An international eye on Swiss news from NuseReal
Events in Switzerland — myswitzerland — (LINK)
Putin and Switzerland — 7 September 2024 (LINK)
Helicopter evacuation offered to 2,200 tourists stranded in Swiss Saas valley — 6 September 2024 (LINK)
Millionaire Swiss lawyer fined a record $110,000 for tailgating in his $60,000 BMW — 6 September 2024 (LINK)
— It's alleged that he was driving behind another car for about a mile and a half, maintaining 8-12m between the vehicles at speeds up to 74mph. In Switzerland, it appears that there are no clear rules on what distance constitutes tailgating, but it is necessary for a law enforcement officer to have witnessed the act and stopped the driver to issue a ticket. Swiss laws take into account the wealth of the lawbreaker when doling out fines.
Swiss probing 11-year-old over extremist posts: media — 6 September 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 6 media reports (LINK)
Swiss electricity prices to fall by 10% in 2025 — 5 September 2024 (LINK)
— For an average household that consumes 4,500 kWh of electricity per year, the annual 2025 bill will be CHF141 ($166) lower than in 2024, the regulator said. Reasons for the lower rates include the fact that prices on the wholesale electricity market have stabilized slightly, albeit at a high level.
Swiss Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB) partners with Crypto Finance to launch crypto asset brokerage: "this partnership marks a significant step towards the broader acceptance of cryptocurrencies in Switzerland" — 5 September 2024 (LINK)
Tracking behaviour with AI to understand the brain wins EPFL professor the Swiss Science Prize Latsis 2024 — 5 September 2024 (LINK)
— Mackenzie W. Mathis, a professor at EPFL, teaches mice to play video games while recording their brain activity and behaviour during the process, and critically, she also develops the computer algorithms necessary to analyse the data obtained.
— Mackenzie W. Mathis was born in 1984 in California, where she grew up in the Central Valley, bordered by the Sierra Nevada mountains, where she was an accomplished horse rider. Since that time, she has maintained her passion for animals and their motor skills.
The Swiss government has decided to extend the S protection status of people from Ukraine until 4 March 2026. Support measures for beneficiaries of this status are also being maintained.headline — 4 September 2024 (LINK)
Swiss government wants to ban Hamas from Switzerland for five years: the ban also covers organizations affiliated with the Islamist group. — 4 September 2024 (LINK)
Hotel des Bergues Geneva Hosts Annual Run of Hope in Support of Cancer Research on 6 October — 4 September 2024 (LINK)
— The event kicks off at 9:00 am, with the first race starting from Ile Rousseau at 9:30 am. Participants can choose between a 5km or 10km route, both open to all.
— The Run of Hope is inspired by the legacy of Terry Fox, a young athlete who, after losing his leg to bone cancer, made headlines in 1980 by running 5,374 km (3,340 miles) over 143 days across Canada to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. Though forced to stop his journey early due to cancer spreading to his lungs, Terry raised nearly 24 million Canadian dollars, achieving his goal of raising one dollar for every Canadian.
Watches of Switzerland: The worst is over for the luxury watch market in U.K.: it reported steadying demand for high-end watches from its stores. Its shares rose by more than 10 per cent in early trades. — 3 September 2024 (LINK)
— The FTSE-250 company's shares have fallen by over 43 per cent this year after a sharp profit decline due to a slowdown in the broader luxury market. Investors have also been spooked by a decline in the price of pricey watches from the market's pandemic-era boom.
Roman military camp discovered at Colm la Runga 7,200 feet (2194m) up in the Swiss Alps — 3 September 2024 (LINK)
— Dating back 2,000 years, this encampment was presumably used by the Roman Legions during a battle at nearby Crap Ses Gorge in 15 B.C.E., amid Emperor Augustus's conquest of the Alps. Geophysical surveys and further excavations also unearthed various weapons and military equipment, such as sling bullets and shoe nails.
— The goal of the project was to create a clear picture of the Roman campaign against the local Suanetes tribe for control over this corner of the Alps, surveying the area with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to look for traces of military activity.
Scottish home invaders used machete, Toblerone to rob a man of 23.5 Bitcoin: "first robbery in Scotland to involve tracing stolen cryptocurrency" — 3 September 2024 (LINK)
— Three men conducted the home invasion in the town of Blantyre, southeast of Glasgow, and one repeatedly beat a woman at the property with a personalized Toblerone bar and threw her into a bedroom.
Regular train service through the Gotthard base tunnel resumes more than a year after derailment — 2 September 2024 (LINK)
— Compared with the alternative solution, journey times between German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino will be reduced by an hour
Chocolate's future could hinge on success of growing cocoa not just in the tropics, but in the lab because of climate change — 1 September 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 10 media reports (LINK)
Basel chosen to host Eurovision Song Contest 2025 from 13 to 17 May — 30 August 2024 (LINK)
Country Ramblers — celebrating 55 Years of bluegrass in Switzerland to sold out houses — 30 August 2024 (LINK)
— Their music remains forceful and enchanting, the shows engaging and full of humour.
Swiss government open to reversing 2017 ban on new nuclear plants: the government intends to draw up an indirect counter-proposal by the end of the year — 28 August 2024 (LINK)
1MDB 2009-2010 scam: Seven-year Swiss federal court prison sentence for Petrosaudi director, a Swiss-Saudi national — 28 August 2024 (LINK)
— He and his deputy, a dual Swiss-British national, were accused of embezzling $1.8 billion from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB between 2009 and 2010. The deputy was sentenced to six years' imprisonment.
Swiss government criticised for delay in insect protection — 27 August 2024 (LINK)
— Five years after the House of Representative's Environment Committee voted in favour of better protection for insects, Swiss NGO Birdlife has criticised the government's hesitant action. The loss of valuable habitats continues, it says. Overall, almost 60% of insect species are threatened or potentially threatened in Switzerland; 59 wild bee species (9.6%) have already disappeared, according to the 2024 red list.
