Tag: Switzerland

  • Pro-Palestinian student protests spread in Switzerland

    Pro-Palestinian student protests spread in Switzerland

    Pro-Palestinian protests on Tuesday spread to three universities across Switzerland — inspired by similar student demonstrations that began in the United States.

    For weeks, students around the world have been calling for their universities to cut ties with Israeli institutions over the war in Gaza.

    Students at the University of Lausanne (UNIL) were the first to mobilise in Switzerland, with several hundred occupying a hall Thursday evening to demand an end to partnerships with Israeli universities.

    UNIL responded in a statement that it “considers that there is no reason to cease these relations”. Protesters and the rector will meet later Tuesday.

    On Tuesday, the movement spread to the prestigious EPFL university in Lausanne, where a group of students occupied the university’s hall, an AFP photographer observed.

    The students are demanding “an academic boycott” of Israeli institutions and “an end to censorship at EPFL”, and called on other universities to join in.

    Tens of students protested in the entrance hall of the ETH Zurich shortly before midday on Tuesday, shouting “Free Palestine” and rolling a poster onto the floor that said “no Tech for Genocide” before being removed by police, according to news agency Keystone-ATS.

    In Geneva, the Palestine Student Coordination – University of Geneva (CEP-UnigGe) took over a hall at the university with sofas, chairs and tables around midday, the Swiss agency reported.

    Numerous Palestinian flags and banners were hung on all floors of the building. An assembly is scheduled for Tuesday.

    In a letter to the university’s rector, the group called for “an immediate end to links between the University of Geneva and Israeli universities” and called on the rectorate to encourage the admission of Palestinian students.

    Students across Europe have launched pro-Palestinian protests on campuses in Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany.

  • Pakistani passport once again least powerful

    Pakistani passport once again least powerful

    Henley & Partners‘ Passport Index has published a list portraying the world’s travel access hierarchy.

    Top on the list of countries that encourage travelling are France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain, whose citizens can visit an astounding 194 destinations without requiring arduous visa procedures. This group of countries offer passport-to-plane experience, setting the bar high for unmatched worldwide mobility.

    With access to 193 locations, Finland, South Korea, and Sweden share second place. Many visa-free or visa-on-arrival options are available to their well-travelled inhabitants, providing access to a variety of cultures and environments.

    Austria, Denmark, Ireland, and the Netherlands take third place with access to 192 destinations. These nations serve as entry points to a wide range of travel opportunities.

    The long list goes on, honouring countries that place a high priority on global connection. Among the notable entries are the United States, Canada, Greece, Switzerland, and New Zealand, all of which provide their inhabitants with an abundance of travel options.

    On the other hand, the Passport Index identifies states with more limited travel options. Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan are among the least accessible, offering their passport holders entry to just 34 countries that require no visa or one upon arrival.

    The London-based company, which offers residency and citizenship consultancy services, teamed together with the International Air Transport Association to create a unique ranking that takes into account passport holders’ access to countries without a visa or with one upon arrival.

  • Davos Playbook names Bilawal as the best-dressed person at world economic forum

    Davos Playbook names Bilawal as the best-dressed person at world economic forum

    Politico‘s Davos Playbook on Thursday named Pakistani Foreign Minister (FM) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as the best-dressed person at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

    The playbook is published every year during the economic forum in Davos, Switzerland.

    Apart from the Pakistani minister, the playbook talked about the other politicians and personalities from all over the world who came to attend the international event. Moreover, it reported on all events that happened on Thursday.

    Bilawal, along with Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, is currently in Davos. The four-day international event will end today (Friday).

    Here, have a look at Bilawal’s pictures during the event.

  • ‘Race against time’: PM Shehbaz calls on the world to help flood ravaged Pakistan

    ‘Race against time’: PM Shehbaz calls on the world to help flood ravaged Pakistan

    The International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan — co-hosted by Pakistan and the United Nations — began in Geneva on Monday.

