Sunday, 7 September 2025

Zelensky condemns 'ruthless attack' after Russia hits main government building in Kyiv: first time a Kyiv government building — in the heavily protected city centre — has been hit since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. (LINK) 7 September 2025

— Ukrainian prime minister sai the building's roof and upper floors were damaged and a fire ignited "due to an enemy attack". Ukraine's air force reported that a record number of drones and missiles were launched by Russia in the latest nightly attack — more than 800 in total. At least four people were killed in strikes across the country, including a baby and a young woman who died after a nine-storey residential building was hit in Kyiv's Svyatoshynsky district, officials said.

World Health Organization Director-General says US CDC needs to be protected (LINK) 7 September 2025

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X: "No institution is perfect and continued improvements are always needed to make sure the latest science and evidence is applied to emerging challenges in real time, but the work of the US CDC has been invaluable and must be protected."

Seven of the world’s 10 most valuable companies are now digital giants — UNCTAD LinkedIn (LINK) 7 September 2025

— UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Global Trade Update, released on 8 July: "These firms do not lead in just one area — they span the entire digital economy, from cloud computing and e-commerce to artificial intelligence and advertising. Between 2017 and 2025, the combined share of sales held by the top five digital multinational enterprises more than doubled from 21% to 48%. Their share of total assets also increased from 17% to 35% during the same period."

— "Stronger enforcement of competition rules — paired with infrastructure investment, stronger regulatory systems, skills development and financing opportunities for startups in the digital economy — is essential to ensure the digital economy works for all, not just a few global tech giants," UNCTAD argues.

Saturday, 6 September 2025

Israel destroys second high-rise in Gaza City giving residents just 20 minutes to evacuate 15 storeys (LINK) 7 September 2025

— U.K. Independent: The Israeli military said Hamas used the building to gather intelligence and that explosive devices had been planted nearby, a claim denied by Hamas. Locals said the building was used to shelter the displaced.

— About 87 people were killed and more than 400 suffered injuries in Israeli attacks on Saturday, Al Jazeera reported, citing health authorities in the Hamas-run Strip. Another 21 people, mostly in Gaza City, have been killed since dawn on Sunday, it added.

Israel calls on famine-stricken Gaza City residents to leave as it targets high-rises (LINK) 6 September 2025

— In a statement Saturday, the U.N. said it is staying in Gaza City to provide aid and warned that the continued offensive will push people into an even deeper catastrophe. It said those who decide to move must have their essential needs met and must able to voluntarily return when the situation allows.

Security officials recommended Netanyahu and his Cabinet pursue a hostage and ceasefire deal instead. Hamas is still holding 48 hostages, with about 20 believed to be alive. — (LINK)

Postal traffic to US down by over 80% amid tariffs, UPU says: 88 operators worldwide have fully or partially suspended the shipping of parcels to the US (LINK) 6 September 2025

AI firm Anthropic strikes $1.5B copyright agreement with authors (LINK) 6 September 2025

— The terms of the $1.5 billion settlement require Anthropic to destroy every copy of the pirated books to prevent it from continuing to benefit from unauthorized material. However, experts say the agreement doesn't protect the company from fresh lawsuits. Authors could still sue if the Claude system generated outputs that reproduce copyrighted passages or infringe on their works.

Some 6% of Swiss surface area suitable for solar plants (LINK) 6 September 2025

— But Basel and Geneva have hardly any suitable areas available.

