1.
Not a bit of peace
The conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine is currently taking place in Lugano.
At the moment, however, Russian rockets are probably also raining down on the country invaded by Russia, destroying houses, shopping centers and defense lines.
And kill people.
Federal Development Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD), who is taking part in the two-day meeting on behalf of Germany, spoke at the beginning of the conference of "an immense task" that one is facing.
It is important that "the course for a sustainable, reform-oriented reconstruction of Ukraine" is set now.
"People in Ukraine need a roof over their heads, a school to study in, an intact power grid, a secure water supply and much more," she added.
Above all, one might add, people need peace.
And with a view to the news situation, that is currently nowhere in sight.
After capturing the former city of Lysychansk in eastern Ukraine, Russian troops are now advancing on their next target, the Sloviansk conurbation.
The governor of the eastern Ukrainian region of Luhansk, Serhiy Hajday, expects that after taking it, the Russian troops will now concentrate on the neighboring region of Donetsk.
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Fahimi, Scholz, Dulger, Hebestreit: Results should not be available until autumn
PHOTO: JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP
Because there is no end in sight to the war, fears of a related economic crisis in Germany are growing.
The enemy that needs to be pushed back in this country is inflation.
Whether heating costs, fuel costs or groceries - for many citizens the rising prices have become a big problem.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz therefore invited trade unions, employers, the Bundesbank and scientists to a dialogue today.
As part of the so-called concerted action, proposals are to be developed in order to counteract the price pressure.
Concrete instruments were not presented, but Scholz swore the citizens to a long phase with high prices and scarcity: "We are facing a historic challenge." Sounds like a lot of warm words against the "icy winter" before the CSU boss Markus Söder warned about the impending gas shortage after a joint executive committee meeting of the CSU and the Bavarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce.
The concerted action against inflation should not bring concrete results until autumn, as announced by government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit.
The opening meeting will be followed by a whole series of other meetings.
"We're talking a long way," Hebestreit said.
"Talking helps," says my colleague David Böcking from our business department with cautious optimism.
It is never bad "when the social partners speak in times of crisis, as has already been shown in previous crises".
It is questionable, however, “whether Scholz really needs to be moderated”.
The real conflicts are likely to come as the situation worsens.
Employer President Rainer Dulger gave a little foretaste last week when he was thinking aloud about a possible restriction of the right to strike.
Read more here: »The current crisis will not be over in a few months«
And here is more news and background information on the war in Ukraine:
German exports to Russia have recently increased again:
Despite sanctions and the withdrawal of companies, German exports to Russia increased between April and May.
A certain product group is probably responsible for the plus.
That's why so little wheat comes from Ukraine:
around 40 million tons of wheat are still stuck in Ukraine.
A visit to the largest Romanian Black Sea port in Constanța shows why.
How Russia now wants to revive Soviet car brands:
closed factories, missing parts - the Russian vehicle industry is on the rocks.
Now Moscow is trying to restart with Soviet model names.
A bizarre project that harbors dangers.
Find all the latest developments on the war in Ukraine here: The News Update
2. Climate catastrophe
An avalanche of ice, snow and rock fell from a Dolomite glacier in northern Italy on Sunday.
The rubble masses also plowed through one of the main access routes to the 3343 meter high Marmolada Mountain, on which several rope teams were located.
Six people are dead, eight are seriously injured in the hospital, and helpers are still looking for survivors on the slope.
Apparently two Germans are among the victims.
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Rescue helicopter in the Dolomites
Photo: Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico / dpa
There was initially no official information on the cause of the accident - however, there are many indications that the high temperatures of the past few days, weeks and months are likely to play a role.
According to media reports, a record value of ten degrees was measured on the summit of the mountain on Saturday.
'I've never seen anything like it on the Marmolada.
It wasn't a normal avalanche like in winter," said a mountain rescuer.
Italy registered much less precipitation than usual last winter, and many glaciers now lack snow to protect them from the sun and the high temperatures.
Extreme mountaineer and environmentalist Reinhold Messner warned of more accidents of this kind in view of global warming. Because of the increased temperatures, glaciers are more unstable: "Today there are many more rock and ice breaks than in the past."
Read more here: »This is an absolute anomaly«
3.
Dortmund instead of Doha
One of the biggest mysteries of the present - one could also speak of a scandal - was discussed today in the Sports Committee of the German Bundestag: the award of the World Cup in the Emirate of Qatar.
