We all know the famous Swiss ‘neutrality’ has always been about money.
Via: @cspan
"Bill Browder on Switzerland enabling Russia's invasion of Ukraine: "The Swiss government wants to be seen to be doing something, but when it comes to reality, the Swiss government doesn't want to anything because there's such a lot of money to be made off of dirty Russia money.""
Today is a good voting day: the new climate law passed with 59.1 % yes votes. Parts of the opposition to the law sent a horrific pamphlet to all Swiss house holds woth straight up lies and insinuations of racims etc. Glad that as a society, Switzerland rejects that quite clearly.
The new law is a clear pledge for net 0 till 2050 but a lot more change is necessary to actually get there.
Basically, in this tale a farmer's girl lost her way in the forest and stumbled across a hut inhabited by seven dwarves. She asked them for a place to stay for the night, and received it (after the dwarves argued about who would get the honor of giving up his bed for the girl)....
#China’s top diplomat said more than two dozen countries have expressed backing for #Beijing’s vision to resolve the #Russia-#Ukraine conflict, days after China indicated it will skip an upcoming peace summit in #Switzerland.
Wang said 26 nations have agreed to join or are seeking ways to join — in the “common understandings” that China and Brazil have reached. He said a total of 45 countries have given “positive feedback” to the ideas, according to the foreign ministry
#Switzerland is on course to approve a law aimed at accelerating the development of renewable energy as the country targets carbon neutrality by 2050, a polling institute said -AFP #ClimateCrisis
#China has confirmed it will not attend a #Ukraine peace conference to be hosted by #Switzerland next month, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter said.
#Beijing declined the invitation because the conditions for them to participate were not met, including the participation of both #Russia and Ukraine, three of the sources said.
New at my Patreon... In Switzerland, I take the GoldenPass Express from Interlaken to Montreux - seeing beautiful mountain scenery and changing gauge on the way:
#Switzerland's upper house of parliament on Monday rejected a 5 billion Swiss franc ($5.58 billion) aid contribution for #Ukraine contained in a broader financial package on the grounds that the plan breached borrowing restrictions in the neutral country.
With 28 against and 15 in favor, lawmakers voted down the 15 billion franc package, which also included 10.1 billion francs in additional funding for the country's armed forces.
The poor waiter at my Zürich hotel must be used to people nervously checking that something is included before ordering it (I've ordered an omelette and an espresso coffee with the buffet breakfast). He sighed a little and said "Everything is included."
Thank god for that, even a simple black coffee here can set you back CHF 5 (about $8.50!).
The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.
Today and tomorrow are yet to be said.
The chances, the changes are all yours to make.
The mold of your life is in your hands to break.
🖊 JRR Tolkien
The double show of support comes after Biden faced criticism for saying he would skip an upcoming Ukrainian peace summit in #Switzerland to attend an election fundraiser featuring Hollywood stars George #Clooney and Julia #Roberts instead.
The evolution of religious affiliation in Switzerland: Christianity dropped from 97% to less than 60% in 50 years. Leaving place to atheism.
TIL of a folk tale named "Death of the Seven Dwarves" (www.digitale-sammlungen.de)
Basically, in this tale a farmer's girl lost her way in the forest and stumbled across a hut inhabited by seven dwarves. She asked them for a place to stay for the night, and received it (after the dwarves argued about who would get the honor of giving up his bed for the girl)....