    The international conference began with the words of Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who said, “We will need considerable support” from the international community,” as he sought solidarity to help Pakistan achieve a “resilient” future.

    The FM said that rehabilitation “continues to this day” as Pakistan battles with wide-scale destruction brought on by the environmental catastrophe.

    United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Monday appealed to the world to help Pakistan deal with the disaster caused by floods, saying “massive investments” are needed for the country’s rehabilitation which is expected to cost more than $16 billion.

    “Even through the darkest moments, the giving spirit of the Pakistani people has shone brightly,” said Guterres, “I have seen neighbours helping neighbours with food, water and shelter”.

    The UN head stated that his heart broke when he saw first-hand the active devastation of last summer’s floods. “No country deserves to endure what happened to Pakistan, but it was especially bitter to watch that country’s generous spirit being repaid with a climate disaster of monumental scale,” he said.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif again called on the world to help flood-ravaged Pakistan in his address at the International Conference on Resilient Pakistan.

    PM Shehbaz said that the world was standing at a “turning point of history” today.

    “One can go on and on but to truly say, we are racing against time. We are thankful for the support extended to us by the Asian Development Bank, UN, International Monetary Fund and several other international organisations.”

    At the moot, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also launched the ‘Resilient Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Recons­truction Framework’ (4RF).

    The framework outlines a vision for rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood-affected areas as well as will emphasise the need for global support and long-term partnership to implement it.

    “The first part of the 4rf plan reflects the priorities for recovery and reconstruction, bearing in mind the minimum funding requirement of $16.3 billion, half of which we met from domestic resources and the remaining half with the help of development partners and friends,” PM Shehbaz said.

    He said that the second part of the framework plan incorporates flood-resilient designs and infrastructure projects such as protecting key highways, railway line networks and early warning systems and capacity building for rescue and relief for future disasters.

    The PM while sharing details of the scale of destruction the country has suffered said that “various parts of Sindh and Balochistan still remain under water”.

    The floods, blamed on climate change, dealt a severe blow to Pakistan’s strained economy while displacing some 8 million people and killing at least 1,700.

    PM Shehbaz stressed that he was asking for support for those who have lost their life savings, homes, and livelihoods and are facing the harsh winter under open skies.

    “The one thing we have learned is that nothing can go back to business as usual,” the PM stressed.

    “I am asking for a sustained international support plan to meet this daunting challenge, for a new lifeline for these people. Together we have to rebuild their lives and their dreams,” he concluded.

    French President Emmanuel Macron, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store and President European Commission Ursula von der Leyen shared messages of solidarity at the event via video link.

  • Fawad Chaudhry extends best wishes to Maryam Nawaz after she underwent throat surgery

    Fawad Chaudhry extends best wishes to Maryam Nawaz after she underwent throat surgery

    Putting aside political rivalry, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry has extended his best wishes to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior vice president Maryam Nawaz after she underwent throat surgery in Switzerland.

    A day earlier, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb had said that Nawaz is in good condition after her three-hour-long throat surgery that took place in Geneva.

    The minister said the PML-N senior vice president had extended gratitude to all the people, especially the party workers, who had prayed for her and conveyed good wishes to her.

    According to media reports, during the three-hour-long surgery, two of her throat glands were operated on by the doctors.

    Earlier this week, both Nawaz and Maryam travelled together to Geneva from London.

    Maryam is expected to return to Pakistan in the third week of January to assume her new responsibilities as Chief Organiser of the party.

    Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will also be visiting Geneva to co-host the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan — along with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres — on January 9 (Monday).

  • Baita waapis aaya: Junaid is moving back permanently to help mother in politics

    Baita waapis aaya: Junaid is moving back permanently to help mother in politics

    Junaid Safdar, the son of Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N), Maryam Nawaz, is set to travel to Pakistan to settle in the country permanently, reports Murtaza Shah for The News.