Not one Swiss canton on track for Paris climate agreement — 27 August 2024 (LINK)
— According to the rankings, the most climate-conscious canton is Basel City. Appenzell Inner Rhodes lags furthest behind.
"Chocolate breakthrough" reported by Swiss scientists at Zurich's prestigious Federal Institute of Technology: uses the cocoa fruit pulp, the juice, and the husk, or endocarp not just the bean, and eliminates need for sugar — 27 August 2024 (LINK)
Swiss company says it's no longer viable to build Colorado solar-cell-production site: Meyer Burger Technology's stock skids as its profit target is lowered — 26 August 2024 (LINK)
— Meyer Burger Technology said it is now going to focus on the module production plant in Goodyear, Ariz., which is mostly installed and in the ramp-up phase, and its existing cell-production site in Thalheim, Germany, will now form the backbone of its solar-cell supply.
Researchers in Switzerland carry out Hong Kong endoscope operation from 9,300km away — 26 August 2024 (LINK)
Scientists alarmed by poor state of biodiversity in Switzerland — 25 August 2024 (LINK)
— Swiss citzens are due to vote on a biodiversity initiative on 22 September.
Swiss is famed for having the absolute best first class meals — 25 August 2024 (LINK)
Swiss finance minister chides US, Europe over 'time bomb' debt levels — 24 August 2024 (LINK)
— In an interview with Swiss daily Blick, Karin Keller-Sutter extolled Switzerland's "disciplined" finances, which she said had enabled the country to deal with the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. By contrast, other countries are "so indebted they're hardly able to act any more", she said, giving France as an example. "Or take a look at America. That's a time bomb. The mini-crash on the stock markets at the start of August was a warning shot," the minister was quoted as saying. "It was an expression of investors' fear of a recession. Debt levels in the U.S. and Europe are a risk to international financial stability and a risk for Switzerland," she added.
Most popular Swiss baby names in 2023: Mia and Noah. — 23 August 2024 (LINK)
— In 2023, Mia was followed by Emma and Sofia, while Noah was followed by Liam and Matteo for boys. This is the seventh time Mia has topped the list, having previously come first in 2013, 2015, 2016 and every year from 2019 to 2021. Noah has also been one of the most popular names over the last decade, having topped the list in 2010, 2011, from 2013 to 2017, and in 2021 and 2022.
Europe's stunning high-tech luxury train: the GoldenPass Express — 23 August 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland offers cash prize to get munitions out of lakes — 17 August 2024 (LINK)
Swiss tech firm FinalSpark launches AI made of human brain cells (organoids) rental service for $500 a month: The organoids only live about 100 days, and then, ostensibly, the AI dies — 17 August 2024 (LINK)
— The purpose of these biocomputers, according to FinalSpark, is to develop a highly efficient, low-energy solution to the ballooning costs associated with developing artificial intelligence models. The company says it could be as much as 100,000 times more efficient to use computers made of organic material to train AI than it is to use traditional silicon-based technology. The technology can be viewed live online.
The Matterhorn machine: Zermatt drives tourism like a high-powered engine, with AI — 17 August 2024 (LINK)
— Artificial intelligence at the Monte Rosa hut at an altitude of almost 2,900monte uses the expected number of guests, the battery level and the weather forecast to calculate in advance whether and how much heating, electricity or hot water is required. Thanks to his experience, hut warden Kilian Emmenegger could assess all of this himself. But unlike the AI, he doesn't recalculate every 15 minutes. The software has reduced the hut's energy consumption by 7%.
— The new building was estimated to cost three to four times as much as a normal hut would have cost. After just two years, more solar panels had to be installed because more visitors came than expected. The guests want to charge their cellphones and take a hot shower. There is 5G reception on the glacier. The Monte Rosa hut is profitable — the amenities have paid off. "For 120 guests per night, burning wood for fuel is not enough." says Emmenegger.
Handicap International announces completion of Broken Chair restoration 8 July–7 August — 13 August 2024 (LINK)
Lithuania abandons Cluster Munition Ban during restoration of monument: 25 July 2024 — (LINK)
— Daniel Suda-Lang, Director of Handicap Internaitonal Suisse:"The arguments put forward by Lithuania — that we are living in exceptional times, that cluster munitions can provide an effective deterrent against a potential enemy and that they have great military utility — are inadmissible.*
— — HI Advocacy Director Anne Héry: "We are dismayed." Lithuania began considering withdrawal from the Convention last year after the United States started supplying Ukraine with cluster munitions in July 2023. The withdrawal of Lithuania will take effect 6 months after notifying it to all other States Parties to the Convention and the UN Security Council.
Nokia supplies Swisscom to deploy drone service across Switzerland to improve emergency responses and infrastructure inspection through drones-as-a-service (DaaS) network — 8 August 2024 (LINK)
Scientists unlock the secrets to an Alpine flower's survival by adapting its genes to local habitats. "This discovery has important implications for the protection of ecosystems under threat" — 8 August 2024 (LINK)
Swiss researchers identify sources of smog in Beijing using a new, mobile aerosol mass spectrometer: smog over the metropolis came from different sources and regions in summer and winter — 8 August 2024 (LINK)
— In winter, the burning of wood and coal plays an important role. In summer, when there is a lot of southerly wind, emissions from urban traffic and industry predominate. The study shows that smog is a large-scale regional phenomenon in which matter is transported over hundreds of kilometers.
Pics of Switzerland glacier taken 15 years apart show impact of climate change — 6 August 2024 (LINK) — ground.news: 17 media reports (LINK)
Swiss prosecutor hits Glencore with CHF2m franc fine and CHF150m compensation in DRC corruptio case — 5 August 2024 (LINK)
— The affair is related to the acquisition of minority stakes in two mining companies in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2011. Glencore had already reached a settlement with the African country in 2022, which included a payment of $180 million.
