Switzerland Today

Hello from canton Zurich,

It has been a mixed weather day here in my village, and this is reflected in the news. Afghanistan is still reeling from Thursday’s attacks, coronavirus cases in Switzerland are still on the rebound.

On the brighter side, Friday has also brought some quirkier stories: Lausanne’s cathedral (pictured above) has got its first ever female night watch – in what is also likely to be a European first. And (in Lausanne again!) an orchestra is preparing to perform an unfinished piece of Beethoven, generated by artificial intelligence.

Noura Gauper

In the news: Cantons back Covid plans, a female night watch and roll over Beethoven.

• Cantonal health directors are backing the government’s plan to extend the use of the Covid certificate to bars, restaurants and other public indoor spaces to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The cantons must decide whether to approve the government measure outlined earlier this week.
• Every evening, Lausanne’s night watch climbs to the top of the ancient cathedral bell tower to call out the time each hour, keeping alive a 600-year-old tradition. For the first time ever, the job is now held by a woman – 27-year-old Cassandre Berdoz (photo above) – in what is reported to be a European first.
• An orchestra in western Switzerland is preparing to perform an unfinished piece of Beethoven generated by artificial intelligence, based on research by the Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). The Nexus orchestra (formerly the Young Professionals Orchestra of French-speaking Switzerland) are to play next week an extract from the German composer’s 10th Symphony, which the great composer sketched out before he died. The seven-minute piece will be created by a computer on the morning of the first concert.

Public Domain

The world’s eyes are on Afghanistan. Switzerland reacts.

In reaction to the deadly attacks near Kabul airport on Thursday, Switzerland’s foreign minister said on TwitterExternal link that he was “deeply saddened” by events and that his thoughts went to the families of the victims. Meanwhile, Swiss public television RTS has been running an interviewExternal link (in French) with the current Afghan ambassador to Switzerland, Nasir Ahmad Andisha, who is cut off from the former government and at odds with the ruling Taliban. Based in Geneva, he has been observing what is happening in his home country from afar. He sees the Kabul attacks as a sign of the rise of extremist groups.

At SWI swissinfo.ch, we have been considering what is next for the women of Afghanistan. Life for women and girls under Taliban rule between 1996 and 2001 was brutal. Many Afghan women now fear that the past could repeat itself as Western countries, including Switzerland, struggle to respond to the militant group’s return to power. You can watch our videoExternal link too on how Geneva Call, a humanitarian organisation that has engaged with women in Afghanistan on violence reduction and that has women on its local staff, is continuing its work.

We have also been taking a look at how Switzerland is divided on taking Afghan refugees. Switzerland does not plan to accept large numbers of Afghan refugees and there are calls for it to do more.

Want to have your say? We’ve been running a debate on what the Swiss could do for people of Afghanistan.

Keystone / Anthony Anex

Friday saw 2,763 new recorded cases of the coronavirus in Switzerland, continuing the rebound trend of between 2,500-3,000 cases a day.

The growth is largely due to the highly infectious Delta variant affecting unvaccinated people, mainly in the under 30s.

As we have previously reported, there are plans to extend the use of Covid-19 certificates in Switzerland. The vaccination rate is slowing. Concerns have been raised about protection measures in schools.

On Friday evening 12 members of the public will have the opportunity to put their questions about the pandemic to Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset (photo) in what promises to be a heated debate during the ArenaExternal link programme on German-speaking Swiss public television SRF.

According to the tabloid BlickExternal link, Berset will be under heavy guard by special unit of elite police officers from Zurich police. The “Scorpion” force is normally deployed in shootings or hostage-taking situations, the newspaper reports. According to the Federal Office of Police, threats against certain people, including Berset, have increased during the pandemic. Swiss President Guy Parmelin was also under elite squad protection when he last took part in Arena, Blick says.