Author: Spiegel.de

Critics of U.S. President Donald Trump claim he has brought ruin to the United States. For Harvard philosopher Michael Sandel, that charge is too easy. He argues that liberal hubris has also played a significant role in the decay of American society.

The German government feels it has been left in the lurch by most of its EU partners on asylum policy. Even refugee hardliner Horst Seehofer, Germany’s interior minister, has some choice words for Austria.

German politician Karl Lauterbach, a member of parliament and one of the country’s leading voices on the coronavirus, warns in an interview that cases of COVID-19 are about to increase dramatically in Germany. Politicians, he says, will need to tighten the reins again.

He has invested vast sums of money in the search for a coronavirus vaccine, but is also a favorite target of conspiracy theorists. In an interview, Bill Gates discusses the progress toward a vaccine and what the U.S. has done wrong in the coronavirus pandemic.

When Massa the gorilla died at age 49 in a tragic fire earlier this year at the zoo in Krefeld, Germany, he was one of the oldest gorillas in Europe. His offspring live in zoos across the continent.

Beach vendors in Italy have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. The country has seen a massive drop in tourism and the poor state of the economy has exacerbated xenophobia.

The German government wants to stand up to Moscow following the attempted murder of opposition activist Alexei Navalny. But suspending construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline is a step too far for many. What will Berlin do?

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the rate of death among women and infants during or shortly after birth has risen considerably. The virus has caused shortages in hospitals, and led many women to avoid seeking help.

After the end of the Franco era, King Juan Carlos I helped his country become wealthy and democratic. Today he is exiled, with his legacy clouded by possible connections to tax fraud. What happened?

The fire in the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos has revealed the full hypocrisy of the European Union’s refugee policy. Pressure is growing to finally take action.

The European Union’s refugee policies are not only inhumane, they are stripping the bloc of one of the few things that sets it apart many other powers: its respect for human rights.

In Germany, the number of coronavirus infections is once again on the rise, but the disease is killing fewer people. Still, epidemiologists warn that the pandemic could spin out of control again this winter.

In March, pianist Igor Levit agreed to allow DER SPIEGEL to follow him during his corona-lockdown house concerts and beyond. He didn’t know at the time that his living room performances would both boost his career and weigh on his psyche.

Berlin has earmarked more than 1 trillion euros in cash and loans to help the country escape the worst economic consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Many of the measures have worked – for now. On the long term, though, some strategies could hinder an upswing.

The opposition accuses him of corruption while EU politicians have questioned his commitment to democracy. But Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš believes he is treated unfairly. He defends his record in this interview with DER SPIEGEL and compares himself to Donald Trump.

Leading politicians in Germany from all mainstream parties are demanding that construction on the natural gas pipeline Nord Stream 2 be suspended as a result of the poisoning of Alexei Navalny. But Merkel’s government is so far resisting such calls.

Former investment banker David Marsh is critical of the European Central Bank and the U.S. Federal Reserve for having transformed themselves into political instruments. Inflation, he says, isn’t dead – and it will come back.

To detect coronavirus outbreaks early on, scientists are testing sewage plants and blood in addition to evaluating heart rates through fitness tracker data. Taken together, these systems could replace complicated track and trace efforts to contain the pandemic.

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s condition is apparently improving as he receives treatment in Berlin. But was he really poisoned at the behest of the Kremlin? There is plenty to indicate that he was.

Threats of sanctions from the U.S. have put a stop to the contruction of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany. The multibillion-euro project is now at risk, and leading German politicians are not amused.

The trial in Portugal against Rui Pinto is scheduled to begin next week. The man behind the Football Leaks revelations is now in a witness protection program after reaching a deal to cooperate with legal authorities.

When the strong help the weak, it ultimately benefits everyone. Under the slogan, “Together We Are Strong,” SPIEGEL WISSEN is looking for good ideas for greater social cohesion in our society. Our August 31 deadline for submissions is fast approaching.

How would life change if you were given 1,200 euros a month with no strings attached? A study launched last week in Germany to find out. Research team leader Jürgen Schupp hopes for answers to important questions.

The number of coronavirus infections is increasing in Germany, and worries are growing that it will spike even higher once people move their lives back indoors in the coming months. With levels different in each state, there is disagreement over a common national response.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan wants to redraw national borders in the Mediterranean region and is alienating neighboring countries. Turkey and Greece, both NATO allies, are mobilizing their navies against each other.