AFP: Davos restaurant fined for refusing to rent ski equipment to Jews — 31 July 2024 (LINK)
Why travel guru Rick Steves say Geneva is overrated and not worth a visit — 27 July 2024 (LINK)
— "One of Switzerland's largest and most sterile cities." He gave it "the 'nice place to live but I wouldn't want to visit' award." Geneva is expensive and not the liveliest city. Plus, "Geneva doesn't have any major, world-renowned landmarks like so many other European cities."
FINMA warns stablecoins could threaten Swiss financial reputation — 28 July 2024 (LINK)
— According to a recent guidance document, FINMA seeks to classify stablecoin issuers as financial intermediaries, highlighting the increased risks associated with money laundering, terror funding, and sanctions evasion linked to these digital assets.
Swiss town of Vernier banned billboards. Zurich, Bern may soon follow — 26 July 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland tells its government agencies they must use open source software — 25 July 2024 (LINK)
Swiss limit tourist access to Riffelsee above Zermatt in bid to bring back edelweiss — 25 July 2024 (LINK)
Vienna named the world's most liveable city (again) in 2024 with Europe dominating the top 3: Zurich 3rd, Geneva 5th — 21 July 2024 (LINK)
NATO to open an office in Geneva — 20 July 2024 (LINK)
— Elected officials from the Socialist Party and The Swiss People's Party (UDC/SVP) have been critical of the move. They argue that hosting a military organisation is at odds with Switzerland's status as a neutral nation.
7 most beautiful towns in Switzerland that you never heard about — 20 July 2024 (LINK)
Eurovision 2025 host city: Basel or Geneva — 19 July 2024 (LINK)
National Review → Switzerland's ghoulish 'suicide pod' prepares to debut — — 18 July 2024 (LINK)
— The Sarco device, short for sarcophagus, is a sealed capsule which enables the person inside to press a button that rapidly replaces the oxygen inside the pod with nitrogen gas, resulting in death by hypoxia.
— "Philip Nitschke, the infamous euthanasia advocate and Sarco's inventor, noted that the release of nitrogen gas in the sealed capsule is an irreversible process that first leads to a sense of euphoria, then several minutes of unconsciousness, followed soon after by death."
— The suicide pod has already been banned in two Swiss cantons. The highly mobile and cheap-to-use killing device which requires a payment of just 18 Swiss francs.
— When Alabama in January conducted the world's first execution by means of nitrogen hypoxia, advocacy groups were quick to condemn the execution method as violent, inhumane, and degrading. United Nations experts went so far as to suggest that execution by nitrogen hypoxia could constitute a violation of the U.N. Convention Against Torture.
Researchers discover novel deepwater renewal process in Lake Geneva: strong currents coming from the lake's Petit Lac basin and nearshore zones of the Grand Lac play a vital role, not just conventional vertical mixing — 15 July 2024 (LINK)
— "Temperatures have been rising since 2012, and oxygen levels at the bottom of Lake Geneva have dropped by 90% in 10 years," says Naifu Peng, a researcher at EPFL's Ecological Engineering Laboratory (ECOL). The last complete overturning of Lake Geneva was in the exceptionally cold winter of 2012. The two-basin structure of Lake Geneva is fundamental to the renewal of the deepest layers of the Grand Lac.
— As climate warming continues, full-depth vertical mixing of Lake Geneva in the winter will occur only during occasional, very cold winters. However, lateral mixing processes will continue to contribute to renewal of the lake's deepest layers. "Lake Geneva is not unusual in having a two-basin structure, so the same type of winter mixing is expected in other temperate lakes."
China's insurance giant CPIC of Hong Kong teams with Swiss crypto bank AMINA (formerly known as SEBA Bank) to expand its expertise in the crypto sector for the Asia Pacific region — crypto.news — 10 July 2024 (LINK)
Geneva's financial sector: banks move out of the Quartier des Banques — finews — 5 July 2024 (LINK)
Handicap International's Broken Chair being restored in July — Handicap International — 5 July 2024 (LINK: in French)
— carpenter Louis Genève and Thomas Büchi, both of whom worked on creating the Broken Chair 27 years ago, and the artist Daniel Berset, will be involved, says Handicap International. The Chair's details: created 1997, 12m high, 5.5 tonnes in weight, material: Douglas fir.
I loved my first visit to Switzerland — but my trip would've been better if I hadn't made these 5 mistakes — businessinsider.com — 4 July 2024 (LINK)
Learning lessons from medium-sized Swiss cities: "La Suisse de A(rbon) à Z(oug): Portrait en 12 villes", a new book published by EPFL Press — thecooldown — 3 July 2024 (LINK)
— It eschews the traditional focus on major conurbations. Swiss conurbations of less than 60,000 people "have a lot to teach us". They are "social integration machines where a shared rural culture and a strong sense of community make it easier for locals and newcomers to coexist."
Switzerland's government-owned PostFinance adds ADA, SOL, XRP to its trading options — ambcrypto.co — 3 July 2024 (LINK)
How Zurich is paving the way to a sustainable future — thred.com — 2 July 2024 (LINK)
— Ambitious sustainability programs and recycling systems have cemented Zurich’s status as one of the greenest modern cities in Europe &mdash perhaps even the world.
— Locals are accustomed to signing no-car pledges, and have adapted to life in cooperative housing complexes like Blueground, a network of furnished rentals for long-term stays. Tenants are welcomed with a rigorous recycling system, laid out in an extensive manual.
— The Storchen Zürich, a luxury hotel on the Limmat River, has had two recent renovations that have seen the building — which opened in 1375 — eliminate single-use plastics in guest rooms, install a state-of-the-art food recycling program, and a farm-to-table initiative that ensures almost all of its produce is sourced from local farms. An undercover 'green team' also means staff members can observe whether rules are being followed, reporting any green infractions to the general manager.