Friday, 5 September 2025

EU fines Google €2.95 billion for violating EU competition rules in the advertising technology market: Google said on Friday that it would appeal the Commission's decision. (LINK) 5 September 2025

Gold exempted from U.S. tariffs from Monday in Trump's Executive Order. Silicone products hit with new duties (LINK) 5 September 2025

Venezuela flies military aircraft near U.S. Navy ship for a second time, Pentagon officials say (LINK) 5 September 2025

Swiss minister heads to Washington to relaunch trade talks (LINK) 5 September 2025

Trump's job market promises fall flat as hiring collapses and inflation ticks up (LINK) 5 September 2025

— AP: "Friday's jobs report showed employers added a mere 22,000 jobs in August, as the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.3%. Factories and construction firms shed workers. Revisions showed the economy lost 13,000 jobs in June, the first monthly losses since December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Trump administration now plans to deport Salvadorian Abrego Garcia to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), not El Salvador or Uganda (LINK) 5 September 2025

Judge blocks Trump administration's ending of legal protections for 1.1M Venezuelans and Haitians (LINK) 5 September 2025

Fellow Kennedys call on RFK Jr. to resign as health secretary (LINK) 5 September 2025

Trump to rebrand Pentagon as Department of War (LINK) 5 September 2025

Tesla changes meaning of 'full self-driving', gives up on promise of autonomy (LINK) 5 September 2025

Tesla offers Musk a $1 trillion pay package, but he must take the company's market value to $8.5 trillion within a decade — nearly nine times its current worth — (LINK)

Al Jazeera: Russia-Ukraine war: list of key events, day 1,289 (LINK) 5 September 2025

Wildfires producing 'witches brew' of air pollution: WMO (LINK) 5 September 2025

Discover Switzerland's 100 most promising startups (LINK) 5 September 2025

Thursday, 4 September 2025

Paris talks yield Ukraine support plans, threat of Russia sanctions (LINK) 4 September 2025

— French President Macron said Trump agreed to the implementation of new sanctions against Russia if Moscow fails to engage in a bilateral summit between Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

26 nations pledge post-ceasefire security guarantees with troops for Ukraine at Paris summit: Macron clarified that the force aims to deter conflict rather than initiate any military action against Russia (LINK) — ground.news: 177 media reports (LINK) 4 September 2025

Death toll from Afghan earthquake on 1 September jumps to 2,205, the Taliban say (LINK) — ground.news: 587 media reports (LINK) 4 September 2025

UN body finds US and UAE responsible for Afghan refugee's arbitrary detention for over 2 years (LINK) — ground.news: 9 media reports (LINK) 4 September 2025

— The former police colonel who had worked with US forces and received threats from the Taliban movement , was evacuated by private US operators under former President Joe Biden in 2021 and was supposed to be transferred to the US within 14 days, but was instead held in the Emirates Humanitarian City. In 2023, Human Rights Watch said the EHC complex was "essentially a prison" with as many as 2,700 Afghans held there. The Working Group has asked both states to provide compensation and reparations for violating the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Portugal observes national day of mourning as Lisbon streetcar death toll rises to 17 from 3 September (LINK) 4 September 2025

— Another 21 people were injured in Wednesday's crash, an official said. They included Portuguese people as well as two Germans, two Spaniards and one person each from France, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Morocco, South Korea and Cape Verde.

Florida shouldn't have been ordered to dismantle Alligator Alcatraz, appeals court finds (LINK) 4 September 2025

Massive immigration raid at Hyundai megaplant in Georgia leads to 475 arrests. Most are Korean. Largest sweep yet in the current immigration crackdown at US worksites (LINK) 4 September 2025

Kyiv says Putin 'messing around' by demanding Moscow talks: day 1,289 (LINK) 4 September 2025

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness elected to a third term as main opposition candidate concedes (LINK) — ground.news: 28 media reports (LINK) 4 September 2025

RFK Jr. defends ouster of CDC Director by distorting list of public health achievement: update (LINK) 4 September 2025

Nepal blocks Facebook, X, YouTube and others for failing to register with the government (LINK) — ground.news: 40 media reports (LINK) 4 September 2025

A passenger bus skids off a cliff in Sri Lanka, killing 15 and injuring 16 others (LINK) — ground.news: 27 media reports (LINK) 4 September 2025

Switzerland and France sign accords to manage shared waters such as Rhône River and Lake Geneva, almost 14 years after discussions began (LINK) 4 September 2025