The coronavirus has triggered an uptick in the use of plastic, with consumers turning to disposable cutlery and home deliveries. But Germany’s recycling system, already facing problems, has proven unable to cope.

The Philippines have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and resulting economic crisis. Millions have lost their jobs while thousands are struggling to feed themselves. The government has failed.

The uprising against Alexander Lukashenko may not have a leader, but its goals are ambitious. After the first phase of shock and fear, the people are now showing pride and self-confidence. Will that go far enough?

The explosion in Lebanon leads back to an abandoned ship in Beirut that had arrived in the city carrying 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate. Reporting by DER SPIEGEL and OCCRP has determined that the ship’s owner has connections to Hezbollah’s bank.

Girls in the rural areas of Tanzania are often trapped in a cycle that includes female genital mutilation, forced marriage and teen pregnancy. Women in the country are now fighting to free the next generation from the suffering and oppression.

Face masks have become the symbol of the crisis triggered by the coronavirus. There were doubts about their effectiveness in the beginning, but most scientists now believe thay are a vital tool for stopping the pandemic. The question is how long we will have to wear them.

In Clichy-sous-Bois, a poverty-ridden suburb of Paris, residents are making movies about their lives. Supported by superstar filmmaker Ladj Ly, it could offer some a way out.

Following the devastating explosion in the port, anger with the political elite is growing in Beirut. People there are trying to pick up the pieces, but many of them have nothing left to lose.

Paul Dorfman and Staffan Qvist both want to save the climate. But one of them wants to rid the world of nuclear reactors while the other wants to build more of them. We brought them together for a debate.

As the country suffers under the coronavirus pandemic, an unprecedented attack on the Amazon is taking place in Brazil. President Bolsonaro is actively promoting slash-and-burn agriculture that threatens to destroy the region and further harm the climate.

It took days for Europe to say anything of consequence about Belarus. And the bloc doesn’t seem to have any foreign policy guiding light elsewhere, either. That is dangerous.

The Hitler salute, threatening emails, weapons staches, terror cells: Numerous police officers and soldiers in Germany have engaged in right-wing extremist activity. But how big is the problem and what can be done about it? A DER SPIEGEL investigation.

In an interview, Nathan Law, one of the leaders of the democracy movement in Hong Kong, discusses the transformation of the special administrative region into a police state. He also talks about his new life in London and his hopes for German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Russia, China and India are racing to find a coronavirus vaccine. But international standards are not always being respected. Some researchers have even tested their remedies on themselves.

Coronavirus pathogens can float in the air for hours, which is a significant threat. Researchers are developing ideas for how to prevent infections in schools, restaurants and offices using ventilation equipment, air filters and UV radiation.

First came online retail and the financial crisis, now COVID-19: City-center shopping districts in Germany are suffering. But strategies are being developed to save them. Will they work?

Bangladesh has a methamphetamine problem, and the government is turning to drastic measures in the search for a solution. Human rights organizations say that the authorities are resorting to extrajudicial killings.

In an interview, Izumi Nakamitsu, the United Nations’ leading disarmament official, warns that the risk of a nuclear war is greater than ever. She says that the lack of dialogue between nations has created an extremely dangerous situation today.

The virus seems to be spreading again in Germany as people begin returning from their summer travels. We have learned a lot about controlling COVID-19, but is the government in Berlin doing enough?

Seventy-five years after the dropping of the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima, one nuclear non-proliferation after the other is lapsing. A new arms race is already taking shape between Russia, the United States and China.

How should the EU stand up to China’s power? Europe must demonstrate greater unity and use the single market as a lever, argues top German government official Michael Roth. When it comes to 5G, Europe must rely on domestic suppliers.

Schools in Germany are to begin reopening next week, despite the coronavirus pandemic. But many teachers say that too much time has been wasted and that there is still a lack of clear guidelines.

In an interview with DER SPIEGEL, Mary Trump, the U.S. president’s niece, discusses her family’s chilling history, her grandfather’s ruthlessness and what it would mean if Donald was re-elected.

German parliamentarian and health expert Karl Lauterbach says Germany’s coronavirus strategy must change. Instead of contact tracing, he demands that more attention be focused on super-spreaders.

Despite undermining the rule of law in their countries, the leaders of Poland and Hungary were spared when the EU pushed through its landmark coronavirus recovery package. Now, it’s up to the European Parliament to decide whether it wants to increase the pressure.