Vevey invites 10 artists to decorate its bus shelters: 28 June - 23 August: ride bus or hire bikes — see_link — 2 July 2024 (LINK)
The Geneva Graduate Institute and André Hoffmann sign an agreement to establish the Hoffmann Centre for Global Sustainability, dedicated to integrated (nature positive and socially equitable) sustainability. — graduateinstitute — 1 July 2024 (LINK)
Swiss companies are pioneering revolutionary batteries that can charge in one minute: 'The only way of meeting the enormous rise in demand for high-performance batteries' — thecooldown — 27 June 2024 (LINK)
— BTRY is the maker of an ultra-thin solid-state battery that "charges in minutes [and] stores for years," per the designers. 8inks offers a battery manufacturing process that experts claim allows power packs "to reach their full potential."
Sudden storms flood roads in southwestern Switzerland, halt air traffic in Geneva — AP — 26 June 2024 (LINK)
— Olivier Duding of Swiss weather forecaster MeteoSuisse said the French border town of Auberson received nearly 113 millimeters of rain in two hours, the third-most precipitation over such a period in Switzerland since detailed record-keeping began in 1981.
The University of Geneva orchestra has, as of September 2024, its first female conductor. Judith Baubérot is an assistant lecturer at the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève — slippedisc — 22 June 2024 (LINK)
Would you eat a robot? Swiss scientists want to create fully edible electronics — euronews — 22 June 2024 (LINK)
— The RoboFood project explores using edible materials to replace traditional non-edible components. For example, gelatin can be used in place of rubber, rice cookies used for foam, and chocolate films can protect robots in humid environments. Other innovative materials include a conductive ink made from activated carbon and gummy bears.
Three missing after heavy storms cause landslide in Switzerland: Zermatt remains inaccessible — euronews — 22 June 2024 (LINK)
UK's richest family get jail terms in Switzerland for exploiting staff — AP/AFP/dw — 21 June 2024 (LINK)
— A Swiss court has sentenced four members of the wealthy Hinduja family to up to four years and six months in jail on Friday for exploiting their domestic workers. Members of the family were accused of trafficking mostly-illiterate domestic workers from India, confiscating their passports, and forcing them to work 16-hour days in their Geneva villa without overtime pay. The domestic workers were paid between 220 and 400 francs ($250-450) a month — up to 90% less than what they could expect to earn in Switzerland. This wage was paid in Indian rupees into banks back home that the workers could not physically access.
— Prakash Hinduja and his wife Kamal were were each sentenced to four years and six months in prison. Their son Ajay Hinduja and his wife Namrata also received four-year terms. Meanwhile, the family's business manager received an 18-month suspended sentence. The court dismissed the more severe charges of human trafficking charges against the family which has roots in India.
Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF) celebrates its 10th anniversary in Bern — five new members elected to the Board of Directors — sustainablefinance.ch — 20 June 2024 (LINK)
Swiss National Bank cuts its policy rate for the second time running, by 25 basis points to 1.25%: the Swiss franc weakened and stocks gained — Reuters ● — 20 June 2024 (LINK)
Revealed: Engineers blew up a famous 110-year-old Swiss railway bridge near Davos after they 'forgot' to get approval — qz.com — 17 June 2024 (LINK)
Swiss right-wing leader calls Ukraine summit an 'embarrassment', reflecting the view that the talks are damaging for Switzerland's traditional neutrality. — Reuters ● — (LINK)
— Leading figures in the party have argued Switzerland should not have hosted this weekend's summit without Russia, and Nils Fiechter, chief of the SVP's youth wing, delivered a damning verdict on the talks to Russian broadcaster RT. "The conference will achieve nothing," Fiechter told RT on the eve of the talks, in comments picked up by Swiss media on Sunday. "The whole thing is an absolute farce and an embarrassment for our country."
Zurich art museum to remove suspected 5 Nazi-looted works: by Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, among others — swissinfo — 14 June 2024 (LINK)
Swiss regulator shutters crypto-linked FlowBank, begins bankruptcy process — coindesk — 13 June 2024 (LINK)
— FINMA announced that FlowBank's minimum capital requirements were found to have been "significantly and seriously breached."
Switzerland: M-Budget and Coop's Prix Garantie products have prices that match "hard discounters" but Coop's Qualité & Prix products are 71% more and M-Classics cost 50% plus than their discount range — bonasavoir ● in French — 13 June 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland's parliament defies European Court of Human Rights and female climate activists — BBC — 13 June 2024 (LINK)
— The ECHR in April in response to women "climate seniors" did not tell Switzerland exactly what it had to do to tackle climate change, it simply said it had to do more. The court’s rulings are binding for member states, and this decision was unprecedented. Switzerland's parliament voted on 12 June to reject a ECHR ruling, suggesting it was not "ignoring" it, as some critics have claimed, but rather that Switzerland did not need to react as it already had an effective climate change strategy.
A 25-year-old Phoenix man survived a 50-foot fall head first off a cliff in Grindelwald. — thequint.com — 11 June 2024 (LINK)
16-year-old American girl falls over 300 feet to her death while hiking the “Gorges Mystérieuses” trail in Trient, Valais, Switzerland, on 9 June — AP — 11 June 2024 (LINK)
Rilke's voyages: Europe, North Africa, discovery of the Rhone, and his reflections: Museum auf der Burg, Salle Rilke, Raron: 1 June 2024 onwards — fondationrilke — 7 June 2024 (LINK in French)
Rilke's Valais: 'I have this country in the blood' (LINK)
Researchers in Switzerland found a way to reinvent chocolate and make it healthier: without all the refined sugar that you'd normally find in the recipe — bgr.com — 6 June 2024 (LINK)
Swiss Sustainable Investment Market Study 2024 — SSF — 6 June 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland's upper house rejects 5 bln Swiss franc ($5.58bn) aid plan for Ukraine on the grounds that the plan breached borrowing restrictions in the neutral country — Reuters ● — 3 June 2024 (LINK)
— The plan's defeat had been widely anticipated in recent weeks, with legislators from the right particularly opposed to it.