13 fascinating horse facts animal lovers should know (LINK) 4 September 2025

Wednesday, 3 September 2025

At least 21,000 children disabled in Gaza since fighting began: UN committee (LINK) — ground.news: 72 media reports (LINK) 3 September 2025

— Around 40,500 children have suffered "new war-related injuries" in the nearly two years since the war erupted, with more than half of them left disabled, said the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Trump asks US Supreme Court to uphold his tariffs after lower court ruling that some do not fall within the president's mandate (LINK) 3 September 2025

— The appellate court ruled that the tariffs, imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), exceeded the president's authority and fell under Congress's power. The case could impact Trump's economic policies and require the US to refund billions in tariffs. Small businesses and states challenged the tariffs, arguing they caused harm, while the administration claims they are necessary to protect national security and domestic manufacturing. The Supreme Court's decision could determine whether the tariffs remain in effect or are revoked.

If Trump loses his tariff lawsuit, America may have to refund businesses more than $200 billion (LINK) 3 September 2025

President Donald Trump justifies the lethal military strike against Venezuelan ship as sending an unmistakable message to Latin American drug cartels (LINK) 3 September 2025

Ukraine War, Day 1,287: Trump "very disappointed" in Putin...but takes no action (LINK) 3 September 2025

Israeli drones drop grenades near UN peacekeepers in Lebanon in what UNIFIL calls a serious attack (LINK) — ground.news: 86 media reports (LINK) 3 September 2025

— The UN force said Israel had been informed in advance of its plans to carry out road clearance work in that area. Israel insisted there was "no intentional fire" at the force.

UN raises number of staff detained by Yemen's Houthis to 19: 1 international staffer (LINK) 3 September 2025

US approves $32.5 million in assistance to WFP Nigeria to help address hunger (LINK) — ground.news: 19 media reports (LINK) 3 September 2025

— According to a U.S. statement, the funds will enable the WFP to assist a total of 764,205 beneficiaries in Northeast and Northwest Nigeria. It said the assistance includes complementary nutritional support for 41,569 pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls, as well as 43,235 children, facilitated through electronic food vouchers.

Judge overturns Trump administration funding cuts to Harvard (LINK) 3 September 2025

Oil giant ConocoPhillips says it will lay off up to 25% of its workforce, impacting thousands of jobs (LINK) 3 September 2025

— ConocoPhillips currently has a global headcount of about 13,000 — meaning that the cuts would impact between 2,600 and 3,250 workers.

On company criticised for the Swiss cross on its shoes made in Asia (LINK) 3 September 2025

— Swissness Enforcement (SE), an association campaigning for compliance with the legislation protecting the indication of Swiss origin, lodged the complaint with Chinese authorities. On defends its use of the Swiss cross, stating it is only used in conjunction with the phrase "Swiss Engineering", which emphasizes its Zurich location where more than 300 are employed. The dispute may end up in the Swiss courts, with potential implications for other Swiss companies using the Swiss cross for advertising abroad.

Zurich-based firm, which boasts tennis great Roger Federer as an investor, in 2024 was accused of making high profits at the expense of Vietnamese workers and Swiss customers — (LINK)

— The company started in 2010 as a partnership among three friends to commercialise a cushioning technology developed at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich. On is now the fifth most valuable shoe company in the world in market capitalization. The company has been criticized for high markups, with some On shoe models selling for over 10 times the factory price. On denies exploiting workers, claiming to pay them a fair wage and conducting regular audits to ensure compliance with labor guidelines.

Delivery robots tested in Swiss Post project (LINK) 3 September 2025

— Swiss Post, Migros Online, and robotics firm RIVR have launched a field test of the RIVR ONE robot in the Swiss municipality of Regensdorf. The quadruped robot, developed from the ANYmal prototype, can walk on rough terrain or roll on wheels for faster and more energy-efficient travel. The robots will be used to deliver parcels and groceries from Swiss Post delivery vans to clients' doorsteps, with human supervision to ensure safety and reliability. This trial aims to explore the potential of autonomous delivery systems to reduce walking distances and heavy lifting while maintaining service quality.

