Switzerland Today
Dear Swiss Abroad,
What do you think of when you think of Swiss fashion? It’s practical, pragmatic, not ostentatious – much like the Swiss themselves, according to a light-hearted video looking at the evolution of fashion in Switzerland since the 1960s. That said, there are still several “yikes!” moments in the first of an eight-part weekly series, The Swiss Miracle, which we’ll publish every Friday.
In the news: Germany’s decision to restart the production of ammunition for Gepard anti-aircraft guns in its own country, rather than relying on manufacturers in Switzerland, is having a major impact on the Swiss arms industry.
- Armament expert Matthias Zoller sees the beginning of the end for the Swiss armament industry in the current export legislation. “Either you produce abroad or you’ll go under economically in the medium term,” he said.
- Forgetting about the president of the Senate was the biggest mistake of Tuesday’s evacuation of parliament, the building’s head of security has admitted. He insisted, however, that no one was ever in any danger.
- Switzerland has already received 1,500 requests for visas under an accelerated visa process for earthquake refugees. Switzerland has agreed to issue them with visas for up to 90 days, under certain conditions. They need to have a passport and close family already in the Alpine country. If they have lost their passport in the earthquake, they need an emergency provisional one from the Turkish authorities.
If you were told to “dress like a Swiss”, what would you do? In the first of an eight-part weekly series on the secret of Swiss happiness and the Swiss attitude, we look at the colourful – and often shocking – evolution of fashion since the 1960s.
The Swiss Miracle, presented by Martina Chyba, takes a humorous stroll through the archives of Swiss public television, RTS. The eight issues under the microscope are fashion, food, love, cleanliness, nature, tranquillity, humour and money.
In this episode we look at fashion, and the archivists have uncovered some gems, including a fashion show from the Sixties taking place during an army assault course. From cult brands to dress codes, from miniskirts to hippies, and from tattooed rockers to the big-haired 1980s, your reaction will be one of either wistful “those were the days!” or horrified “never again!”.
We hear the thoughts of comedians of today as well as of unimpressed old people and shocked parents at the time. Sit back and enjoy this lesson in “Swiss fashion common sense”.
Warning: This video contains images of socks being worn with sandals.
Could Switzerland seize Russia’s foreign reserves for Ukraine reconstruction? An explainer.
The president of the European Council, Charles Michel, is pushing EU member states to seriously consider transferring Russian central bank assets frozen since the start of the invasion to a fund, where they can be managed to generate profits. These returns could then be used for reconstruction in Ukraine.
To reassure states – some of whom question not only the legal basis for seizing a foreign country’s money but also the potential risks to financial stability – EU officials have vowed any action would be taken together with allies. These allies include Switzerland. While a working group recently concluded that expropriating private assets of lawful origin would be illegal, the option of seizing Russia’s frozen reserves and other state assets remains a point of international discussion, which the Swiss government says it’s following closely.
In this explainer we examine various questions, including: Why are states interested in Russia’s central bank assets? Can states legally seize assets that have been frozen on their soil? How likely is it that Switzerland will actually seize Russia’s frozen assets?
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