    News reports state that Junaid and his wife, Ayesha Saif, will reach Pakistan on Friday from Doha.

    The couple would be shifting to Pakistan permanently to assist Maryam Nawaz in the party’s political activities.

    On January 2, Maryam Nawaz was appointed the Senior Vice President of PML-N. She will also take on the responsibility of organising the party.

    According to news reports, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday left London for a week-long trip to Switzerland’s Geneva.

    Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif will also be visiting Geneva to co-host the International Conference on Climate Resilient Pakistan — along with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres — on January 9.

    The reports further suggest that the PML-N supremo and his daughter will have meetings scheduled during the trip. Nawaz will also meet with PM Shehbaz, who is expected to reach the Swiss city on Sunday, January 8.

  • Spain to consider pet custody in divorce battles

    Spain to consider pet custody in divorce battles

    A Spanish court has ruled that pets are also members of the family. In divorce cases, the husband and wife must share them when they get separated.

    There was already no doubt about it among animal lovers, but now pets are officially considered a member of the family in Spain. The new law, which came into force on January 5, recognises pets for the first time as living, sentient beings and not just as objects.

    “Animals are part of the family and when a family decides to separate, the fate of the animal must be regulated with the same importance as the fate of other family members,” said lawyer Lola Garcia.

    The court said that the courts are required to consider the welfare of animals. It aims to end the legal wrangling that often occurs between couples who keep pets.

    Owners must “guarantee” the pet’s well-being, and if either spouse has a history of animal cruelty, he or she may be refused or lose custody of the animal, according to the law.

    Spain is not the first country to do so; France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Portugal are among the European countries that recognise animals as sentient beings.

  • ‘Chocolate snow’ falls over Swiss town after ventilation defect at Lindt factory

    ‘Chocolate snow’ falls over Swiss town after ventilation defect at Lindt factory

    A chocolate lovers’ dream came true for residents of a small Swiss town when “chocolate snow” started falling from the sky after a ventilation fault at a Lindt factory.

    According to details, the ventilation system of the Lindt and Spruengli company factory broke down and a light dust of cocoa powder spread in the nearby areas due to the winds.

    The company made it known that the particles will not damage people or the environment. The company also confirmed that they will bear all cleaning costs as a car was covered in chocolate powder.

    The problem was quickly addressed by the company and work resumed in the factory.

    People kind of enjoyed the sweet disaster in the year 2020.

    https://twitter.com/navdhad/status/1295721821074067456?s=20

  • ‘Neutral’ Switzerland helped CIA spy on Pakistan, others?

    ‘Neutral’ Switzerland helped CIA spy on Pakistan, others?

    Outraged commentators warned on Wednesday that the CIA and Germany’s intelligence service had for decades used a Swiss encryption company for spying, seriously damaging Switzerland’s cherished reputation for neutrality, AFP reported.

    Critics voiced particular concern that Bern may have been at least tacitly complicit in the secret operation. Switzerland, which takes pride in its neutral and non-aligned status, “was hosting a quasi ally intelligence agency,” the Tribune de Geneve daily said in an editorial.

    Swiss officials “very likely” knew what was going on but “closed their eyes” in the name of neutrality, it added. Home to the United Nations European headquarters and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Switzerland is recognised worldwide for its standing as an honest broker.

    But media revelations on Tuesday told how for decades the US and West German intelligence services raked in the top-secret communications of governments around the world. The Trojan horse they used was their hidden control of Swiss encryption company Crypto AG.

    The company supplied devices for encoded communications to some 120 countries from after World War II to the beginning of this century, including Iran, South American governments, and India and Pakistan.

    Unknown to those governments, Crypto was secretly acquired in 1970 by the US Central Intelligence Agency together with the then West Germany’s BND Federal Intelligence Service.

    Together they rigged Crypto’s equipment to be able to easily break the codes and read the government’s messages, according to reports by the Washington Post, German television ZTE and Swiss state media SRF.