Official opening of Geneva Watch Days 2025 at the Palais Eynard (LINK) 3 September 2025

The Fondation Haute Horlogerie livens up Geneva Watch Days 4-7 September (LINK)

GLOBAL GENEVA INSIGHTS piece: Insider's guide, historian's perspective (LINK)

Tuesday, 2 September 2025

Guardian: Five children in Gaza among at least 9 killed by Israeli strike while fetching water: Israel’s military urges people to leave Gaza City (LINK) 2 September 2025

Al Jazeera: At least 105 Palestinians killed, including 32 aid seekers, as Israel pushes ahead with plans to seize Gaza City — (LINK)

Al Jazeera: Russia-Ukraine war: list of key events reported, day 1,287 (LINK) 2 September 2025

— Russian drone attacks and shelling killed three people and injured five others in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region. Two people were killed in Russian attacks on the Polohivskyi district, as Russian forces launched 578 attacks on 18 settlements in Ukraine's Zaporizhia region. Separate Russian attacks also killed one person in Kherson, one person in the Kyiv region and one person in Donetsk, local officials reported. A Ukrainian drone injured three people in the village of Proletarsky, in Russia's Belgorod region. Russian forces seized the Ukrainian settlement of Fedorivka in the Donetsk region. Ukrainian attacks over the past week on Russia killed 12 people and injured almost 100. Russia's Defence Ministry said that its forces shot down 158 Ukrainian drones in a 24-hour period.

Trump's use of the National Guard during Los Angeles immigration protests is illegal, a judge says (LINK) 2 September 2025

Trump ends turf war and will move Space Command HQ to Alabama from Colorado, effectively punishing the Centennial State for electing Democrats while rewarding deep-red Alabama for supporting him and his party (LINK) 2 September 2025

U.N. peacekeeping missions struggle, threatening their capacity to safeguard civilians in conflict zones, due to U.S. funding cuts (LINK) 2 September 2025

— President Trump's administration has canceled $4.9 billion in foreign aid, affecting peacekeeping operations crucial for protecting civilians in areas like South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The U.S. contributes 27% of the $5.6-billion U.N. peacekeeping budget. Trump's administration has signaled intentions to end funding entirely by 2026, citing inefficiencies.

McDonald's CEO says Trump's no tax on tips amplifies an 'uneven playing field' for its restaurants (LINK) 2 September 2025

Gold price hits record high above $3,500 an ounce as investors seek safe haven: nearly doubled in value since 2023 (LINK) 2 September 2025

Trump's crypto project WLFI under attack as Ethereum upgrade backfires (LINK) 2 September 2025

— Hackers exploiting EIP-7702 vulnerability to steal WLFI tokens. The attacks leverage a vulnerability in the May Pectra upgrade that allows externally owned accounts to delegate control to smart contracts, enabling attackers to plant malicious code that instantly drains all incoming ETH and tokens.

More than 85 veteran climate scientists file a 400-page public, point-by-point rebuttal of Trump admin report casting doubt on climate change (LINK) 2 September 2025

— The Energy Department's Climate Working Group report, released July 29 alongside proposals to deregulate some polluting sectors, was authored by five well-known climate change contrarians and even portrayed climate change as potentially beneficial.

WHO sounds alarm as mental health conditions soar past one billion worldwide (LINK) — ground.news: 63 media reports (LINK) 2 September 2025

— Suicide claimed an estimated 727,000 lives in 2021 and is a leading cause of death among young people, with the world likely to fall short of the UN target to reduce suicide deaths by a third by 2030. The reports highlight that women are disproportionately impacted, with 581.5 million women facing mental health disorders as compared to 513.9 million men. "Women who have experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence are particularly vulnerable to developing a mental health condition," said the World Mental Health Today report.

