The regime cares about its image
At first there was a strange distance to the
protests in Iran
. One could say sympathetically: it took the German foreign minister a moment to find a way of dealing with it.
At first, Annalena Baerbock, who advocates a »feminist foreign policy« like no one before her, admiration for the courage of the demonstrators could be heard.
But also that "our foreign policy options are limited."
Now the impression seems to be growing that the protests are not going to die down as quickly as initially thought
– they have been going on for over two months.
And there is movement in German Iran policy.
Yesterday, for example, the topic was put on the agenda of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva at the request of Germany and Iceland.
A majority of members passed a resolution stating that the violence against the protesters should be investigated by UN experts.
The deputy vice president for women (!) and family affairs in Iran, Khadijeh Karimi, spoke up and called the western states "arrogant hypocrites".
She denied them moral credibility, especially Germany.
The usual whataboutism of authoritarian minds.
Even if credibility is really a problem in the West, the federal government can take the vice president's attack as a compliment.
Now some will rightly ask: Does the regime in Tehran care what the UN says?
German-Iranian political scientist Ali Fathollah-Nejad, with whom we spoke for our article on Iran in today's issue, says the leadership is not entirely indifferent to its international image.
It is important to her to be able to show the population that the world takes her seriously.
»
However, there are probably other means that are more effective.
This also includes sanctions against the power elite and the Iranian oligarchy here in Europe and in the West.” So: bank accounts, entry, children studying at western universities.
It may be that "the West" is hypocritical.
It certainly is. But that doesn't automatically mean that we're totally hypocritical, so we prefer to hold back when an oppressive system is brutally crushing our own people.
Otherwise someone else will realize that we are hypocrites.
Protests in Iran: The regime brutally punishes the Kurds for their resistance
The European quarrel
When the
EU interior ministers
come together for their
special
meeting in Brussels today, it will be the umpteenth attempt to get at least one step closer to solving the “migration problem” in Europe.
A problem that repeatedly brings the countries of Europe to the brink of deep rifts.
Special meeting because such a rift between Italy and France recently escalated in an unusually dramatic way: Rome had refused for three weeks to allow the sea rescue ship "Ocean Viking" with 234 migrants, including many minors, according to reports, to enter one of its ports to let.
Italy had just finished general elections and apparently the winner, post-fascist and new prime minister Giorgia Meloni, was still very much in campaign mode.
France then accused Italy of "inhumane" behavior.
Conversely, the charge was that France was "aggressive."
Paris then allowed the ship to dock at its military port of Toulon in early November, with a small coalition of the willing agreeing
France, on the other hand, canceled an agreement concluded with Italy on the redistribution of refugees as a punishment.
The country wanted to take in 3,500 migrants from the neighboring country.
Now it is obviously a matter of finding a compromise between Italy and France.
To patch up a dispute about how to deal with sea rescue ships and redistribution, and to advise on a new practice for this.
At first that sounds like plugging holes where a long-term strategy is needed.
In any case, during the election campaign, Meloni propagated a “naval blockade” for ships with migrants on board.
Zoff between Paris and Rome: "Italy behaved very inhumanely"
70 years of pressure fueling with knowledge
The
Federal Agency for Civic Education
is 70 years old today.
All in all, I think it has done a very good job over the years as an integral part of the system in the Federal Republic.
In any case, I am personally a fan of the BpB.
The fact that the state puts its own effort into imparting political knowledge and forming the will of its citizens is probably unique in the world.
Completely non-ideological, of course, even if here and there malicious tongues claim that there is a left list.
Whether seminars, films, discussion events, material for schools (sometimes more or less exciting) - the output of the Bonn institution is enormous.
In the meantime, she also reacts to current topics and provides the background to many crises and conflicts in the world: for example the war between Russia and Ukraine, the climate, the repeat election in Berlin.
And since the Wahl-O-Mat has been around, we finally know who to vote for!
I don't know about you - but for me personally the "information on political education" is the best thing about the BpB.
Germany couldn't have done anything better for my Abi-ego in the mid-1990s and other high school students who often panicked because of their late learning commitment.
Without the knowledge pressure refueling through these black books, I would have made the Abitur... certainly, of course.
But not so bravura!
Anti-racism post: Federal Agency for Civic Education criticized after saying "sweet potato".
Analysis and news on the war in Ukraine can be found here:
Rocket hits Cherson, Zelenskyj calls for recapture of Crimea:
Ukraine needs more money for reconstruction.
President Selenskyj praises the people's spirit of resistance.
And: Belarus does not want to intervene directly in the war.
The most important developments.
Why 54 children who fled from home are returning to Ukraine:
When the war began, a Ukrainian children's home was evacuated to Germany.
Now buses brought the children back – to a country where there is a threat of cold and rockets keep falling.
What's behind it?
"This winter is Putin's last argument":
Half of the energy infrastructure in Ukraine is damaged.
Maksym Timchenko, head of Ukraine's largest private energy company, is facing a harsh winter.
He is not afraid of a total blackout.
Here is the current quiz of the day
The starting question today: What is the name of the Secretary General of the CSU?
Winner of the day...
…are
Kim, Kim, Kim, Kim
and
Kim
.
The Kim chain.
It was unsuccessful - the South Korea-Uruguay game ended 0-0.
But you can say that many, very many South Koreans felt represented in their national team: around 20 percent of South Koreans have this surname.
The second most common name is Lee, followed by Park.
In a way, the Japanese colonialists are to blame for this, forcing the Koreans to adopt surnames.
Many commoners obviously chose the names of nobles, and they were called Kim, Lee, or Park.
Ok, but of course we don't want to leave the Hwang trio unmentioned at this point.
The latest news from the night
Adidas is investigating pornography allegations against Kanye West:
The rapper is said to have shown employees pornography and an intimate picture of his ex-wife Kim Kardashian.
The group is investigating – after a fire letter from employees.
Arrests after the disappearance of a German priest in Mali:
There has been no trace of Hans-Joachim Lohre in Mali for days - a kidnapping of the German priest is feared.
The authorities in the Sahel state recently reported a search success.
Musk announces "general amnesty" for blocked Twitter accounts:
In the future, in addition to ex-US President Trump, other users who were previously blocked will also be able to romp on Twitter.
One, however, must not return.
That's what Elon Musk wants.
The SPIEGEL + recommendations for today
She likes riots – and Olaf Scholz:
Isabel Cademartori is the most unusual Juso MP in the Bundestag.
She fights for nuclear power and fracking, thinks the chancellor is great and can't stand the Greens.
Who is this ultra-pragmatist on the left?
When AfD politicians return to the judiciary:
the independence of the judiciary has a catch: even far-right AfD people are allowed to pass judgment as judges - and the state has little chance of getting rid of them.
How can this be changed?
"Many parents are reluctant to give suppositories."
Fever syrup for children is currently difficult to obtain in pharmacies.
But do children even need medication in this case?
And what else helps if the remedy is not available?
The overview.
Rabbit feet of all countries:
What exactly did Fifa boss Gianni Infantino do that others didn't do, know, support, accept or promote?
"Under the banner of citizens' initiatives"
In the 1970s, more and more people did not want to leave politics to the parties alone, but wanted to become active themselves.
But it wasn't always about the common good.
I wish you a good start into the day.
Yours Özlem Topcu