1.
Screeching after the Corona resolutions
Many people do not imagine the work of political journalists very cheerful because they so often have to report on the irrationality and cruelty of the world.
In books and films, characters in the journalistic profession - especially when they deal with politics for news magazines - are therefore often grouchy, suffering characters.
I find this caricature annoying because my colleagues from the political departments are of course by no means depressed in reality, but mostly balanced and sometimes even humor-loving people.
Today, for example, some of my colleagues, with a smile on their face, discussed Markus Söder's already proverbial half-sentence that his politician colleague Olaf Scholz "doesn't need to grin that smurfy".
This verbal attack occurred, as it is said, yesterday during the consultation between Angela Merkel and the heads of the federal states about the progress of the corona policy.
Because of the decisions of the conference there were complaints and a lot of misery from many sides in Germany today, there was also a great need for explanation about what exactly is planned now.
Icon: enlarge Photo: Federal Government
The step-by-step plan adopted by the federal and state governments for opening bookshops, flower shops and driving and flight schools and vaccinating teachers and educators is controversial.
Retailers protest, health experts warn of a third wave of infections.
And of course, the discussions of my colleagues in the end were more shaped by the seriousness of the corona situation than by funny Schlumpf comparisons.
But Söder and Scholz are apparently striving to prove their humor and have already made up again.
The CSU boss, who is famous for a legendary appearance in the carnival costume of the animated character Shrek, put it this way: "I don't want to say we are one heart and one soul, but now everything is fine again." Why did he make a comparison Söder apparently did not want to explain with a cartoon character from the realm of the originally Belgian Smurfs for his politician colleague Scholz.
Smurfs are known to be rather small and have a blue skin color.
But they are also characterized by a great shrewdness.
Some of them specialize.
In my opinion, the Corona politician Olaf Scholz could most likely find his equivalent in the figure of the so-called craft smurf.
To match, he should wear dungarees at the next federal-state summit.
Relaxation in schools: "Dangerous sham security"
2.
Alarm mood in Washington
Sometimes one would like to laugh at the absurd conspiracy myths that are making the rounds among radical supporters of former US President Donald Trump.
But at least since the storm of a wild mob on the Capitol on January 6th, we have known: This nonsense is not harmless.
And today again such stray people give cause for concern to many politicians and officials in Washington.
In online chats, members of the right-wing extremist scene have apparently agreed to conduct potentially violent actions this March 4th.
There is even talk of a possible attack by a "militia" on the Capitol.
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Armed soldiers guard the Capitol in the US capital Washington
Photo: J. Scott Applewhite / AP
My colleague Roland Nelles describes the conspiracy narratives that are spread by right-wing extremist women and men in the USA.
March 4 was the official inauguration day for US presidents until 1933.
Now some fanatical Donald Trump fans have thought that their idol will somehow take over power from his successor Joe Biden that day.
After the storm at the beginning of January, there is fear in the power center of the USA that the events could now repeat themselves in a similar form.
One of the security chiefs in the US Congress has informed the MPs that the protective measures around the US Capitol are being strengthened.
The House of Representatives even canceled a scheduled meeting.
The US Department of Homeland Security is reported to have feared an increase in violent acts by conspiracy mystics and anti-government groups.
Are the precautions taken by the security guards in Washington just excessive caution after all?
In any case, so far there are "no concrete indications that major protests by Trump fans could be planned in the US capital on Thursday," writes Roland.
I asked him what effect the threats of violence and dark prophecies of obviously crazy Trump supporters could have on the power of the incumbent US president.
"Joe Biden can help this madness," says Roland.
"Because the vast majority of Americans think these people are crazy and long for political stability - that is what Biden promises."
Read the full story here: The dangerous cult around March 4th
3.
The dangerous papal trip to Iraq
The 84-year-old Pope Francis plans to visit Iraq for four days starting Friday tomorrow.
My colleagues Monika Bolliger and Katrin Kuntz describe the risks that the top Catholic leader is taking.
Among other things, a mass is planned in a stadium in Erbil with up to 10,000 believers, because there are many infections with the corona virus in Iraq too, safety distances and hygiene regulations must be observed.
Some critics fear that the Pope's performances and meetings could turn into super-spreader events.
The top Catholic cleric himself is vaccinated as a potential high risk patient.
Icon: enlarge
Wants to proclaim a message of peace in Iraq: Pope Francis
Photo: KHALID AL-MOUSILY / REUTERS
The Pope's first ever visit to Iraq is to a country from which numerous Christians have fled in recent years.
