Tag: Switzerland

Biggest Alpine glacier could disappear by 2100: study

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The mighty Aletsch — the largest glacier in the Alps — could completely disappear by the end of this century if nothing is done to rein in climate change, a study showed Thursday. A team of researchers in Switzerland has used a cutting-edge simulation to show how the Aletsch Glacier will change as the planet continues to warm, the ETH technical university in Zurich said in a statement. The glacier, which […]

Two die from measles in Switzerland as cases rise

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Switzerland has registered two deaths from measles this year, health authorities said Thursday, stressing the importance of vaccinating against the highly contagious disease. The health ministry warned that the number of measles cases was on the rise this year, with 155 people infected, including two who had died. A man in his thirties, who had never been vaccinated against the disease, died after being infected by a family member, it said. […]

Finland tops world happiness rankings, South Sudan bottom: UN

Finland ranked as the world’s happiest country for the second year running while war-torn South Sudan sank to the least contented in a United Nations report released on Wednesday. The Nordic nation of 5.5 million people, known for their love of forests, lakes and saunas, topped the study which used survey data asking citizens in 156 countries how happy they perceive themselves to be, as well as measures such as life expectancy, income and social […]

One dead after Swiss avalanche, rescue search paused

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — One person engulfed in an avalanche in the Swiss Alps has died, police said Wednesday, as rescue operations to find other possible victims were paused after an all-night search. Four people had been reported as injured in the avalanche on Tuesday at the Crans-Montana ski station in southern Switzerland. One of the wounded, a 34-year-old French national, has died, police in Valais canton said in a tweet. “Searches that continued through […]

After 600 years, night watchman still keeps vigil over Lausanne

by Eloi ROUYER Agence France Presse LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) — Every evening, the night watchman clambers to the top of the Lausanne cathedral bell tower and gets to work: he shouts out the time each hour, keeping a six-century-old tradition alive. The night watchman, one of the last in Europe, no longer alerts this Swiss city to fires, but he does help residents to keep track of the time. “This is the watchman! The bell […]

Imelda Marcos to appeal graft conviction before Supreme Court

(Eagle News) — Former First Lady Imelda Marcos is asking the Sandiganbayan to forward her case to the Supreme Court for “further proceedings” as she announced her plans to seek the help of the High Court over her graft conviction. Marcos made the appeal in a notice filed before the anti-graft court’s fifth division. “With due respect, the accused submits that the decision convicting her is contrary to facts, law and jurisprudence,” Marcos said. The […]

Person arrested after six die in Switzerland apartment fire

by Fabrice COFFRINI Agence France Presse SOLOTHURN, Switzerland (AFP) — Six people, including children, died when a fire broke out in an apartment building northwestern Switzerland, apparently due to “incorrect use of articles for smokers,” police said Monday. One person was arrested following the deadly blaze, which happened in the early hours of Monday in the town of Solothurn, north of the capital Bern. “There were more than 20 people in the building. Most were […]

Six dead in Switzerland apartment fire

by Fabrice Coffrini Agence France Presse SOLOTHURN, Switzerland (AFP) — Six people, including children, died when a fire broke out overnight in an apartment building in the northwestern Swiss town of Solothurn, police said Monday, with neighbours indicating the building housed asylum seekers. “There were more than 20 people in the building. Most were evacuated by the fire brigade, but for six people, including children, the help came too late,” Solothurn police said in a […]

Robredo: Imelda Marcos’ excuse for not attending graft case promulgation “a mockery of the justice system”

(Eagle News)–Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday, Nov. 17, described the excuses given by former First Lady Imelda Marcos for missing her graft case promulgation as a “mockery of the justice system.” In a motion filed before the Sandiganbayan, Marcos said she failed to attend such on Friday, Nov. 9, because her doctor had advised her to avoid stressful situations that could put her at risk given her illnesses that include hypertension and diabetes. In […]

‘Incomparable’ $50 mn pink diamond smashes record at Geneva auction

GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — An exceptionally rare pink diamond of nearly 19 carats fetched 50.3 million Swiss francs ($50 million, 44 million euros) at auction in Geneva Tuesday, Christie’s said, setting a new per-carat record for a stone of its kind. The Pink Legacy, which once belonged to the Oppenheimer family who for decades ran the De Beers diamond-mining company, was snapped up by American luxury brand Harry Winston, part of the Swiss Swatch group. […]

Up to 20 feared dead in WWII vintage plane crash in Switzerland

  GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Up to 20 people are feared dead after a vintage World War II aircraft crashed into a Swiss mountainside, local reports said Sunday. The Junker JU52 HB-HOT aircraft, built in Germany in 1939 and now a collectors item, belongs to JU-Air, a company with links to the Swiss air force, the ATS news agency reported. Police have called a news conference for 1200 GMT. The Junker plane, which can carry […]

UPDATED: Sweden beat Switzerland 1-0 to reach World Cup quarter-finals

by Thomas Allnutt Agence France Presse Sweden reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in 24 years after Emil Forsberg’s deflected shot earned a scrappy 1-0 win over Switzerland on Tuesday. This was far from a classic at the Saint Petersburg Stadium and if Colombia or England’s players were watching on from Moscow, they could be forgiven for feeling bullish about their prospects in the last eight. Switzerland’s Michael Lang was sent off […]