Ukrainian confesses to murdering politician in Lviv as 'personal revenge' against Ukrainian authorities following the death of his son while fighting for the Armed Forces of Ukraine — denied having any connection to the Russian security services (LINK) 2 September 2025

Vatican puts Pope Francis's ecological preaching into practice with vocational farm centre: 22ha experiment in sustainable farming, vocational training and environmental schooling for kids and CEOs alike on the grounds of the papal estate on Lake Albano (LINK) 2 September 2025

Switzerland launches its own open-source AI model Apertus: trained only on publicly available data, it says (LINK) 2 September 2025

Boat accident in Nigeria leaves at least 31 people dead, authorities say: The boat with 100 passengers struck a submerged tree stump near Gausawa community, Niger (LINK) — ground.news: 30 media reports (LINK) 2 September 2025

World's biggest iceberg A23a, more than twice the size of Greater London, breaks up after 40 years (LINK) 2 September 2025

CNN: Leaders of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran gather in Beijing as 'Axis of upheaval' emerges in challenge to the West (LINK) 2 September 2025

Spain named the best place to retire "for pensioners with moderate-to-high retirement income" for its cost of living, safety, and sunny weather: France 2nd, Portugal 3rd (LINK) 2 September 2025

The Swiss government has accepted a proposal in principle to end the option of not paying a fine, and going to prison instead (if the fine is under CHF5000) (LINK) 2 September 2025

Monday, 1 September 2025

Landslide in the remote Marra Mountains in western Sudan kills at least 1,000 people, rebel group says, appeals for humanitarian assistance from the United Nations and other regional and international organizations (LINK) 1 September 2025

Israel committing genocide in Gaza, world’s top scholars on the crime say: International Association of Genocide Scholars resolution backed by 86% of members who voted (LINK) 1 September 2025

Pope Leo XIV confirmed Sunday his intent to include LGBTQ parishioners within the Catholic Church ahead of their planned Holy Year pilgrimage to Vatican City (LINK) 1 September 2025

Trump plans a hefty tax on imported drugs, risking higher prices and shortages (LINK) 1 September 2025

1.2 million immigrants are gone from the US labour force under Trump, preliminary data shows (LINK) 1 September 2025

U.S.-run 'Gaza Riviera': Post-war redevelopment plan sees 'voluntary relocation' of millions (LINK) 1 September 2025

— The 38-page document envisions "voluntary" relocation of Gaza's population, AI-powered "smart cities", and a manufacturing hub named after Elon Musk.

Nestle dismisses CEO Laurent Freixe after code of conduct breach for failing to disclose a romantic relationship with a direct subordinate, appoints veteran insider Philipp Navratil (LINK) 1 September 2025

— Freixe had initially denied the relationship to the board, a spokesperson said. The ousted executive will not receive an exit package after his dismissal, Nestle told Reuters. The CEO's abrupt removal comes exactly one year after Nestle ousted his predecessor Mark Schneider.

GPS jamming attack on Ursula von der Leyen's plane in Bulgaria marks 'escalation' in Russia's hybrid warfare tactics (LINK) 1 September 2025

— The GPS jamming attack forced the Dassault Falcon 900LX plane to land using "terrestrial navigation tools" like paper maps and a compass on Monday local time, according to Bulgarian officials. EU commission spokesperson Arianna Podestà said the jamming incident was suspected to be "blatant interference by Russia". When asked about the allegations, a Kremlin spokesperson told the Financial Times, "Your information is incorrect."

Trump says he'll honour Giuliani with Presidential Medal of Freedom (LINK) 1 September 2025

Trump's World Liberty token falls in first day of trading (LINK) 1 September 2025

— President Donald Trump and his family are set to receive 75% of net revenue from the enterprise, according to a document published by World Liberty last year.

Trump family share of World Liberty crypto grows to $6 billion: The president and his family own 22.5 billion WLFI tokens, nearly a quarter of the total supply. — (LINK)

Trump declares D.C. a 'crime free zone' despite 442 crimes reported in past week (LINK) 1 September 2025

'House of Cards' actress Robin Wright joins Hollywood exodus from US after calling country a 's---show' (LINK) 1 September 2025