All posts tagged: Switzerland

From gentle strolls to zipline thrills: summer hiking in the Swiss Alps | Switzerland holidays

From gentle strolls to zipline thrills: summer hiking in the Swiss Alps | Switzerland holidays

Published by Sam Flores

Thick grey-green mud squidges through my toes as I step into the icy, irresistible water. I’m on the descent from the Britannia Hut at the foot of the Allalinhorn in the Valais canton of the Swiss Alps, and this turquoise pool of glacial meltwater has been on the horizon tempting me for an hour. I peel off all five layers of clothing and plunge into the murky water. After a night in a shared dorm without showers it’s bliss. In winter, the jagged ridges of the Valais are the domain of expert skiers and ice climbers, but in summer the lower slopes become accessible to hikers, with the added bonus of the ski lift infrastructure. You can be surrounded by dramatic peaks with the security of well-marked trails ranging from gentle strolls to serious alpine routes. I’m here to hike to mountain huts, test my nerves on via ferrata routes, and fill my city-dweller lungs with clean Alpine air. Map of SW Switzerland I begin my trip in Saas-Fee, a car-free high altitude village in …

Italy’s opposition sees its chance to beat Meloni. But it needs a leader, and a plan. – POLITICO

Italy’s opposition sees its chance to beat Meloni. But it needs a leader, and a plan. – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Impromptu alliances Campaigning against Meloni’s judicial reforms was an easy rallying point for the opposition, as they could all pile on the prime minister for attacking independent state institutions. In Rome’s Piazza Barberini on Monday night, opposition leaders and activists from several centrist and leftist parties gathered to celebrate a result few had considered likely just weeks earlier. Supporters waved party flags and chanted as leaders from across the political spectrum shared a stage in a rare display of unity. But the fraternity shown on the piazza masked deeper divisions: The coalition that came together to defeat Meloni in the referendum remains far from agreeing on a common national program, or a shared candidate for prime minister. The on-again-off-again grouping often diverges sharply on issues such as military spending and support for Ukraine, as well as economic policy, with a significant gap between the radical populist left and the more centrist Democratic Party.   Schlein argued on Wednesday that the opposition must focus on concrete proposals. “We can’t just be against the government, we have to …

UK-Swiss trade deal held up over pharma row – POLITICO

UK-Swiss trade deal held up over pharma row – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

The Swiss are “very angry, understandably, and [the pharmaceutical] industry are angry, because the U.K. has turned around and said: ‘No, we don’t really want to do this,’” said one of the people briefed on the talks. They were granted anonymity to discuss private negotiations. “The U.K. and Switzerland have always been partners internationally on promoting innovation and strong IP rights. For the U.K. to turn around to Switzerland and say: ‘Even though this is law already, we’re not willing to write it into the FTA,’ is like abandoning your best buddy.”  By refusing to include IP protections in the deal, “it reduces the incentive to put a medicine on the U.K. market,” they explained. “Because, if you’ve got less protection for a period of time, then you’re not able to recoup as much of your money invested in the development of the medicine.” EU overhaul The EU is currently overhauling its pharmaceutical laws, after the Council of the EU and European Parliament reached a deal on an “EU pharma package” to update pharma’s monopoly …

‘Israel has been given a licence to torture Palestinians’ | United Nations

‘Israel has been given a licence to torture Palestinians’ | United Nations

Published by Sam Flores

NewsFeed UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese has said the world gave Israel a ‘licence to torture Palestinians’ as she presented her latest report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva. She criticised governments for allowing violations to continue with impunity. Published On 24 Mar 202624 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Source link

Switzerland Halts Military Exports To US, Citing Iran War Neutrality 

Switzerland Halts Military Exports To US, Citing Iran War Neutrality 

Published by Jenni Sidey

Switzerland on Friday announced it is halting all military and defense exports to the United States, citing its neutrality, coming as the Iran war reaches the three week mark. “Exports of war materiel to the US cannot currently be authorized,” the government said, as quoted in Bloomberg. The statement specifically referenced Washington’s “international armed conflict” in the Middle East. Source: screengrab via Johnny Harris/YouTube The announcement might not be a surprise, given similar past stances by Switzerland; however it comes at a sensitive moment where President Trump has been expressing frustration at Europe and NATO for not stepping up to help open the Strait of Hormuz. There were signs of this coming: Last weekend, the Swiss government said it had rejected two US flyover requests on Iran-related war flights but permitted three others, also citing Switzerland’s neutrality law. Following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, Switzerland imposed bans on flights over Swiss airspace and weapons exports to countries involved in the war. It later lifted them. As for data on past American purchases of Swiss defense …

