Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Protected by the Alps and neutrality, little Switzerland is not a threat to anybody. As a consequence, the Swiss do not live in fear of their lives. That is until they receive a packet of iodine tablets in the post.

Everyone living within a 50km radius of a Swiss nuclear power plant can expect a package in the coming weeks!

© Keystone / Christian Beutler

Radioactive reminder: Living in the shadow of nuclear plants

People living within a 50km radius of Swiss nuclear power plants will receive a fresh stock of iodine tablets over the coming weeks and until next April. The government has purchased 12 million packs of iodine tablets. The budget for the iodine distribution campaign is CHF34 million, of which CHF11 million will be financed by the nuclear power plant operators.

The preventive distribution area will now only cover a 50 km radius around the nuclear plants Beznau I/II and Leibstadt in canton Aargau, as well as Gösgen in canton Solothurn.

© Keystone / Ennio Leanza

Israeli-Palestinian war: repatriation of Swiss and crackdown on campuses

• Swiss International Airlines’ third special flight from Tel Aviv arrived as scheduled at Zurich airport on Thursday evening with 224 Swiss nationals on board. A fourth repatriation flight is scheduled for today. Regular flights have been suspended for safety reasons. 
• Swiss universities are cracking down on sympathisersExternal link of the Israel terrorist attack. “Solidarity with Palestine – Intifada until victory”, proclaim the posters calling for a rally in Zurich by far-left groups. Even university lecturers have been put on notice for remarks on social media. 
• With the Swiss government announcing that it plans to declare Hamas a terrorist organisation, we look into the practicality of this measure. While Swiss law has some interesting provisions that make this feasible, it is another matter when it comes to sending funds to Palestinians and brokering peace in the region. 

Credit: Eyeem / Alamy Stock Photo

Hydrogen trains: California leading the charge with Swiss help

Swiss train manufacturer Stadler Rail has won an order from the American state of California for the delivery of four hydrogen trainsExternal link. The contract, the value of which was not specified, also provides for the acquisition of 25 additional trains.

The first train, ordered in 2019, is expected to enter service in 2024 as part of the San Bernardino County Transit Authority (SBCTA) in California and will be the first hydrogen train in American passenger transport.