An alleged Russian agent unmasked in Switzerland but also iPhones that cause sleep disorders make the headlines in the Sunday press.
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Here is the main information, not confirmed to Keystone-ATS:
Unmasking of a suspected Russian agent in Bern
Switzerland used major means to unmask a suspected Russian agent. An undercover diplomat in Bern, he obtained equipment to manufacture chemical weapons. Swiss security services arrested him a few months ago. This thirty-year-old had established contacts in Switzerland with whom he tried to obtain ammunition and various dangerous substances.
The investigation by two Sunday newspapers reveals how this member of the Russian intelligence service, the GRU, was able to be unmasked. In particular, it was necessary to organize numerous surveillance activities, which mobilized dozens of counter-espionage agents. At the end of the operation, the Department of Foreign Affairs demanded that Russia separate itself from its “diplomat auxiliary”. The officer then left Bern for Moscow, without a return ticket. And the Federal Council authorized the Public Prosecutor’s Office to open two criminal proceedings.
Revelations about the diversion of money from Lebanon to Switzerland
Money diverted from Lebanon resurfaces in Switzerland. The NGO Public Eye sheds light on the circuit that Riad Salamé allegedly used to make millions from the Lebanese Central Bank disappear. The NGO based in Lausanne patiently followed the trail of money sheltered in numerous banks, as well as in real estate investments around Lake Geneva, by Riad Salamé, the man who reigned for thirty years over the Central Bank of Lebanon.
Public Eye’s research sheds light behind the scenes of real estate investments made in Switzerland via a particularly complex network of offshore companies. For the NGO, which fights to ensure that Switzerland is not a refuge for illicit fortunes from disadvantaged countries, the role played by a Geneva lawyer in these arrangements – alongside a promoter close to him – illustrates the need to submit this profession more closely to the anti-money laundering rules currently being reformed.
Antonio Beltrame threatens Fermer Stahl Gerlafingen
Antonio Beltrame, the owner of the steel production company Stahl Gerlafingen, said he was disappointed by the Federal Council. In an interview, he threatened to permanently end the activity of the steelworks, a subsidiary of the Italian group Beltrame. “We reported very early on to federal councilors Albert Rösti and Guy Parmelin that we had a problem with the general conditions (editor’s note: the price of electricity in Switzerland),” he declared.
The boss does not want to abandon the factory, but if conditions do not change, there is a risk of closure. According to the newspaper, Federal Councilor Guy Parmelin defended himself against these accusations. The Federal Council has intensively sought solutions for this plant.
Educational reforms: The UDC pleads for special classes
After the PLR, the UDC also planned to make proposals in the area of school. The demands of the two parties largely overlap, according to the newspaper. Interventions would include, among other things, the reintroduction of special classes for students who are slower or have behavioral problems.
Integration classes for children who do not master German well enough would also be in the sights. Zurich UDC national councilor Benjamin Fischer was asked to draft a document on education. This document should be finalized this winter with cantonal education officials.
Towards increased deportation: Switzerland expels two Afghans deemed dangerous
Switzerland expelled two Afghans convicted by a final judgment to Kabul. This is the first expulsion to Afghanistan since 2019, according to the newspaper. The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) informed the cantons on Friday.
These are offenders who represent a problem for Switzerland’s internal security, SEM vice-director Vincenzo Mascioli told the newspaper. Other expulsions will follow “as quickly as possible”. According to information from “SonntagsBlick”, 13 Afghans considered dangerous criminals were recently in Switzerland. The two expelled Afghans received 500 francs in aid initially.
Explosion of domestic violence among migrants in Switzerland
Cases of domestic violence in the asylum area have increased sharply. In 2023, there were 345 victims among the ranks of migrants throughout Switzerland, a figure never reached before, according to the newspaper, which is based on data from the Federal Statistical Office.
In the space of a decade, the number of people affected has doubled. Swiss passport holders are six times less affected by domestic violence. According to the newspaper, men are clearly in the majority in the field of asylum. Depending on the country of origin, the relationship between the sexes is difficult. But the share of women in asylum applications has increased.
Verticalp: The debacle ends in court
The Verticalp debacle will be played out in court. The fall of the amusement park in the town of Finhaut in Valais leaves 14 million debts. Criminal proceedings are underway. Located in the town of Finhaut (VS), Verticalp and its network of small trains and funiculars take visitors to the Emosson dam every summer.
After a real financial debacle, the company started again on new bases in 2023. But anger is brewing: criminal complaints from former shareholders, who lost a lot of money and who feel cheated, have been filed. They target, without explicitly naming them, the municipal authorities of Finhaut.
Reka invests 100 million francs to modernize its offer
The Swiss travel fund Reka wants to invest 100 million francs in renewing and expanding its offer over the next five years. The aim is to get rid of the classic image of holiday villages, director Roland Ludwig said in an interview.
For this investment, the cooperative must borrow capital. Reka is considering purchasing another station abroad. The focus will be on Italy and France. Concrete negotiations are not yet underway. Reka also wants to attract more customers from neighboring countries, such as southern Germany.
Swisscom and Google: Contractual conditions for the TV decoder
Swisscom customers had to accept Google’s contractual conditions for their TV decoder. For example, Google reserves the right to collect the approximate location of the decoder. The device identification number and interaction with applications would also be recorded.
Acceptance of the contract conditions would be necessary to update the box. Swisscom obtains the software for the boxes from the American technology group. The data would be transmitted to Google anonymously, the operator said. It is not possible to deduce the identity of the customers.
Smartphones replace bedside books, disrupting sleep
The cell phone has replaced the book on the nightstands. This is the case for six out of ten people, according to a study carried out by Ikea on the sleep habits of the Swiss, the results of which were published on Sunday.
Four out of five 18-39 year olds admit to not sleeping without their smartphone. “The possibility of communicating 24 hours a day and the immediacy afforded by current technologies can cause sleep disorders,” explains Professor Raphaël Heinzer of the Center for Investigation and Research on Sleep at CHUV.
For its part, the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) has just published its survey devoted to sleep disorders. As a result, a third of the Swiss population sleeps poorly, and these problems have continued to increase in twenty-five years. Particularly among young women aged 15 and 39 suffering from pathological disorders – restless sleep and waking up several times per night – whose proportion has almost tripled between 1997 and 2022.
Censorship at the Zurich Opera: “Leben mit einem Idioten” modified
Russian references in the satire on the Soviet Union “Leben mit einem Idioten” (Living with an Idiot) presented at the Zurich Opera have been censored. Words were removed in 83 places and replaced with others, according to the newspaper. Soviet songs have also disappeared. The newspaper compared the original booklet with a new version.
For example, instead of a map of the Soviet Union, there is now a map of the world. The protagonist’s name, Vova, short for Vladimir, disappears completely. According to the opera, this is an artistic decision that has nothing to do with censorship. For director Kirill Serebrennikov, too close a historical connection with the political period of the Soviet Union was too simple.
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