getting themselves fit for the Chancellery in terms of foreign policy - or maybe they just want to annoy the Green Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock? Probably both.
Read the whole story here: “We are treated almost like an independent state”
3. The DFB has to decide whether it wants to keep Julian Nagelsmann beyond the European Championships
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National coach Julian Nagelsmann
Photo:
Ronald Wittek / EPA
Even as a complete football layman, I don't have to be afraid of getting into a technical discussion with lawn sports enthusiasts: reading the texts of my colleague Peter Ahrens regularly provides me with so much background knowledge that, if necessary, I can have an informed say for an entire half-time break without being exposed become. This also includes his analysis of the difficult decision that the DFB now faces: Should he extend the contract with national coach Julian Nagelsmann beyond the upcoming European Championship? The timing would be perfect after winning two international test matches, and Nagelsmann is publicly flirting with the possibility of moving if there is no DFB offer.
“It’s not that simple,” writes Peter. »In the past, the DFB has extended contracts with the coaching staff several times before tournaments. The tournaments were a flop, and the DFB suddenly found itself with disenchanted head coaches. The association actually didn't want to get involved in such an early extension.
Of course, Peter also knows what factors speak in favor of an extension with Nagelsmann.
Read the whole story here: The DFB’s Nagelsmann dilemma
What else is important today?
Number of fatal e-scooter riders doubles:
Fewer cyclists died in accidents last year. But there were more victims who were traveling on foot, by e-bike or e-scooter. Experts therefore suggest rebuilding German roads.
Pregnant women age by two years in twenty weeks:
The stress of pregnancy causes women to age prematurely. According to US experts, the effect is clearly measurable - but not permanent. Rejuvenation awaits after birth.
Rowers should not jump into polluted Thames:
The rowing boat race between the universities of Cambridge and Oxford is one of the most traditional sporting events in the world. This year, however, the victory has to be celebrated differently than usual.
My favorite story today: The positive things about the pandemic
I have to admit: When there is a debate today about reviewing the Corona measures, I switch off internally. I don't want to know anything more about this dark time, and it doesn't interest me at all if some clever people wave around the RKI's Corona protocols because they think they have discovered a scandal in some detail. Of course, I know that it is important to look back critically on the pandemic in order to learn from it for the future. But I just don't like it yet.
And then I read the conversation between my colleague Rafaela von Bredow and Alena Buyx, the chairwoman of the German Ethics Council. Of course it's about mistakes and omissions, but Buyx also finds positive things about the pandemic: "Of course, that time was terrible, full of deprivation, everyone was afraid, everyone lost something. And we all suffered – it was terrible. So. And at the same time, it was a time in which I constantly saw people achieving top performance everywhere. Not to mention the incredible solidarity for the older people, the more vulnerable." And it's true: despite all the criticism and despite all the reluctance, we must not forget what we have achieved - despite this.
Read the entire conversation here: “We have made a five to ten year push”
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL+
America's vulnerable infrastructure and the lessons from Baltimore:
The Baltimore bridge collapse paralyzed the metropolitan region's important port. This affects companies and commuters. Only recently did the Americans prove how quickly they can fix such problems.
The woman behind Habeck:
On behalf of the Federal Minister of Economics, State Secretary Franziska Brantner travels around the world to secure raw materials for German companies. It is intended to reduce the industry's dependence on China. And encounters unexpected resistance.
How to detoxify the liver:
Many people have a serious problem with their liver and don't know about it. What helps, what harms and why the liver is also important for the heart, says doctor Ali Canbay in an interview.
Which is less important today
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No longer recognizable: This edited photo of a suspect comes from the Murrieta police
Photo: AP
No child's play:
Because a new law in California prohibits the police from publishing unedited photos of suspects, the Murrieta police station came up with the idea of using photomontage to
give the suspects the well-known heads of
Lego figures
. The results look somewhat funny, but not everyone liked them. In particular, the Lego company objected to the use of its intellectual property. And because law enforcement officers don't want to become lawbreakers, Murrieta is now considering something new: "We are currently examining other methods to continue publishing our content in a way that is appealing and interesting for our followers."
Mini concave mirror
You can find the entire concave mirror here.
Cartoon of the day
And tonight?
You shouldn't miss today's SPIEGEL top-level conversation between my colleague Markus Feldenkirchen and Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer. She is an impressive conversation partner not only because of her age of 102, but above all because of her alert mind and her impressive humanity. You can see it today from 8:30 p.m. on SPIEGEL.de.
A lovely evening. Heartfelt
Yours, Stefan Kuzmany, author in the editor-in-chief