Switzerland halts weapons exports to US over Iran conflict

Switzerland halts weapons exports to US over Iran conflict

Published by Sam Flores

Switzerland said it won’t allow weapons exports to the U.S. as long as Washington is involved in its ongoing military campaign against Iran. The Swiss government said on Friday that it will not sign off on any new licenses for the export of war materiel to countries involved in the conflict, citing Switzerland’s commitment to neutrality. Switzerland said that it has not issued new export licenses to send weapons to the U.S. since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Tehran on Feb. 28. Existing licenses to export weapons to the U.S. can continue as they are not relevant “to the war at present,” but they will be kept under review in case they conflict with Swiss neutrality laws, it said. Exports of other dual-use and military goods, and other goods affected by sanctions against Iran, will also be kept under review, it added. Switzerland has not granted weapons export licenses for Israel or Iran for a “number of years,” the government said. Source link

Nepal Investigating Burning of Xi Jinping’s Book at University

Nepal Investigating Burning of Xi Jinping’s Book at University

Published by Sam Flores

KATHMANDU, March 19 (Reuters) – Nepal ⁠is ⁠investigating how some ⁠copies of a book authored by Chinese President ​Xi Jinping were burned at a university in the east of ‌the country after the ‌Chinese embassy expressed concern over the incident, officials said ⁠on ⁠Thursday. Yuvaraj Kattel, chief district officer of Morang where the incident ​took place last Saturday, said a five-member panel had been given 15 days to find out how copies of Xi’s book “The ​Governance of China” were burned at the district’s Manmohan Technical ⁠University (MTU). Beijing is ⁠a major trading ⁠partner ​and donor, and has invested in infrastructure such as airports, roads ​and health in ⁠Nepal, a natural buffer between China and India, both of which jostle for influence in the Himalayan nation. “The Governance of China” is a multi-volume collection of Xi’s speeches and writings ⁠outlining his political philosophy and vision for government.  “It has been ⁠asked to find out who was responsible for this and recommend measures to ensure that such incidents are not repeated in future,” Kattel told Reuters. …

One killed as cable car plunges down Swiss mountainside

One killed as cable car plunges down Swiss mountainside

Published by Sam Flores

ENGELBERG, Switzerland: One person was killed Wednesday morning when a cable car suddenly detached amid strong winds and plunged down a snowy slope at a Swiss Alpine ski resort, police said. The incident happened at the Engelberg-Titlis ski resort, high up in the Alps in central Switzerland. Videos from witnesses published by the Blick and 20Minutes online news sites showed a small cabin that had detached and violently toppled down a snowy slope. “At the time of the accident one person was alone in the gondola. This person sustained fatal injuries,” Senad Sakic, with the regional police in Nidwalden canton, told reporters.  He did not give the age or nationality of the individual. He said preliminary information indicated that “a gondola on the Hitlis Express cable car from Engelberg towards Stand crashed shortly after the Trubsee middle station”, he said. The Rega rescue service confirmed to AFP that it had sent a helicopter response crew to the area, without providing more details. Police would not comment on the cause of the accident, saying this was …

At least six dead in bus fire in Switzerland

At least six dead in bus fire in Switzerland

Published by Sam Flores

PRESIDENT SHOCKED It is the second major multiple-casualty fire in Switzerland in less than three months. In the early hours of Jan 1, a bar in the ski resort of Crans-Montana caught fire as people celebrated the New Year. A total of 41 people died, with another 115 injured. “I am shocked and saddened that people in Switzerland have once again lost their lives in a serious fire,” Swiss President Guy Parmelin said on X. “The circumstances are being investigated. I would like to express my condolences to the families of those who died in Kerzers. My thoughts are also with the injured and the emergency services.” The bus involved was a PostBus, a feature of Swiss rural life. The distinctive yellow buses serve more remote areas, connecting them with towns, while carrying letters and parcels. They are used by around half a million people every day, notably schoolchildren. “This tragic news deeply affects us all. Our thoughts are with the injured and the families of the deceased. A psychological support team will be available …

Swiss vote places right to use cash in country’s constitution – POLITICO

Swiss vote places right to use cash in country’s constitution – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Swiss Federal Council member Karin Keller-Sutter unveiled the results at a press conference Sunday evening. The vote means Switzerland will join the likes of Hungary, Slovakia and Slovenia, which have already written the right to cold, hard cash in their constitutions. Austrian politicians are also debating whether to follow suit, as people’s payment habits become increasingly digital — especially since the pandemic. The trend has fanned Big Brother conspiracy theories that governments aim to control populations by withdrawing cash altogether. The European Central Bank’s plans to issue a virtual extension of the euro have fanned those fears, prompting the EU’s executive arm to propose a bill that will cement physical cash in societies across the bloc. Switzerland, too, has seen a drop in cash payments over the past decade. More than seven out of 10 payments at the till were in cash in 2017. In 2024, cash only featured in 30 percent of in-shop transactions, according to data from the Swiss National Bank. The Swiss Freedom Movement has previously pursued campaigns to sack unpopular government …