CERN's new Science Gateway is the perfect way to get your kids excited about science: what to see — travelandleisure.com — 1 June 2024 (LINK)
To honour its 70 years of contributions to scientific knowledge, technological innovation and international collaboration, CERN has put together a rich and diverse programme, at CERN and across its Member States, Associate Member States and beyond. This programme includes exhibitions, the first of which can now be visited at Geneva Airport as part of a collaboration between the two organisations. Inaugurated on 2 May, the exhibition's three components will occupy the wall leading to the security check before entering the departure lounge, the "Panorama" terrace and the international terminal until autumn 2024. — visit.cern — (LINK)
Sheep acccount for only 11% of Swiss wolves' prey (1 in 9 of animals killed), according to a Kora Foundations study (French) — lenouvelliste — 1 June 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland’s Dark Side: how to read all about it (LINK)
International Geneva
Geneva auto show calls Switzerland quits, relocates to Qatar — ground.news: 19 media reports — 31 May 2024 (LINK)
— The organizers have announced that the 2024 edition of the Geneva International Motor Show was a disappointment, notably in terms of participation from carmakers.
— Even younger enthusiasts remember when Geneva was the most exciting date on the auto show circuit. Even younger enthusiasts remember when Geneva was the most exciting date on the auto show circuit.
— The first nail in Geneva's coffin came in 2020, and it was a big one: Swiss authorities indirectly canceled the show by banning all public and private gatherings attended by over 1,000 people due to coronavirus-related fears. The announcement was made days before the show was scheduled to open; tickets had already been sold and the stands were about 95% assembled. The organizers took a massive financial hit, and they weren't able to recoup their investment by postponing the show.
Switzerland's Head of Delegation, Yves Schifferle, denies Swiss considered withdrawing from eurovision 2024 — eurovoix.com — 28 May 2024 (LINK)
— He did confirm that meetings took place between the EBU, but that they were led by their artist Nemo and not by the broadcaster itself. "Some acts have sought talks with the EBU regarding certain etiquette in the backstage area."
EBU narrowly avoided the "Eurovision scandal of all time" as six countries, including Switzerland, were reportedly set to withdraw from the grand final 25 minutes before showtime — wiwibloggs.com — 25 May 2024 (LINK)
— Magnus Børmark, the guitarist for Norwegian band Gåte, told VG: "Our common point was that we did not want to participate in Eurovision for it to be used and branded as part of Israel's war propaganda machine." It's unclear what was negotiated and why the six countries found participation acceptable in the end.
Swiss asylum law changes 1 June to improve refugee employment, housing, and training — theswisstimes.ch — 27 May 2024 (LINK)
Gazprombank Switzerland ex-employees appeal in Zurich over negligence in financial transactions with a Putin confidant, "Putin's cellist": They failed to confirm if he was the actual beneficial owner of the assets, through which millions of euros flowed. Previously, the Zurich District Court sentenced them to conditional fines in March 2023 — theswisstimes.ch — 27 May 2024 (LINK)
Swiss experts produce sustainable chocolate amid cacao tree decimation — jpost.com/span> — 26 May 2024 (LINK)
Swiss startup Climeworks just opened the world's largest carbon-capture plant in Hellisheidi, Iceland, the Washington Post reported. — thecooldown.com — 25 May 2024 (LINK)
— The plant, called Mammoth, will remove 36,000 tonnes (almost 40,000 tons) of planet-overheating carbon dioxide — the equivalent of taking about 8,600 gas-powered cars off the road — from the air every year.
Former Swiss TV presenter Susanne Wille, 50, Head of Culture, becomes the new SRG Director General — ground.news: 6 media reports — 25 May 2024 (LINK)
Klaus Schwab, 86, to step down as WEF chairman after 53 years — ground.news: 33 media reports — 22 May 2024 (LINK)
— Schwab will become the non-executive chairman pending Swiss government approval, with the change expected before the 2025 annual meeting. The WEF's executive board, led by WEF President Bórge Brende, has been managing executive responsibilities in Schwab's absence.
Novak Djokovic wins on 37th birthday to advance at Geneva Open — see_link — 22 May 2024 (LINK)
— Novak Djokovic secured a 6-3 6-3 win on his 37th birthday as he beat Germany's Yannick Hanfmann in a rain-interrupted match to move into the quarter-finals of the Geneva Open. It made him only the third player - after Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer - to win 1,100 matches on the ATP Tour. At the end of the match, the crowd sang 'happy birthday' to Djokovic and he was also presented with a chocolate birthday cake by tournament officials.
Geneva, Zurich, Basel and St. Gallen express interest in hosting Eurovision 2025 — wiwibloggs — 21 May 2024 (LINK)
Machine learning accelerates discovery of solar-cell perovskites — actu.epfl.ch — 20 May 2024 (LINK)
Lauterbrunnen, Swiss village overwhelmed by tourists, wants to charge visitors for entry — CNN — 20 May 2024 (LINK)
World Bank to issue CHF digital bond settled using Swiss Franc Central Bank digital currency (CBDC) on 11 June — news.bitcoin.com — 19 May 2024 (LINK)
— The bond, a 7-year, CHF 200 million ($219 million) bond and the largest CHF issuance by the World Bank since 2009, is listed on both the SIX Digital Exchange and the traditional SIX Swiss Exchange, governed by Swiss law.
