1. Escape behind bars
Legal history was written in Koblenz today.
The higher regional court there sentenced a henchman of the Assad regime to life imprisonment for state torture in Syria.
The fact that the process was conducted in Germany is due to the so-called world law principle in international criminal law. Accordingly, acts may also be negotiated in this country that have no direct connection to Germany. The convicted Anwar Raslan, head of the investigative department al-Khatib of the Syrian State Security, was recognized by victims of torture after his escape to Germany and was finally caught by the authorities.
The trial against him began 108 days ago in April 2020 and caused an international sensation. More than 80 witnesses were summoned, and a number of victims of torture appeared as co-plaintiffs. It is the first case of this kind in which an actor in the Syrian civil war had to answer for his actions. "I would appreciate it if other constitutional states follow this example," said Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP). Anyone who has committed crimes against humanity should not find safe retreats anywhere.
But what can a judge's verdict in Koblenz do against torture, rape or murder in other parts of the world? My colleagues from the SPIEGEL foreign department, Christoph Reuter and Hannah El-Hitami, write: "It is a tremendous merit of these proceedings to have shed light on the monstrous crimes of the Syrian secret service apparatus." Served Syrians. »The disappearance of at least 102,000 people without a trace and the documented torture of more than 14,000 were dealt with in Koblenz. That's a win. "
But it remains ambivalent who is being convicted here.
In contrast to the special tribunals of the United Nations for Rwanda, for example, crimes by a power that was still in power were tried in Koblenz.
"Only those who can be held accountable by the judiciary, who have turned away from the regime, deserted and fled," write Reuter and El-Hitami.
Read the full story here: What good is a trial of Syrian intelligence officers - in Koblenz?
2.
Enough!
The fight against corona in Germany could soon take place in a blind flight.
In any case, the test capacities are slowly becoming scarce.
Thanks to Omikron, the need for PCR tests has skyrocketed.
In addition, callers who are not moving fast enough complain, as the laboratory operator Thomas Fenner told my colleague Marthe Ruddat.
With a view to the overloaded laboratories, Federal Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) called today in the debate about the planned education policy of the traffic light coalition that schools should be given special consideration.
"Schools are part of the critical infrastructure, and if test capacities become scarce, then pupils should not be left behind in our country." Schools should at least get the rank of cultural institutions in the critical infrastructure, she added.
In my son's primary school in Bavaria, the children are currently doing lollipop tests every two days, but the results of the tests often come late in the evening, sometimes even the next day, which could be unfavorable if the test result was positive. But not only the laboratories are overloaded. Even the teachers (since the staff at my son's primary school are purely female, I may use the generic feminine here - men are included!) Are often made very difficult by the ever new guidelines from politics.
In France today, numerous educators have gathered for demonstrations in several cities across the country and have stopped working.
"Exhaustion and despair of the entire educational community have reached unprecedented levels," said a joint statement by eleven unions that had called for a strike.
Hopefully that is not yet to come for us in Germany.
Read an interview with the deputy headmaster of the German School in Paris: »School closings are perceived here as a completely different turning point«
3. The end is near
There is a civil war in Syria, Russia threatens to invade Ukraine, Omikron is driving the incidence of corona upwards worldwide - for directors like Roland Emmerich, who specializes in filming disasters, times should be good.
But Emmerich would probably not be Emmerich if he hadn't come up with something more fatal.
In his latest film, "Moonfall", the moon threatens to crash into the earth.
When asked in the »Playboy« interview whether he still felt like staging the apocalypse in view of the current situation, he said: »It takes away a bit of the desire to destroy.« In real life, the director is caused by the climate crisis great concern because so many did not understand the problem.
"But in 10, 15, 20 years everything will be so bad that nobody can deny it."
So is the end near?
In any case, it was not a good day for the German internal combustion engine.
Transport Minister Volker Wissing has surprisingly left the line of his party and announced that he will not believe in the future of the internal combustion engine: The FDP minister is now fully relying on battery-electric cars and synthetic fuels - so-called e-fuels - a rejection.
Interest groups called on Thursday for even more far-reaching reforms for the mobility transition.
In traffic law, the privilege of cars must be ended, explained the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC).
And by the way, anyone looking for a better life should play a lot more tennis.
Or at least watch.
At least that's how I understand Michael Stich, who gave my colleagues from the SPIEGEL Sport editorial team, Peter Ahrens and Klaus Bellstedt, a very readable interview.
