Sunday, 25 May 2025

World Food Programme director calls food situation in Gaza 'a catastrophe' (LINK) 25 May 2025

— Cindy McCain said that 600 aid trucks a day entered Gaza during the ceasefire but now that number is at around 100 trucks a day. McCain disputed the notion that Hamas is behind a recent spate of lootings of aid trucks, chalking that up to "poor souls" that "are really, really, really desperate".

'Indiscriminate, Unrestrained, Brutal': former Israeli PM calls Gaza assault 'war crimes': "What we are doing in Gaza is a war of extermination," former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert wrote in an op-ed aimed at Israeli citizens (LINK) 26 May 2025

Trump says Putin 'has gone absolutely crazy' after major Russian attack on Ukraine (LINK) 25 May 2025

Russian strikes kill 12 people across Ukraine, officials say: Deaths were reported in Ukraine's west and south regions and the capital Kyiv, while Russia says it destroyed 95 Ukrainian drones (LINK) 25 May 2025

— It comes a day after Kyiv suffered one of the heaviest assaults since the start of the Russian invasion, with Russian aerial attacks killing at least 13.

Secret note reveals Russia using Telegram bots to control drones attacking Ukraine, Economist reports (LINK) 25 May 2025

Trump delays 50% tariffs on EU to July 9 (LINK) 25 May 2025

— Trump's post came after Von der Leyen said that she had a "good call" with Trump, but needed until July 9 to "reach a good deal".

New "more contagious" COVID-19 variantt, spreading through Asia and linked to a virus surge in China, has been found among international travelers to New York, other states (LINK) 25 May 2025

Trump threatens to move $3B in federal grants from Harvard to trade schools (LINK) 25 May 2025

In extremely rare move, Harvard revokes tenure and cuts ties with star business professor: an internal investigation had found that Harvard Business School professor Francesca Gino's research on why people lie and cheat was based on falsified data (LINK) 25 May 2025

Since August 2024 Kuwait has stripped over 37,000 people, mostly women, of citizenship gained through marriage (LINK) 25 May 2025

— Its new citizenship policy is aimed at restricting nationality to those with blood ties to the tiny, oil-rich nation, reshaping the Kuwaiti identity, and potentially trimming its electorate after years of political crisis, said analysts.

Rafael Nadal joined by Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in farewell ceremony at Roland Garros tennis competition (LINK) 25 May 2025

USA men's ice hockey team wins IIHF World Championship for first time in over 90 years, beating Switzerland 1-0 in extra time (LINK) 25 May 2025

Saturday, 24 May 2025

World Health Assembly passes resolution declaring rare diseases a global health priority, the first WHO resolution to identify rare diseases as a global equity issue (LINK) 24 May 2025

— It mandates the WHO to develop a comprehensive 10-year global action plan on rare diseases, with measurable targets to guide progress toward equity, inclusion, and access to care for all affected individuals.

Approximately 400 million people suffer from rare diseases. A rare disease affects fewer than 1 in 2,000 people in any WHO region. Eighty percent of the conditions are genetic and, alarmingly, one in two patients are children. Treatments exist for fewer than 10% of these conditions. — (LINK)

WHO — (LINK)

Kyiv comes under large-scale Russian drone and missile attack with explosions heard across the city (LINK) 24 May 2025

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty: Kyiv comes under 'combined enemy attack' after prisoner exchange (LINK) 24 May 2025

In major turning point, Lebanon to start disarming Palestinian refugee camps (LINK) 24 May 2025

Arson suspected as power outage in southeast France disrupts final day of Cannes Film Festival (LINK) — ground.news: 323 media reports (LINK) 24 May 2025

— Power was restored around 3pm local time, amid cheers from bystanders and music blasting again from beachfront speakers. Earlier, about 160,000 households in the Alpes-Maritimes department lost electricity after a high-voltage line fell Saturday morning, electricity network operator RTE said on X.

