Your Thursday Press Conference – The New York Times

25 people arrested in Germany for plotting to overthrow the government

A nationwide network of far-right terrorists in Germany planning to storm the German Parliament, detained lawmakers and executed the chancellor, according to German prosecutors and intelligence officials. Thousands of police and special forces personnel spread out across the country yesterday to raid 150 homes and arrest 25 suspected accomplices.

Those arrested include an active-duty soldier, a former elite special forces officer, a police officer and at least two reservists. Among the items discovered was a list of 18 politicians deemed enemies who could be deported or executed, including prime minister Olaf Scholz.

This is the latest in a series of conspiracies uncovered in recent years involving extremist networks in preparation for a day when the democratic order collapses, a day they call Day X, the subject of last year’s New York Times podcast series. It is unclear how likely the conspirators were to carry out such an attack, or when they hoped to carry out their plan.

Analysis: “This represents an escalation,” said Stephan Kramer, head of domestic intelligence in the state of Thuringia, where some of the raids took place. “They had a plan to go into Berlin and remove part of the federal government. In their plan to overthrow the government, they are willing to accept death.”

Related: Prince Heinrich XIII of Reuss, 71, a real estate broker and descendant of a 700-year-old aristocratic family that once ruled a tiny state in eastern Germany, was dubbed the one of the leader of the group.

Putin warns of protracted war in Ukraine

As his war in Ukraine stretched into its 10th month, Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, warn the people that the battle will be long but managed to assuage the worst fears of an increasingly war-weary population. For now, he said, the Kremlin will not call up more combat troops to serve in what he continues to call a “special military operation.”

His comments, made before the Kremlin’s human rights panel, come after three Ukrainian drone strikes hit targets deep inside Russia, bringing the reality War is closer to most of the Russian people are indifferent. Russia regularly strikes civilian targets across Ukraine with missiles, drones and artillery shells.

How Russia can carry out its task of waging a protracted war without recruiting more troops remains unclear, although the Kremlin says many of the 300,000 soldiers enlisted in September are still not. see the battlefield. Putin said about 77,000 conscripts are engaged in combat in Ukraine and others are serving in units defending the territory or supporting training efforts.

Change the message: Putin also downplayed the possibility of using nuclear weapons, despite his tacit threats in the past that they were an option in Ukraine. He said that although the threat of a nuclear war was “rising”, Russia was “not crazy” and the Kremlin would not “swish these nuclear weapons like a razor”.

In other news from the war:

• A United Nations report is recorded 441 civilian killings by the Russian Army during the first month of fighting, describes the summary executions as possible war crimes.

China eases ‘no Covid’ restrictions

In a remarkable turnaround from three years of policies designed to eliminate the coronavirus, the Chinese government yesterday announced an extensive rollback of those rulesa tacit concession after mass street protests last month posed the most popular challenge to the ruling Communist Party in decades.

The party appears to be attempting a tactical, face-saving retreat that allows Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, to change tactics without acknowledging that widespread opposition and economic pain forced him to take action. Chinese state media described the move as a planned transition after Mr. Xi’s uncompromising approach won over a waning virus.

This move, even if it can appease protesters, will most likely lead to an increased wave of infections as lockdowns are lifted, schools reopen and people try to move on. normal life. The government must now put a much more pressing issue on vaccinations: Only two-thirds of people aged 80 and over are vaccinated, compared with 90% of the general population.

Policy: The new rule limited the scope of the lockdown, eliminated mandatory hospitalizations and mass quarantines, and ordered pharmacies to not control the sale of cold and flu medicines – a policy used to prevent people from using them over-the-counter medications to reduce fever and avoid detection.

In the picture: our photographer live under the “zero Covid” policy in China.

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ARTS AND IDEAS

How to really enjoy the holidays

Social obligations, gift-giving woes, family stress, travel challenges, financial concerns: The holiday season is stressful. We asked the experts to provide a few solutions.

Learn to say no. Inger Burnett-Zeigler, an associate professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, suggested three different ways to opt out. You can simply say “No” because “‘No’ is a complete sentence,” she explains. You can say, “No, not now” and suggest a different timeline, or you can say, “I can’t do this, but I can do that.”

Don’t strain yourself financially. When you have a budget, discuss what you love most about the season with loved ones and prioritize spending on those things, says Judith Gruber, a social worker and financial therapist. That could mean choosing to exchange gifts, organize a group experience like hiking or visiting a museum, or switch to a hearty dinner.

Try to be present. Angela Neal-Barnett, a psychology professor at Kent State University, says focusing on the task at hand rather than simultaneously looking at emails can help de-escalate stress. When we are distracted, our mind switches from one thought to another, leaving us feeling overwhelmed. Vacation time gives us a period of time to do nothing,” she added.

Do you have a solution to managing holiday stress? Let us know your plans, to include in future newsletters, at [email protected].