Pentagon fears quaint Swiss Alps hotel, Hotel Rössli in Unterbach (BE), bought by Chinese couple was Beijing spying post: The Wangs were arrested amid mounting suspicion in 2023: It sits 100 yards from an airstrip which is slated to house F-35 jets — dailymail.co.uk — 16 May 2024 (LINK)
Swiss police clear anti-Israel encampment at University of Bern — timesofisrael — 15 May 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland's Nemo wins Eurovision: first non-binary artist to win Eurovision. Croatia, which led the public vote, came second with a raucous party anthem — BBC — 11 May 2024 (LINK)
Mag. 3.7 earthquake felt at Entremont, 21 km south of Sion, Switzerland, on 9 May 2024, at 11:25 pm: could be felt in Lausanne — volcanodiscovery.com — 11 May 2024 (LINK)
Ultimate Zurich itinerary 3 days: best Zurich things to do + complete planner — travelwithme247blog — 10 May 2024 (LINK)
Trevor Noah and Roger Federer board the 'wrong train' in perhaps the greatest tourism ad ever — upworthy.com — 10 May 2024 (LINK)
Human rights, climate change, and the role of Geneva: Profiles of nearly 30 Geneva-based stakeholders that advance the work on human rights and climate change — genevaenvironmentnetwork — 9 May 2024 (LINK)
Future of contract fixers stirred debate on 2 May at inaugural Geneva Dry conference designed to be annual summit for the global dry bulk shipping community, shipping’s largest sector — splash247 — 9 May 2024 (LINK)
— With close to 600 delegates from 48 nations, 51 sponsors, and nine exhibitors, the show brought together every rung of the commodities shipping supply chain for the first time — (LINK)
80 pro-Palestinians occupy EPFL hall for 6 hours: building barricaded and emergency exits chained by authorities: offer of round table refused because demonstrators did not accept invitation to Shalom member(an official student organization). No violence — actu.epfl.ch — 8 May 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland records 600 MW of subsidized photovoltaic projects in Q1 — pv-magazine — 7 May 2024 (LINK)
Swiss Army Knife maker developing new version — without the knife — ground.news: 13 media reports — 7 May 2024 (LINK)
An afternoon with the new Swiss Guards: Preparing for a mission of faith and service — catholicnewsagency — 5 May 2024 (LINK)
Copernicus: Switzerland says it can't afford to take part in EU climate change monitoring programme — euronews.com — 2 May 2024 (LINK)
Cannes Film Market will shine a spotlight on Switzerland as Country of Honor: a key co-producer and co-financer in European cinema — hollywoodreporter.com — 2 May 2024 (LINK)
Vail Resorts completes purchase of Crans-Montana resort facilities for $130m, second in Switzerland: $30m investment over next 5 years on "gastronomic effiencies" and snowmaking — powder.com — 2 May 2024 (LINK)
CERN gives green light to build new experiment to search for unknown particles: "We observe things that should be impossible according to the Standard Model" — phys.org — 1 May 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland in international rankings: the development of Switzerland's competitiveness — and why interpreting rankings requires caution — avenir-suisse — 29 April 2024 (LINK)
— We have traced 22 of the most important and most discussed rankings back to the year 2000. The country is an undisputed leader, particularly regarding innovation and talent attraction. Despite losing a few ranks, there is no evidence of a general downward trend. Switzerland's performance when it comes to business regulation is less promising. There is also still room for improvement regarding future technologies. The country is not (yet) among the leading nations in the field of artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the cost of living in Switzerland is among the highest in the world.
— While the best indices are based on meticulous and careful data analysis, others are based on rather shaky figures. The indicators do not always measure the same thing in all countries.
23 unforgettable things to do in Switzerland — wanderlustcrew — 27 April 2024 (LINK)
Recap: Gauging the state of the market from Watches and Wonders Geneva 2024 Fair — ablogtowatch.com — 22 April 2024 (LINK)
WatchMojo's top 10 destinations in Switzerland — WatchMojo — 22 April 2024 (LINK)
Egypt regains 3,400-year-old stolen statue of King Ramses II 3 decades after it was stolen: Swiss authorities returned the artifact to Egypt after it was identified in a London exhibition in 2013 — ground.news main source: Reuters, 16 media reports — 21 April 2024 (LINK)
— Egyptian authorities spotted the artefact when it was offered for sale in an exhibition in London in 2013. It moved to several other countries before reaching Switzerland, according to the antiquities ministry. Switzerland handed over the statue to the Egyptian embassy in Bern last year, but it was only recently that Egypt brought the artefact home.
Swiss parliament rejects joining sanctions task force against Russia — Reuters ● — 17 April 2024 (LINK)
— Justice Minister Beat Jans said that in an increasingly polarized world, Switzerland had an interest in maintaining a degree of independence in international relations. "The advantage deriving from such a perspective can be seen, for example, with regard to the Ukraine peace summit, which Switzerland wants to organise and will organise," he said. "Not participating in the REPO task force will make it easier for our country to continue to offer its good services."
The country has frozen some $8.81 billion in assets belonging to Russians since the beginning of the war, the government said in December. That is but a fraction of the total wealth held by Russians in Switzerland, estimated by the Swiss Bankers Association to be worth more than $164 billion. — newsweek — (LINK)
— On 12 April, activists supported by 130,000 certified signatures submitted a petition for a new vote on their proposed "neutrality initiative," which would end Bern's involvement in international sanctions on Russia. The push is supported by the rightwing Swiss People's Party (SVP), which said in a statement: "The gradual dissolution of neutrality is a threat to Switzerland's internal and external security."
NestlÉ adds sugar to infant milk sold in poorer countries, report finds — The Guardian UK ● — 17 April 2024 (LINK)
10 best crypto exchanges in Switzerland, with pros and cons: eToro, Uphold etc. — coingape.com — 17 April 2024 (LINK)
UBS expansion plans ruined by new SWISS bank capital regulations — cryptopolitan.com — 13 April 2024 (LINK)
— In an interview, the country’s finance minister threw down the gauntlet, saying that UBS, along with other big banks, will need to beef up their capital if they want to keep doing business big time.
Watches and Wonders 2024: elite of watchmaking unveil their creations in Geneva — euronews.com — 16 April 2024 (LINK)
Ukraine updates: Switzerland to host 'peace summit' in June without Russia — Deutsche Welle — 10 April 2024 (LINK)
Thai doctor offered bribe to drop lawsuit in Swiss scandal — thethaiger.com — 10 April 2024 (LINK)
'Historic' European Court of Human Rights ruling backs Swiss women in climate change case: "climate change violates the right to respect for one's private and family life" — euronews.com — 9 April 2024 (LINK)
— The ECHR ruled by 16 judges to 1 that the KlimaSeniorinnen (Swiss Elders for Climate Protection) were subject to a violation of Article 8 as well as (unanimously) Article 6 - the right to a fair trial in their country.