— The outage came hours after a fire at an electrical substation near Cannes overnight had already weakened the grid. Police have opened an investigation into possible arson, per the AP. "We are looking into the likelihood of a fire being started deliberately," said a spokesperson for the French national gendarmerie. Cannes Film Festival organizers confirmed that the outage affected the early activities of Saturday and said the Palais des Festivals—the Promenade de la Croisette's main venue—had switched to an independent power supply.

Novak Djokovic clinches his 100th career singles title at Geneva Open, day after 38th birthday (LINK) 24 May 2025

— He joins tennis greats Jimmy Connors, who has a record 109 titles, and Roger Federer on 103 as the only men with a century of tournament wins in the Open era.

American tourist drugged, crypto worth $123k stolen by 'Uber' driver in Central London (LINK) 24 May 2025

Five ski tour participants found dead, three under under avalanche, on Adler glacier at 4000m in Valais below Rimpfischhorn east of Zermatt: identification under way (LINK in German) 24 May 2025

Mice use not only touch but also sound to navigate their environments through whisker-generated sounds: the findings by Weizmann Institute's Brain Sciences Department in Israel could inspire new directions in robotics, sensory rehabilitation, and brain research (LINK) 24 May 2025

Why birds fly in a V shape: not wholly unlike cyclists drafting off one another in a race, but it also helps with navigation and maintaining group cohesion, allowing birds to communicate, see each other clearly, and keep a steady formation (LINK) 24 May 2025

— A 2015 study by researchers at the University of Bern demonstrated that birds flying in the V not only take turns flying at the front position, but they are careful to match the amount of time they spend flying at the back as they do at the front.

Well actually, there is no permanent dark side of the moon: the moon has its own rotation and orbit (LINK) 24 May 2025

Friday, 23 May 2025

Indus water treaty with Pakistan to remain in abeyance till Pakistan ends support for cross-border terror: India at UN (LINK) 23 May 2025

US government issues sudden warning on Switzerland travel: very little information on reasoning (LINK) 23 May 2025

UN chief says Gaza War in 'cruelest phase' as aid trucks looted (LINK) — ground.news: 129 media reports (LINK) 23 May 2025

— On May 22, Israel allowed 107 trucks carrying flour, food, medical supplies, and drugs through the Kerem Shalom crossing, but only about a third of the 300 truckloads reached warehouses due to insecurity and looting.

Gaza's civil defence agency reported at least 16 people killed in "Israeli strikes in various areas across" the territory on Friday

Stock markets tumble after Trump threatens tariffs against European Union and Apple — (LINK)

Trump threatens a 50% tariff on the EU, starting on June 1, citing a lack of progress in current trade negotiations (LINK) 23 May 2025

President Trump says Nippon Steel and US Steel to enter into 'partnership': "will keep the headquarters in Pittsburgh and draw $14 billion in investment toward the US economy" (LINK) 23 May 2025

More than 100 National Security Council staffers put on administrative leave as part of a restructuring under interim national security adviser and Secretary of State Marco Rubio (LINK) 23 May 2025

Gaza pediatrician and mother loses 9 of 10 children after Israeli airstrike hits their home, hospital says. The pediatrician's husband and a surviving child were injured (LINK) 23 May 2025

Swiss foreign office to investigate controversial Gaza NGO, Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) linked to U.S. and Israel (LINK) 23 May 2025

Judge blocks Trump administration's ban on Harvard accepting international students (LINK) 23 May 2025

Donald Trump hosts crypto gala amidst "Trump Coin" controversy: it escalated when reports emerged of Justin Sun's support for a "Trump Coin" (LINK) 23 May 2025

TRUMP memecoin holders face shocking losses despite gala dinner — (LINK)

Crypto investor is charged with kidnapping and torturing a man in an NYC apartment for weeks (LINK) 23 May 2025

swissinfo: Why do Swiss mountains collapse? It's complicated (LINK) 23 May 2025

— Blatten's threatened catastrophe "was quite an unpredictable event," Mylène Jacquemart, researcher in glaciology at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich and at the Federal Research Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape (WSL), told SWI swissinfo.ch. "The changes in the rock either happened very quickly or there had already been movement for months or years and no one noticed."

