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Dear Swiss Abroad,
 
When it comes to computer chips, the US no longer sees Switzerland as an ally: access to the coveted microchips has been restricted. However, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin is already in talks with the US to overturn the decision.
 
Meanwhile, Justice Minister Beat Jans is trying to ban international adoptions in Switzerland – there has been too much abuse in recent years.
 
Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter, who holds the rotating Swiss presidency this year, has travelled to Auschwitz to take part in the commemoration of the camp’s liberation 80 years ago.
 
Best wishes from Bern.

Parmelin
Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

Switzerland loses unrestricted access to computer chips from the US.

Not all recent unpleasant developments in the US have been penned by President Trump. Shortly before the end of his term in office, Joe Biden decreed that the export of computer chips would be restricted. Switzerland has been removed from the list of countries that have unrestricted access to this technology. The chips are important for developments in the field of artificial intelligence, and the Swiss federal technology institutes (ETH) are dismayed by this decision.

In an interview with the NZZ am Sonntag, Economics Minister Guy Parmelin (pictured) said he was in contact with the US and would try to overturn the decision. “At ETH we work with chips, but we also produce innovations that are important for the Americans,” he said. “That would be an own goal for the US.”

It is not clear why Switzerland was removed from the list of allied countries.

But the situation is not easy in Europe either. “Some neighbouring countries have practically no government at the moment,” Parmelin said, explaining that if he wanted to talk to his counterparts in Germany or Austria, he wouldn’t even know who to turn to.

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Should Switzerland take measures to support its struggling industries?

Industrial policies are back in fashion, not only in the United States but also in the EU. Should Switzerland, where various industries are struggling, draw inspiration from such policies?

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Police in Sri Lanka
EPA/M.A.PUSHPA KUMARA

After reports of thousands of illegally adopted children, Switzerland wants to ban adoptions from abroad.

In recent decades, thousands of children from abroad have been illegally adopted in Switzerland; we have also reported on this and highlighted the fates of those affected. Now Justice Minister Beat Jans wants to ban international adoptions.

As the NZZ am Sonntag reports, a commission of experts has investigated how it can be guaranteed that no children are placed in abusive international adoptions. However, it is practically impossible to check whether the biological mother gave up her child voluntarily, the commission said. In addition to a ban, the commission also drew up a scenario with stricter rules and fewer countries of origin.

According to the newspaper, Jans will present the recommendation for a change to the law to the government this week. Critics say a ban would only fuel the illegal trade in children. However, the number of children adopted from abroad is falling sharply, with only 19 in 2023.

UN aid
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

Despite new laws from Israel, UNRWA wants to continue its work in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli parliament prohibits the Israeli authorities from having any contact with UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. UNRWA is also no longer allowed to operate in East Jerusalem. Despite these restrictions, the aid organisation intends to continue its activities in Gaza, as the Swiss head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, told Swiss public television, RTS.

The new laws are a blow for UNRWA, said Lazzarini. However, he is determined to continue all activities – such as food supplies and health centres – even after Thursday, when the new laws come into force. It is not only the Israeli laws that are restricting UNRWA, the aid organisation is also under financial pressure. Several countries, including the US, Sweden and Switzerland, have frozen or suspended their support.

Lazzarini sees a solution to the conflict in the creation of a Palestinian state to which UNRWA activities could be transferred. In this way, humanitarian aid could be made sustainable.

Concentration camp
People visit the Nazi concentration camp Sachsenhausen on International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

A sign against burgeoning hatred: Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter travels to the commemorative event in Auschwitz.

Eighty years ago today, the Red Army liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp. The victims of the Holocaust will be commemorated today. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter is attending the memorial service. She will be accompanied by two Swiss survivors, the brothers Alfred and Rudolf Popper, who survived the camp as children.

In her message, Keller-Sutter expressed her shock at the resurgence of anti-Semitism both internationally and in Switzerland. “That is why we must emphasise again and again: we will not tolerate our Jewish fellow citizens being intimidated or discriminated against or even experiencing violence.” After the Second World War, the promise was “Never again”. Keller-Sutter said the increasing violations of international law in many current conflicts should be a wake-up call.

Numerous public buildings in Switzerland are being illuminated today to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz. The Federal Parliament in Bern will be lit up in various colours.

Bathtub racing
Keystone / Urs Flueeler

Picture of the Day

After the heavy topics in today’s briefing, we finish with something a little lighter. The winter version of a soapbox race took place on the Stoos at the weekend: participants race down the mountain in bathtubs. If they don’t make it to the finish line, there might be a prize at the end for dressing up.

Translated from German by DeepL/ts

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