American teen killed in avalanche near Zermatt — thedailybeast — 9 April 2024 (LINK)
Researchers from EPFL and HES-SO Valais Wallis have published a study emphasizing the importance of local energy solutions, and the role of decentralized photovoltaic systems for community empowerment in a more sustainable energy future for Switzerland: this could reduce annual system costs by 10% and elevate self-consumption rates to 68%. — see_link — 5 April 2024 (LINK)
— "With an investment of 1260 CHF/year per capita in local energy communities, districts can produce about half of the total energy needs of Switzerland by using around 60% of the available roof surface."
Switzerland becomes first major economy to cut interest rates in surprise move — ground.news: 33 media reports — 21 March 2024 (LINK)
EU nations approve new negotiations with Switzerland — lenews.ch — 15 March 2024 (LINK)
Lake Geneva's water temperatures on the rise at an unprecedented rate — euronews.com — 8 March 2024 (LINK)
Open Quantum Institute operations kick off at CERN with continued support from GESDA and UBS — gesda.global — 5 March 2024 (LINK)
Swiss voters back boosting pensions — something they hadn't done in 176 years as high cost of living takes toll — fortune — 3 March 2024 (LINK)
— The proposal to introduce a 13th annual payout to pensioners was supported by 58.2% of the electorate and also met the additional requirement of being passed in the majority of Switzerland's cantons. A second initiative to raise the retirement age — and subsequently tie it to life expectancy — was rejected, garnering only 25.3% of votes.
Livestock Guardian Dogs, particularly Maremma sheepdogs (bred in Valais for Switzerland) change predator behavior in ways that both protect livestock and support conservation efforts — phys.org — 1 March 2024 (LINK)
It's about to get a lot easier to buy a Rolex in 2024 — dmarge.com — 27 February 2024 (LINK)
— Rolex has launched new facilities in Bulle, Switzerland along with three new temporary facilities slated for this year to increase production of new Rolex models, "support growth and meet ever-increasing demand". Secondly, fewer Rolex models affixed with precious metals are being allocated. Instead, retailers are apparently seeing an increase in the supply of steel models compared to previous years, which could mean Rolex fans will have a better chance of securing the models they're after. Thirdly, waiting times for specific models such as two-tone Datejusts are beginning to decrease compared to other pieces in Rolex's celebration collections. And lastly, certified resellers such as WatchPro, Watchfinder and of course, Chrono24 are reporting huge decreases in previously inflated prices with "some watches losing half their inflated value in the past 18 months."
Thousands of new Rolex watches such as the Sky-Dweller, Submariner and Daytona have previously flooded the grey market, available to purchase fresh out of the box and with the necessary documentation from the Rolex boutique — although they will still come in at an unwanted premium.
Of course, Rolex announced in 2022 that the Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) programme would help to get more Rolex watches on the wrists of hopeful customers, issuing pre-owned models with at least a two-year guarantee directly from Rolex.
Geneva voted the best destination in Europe for all-year-round events in 2024 — themanual.com — 25 February 2024 (LINK)
CERN Council reviews progress of feasibility study for a next-generation collider — cern — 13 February 2024 (LINK)
Cardano-backed SingularityNET from Amsterdam sets up shop in Switzerland's Zug for AI advancements — bitcoinist.com — 9 February 2024 (LINK)
The mysterious case of the 3 million-toothbrushes DDoS attack — was original report a hypothetical scenario that never happened... or is the truth elsewhere? — techradar — 9 February 2024 (LINK)
— The Fortinet company issued a statement saying "To clarify, the topic of toothbrushes being used for DDoS attacks was presented during an interview as an illustration of a given type of attack, and it is not based on research from Fortinet or FortiGuard Labs. It appears that due to translations the narrative on this topic has been stretched to the point where hypothetical and actual scenarios are blurred."
Axe-wielding Iranian is killed by police after seizing 15 hostages on Swiss train — cbsnews — 8 February 2024 (LINK)
Stories from CERN's women in science — cern — 7 February 2024 (LINK)
Three million malware-infected smart toothbrushes "used in Swiss DDoS attacks" — botnet causes millions of euros in damages — tomshardware.com — 6 February 2024 (LINK)
CERN's new robot detects radiation leaks in complex experiment areas — thenextweb — 6 February 2024 (LINK)
Russian dissident's Swiss start-up has secretly supplied Ukraine with military drones: The Swiss-based company Destinus, best known for designing hypersonic rocket-propelled aircraft, has opened up to the French business magazine Challenges about its support to Ukraine's military — kyivpost — 2 February 2024 (LINK)
— 47-year-old Mikhail Kokorich said that Destinus is "already among the main drone producers in Europe" and "Ukraine is one of our main customers." Kokorich, the former head of Russia's space startup Dauria Aerospace, founded Destinus in 2021. He left his native Russia and moved to the US after Vladimir Putin came to power.
The small canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland unveiled a creative new way to generate solar power: outfitting a roadside retaining wall with vertical solar panels: 'we will probably see more of these things' — thecooldown.com — 23 January 2024 (LINK)
Swiss regulator FINMA approves Taurus for retail offering of tokenized securities — cryptopolitan — 23 January 2024 (LINK)
Archaeologists unearth rare 14th-century gauntlet near Swiss castle: "Sensational find" — cbs — 22 January 2024 (LINK)
Catherine Porter. New York Times: As Switzerland's glaciers shrink, a way of life may melt away: the tradition of "summering" animals in high pastures — nytimes ● — 21 January 2024 (LINK)
— The tradition of "summering" has so transformed the countryside into a patchwork of forests and pastures that maintaining its appearance was written into the Swiss Constitution as an essential role of agriculture. In December, the United Nations heritage agency UNESCO added the Swiss tradition to its exalted "intangible cultural heritage" list. But climate change threatens to scramble those traditions. Warming temperatures, glacier loss, less snow and an earlier snow melt are forcing farmers across Switzerland to adapt.