Revolving-door between Swiss health authorities and Big Pharma (LINK) 23 May 2025

Shut Down: Mozilla's read-it-later app Pocket will close on july 8 (LINK) 23 May 2025

— You'll be able to export your articles from now through to October 8, 2025. You'll be able to export your articles from now through to October 8, 2025. Those with Premium subscriptions will get a prorated refund depending on how long you have left after the shut down date of July 8. Pocket has already arranged refunds to your original payment method, and it says no action is needed to receive the money.

Thursday, 22 May 2025

A CHF 50m foundation to help international Geneva is being set up by the canton and the Wilsdorf Foundation (LINK) 22 May 2025

— There is still a chance it could be forced to a referendum. The Swiss People's party objected to an initial CHF 10m package in February.

Geneva Graduate Institute: As multilateral diplomacy falters under leaders like Trump and Putin, Geneva — a key hub of global diplomacy — must step up. What could a "new diplomacy" look like? (LINK) 22 May 2025

— In the new issue of the Global Challenges, professors and researchers from the Institute and a guest author offer contrasting analyses of the opportunities and challenges of a "new" diplomacy for International Geneva, trade, inclusiveness, UN mediation, new media, and AI.

G7 nations paper over differences on tariffs and Ukraine, agree to address 'imbalances', a swipe at China's trade practices (LINK) 22 May 2025

Romania's top court rejects far-right candidate's attempt to annul election (LINK) 22 May 2025

— George Simion, a pro-Trump ultranationalist, had alleged foreign interference in rerun vote won by Nicusor Dan.

UK signs deal to hand over Chagos Islands and lease back military base for £101m a year (LINK) 22 May 2025

— Deal gives Mauritius control over the Chagos Islands and allows them to resettle the land but not Diego Garcia, home to the UK-US military base. The deal was stopped by a last-minute court injunction at 02:25 but it was discharged 10 hours later.

Analysis: The new Trump-led tax bill promises an American 'golden age' that conveniently ends with his presidency (LINK) 22 May 2025

— Republicans have filled the bill with cuts to social safety net programs that could drive millions of poor and disabled Americans off the benefits they depend on.

Robert Reich: hidden provision in the Big Ugly Bill makes Trump king: courts cannot use funds to enforce contempt citations (LINK) 22 May 2025

U.S.: House passes Bill that would devastate health coverage for millions in Medicaid and Medicare (LINK) 22 May 2025

Suspect charged with murder in shooting of Israeli embassy staffers: US attorney general says Chicago-based suspect believed to have acted alone in killing of couple at Jewish museum (LINK) 22 May 2025

— According to the filing, Elias Rodriguez, 31, of Chicago, told police after his arrest: "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza."

— Officials have said the suspect was not on any security watchlists and there were no heightened security threats before the shooting. The firearm believed to be used in the killings was retrieved, officials said. The New York Times reported that the gun had been purchased lawfully in Illinois and had been transported legally to Washington DC.

Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling international students: "existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status" (LINK) 22 May 2025

— Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she ordered her department to terminate Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, citing the university's refusal to turn over the conduct records of foreign students requested by the DHS last month.

Amy Coney Barrett decision gives libs win in shock SCOTUS ruling: Oklahoma will not be able to use government money to fund a Catholic charter school, the Supreme Court ruled after Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself from the case: 4-4 split ruling means the lower court ruling by the Oklahoma Supreme Court stands (LINK) 22 May 2025

Denmark to raise retirement age to highest in Europe: From 2040, Danish people born after 31 December 1970 will be eligible to retire at 70 years old (LINK) 22 May 2025

Without waiting for Trump, E.U. and Britain impose new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine less than 24 hours after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanged a friendly, if fruitless, phone call about ending the war in Ukraine (LINK) 21 May 2025

— The measures will crack down on Moscow's so-called "shadow fleet" — around 200 vessels used to transport Russian oil exports globally — the 27-nation bloc and London said in separate statements. They are the 17th set of European sanctions imposed on Russia since it invaded its neighbour in 2022, the E.U. said.

