Switzerland Today
Greetings from Bern!
Is Roger Federer going to announce his retirement in Basel in October? Here's more on that and other news and stories from Switzerland.
In the news: Thirty-seven minutes and 59 seconds was how long it took for the Böögg’s head to explode in Zurich last night. That’s relatively long, signifying a rainy summer.
- However, statistical analysis “shows no correlation between the burning time of the Böögg and the summer temperature”, said MeteoSwiss, the Swiss federal meteorology and climatology office. Phew! The traditional bonfire and accompanying parade was taking place for the first time in Zurich after a two-year Covid-enforced absence.
- Humanitarian charity Swiss Solidarity said the public had donated more than CHF115 million for victims of the war in Ukraine since March. The money is to be used for aid projects in central and western Ukraine providing mainly food, water, medical care as well as small handouts in cash.
- Roger Federer will play at his home tournament, the Swiss Indoors, in Basel in October, it was announced today. The former world number one, who will be 41 in August, has not played since July last year after knee surgery. Federer is a record ten-time winner in Basel and will return as the reigning champion at the event, where he has not lost since 2013. Some people think he might announce his retirement there.
More
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) is very opaque by international standards. That has to change, says Yvan Lengwiler, professor of economics at the University of Basel. He explains his proposals in the latest Geldcast podcast.
“There is no right to secrecy,” says Yvan Lengwiler – not even at the Swiss National Bank. Lengwiler and his fellow campaigners are now demanding more openness from the SNB. Currently no one knows how the SNB’s top management makes its decisions, says Lengwiler. For the central bank to fulfil its accountability, a certain degree of transparency is needed.
Geldcast is hosted by monetary economist and business journalist Fabio Canetg.
A political campaign was launched today to reform the Swiss militia system to include men and women in a community service.
Organisers specified that foreign residents in Switzerland, as well as women and men considered unfit for the armed forces, should be asked to serve. Under the current system only able-bodied Swiss men do compulsory military service, while others opt for a civilian service.
The group, comprising representatives of civil society and several political parties, has 18 months to hand in at least 100,000 valid signatures for their people’s initiative.
The move comes as the government is considering ways to boost recruitment for the army and the civil protection service. There are concerns that the current level of staffing – 140,000 members for the militia army and 72,000 for civil protection – will not be possible in a few years.
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