In 1996, when Roland Emmerich's "Independence Day" hit the cinemas, the ex-tennis pro was the first and to date only German men's professional of the post-war period in the final of the French Open.
This year Novak Djoković won there, who is currently not only holding the tennis world in suspense because, as an unvaccinated person, he had problems entering Australia and may now be deported.
The final decision by the Australian authorities is likely to be made tomorrow.
Stich would like the Australian Open to be a normal tournament.
“That people start talking about tennis again.
And the 128 men and women in the field are given the respect they deserve. "
Read the full length interview here: Ex-tennis star Stich on the Djoković case
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What else is important today
Stiko is in favor of corona booster vaccinations from the age of twelve:
So far, the recommendation was only valid for people aged 18 and over.
The Standing Vaccination Commission now recommends a booster vaccination for all 12 to 17 year old children and adolescents.
Raid at the »Center for Political Beauty« after an action against AfD:
The activists call it »artistic freedom«, the AfD »damage to democracy«.
The "Center for Political Beauty" destroyed right wing flyers in a deception in 2021.
Now the police are investigating.
Veterans urge Queen to revoke his military title from Prince Andrew:
"We are extremely upset and angry that Prince Andrew is still a member of the armed forces." Veterans want the 61-year-old to lose his military title.
This threatens a process.
Researchers are re-dating the age of Homo sapiens:
Modern humans are apparently more than 233,000 years old.
The exact age has now been determined by volcanologists, reports "Nature".
My favorite story today:
rescue in need
Two stories made my heart beat faster today: one with excitement, the other with emotion.
On the tenth anniversary of the “Costa Concordia” accident, my SPIEGEL colleague Miriam Olbrisch conducted an interview with the survivor Hannah Lukes, who was then 13 years old, climbed 30 meter high rope ladders and was not even aware of the danger she was in floated.
The story of two family photos from Izmir is also breathtaking.
Sule Atilgan-Sydogmus, 53, tells about her mother, who moved from Turkey to Germany in 1970 to work in a factory and therefore had to leave her four children behind, which almost broke her heart.
Here too, so much can be revealed, there is a happy ending.
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL +
"We are all so exhausted and irritable as a society":
The German Ethics Council recommends expanding the statutory vaccination requirement.
The chairwoman Alena Buyx reports of intensive discussions - and names requirements for such a measure that have not yet been met.
"Germany must not become a bad bank for old technology":
Tens of thousands of jobs are at stake in traditional industries.
IG Metall boss Jörg Hofmann fears that new products will be outsourced to low-wage countries - and German engineers will fall by the wayside.
"It made the start easier that my predecessor Markus was the beginning":
He is the youngest head coach in German professional football.
Here Ole Werner tells what his plan is with Werder Bremen - and how he followed the vaccination scandal surrounding his ex-colleague Markus Anfang.
Which is less important today
Enlarge image
Residents of Zhengzhou will queue up on January 10 to be tested for the corona virus
Photo: Zhang Haoran / picture alliance / Xinhua News Agency
This woman certainly has a place on the podium on the hit list of the most unsuccessful blind dates of all time: A young Chinese woman from the metropolis of Zhengzhou visited a man in his apartment - a lockdown was imposed on the residential area during dinner.
For four days, the woman had to date a man whom she described to the Guardian as being “as dumb as a wooden doll”.
Everything else is pretty good for that, she said.
"His food is average, but I think it's great that he even cooks."
Typo of the day
, now corrected: »In a letter published on Wednesday, General Secretary António Guterres stated that Iran would have to pay the equivalent of at least 16.1 million euros and Venezuela 34.8 million euros in order to be able to participate in the largest UN body again . "
Cartoon of the day:
Mail from divorce lawyer?
And tonight?
Two writers, Simone Buchholz and Mithu Sanyal, and their colleague Dmitrij Kapitelman made the demand in an article in the Süddeutsche Zeitung that Germany needs a parliamentarian - a post that already exists in Canada.
You don't have to apply for this job right away, but instead of secretly making fun of the idea, write another poem.
Or read some.
For example that of Thomas Gsella, with whom he expresses his interest in the post of parliamentarian:
O take my request, hear my call,
MPs: inside!
O let my genius, as the muse made it,
help you with all his senses!
A lovely evening.
Sincerely,
Anna Clauss
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