Fox News: Trump distances himself from Russia–Ukraine conflict: 'Not our people, not our soldiers' (LINK) 21 May 2025

Netanyahu says war will continue until all parts of Gaza under Israeli control (LINK) 21 May 2025

In first delivery since March, UN dispatches 90 aid trucks to Gaza (LINK) 21 May 2025

Jewish Chronicle: UN corrects claim 14,000 Gazan children could die in 48 hours after it was debunked: The figure came from an independent report into instances of starvation in the Strip, but was projected over a whole year rather than two days (LINK) 21 May 2025

— The same day, buried in a story about how aid in Gaza has yet to reach the population, BBC News issued a correction to UNOCHA head's claim. However, by then, the claim had already been widely reported across the UK and global media and cited as true by nine Members of Parliament in the Commons during a debate.

Swiss government pledges CHF11 million to UNRWA but not for Gaza: a further CHF9 million is being allocated to support four other humanitarian organisations (LINK) 21 May 2025

Trump shows video claiming 'white genocide' to South African President in Oval Office meeting (LINK) — ground.news: 211 media reports (LINK) 21 May 2025

Trump administration defends deportation flight of eight migrants to South Sudan, criticizes judge (LINK) 21 May 2025

Moderna withdraws application for US approval of combined flu-Covid shot, plans to resubmit vaccine application later this year (LINK) 21 May 2025

— The decision comes a day after the US FDA said it would require new clinical trials for approval of annual Covid-19 boosters for healthy people under 65 years old. Shares of the company have been battered by declining Covid revenue as well as investor concerns spurred by the appointment of the vaccine skeptic Robert F Kennedy Jr as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

WHO members agree to 20% rise in mandatory contributions (LINK) 21 May 2025

— World Health Organization member states have agreed in committee talks to raise their mandatory contributions by 20% from 2026. If the resolution is backed in the plenary session, the organisation's budget for 2026-2027 will rise to $5.1bn.

New UN Task Force is launched to curb illegal taking of migratory birds in South-West Asia (LINK) 21 May 2025

Three dead in swept-away cars and two missing after floods ravage Var region of French Riviera (LINK) 21 May 2025

— Coastal town Le Lavandou severely hit. The town will "have to rebuild everything that was destroyed: roads, bridges, banks, wastewater treatment plant, coastline," warned its mayor, Gil Bernardi.

M&S expects cyber-attack to last into July and cost £300m in lost profits: pre-tax profits rose by a better-than-expected 22% to £876m in the year to 30 March, shortly before the attack (LINK) 21 May 2025

Guardian: UnitedHealth secretly paid nursing homes to reduce hospital transfers (LINK) 21 May 2025

UnitedHealth statement: There is nothing secret about our programs with Skilled Nursing Facilities (LINK) 21 May 2025

UN says no aid distributed so far in Gaza, as UK suspends Israel trade talks. The EU orders a review of its free trade agreement with Israel (LINK) 20 May 2025

— A branch of the Israeli military says 93 aid trucks have entered Gaza.

WHO: World Health Assembly adopts historic Pandemic Agreement to make the world more equitable and safer from future pandemics (LINK) 20 May 2025

— Agreement's adoption follows three years of intensive negotiation launched due to gaps and inequities identified in national and global COVID-19 response.

SWISS not flying to Tel Aviv until June 8 (LINK) 20 May 2025

Nestlé water scandal: French state accused of cover-up for illegal treatment of mineral water (LINK) 20 May 2025

Lawyers accuse Trump administration of deporting Vietnamese and Burmese migrants to South Sudan in violation of court order (LINK) 20 May 2025

Disney "places Venezuelan employees on unpaid leave" as Temporary Protected Status is lifted after a Supreme Court ruling favored the Trump administration's stance (LINK) 20 May 2025

Trump says Russia and Ukraine to 'immediately' begin ceasefire talks after two-hour call with Putin (LINK) — ground.news: 15 media reports (LINK) 19 May 2025

First aid trucks enter Gaza after almost three-month Israeli blockade, UN says (LINK) — ground.news: 34 media reports (LINK) 19 May 2025

— Just after the aid announcement, Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer and Mark Carney — the leaders of France, the UK and Canada — issued a joint statement threatening "concrete actions" if Israel continues its renewed military push in Gaza.