From an infectious point of view, maybe it's a good thing that we're not gathering for public viewing in bars and beer gardens these days.
The reported number of Covid 19 patients being treated in intensive care units has been in four figures since Sunday.
We still have to wait until November 21st for this year's World Cup to start.
Due to the currently very high temperatures in the desert state, the sporting event was moved to winter.
But one can already ask oneself whether, from an ethical point of view, the World Cup should have been awarded to Qatar at all?
After all, stadiums will be erected there on the graves of thousands of migrant workers - and presumably demolished again after the event, with no regard for the ecological waste of resources.
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Doha skyline
Photo:
Yoan Valat/ dpa
Thomas Beschorner, Director of the Institute for Business Ethics at the University of St. Gallen, believes that Fifa and the German Football Association should abandon rhetoric that »assumes democratization processes through major sporting events«.
In today's guest article for SPIEGEL he writes: "Democratization and liberalization through major sporting events, be it in football (examples: Chile 1962, Argentina 1978, Russia 2018) or at the Olympic Games (Berlin 1936, Beijing 2008 and 2022) are taking place de facto not instead.
There is no scientific evidence for this."
Beschorner asks why has there hardly ever been any serious discussion about a boycott of the World Cup in Qatar for humanitarian reasons, as suggested by the fan camp, among others?
And: »Why have leading football nations (others would have followed) never considered an alternative football tournament?«.
Dortmund instead of Doha!
Read Thomas Beschorner's guest article here: What we need to learn from the Qatar debacle
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What else is important today
Federal government creates protective shield for energy companies:
Uniper is the largest German gas supplier - and is on the verge of bankruptcy.
According to SPIEGEL information, the federal government is now creating the legal basis for taking over the energy company this week.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution warns all MPs about hijacked Messenger accounts:
Apparently, user accounts have been "taken over by high-ranking political figures".
At least that's the title of a warning to all members of the Bundestag that SPIEGEL has received.
Suspect is in custody in psychiatry:
He is said to have killed three people and injured several: Now the alleged shooter of Copenhagen has appeared before the magistrate.
He is to spend the pre-trial detention under psychiatric observation.
Turkey stops Russian grain freighter:
The Russian cargo ship "Zhibek Zholy" has been arrested by Turkish authorities in the Black Sea.
Ukraine had previously pushed to confiscate the ship.
The grain on board was stolen.
What we recommend at SPIEGEL+ today
How an excess profit tax could work:
There is no such thing as too much profit: Opponents use this argument to reject a tax on particularly high crisis profits.
But there is a basis for this – worldwide.
A titanium ring that can withstand the weight of two elephants:
The introduction was postponed, its appearance was criticized.
But at the weekend in Silverstone, the cockpit protection probably saved the lives of two pilots.
It is not the first time in its young history.
Which is less important today
Enlarge image
Photo:
Andreas Solaro / AFP
Rumors have been circulating in the Catholic Church for some time that the
Pope
is allegedly seriously ill and that he, like his predecessor, will become Pope Benedict XVI.
could leave office prematurely.
Now the pontiff has rejected such speculation.
"It never occurred to me," the 85-year-old leader of the Roman Catholic Church said in an interview published today.
In the interview at his Vatican residence, Francis also denied rumors that he was suffering from cancer.
He joked that his doctors "didn't tell me anything about it."
The Pope described the speculation as Vatican “court gossip”.
Typo of the day
, now corrected: "During a Zoom call, she drinks from a coffee cup that reads 'I ♥ Tax Law' in English and French"
Cartoon of the Day:
Ice Cream
And tonight?
For once, I'm looking for tips today.
I will probably not watch a film or read a book after work, but will try to find a free campsite or even a holiday apartment somewhere by the sea sometime in early September.
After reading Nikolaus Blome's column today about the European travel chaos, I'm seriously considering spending the summer vacation at home in Munich.
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Photo:
Marius Becker / dpa
The situation at German airports and on the rails seems so bad that Nikolaus proposes the reintroduction of conscription and military service.
Instead of guest workers from Turkey, the Bundeswehr could help out with baggage handling.
“This society has emergency and staff shortages in many areas, from old people's homes to the airport terminal.
And giving exhausted families a decent start to their first long vacation in two years is, in my opinion, a good service to society, you could also say: valuable community service.«
Have a nice evening,
your Anna Clauss
Here you can order the »Situation in the Evening« by e-mail.
