Sunday, November 26, 2023
Published: Sunday, Nov 26th 2023, 04:41
العودة إلى البث المباشر
The volume of asylum applications is giving the SEM a hard time, laughing gas is popular in the Lake Geneva region and Russian hackers are retaliating: this and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers. The headlines in unverified reports:
"SonntagsBlick":
The increase in asylum applications is giving the staff at the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) a hard time: Unprocessed applications have reached a new high, as SonntagsBlick writes. "We currently have around 15,800 pending asylum applications," an SEM spokesperson is quoted as saying. This is mainly due to the persistently high number of new asylum applications, the authority continued. Although the SEM has been able to expand its resources in this area in recent months, "these are currently not sufficient to reduce the number". At the end of October 2023, there were 833 employees working in the area of asylum, spread across 727 full-time positions. In the previous year, there were 656 employees spread across 560 full-time positions.
"Le Matin Dimanche":
The trade in nitrous oxide has developed into a lucrative market in the Lake Geneva region. The substance is used as a euphoriant and is very popular with night owls, as "Le Matin Dimanche" writes. In contrast to France and the UK, Switzerland has not taken any measures against it. The product is neither illegal nor is it considered a narcotic and it is available in supermarkets. When nitrous oxide is inhaled, it triggers uncontrolled laughter for two to three minutes. "But too intensive or too regular use can lead to unconsciousness, suffocation and even death," said Marc Augsburger, Head of the Toxicology Department (UTCF) at the University Center for Forensic Medicine in Western Switzerland. Chronic users also risk hematological and neuromuscular damage and even paralysis in the long term.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
In recent days, pro-Russian hackers have attacked various websites of the Federal Administration and Swiss companies. These were so-called DDoS attacks, as the "NZZ am Sonntag" writes. This involves paralyzing websites by means of automated access. According to federal experts, the cyber attack can be classified as a retaliatory action. The attacks began after Switzerland announced its participation in a planned special tribunal in Ukraine. It is already the second wave of attacks within a few months. The same pro-Russian hacker group targeted numerous Swiss targets in June. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opened an investigation at the time. The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) is now warning of an expansion of such attacks.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
The Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG) is disappointed with Federal President Alain Berset. Since the resurgence of the Middle East conflict, hatred of Jews has also been on the rise in Switzerland. Against this backdrop, the SIG would have liked to see a clear statement against anti-Semitism. This emerges from a letter from SIG President Ralph Lewin to Berset, which is available to the "NZZ am Sonntag". According to the SIG President's letter, there has been a great deal of solidarity from civil society, the church, the authorities and politicians. "Unfortunately, however, we had to realize that there were no public words of support and solidarity for the Jewish community in Switzerland from your side, from the Office of the President of the Swiss Confederation, during this difficult time." Alain Berset's Department of Home Affairs did not comment on the SIG's letter when asked.
"SonntagsBlick":
The number of parcels transported in Switzerland is declining. In 2022, Swiss Post delivered 194 million parcels, 4 percent fewer than in the previous year. In the first nine months of 2023, parcel volumes fell by a further 5 percent. The trend is worrying for Swiss Post, as SonntagsBlick writes. After all, the company's management assumed that it would be able to make up for the ongoing decline in letter volumes thanks to the coronavirus parcel boom. Shortly after coronavirus, Swiss Post therefore announced that it would be investing around 1.5 billion in its parcel infrastructure by 2030. Despite the decline, Swiss Post is "fundamentally" sticking to its expansion plans, as it announced.
"SonntagsZeitung":
The wolf hunt is due to start on December 1st. In Valais alone, no fewer than 800 hunters have volunteered. 34 animals and seven packs are to be shot there. In Valais, Pro Natura is examining the shooting permits and will take action against them if it sees any leverage, as President Willy Geiger said. Geiger, a biologist, was deputy director of the Federal Office for the Environment for 13 years. Geiger told the SonntagsZeitung newspaper: "I still can't believe how the Federal Council is undoing years of development work in predator management and herd protection." A legal battle is also being prepared at national level. Shootings are planned not only in Valais, but also in St. Gallen and Graubünden.
"SonntagsBlick": A German has reported four Catholic priests to the public prosecutor's offices in Graubünden and St. Gallen for abuse - including a former German bishop and a priest from the diocese of Chur, writes "SonntagsBlick". A sexual assault is said to have taken place at a Catholic TV station in eastern Switzerland in 2012. The accused bishop denies that anything wrong happened. Moreover, he has no memory of the incident. The other accused, a priest from the diocese of Chur, is said to have sexually harassed the German in Alvaschein GR. The priest even used violence, the German speaks of an attempted rape. The priest from the canton of Graubünden denies the allegations. The public prosecutor's offices in Graubünden and St. Gallen confirmed receipt of the criminal charges.
"Le Matin Dimanche":
Following its success in the national elections, the Mouvement citoyens genevois MCG is dreaming big: it also wants to gain a foothold outside Geneva, as "Le Matin Dimanche" writes. The planned Mouvement citoyens suisse would have to be founded "within the next four years, before the next federal elections. We are discussing this internally," the new MCG member of the Council of States Mauro Poggia told the newspaper. Party president François Baertschi sees potential in Zurich, where the SVP performed poorly in the Council of States elections. "Of course we think there is a gap." The MCG had already tried to conquer French-speaking Switzerland in 2010 with the Mouvement citoyens romand - unsuccessfully.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
The new high-performance computer Alps will soon go into operation at the Swiss National Supercomputing Center in Lugano. It is technically equivalent to the computers on which the well-known AI system Chat-GPT runs. The Swiss universities have recognized the opportunity and are joining forces to launch an AI initiative in the coming weeks: "We have a perhaps unique opportunity to play at the top of the world. We absolutely want to seize it," Andreas Krause told the NZZ am Sonntag. The computer science professor is head of the ETH AI Center. The aim is to "guarantee the digital independence of Swiss society and ensure ethical principles". The initiators are encouraged by the recent turbulence at Open AI.
"SonntagsZeitung":
A change is currently taking place among providers of cell phone repairs: Swiss Mobile, based in Dübendorf, is taking over the service provider Mobile Klinik and its associated brands Fix Repair and Handy Doktor. The result is Switzerland's largest provider of repairs for smartphones and tablets, as the SonntagsZeitung newspaper writes. Swiss Mobile focuses on immediate repairs on site. "Our data shows that around 75 percent of all smartphone repairs can be carried out immediately," says Swiss Mobile owner Marijan Andelic. The rest of the devices either have to be sent in or replaced. However, sending in or replacing a smartphone involves a great deal of effort and therefore acts as a deterrent. Competitors such as Mobilezone see things differently. In future, the cell phone shop chain will only repair defective mobile devices at its headquarters in the canton of Zug and in Ticino.
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