Joe Biden's moment of glory
US President Joe Biden has not been seen so relaxed for a long time.
At the NATO summit in Brussels, he jokes with the Turkish President and the British Prime Minister.
The American is relaxed and self-confident.
No wonder, because the USA and its President are rightly the focus of the current summit marathon.
In the confrontation with Russia over Ukraine, Washington has taken the lead in the Western alliance under the presidency of Joe Biden.
Without the courageous efforts of the Americans - for example in the arms deliveries - Russia's troops in Ukraine might already be standing on the eastern border of the EU.
Europe cannot (yet) assert itself against the threat from Moscow.
Biden also helped to push through the now decided admission of Finland and Sweden to NATO.
In Madrid he renewed the oath of allegiance to the NATO partners:
America would defend "every inch" of NATO territory, he promised.
As evidence, he announced that he would move more US soldiers to Europe.
In Spain, the number of American destroyers stationed in the port of Rota is also to be increased from four to six.
In Berlin, Paris and Brussels, even after this NATO summit, they will all admit: America is fortunate to exist.
Successes at the NATO summit: A strong signal in the direction of Moscow - but the work is only just beginning
You can find more news and background information on the war in Ukraine here:
That happened at night:
the Ukrainian city of Lysychansk is "permanently bombed with large calibers."
Russia's president threatens Finland and Sweden - and talks about the "disgusting sight" of naked G7 leaders.
The overview.
These countries are hit hardest by inflation:
Food prices have been rising since the Russian attack on Ukraine.
The SPIEGEL data analysis shows that in some countries inflation is up to 364 percent.
The consequences are catastrophic.
Ruble rate rises to a seven-year high:
The punitive measures are damaging the Russian economy, but the national currency is stronger than it has been for years.
The Kremlin is now even considering taking countermeasures.
Where do the excesses of violence come from?
Putin's soldiers are committing the worst war crimes in Ukraine.
How could it come to this?
An explanation: Violence is part of everyday life in Russia.
NATO versus China
The NATO summit in Madrid is of course primarily about Russia and Ukraine.
But it is almost as significant that the alliance is sending out the signal that it wants to focus more and more on China in the future.
For the first time, four states from the Indo-Pacific region, which NATO regards as allies against China, were invited to a NATO summit:
Intensified cooperation is being discussed with Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, for example in the area of cyber defense.
"China is not our opponent, but we have to be clear about the major challenges," said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
The country threatens its neighbor Taiwan and is arming itself substantially, including in the field of nuclear weapons.
China's policies have an impact on the security of the alliance and its partners.
NATO's increased focus on Asia is a remarkable development: for years, China has been systematically expanding its influence not only in Asia, but also in other regions of the world such as Africa.
Most of the time, the West stood by and did nothing.
Now NATO has also woken up and is obviously trying to create a counterweight.
And what is China doing? There they are outraged.
Chinese UN Ambassador Zhang Jun warned NATO against any form of interference in Asian affairs.
The alliance should not try to create an Asian version of NATO, Zhang said.
"The unrest and conflicts that we are seeing in parts of the world must not take place in the Asia-Pacific region," he said.
Friendship greetings sound different.
Guest post on the conflict with China: You must understand – and protect – Taiwan
Verdict against Paris attackers
Suddenly they are there again, the images: panicked people jump out of a side window of the Bataclan concert hall in Paris, others duck desperately behind tables in street cafés.
130 people died in November 2015 in the French capital in a series of attacks by Islamists.
The 32-year-old Frenchman Salah Abdeslam has now been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Paris jury as the main defendant for his involvement in the attacks.
He is considered the only survivor of the terrorist squad at the time, his explosive vest was defective and did not detonate.
19 of the 20 other accused were also sentenced to long prison terms.
They were mostly helpers who assisted the terrorists in carrying out their crime.
The main defendant showed little remorse.
During the trial he even made a declaration of love for the terrorist organization "Islamic State".
End of Bataclan trial: main defendant Salah Abdeslam sentenced to life imprisonment
Here is the current quiz of the day
The starting question today: Which of these countries does not recognize Kosovo as a sovereign country in south-eastern Europe?
loser of the day...
...is former New York Mayor and Donald Trump sidekick
Rudy Giuliani
.
The senior, who was once quite successful as mayor, really does not succeed anymore.
Now the attempt to help his son to pursue a political career has also gone awry.
For months, Giuliani has been campaigning for his offspring Andrew to become the new governor of New York.
But father and son went under on the first stage.
Giuliani Junior was clearly defeated by his rival Lee Zeldin in the party's internal preselection of the Republican candidate.
He will now face the Democratic nominee, incumbent governor Kathy Hochul, in November.
Big surprise: The Giulianis actually accepted the election defeat.
Who would have thought?
The latest news from the night
Committee on Capitol attack summons Trump's former legal adviser:
Pat Cipollone apparently repeatedly expressed concerns about Donald Trump's activities on January 6, 2021. Cipollone is now to testify before the investigative committee on the Capitol storm.
Dead migrants in truck - driver posed as survivor:
After dozens of dead migrants were discovered in a truck in Texas, the driver of the car apparently posed as a victim himself - but has since been arrested.
The death toll rises to 53.
Austrian doctor closes practice after death threats from opponents of vaccination:
Because she was threatened several times, an Austrian doctor hired a security service.
Now she can no longer afford it and is closing the practice for the time being.
A police spokesman was also criticized.
The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today
"Not quite peace anymore, not quite war yet":
When the corona vaccinations faltered, Olaf Scholz brought in Major General Carsten Breuer as crisis manager.
Here the soldier takes stock, explains his next major project - and what new threats we are facing.
Why Russian skilled workers are avoiding Germany - and how that should change:
The federal government estimates that around 200,000 Russian skilled workers are stuck in countries like Armenia and Georgia - and wants to guide "as many as possible" to Germany.
However, the hurdles are still high.
How you can protect yourself from ticks - and what to do after a bite:
Ticks transmit the disease TBE - and this is becoming more and more common in Germany.
Which parts of the body do the animals prefer?
Who should get vaccinated?
The most important questions and answers .
This 20-year-old cyclist wants to suffer 22,000 kilometers alone:
the pros start the Tour de France, the amateur Erik Horsthemke tackles an even bigger project: all three big tours.
Alone.
But to be successful as an extreme athlete, you have to endure more than agony.
I wish you a good start into the day.
Yours, Roland Nelles
