The leaders' first in-person meeting since Biden became president took place at a lakeside villa amid soaring tensions between their two countries.
As talks ended after less than the five hours either side thought they would need, Biden gave a thumbs up. Members of the US team said the meeting had been "quite successful."
After the meeting, the two sides released a joint statement on one of the main topics of discussion, nuclear proliferation. The statement read, "Nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought."
Read more at:
Biden and Putin agree: ′Nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought′ | News | DW | 16.06.2021
Showing posts with label Switzerland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Switzerland. Show all posts
6/16/21
1/27/21
New Cold War ? Xi of China warns Davos forum against 'new Cold War' - by Eve Szeftel
Chinese President Xi Jinping warned global leaders at an all-virtual Davos forum Monday against starting a "new Cold War" while he championed multilateralism. Representing the only major economy to record economic growth last year, Xi presented himself as the defender of multilateralism, as he did at the same forum four years ago when Donald Trump was about to assume the United States presidency.
Without naming the US, Xi seemed to have a message for Trump's successor Joe Biden, who entered the White House just a few days ago, but who is not addressing the annual World Economic Forum (WEF).
To build small cliques or start a new Cold War, to reject, threaten or intimidate others... will only push the world into division," Xi told the world's political and economic elite as the Biden administration plans to revitalize global alliances to counter China's growing influence.
Note EU-Digest: Cold war = weapons industry profits - hopefully we in the West don't go on that dangerous route again.
Read more at: Xi warns Davos forum against 'new Cold War' - Business - The Jakarta Post
Without naming the US, Xi seemed to have a message for Trump's successor Joe Biden, who entered the White House just a few days ago, but who is not addressing the annual World Economic Forum (WEF).
To build small cliques or start a new Cold War, to reject, threaten or intimidate others... will only push the world into division," Xi told the world's political and economic elite as the Biden administration plans to revitalize global alliances to counter China's growing influence.
Note EU-Digest: Cold war = weapons industry profits - hopefully we in the West don't go on that dangerous route again.
Read more at: Xi warns Davos forum against 'new Cold War' - Business - The Jakarta Post
9/27/20
Switzerland referendum: Voters reject end to free movement with EU
Swiss voters have rejected a proposal to end an accord with the EU allowing the free movement of people.
With all referendum votes counted, nearly 62% said they wanted to keep free movement, while 38% were against.
Switzerland
is not a member of the EU but has a series of interdependent treaties
with Brussels which allow it to access to Europe's free trade area.
The move to rein in immigration was proposed by the Swiss People's Party (SVP), but opposed by the government.
A
similar initiative to introduce quotas on immigrants from the EU to
Switzerland narrowly passed in a 2014 referendum, damaging Swiss-EU
relations.
Swiss
people are given a direct say in their own affairs under the country's
system of direct democracy. They are regularly invited to vote on
various issues in national or regional referendums.
Read more at:
Switzerland referendum: Voters reject end to free movement with EU - BBC News
6/5/20
Switzerland to open EU borders from June 15th
The Swiss government said Friday it will accelerate plans to open its
borders, allowing people travelling from all European Union countries
and Britain to enter from June 15th.
Read more at;
Switzerland to open EU borders from June 15th - The Local
Read more at;
Switzerland to open EU borders from June 15th - The Local
1/22/20
Switzerland - Davos: Trump in his Davos speech plays down the threat of climate change - by Ishaan Tharoor
In
the buildup to the World Economic Forum, the focus was all on climate
change. On its first day, the forum’s organizers announced an ambitious
agenda that would enlist a broad consortium of banks, companies and
civic leaders to make this year’s event a “tipping point” for global climate action.
Read more at: Trump in his Davos speech plays down the threat of climate change - The Washington Post
In
the hour that preceded an address from President Trump, an envoy from
Pope Francis urged the throng of gathered billionaires, corporate
executives, politicians and celebrities to recognize their “moral
responsibility” to safeguard future generations. Simonetta Sommaruga,
the president of the Swiss Confederation, went to the dais and warned of
“a world on fire.”
She told the crowd, which included figures such as
former U.S. vice president Al Gore and European Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen. “We need politicians to take action in their own
country and internationally to ensure that the ecological balance is
ensured and global warming is stopped.”
In the first of two speeches Tuesday,
Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenage climate activist, once more scolded
political leaders and media elites, accusing them of not making
expressly clear the scale of the catastrophe facing the planet. “Without
treating it as a real crisis, we cannot solve it,” she said.
Then
Trump spoke.
He used his plenary moment — the forum’s first speech by a
major world leader — to take a victory lap of sorts, celebrating the
U.S. economic “boom” under his watch. “America is flourishing, and, yes,
America is winning again like never before,” Trump declared in what was
essentially a 30-minute campaign stunt, albeit devoid of the familiar
xenophobic demagoguery.