— Nearly half of Switzerland's livestock farms send their goats, sheep and cows up to summer pastures, according the last thorough study done by government scientists, in 2014. Historically, herders would take sheep across the tongue of the Oberaletsch Glacier for "summering" in Alpine pastures. But the retreat of the glacier has long made that route too unstable and dangerous.
Alpine glaciers will lose at least a third of their volume by 2050, whatever happens — eurasiareview — 20 January 2024 (LINK)
— "By 2050, i.e. in 26 years' time, we will have lost at least 34% of the volume of ice in the European Alps, even if global warming were to stop completely and immediately. This is the prediction of a new computer model developed by scientists from the Faculty of Geosciences and Environment at the University of Lausanne (UNIL), in collaboration with the University of Grenoble, ETHZ and the University of Zurich. In this scenario, developed using machine-learning algorithms and climate data, warming is stopped in 2022, but glaciers continue to suffer losses due to inertia in the climate-glacier system. This most optimistic of predictions is far from a realistic future scenario, however, as greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise worldwide."
Geneva museum heist thieves from London in 2019 caught in sting: sentenced to 3.5 years: cup missing similar to one auctioned for $30m — BBC — 20 January 2024 (LINK)
Switzerland says Israeli president subject of criminal complaints at Davos — Reuters ● — 19 January 2024 (LINK)
— The Office of the Swiss Attorney General would not reveal details about the nature and number of the complaints, nor who had lodged them.
Herzog said last week there was "nothing more atrocious and preposterous" than the lawsuit filed by South Africa with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In making its case, South Africa named Herzog and other Israeli officials it says have expressed genocidal intent against Palestinians.
Watches of Switzerland shares plunge 33% after the luxury watch retailer cut its guidance for the 2024 fiscal year — cnbc — 18 January 2024 (LINK)
CYD Doctoral Fellowships: a salary and research and conference funds for four years (with a possible one-year extension), enabling fellows to complete a PhD thesis at the CYD Campus under the supervision of a professor at a higher education institution in Switzerland: deadline 1 February 2024 — see_link — 18 January 2024 (LINK)
New WEF report measures quality of growth for new economic era: calls for a new approach to economic growth that balances efficiency with long-term sustainability and equity, examining speed and quality together — WEF — 17 January 2024 (LINK)
— The Forum's Future of Growth initiative is a two-year endeavour aimed at charting a new narrative for economic growth and supporting policy-makers from around the world, together with economists and other experts, in identifying the best pathways in balance growth, innovation, inclusion, sustainability and resilience goals.High-income economies score high on innovation and inclusion, while lower-income economies on sustainability. At an individual level, none of the 107 economies covered by the report have attained a score higher than 80 on any of the framework's four dimensions.
Report on the top 50 entities in Switzerland's Crypto Valley, now the world's leading blockchain hub: The Crypto Valley Top 50 experienced a 106% valuation surge, reaching a total of $382.93 billion: Crypto Valley now counts 1290 entities, a 13.6% increase from last year, with nearly 40% of them located in Zug — CVVC — 17 January 2024 (LINK)
CERN to celebrate 70th anniversary with accessible science events — bignewsnetwork — 15 January 2024 (LINK)
— The first event will be on Jan. 30. A summit called "Unveiling the Universe" will be hosted by prestigious artists and scientists.
Switzerland leads among 10 most talent-competitive countries, according to INSEAD — www.thetravel.com — 14 January 2024 (LINK)
Col du Chaussy, Savoie: One of the most dangerous roads in the entire world is also impossibly picturesque — www.explore.com — 13 January 2024 (LINK)
Imelda, André Hoffmann Assistant Professor in Environmental and Resource Economics and part of the Center for International Environmental Studies since 2021 at Geneva Graduate Institute, is one of the 3 winners of the SNIS IG Award 2023 oorpapers published on a subject related to international studies that are especially useful from the perspective of international organisations — graduateinstitute — 14 January 2024 (LINK)
— The paper uses a case study of a clean cooking program in Indonesia. In less than ten years, the policy transformed Indonesia from having the lowest to the highest population with access to clean cooking, offering valuable lessons for other regions striving for universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy by 2030. The reason for this increase is that the Indonesian government initiated a cooking fuel conversion program in that replaced kerosene with liquid petroleum gas (LPG) on a national scale. This program was highly successful in promoting the adoption of clean cooking. As fine particulates emitted from burning LPG are lower than particulates emitted from burning kerosene, therefore replacing kerosene with LPG lowers indoor fine particulates.
The paper documents that when women gained access to clean energy, there were notable improvements in their health, leading to increased productivity. Concurrently, men also experienced an increase in work hours, especially in households where women benefited the most.
Former Gambian interior minister Ousman Sonko to go on trial in Switzerland over alleged crimes against humanity — the highest-ranking official to be tried in Europe under universal jurisdiction. — ground.news: 38 media reports — 8 January 2024 (LINK)
— The trial, scheduled for January 8-30, will include testimony from nine Gambian plaintiffs. Mr Sonko, 54, was arrested after non-governmental organisations presented evidence of his alleged involvement in killings, rape and torture. But his lawyer said that he was not responsible for what happened.
Sonko fled to Switzerland, where he claimed asylum. Within months he was arrested, after an NGO, Trial International, gave the Swiss authorities details of abuses he was allegedly involved in. Other countries are also bringing cases against former members of Mr Jammeh's regime. In October, Germany handed a life sentence for crimes against humanity to Bai Lowe, a one-time member of "the Junglers". Later this year, a court in the U.S. State of Colorado will begin the trial of an alleged former member of the same group.