    Citing a classified internal CIA history of what was originally called operation “Thesaurus” and later “Rubicon,” the reports said that in the 1980s the harvest from the Crypto machines supplied roughly 40 percent of all the foreign communications US code-breakers processed for intelligence.

    The spy agencies were thus able to gather precious information during major crises such as the hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran in 1979 the 1982 Falklands War between Argentina and Britain. They also got information on several political assassinations in Latin America.

    The Swiss government said on Tuesday it had named a retired federal judge to look into the matter, with his findings due out in June. But Carolina Bohren, a Swiss defence ministry spokeswoman, stressed the difficulties ahead. “The events in question began in 1945 and are difficult to reconstruct and interpret today,” she said.

    Bern also announced it had suspended export licenses for Crypto’s successor companies, until the situation has been “clarified”. But a number of political parties, insisting that far more needed to be done, on Wednesday called for a full-blown investigation.

    The Swiss Socialist Party wondered in a tweet whether the country’s own intelligence service was a “victim or an accomplice”, demanding “clarifications and a full investigation”. The Greens and Christian Democrats also suggested a parliamentary commission might be called for.

    Amnesty International’s Swiss chapter meanwhile raised questions about the Swiss authorities’ responsibility both for the espionage and for how the information gathered had been used.

    “Were our intelligence services and the government aware of the torture and the murders committed by military dictatorships in Chile and Argentina?” it asked in a tweet. “Did they take any measures? A full investigation must be carried out.”

    Switzerland has a centuries-old tradition of neutrality. It avoided being drawn into either of the World Wars and has stayed outside political and military alliances such as NATO.

    Several media reports noted on Wednesday that this reputation ended up providing excellent cover for the United States and Germany when they set up their spying operation there.

    Whether this was done “out of incompetence, because of a desire to cover for foreign secret service agents, or to profit from the information they uncovered, must now be clarified,” the Tages-Anzeiger daily insisted. “That is the only way to get out of this mess.”

  • Here’s who paid $450,000 for PM Imran’s two-day Switzerland trip

    Here’s who paid $450,000 for PM Imran’s two-day Switzerland trip

    Terming his participation in the recently concluded World Economic Forum (WEF) as the “cheapest” official visit, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that his trip was sponsored by two of his friends and renowned businessmen Ikram Sehgal and Imran Chaudhry.

    A former army officer, Sehgal is the chairperson of Pathfinder Group Pakistan that includes two of the country’s largest private security companies. Chaudhry, on the other hand, is a decades-old close friend of the premier. He is a Dubai-based businessman and philanthropist, having investments in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

    According to reports, the two friends of PM Imran bore the expenses for his trip to Davos, and the same was also confirmed by the premier himself. Addressing the ‘Breakfast at Davos’, an event jointly organised by Pathfinder Group and Martin Dow Group last week, Imran said his trip cost 10 times less than those of the previous leaders.

    He recalled that his trip to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) last November, which cost $160,000, was cheaper than the visits of former president Asif Ali Zardari ($1.4 million), and former PMs Nawaz Sharif ($1.3 million) and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi ($800,000).

    Thanking Sehgal, Imran added, “He is instrumental in getting me here. Otherwise, I would not have burdened my government to pay a sum of $450,000 for two nights.”

    Reiterating that this was an “austerity programme”, he maintained the government should rely on the over nine million Pakistanis residing overseas. “The GDP of those nine million overseas Pakistanis, in my opinion, is almost 50 per cent of Pakistan’s (overall) GDP of 200 million people. So we can use this resource and they can sponsor these things,” he said.

    To be able to attend the WEF annual meeting, a person has to be invited — in which case the event is free — or has to be a member of the forum. Membership of the WEF costs about $60,000 to $600,000 plus an additional fee needed to acquire an attendance badge, which runs about $27,000 per person to get into the conference.