The UK and the EU announce new deals and renew ties, 5 years after Brexit (LINK) — ground.news: 280 media reports (LINK) 19 May 2025

— The deal includes a new Security and Defence Partnership, a 12-year extension of EU fishing rights in UK waters, eased customs checks on food imports and exports, and a limited youth mobility scheme.

Report of the Director-General to Member States at the 78th World Health Assembly (LINK) 19 May 2025

— Member States have given us, US$ 4.2 billion for two years Member States have given us, US$ 4.2 billion for two years — or 2.1 billion a year — is not ambitious, it's extremely modest. I hope you will agree with me, and I will tell you why: US$ 2.1 billion is the equivalent of global military expenditure every eight hours; US$ 2.1 billion is the price of one stealth bomber — to kill people; US$ 2.1 billion is one-quarter of what the tobacco industry spends on advertising and promotion every single year. And again, a product that kills people.

Indonesia raises alert to highest level for Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano situated in East Nusa Tenggara province, which erupted multiple times beginning May 18 (LINK) — ground.news: 42 media reports (LINK)19 May 2025

— The volcano spewed ash between 3 km and 5.5 km high eight times over the weekend.

US cuts another $60m in grants to Harvard University (LINK) 19 May 2025

— "Due to Harvard University's continued failure to address anti-Semitic harassment and race discrimination, HHS is terminating multiple multi-year grant awards — totalling approximately $60 million over their full duration," the department said on X on Monday.

Lawyer for Venezuelans deported to El Salvador prison arrested: Ruth López, a President Bukele critic, held without access to lawyers at secret location accused of 'embezzlement' a decade ago (LINK) 20 May 2025

Landslide threat: authorities order almost complete evacuation of the 300 inhabitants of Swiss mountain village of Blatten in Lötschental: a major rockfall is "imminent", which in a worst-case scenario could hit the village (LINK) 19 May 2025

— Experts expected the rock to slide at the latest by Tuesday morning. And around two million cubic metres of water could come down from the glacier above the village.

Education Department rescinds Biden's record $37.7 million fine against Grand Canyon University, rejecting claim that the Christian institution lied to doctoral students about costs (LINK) 19 May 2025

US supreme court allows Trump to revoke protected status for Venezuelans: Justices grant Homeland Security request to end temporary protected status while appeal proceeds in lower court (LINK) 19 May 2025

First flight leaves U.S. under Trump's $1,000 "self-deport" deal: takes 65 people from Honduras and Colombia to their home countries (LINK) 19 May 2025

Demonstrator Ashli Babbitt's family to receive $5 million in settlement with Trump administration over her shooting by police on 6 January (LINK) — ground.news: 7 media reports (LINK)19 May 2025

— Babbitt was shot by a police officer as she tried to enter the Speaker's Lobby through a shattered window, an area protected by several armed officers and without any members of Congress present.

Trump signs "Take it Down Act," revenge porn bill backed by Melania Trump (LINK) 19 May 2025

— The law requires platforms to remove images and videos, including deepfakes generated by artificial intelligence, within 48 hours after a victim's request.

Republicans are rejoicing as they gut a Bill that benefits Red states: Nearly three-quarters of investments spurred on by Biden's Inflation Reduction Act flowed to states that voted for Trump (LINK) 19 May 2025

Biden prostate cancer diagnosis analyzed by Lawrence K. Altman, a physician, and former New York Times reporter who has covered presidential health for decades. (LINK) 19 May 2025

17 mountain towns now facing record melts and floods, including Zermatt and Chamonix (LINK) 19 May 2025

Royal Caribbean sheds junk-debt status after Moody's upgrade (LINK limited) 19 May 2025