According to estimates, around 1.5 million Christians lived in Iraq in 2003; today there are said to be 200,000 to 400,000.
Among other things, Francis wants to make a pilgrimage to Ur, the birthplace of Abraham, to which Jews, Christians and Muslims refer as ancestral father.
Many thousands of Iraqi police officers and soldiers are supposed to protect the church leader from possible attacks during his visit.
My colleague Monika Bolliger believes that with his trip, the Pope shows not only trust in God, but also political courage.
"It sends a strong signal for religious dialogue and for peaceful coexistence in a country that has suffered severely from the violence of extremists against people of different faiths." This is particularly important now, according to Monika, "because resistance is growing among the Iraqi population against a policy that is primarily based on religious identities. "
Read the full story here: Journey into Risk
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What else is important today
The golden days for business travelers are over:
Lufthansa is making billions in losses - but the boss is already thinking of the time after the crisis.
Carsten Spohr relies on tourists and saves on premium and business customers.
Google reiterates its move away from cookie tracking:
Google has again emphasized that it does not want to offer any tracking technology in the Chrome browser after 2022 that would be a full replacement for today's cookies.
But why does the group publish this announcement now?
Board of Directors refuses to discharge the Frontex boss:
What did Frontex know about the pushbacks in the Mediterranean?
The agency's supervisory body is reluctant to clearly identify legal violations.
But the criticism of Frontex boss Leggeri is harsh.
Animal industry receives 13 billion euros from the state - year after year:
How much do pig breeders, poultry farms or cattle farmers get in subsidies?
The alliance “Together against the animal industry” has calculated the amount of money that goes into animal husbandry alone.
Not necessarily my favorite message, but my favorite picture of the day
Icon: enlarge
53 percent of newborns in Germany have siblings at birth: More and more babies are not born as first-born.
410,000 of the 770,000 newborns in 2020 already had at least one sibling.
Photo:
Shannon Banal / Getty Images
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL +
At the beginning of April we will
start all over again
:
From Monday the federal and state governments will be granting the population more freedom again.
Experts warn of a yo-yo effect.
Your last hope: masses of rapid antigen tests.
But where are they?
"The day-night rhythm is impaired, they are afraid of failure and fear of the future."
Young people in Berlin have digitally found out how much they are suffering from the current learning conditions.
The school psychologist Lukas Ulrich confirms that politics has asked too much of them.
How secret conversation recordings turned into a football thriller:
World footballer Robert Lewandowski countered a lawsuit against millions by his ex-advisor with a criminal complaint for extortion.
His most important evidence: secretly recorded conversations.
But the case is much bigger.
Which is less important today
Icon: enlarge
So far on Sky, soon on ARD: Esther Sedlaczek
Photo:
Soeren Stache / dpa
Proud sports friend.
Esther Sedlaczek
, 35, will succeed Matthias Opdenhövel as the presenter of the “Sportschau” in the first.
So far, the journalist has worked for the pay-TV channel Sky, among others;
"Very competent," as my cultural colleague Volker Weidermann, who is almost omniscient about football, told me today.
It starts at the “Sportschau” in summer, at the beginning of the new Bundesliga soccer season.
Sedlaczek will also be used for live football broadcasts and will ensure that more women than men will be in front of the camera in the traditional broadcast on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.
She herself said of her new job: "I am very proud to succeed many great moderators."
Typo of the day
, now corrected: "Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) warned Söder against hasty opening steps."
Cartoon of the day:
"And you're going with me!"
Icon: enlarge Photo: plassmann / Thomas Plaßmann
And tonight?
The great actor Philip Seymour Hoffman can be seen tonight in the third program of the RBB in the film "A Most Wanted Man".
The role of a secret service man in the film adaptation of a crime novel by John le Carré was the last, poignant appearance of the actor, who died in 2014 of a drug overdose.
My very esteemed former colleague Daniel Sander wrote about the film when it came to the cinemas in 2015 that it was "permeated with so much sadness that the director Anton Corbijn could have shot it in black and white."
However, the location of Hamburg in "A Most Wanted Man" looks so cool and gray that the color doesn't make a big difference.
My equally valued colleague Martin Wolf, who still works for SPIEGEL to this day, wrote about Philip Seymour Hoffman that he left “countless sad colleagues and fans all over the world.
Nobody could embody losers, outsiders and charismatic assholes as convincingly as he. "
A lovely evening.
Sincerely
yours, Wolfgang Höbel
Here you can order the "Lage am Abend" by email.