Read more at: Trump in his Davos speech plays down the threat of climate change - The Washington Post
1/21/20
Switzerland - Davos: Trump attacks environmental 'prophets of doom' at Davos 2020
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday assailed environmental “prophets of doom”, delivering an uncompromising message in Davos after Swedish teenage campaigner Greta Thunberg slammed government inacti…
Read more at:
https://www.france24.com/en/20200121-donald-trump
Read more at:
https://www.france24.com/en/20200121-donald-trump
1/19/20
U.S. Trustworthiness Rating Dives in 2020 Best Countries Report
The world’s trust in a country entering an election year with its impeached president facing trial in the Senate and stirring global alarm over the U.S. killing of an general, has dropped by more than 50% since 2016, the sharpest drop of any country assessed in the 2020 Best Countries report.
Additionally, the United Kingdom has experienced the second-greatest drop in the world’s trust since 2016, according to Best Countries data. Last December’s elections firmly entrenched Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his vow to push forward with Brexit and take the country out of the European Union
By contrast, America’s neighbor to the north, Canada, is seen as the world’s most trustworthy country, according to the report, a position the nation has held since the annual global survey
The Top 5 Countries in the World
Switzerland
Japan
Germany
Australia
Read more: U.S. Trustworthiness Rating Dives in 2020 Best Countries Report | Best Countries | US News
Additionally, the United Kingdom has experienced the second-greatest drop in the world’s trust since 2016, according to Best Countries data. Last December’s elections firmly entrenched Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his vow to push forward with Brexit and take the country out of the European Union
By contrast, America’s neighbor to the north, Canada, is seen as the world’s most trustworthy country, according to the report, a position the nation has held since the annual global survey
The Top 5 Countries in the World
Switzerland
Japan
Germany
Australia
Read more: U.S. Trustworthiness Rating Dives in 2020 Best Countries Report | Best Countries | US News
1/18/20
Switzerland-Davos 2020: American politics is the biggest risk facing the world right now, say experts
American politics is the biggest threat facing the world in 2020 and
the looming presidential election will stress the country's
institutions, influence economic and foreign policy and further divide
an already polarized electorate, with potentially huge consequences for
the climate, business and investors.
That's the view of experts at consultancies Eurasia Group and Control Risks.
The World Economic Forum, which is preparing to hold its annual meeting of political leaders and CEOs next week in Davos, is also warning of increased turbulence this year from trade conflicts and political polarization that makes it harder to tackle global challenges.
Control Risks says that President Donald Trump's campaign for a second term will drive decision-making in foreign policy, increasing the chance that investors will be caught off guard by populist moves favoring US factory workers or farmers.
"The campaign will focus foreign policy on managing crises, distracting US attention from non-urgent issues and geographies. Trump's thirst for deliverable 'wins' before the election, meanwhile, will amplify foreign leverage in trade and security relations," Control Risks wrote in a recent report.
Eurasia Group, which has designated US politics as the top risk for the first time in its annual assessment of the state of the world, warns that the election will be the most divisive in over a century, with the outcome likely to be viewed as illegitimate by roughly half the population.
The analysts expect the result to be contested, no matter which candidate triumphs.
"The 2020 election is an American Brexit — a maximally polarized vote where the risk is less the outcome than the political uncertainty of what the people voted for," Eurasia Group says in its report.
"It's uncharted political territory, and this time in a country where uncertainty creates shock waves abroad."
In preparing its report ahead of the Davos meeting, the World Economic Forum surveyed 750 global experts and decision makers who named economic confrontations and national political polarization as the top risks in 2020.
Taken together, the reports depict a world facing thorny problems with few obvious solutions. Increasingly fractious politics in developed countries is undermining the rules that have underpinned trade and globalization for decades, giving elected leaders license to act unilaterally and stoking conflicts such as the trade war between the United States and China.
Read more: Davos 2020: American politics is the biggest risk facing the world right now, say experts
That's the view of experts at consultancies Eurasia Group and Control Risks.
The World Economic Forum, which is preparing to hold its annual meeting of political leaders and CEOs next week in Davos, is also warning of increased turbulence this year from trade conflicts and political polarization that makes it harder to tackle global challenges.
Control Risks says that President Donald Trump's campaign for a second term will drive decision-making in foreign policy, increasing the chance that investors will be caught off guard by populist moves favoring US factory workers or farmers.
"The campaign will focus foreign policy on managing crises, distracting US attention from non-urgent issues and geographies. Trump's thirst for deliverable 'wins' before the election, meanwhile, will amplify foreign leverage in trade and security relations," Control Risks wrote in a recent report.
Eurasia Group, which has designated US politics as the top risk for the first time in its annual assessment of the state of the world, warns that the election will be the most divisive in over a century, with the outcome likely to be viewed as illegitimate by roughly half the population.
The analysts expect the result to be contested, no matter which candidate triumphs.
"The 2020 election is an American Brexit — a maximally polarized vote where the risk is less the outcome than the political uncertainty of what the people voted for," Eurasia Group says in its report.
"It's uncharted political territory, and this time in a country where uncertainty creates shock waves abroad."
In preparing its report ahead of the Davos meeting, the World Economic Forum surveyed 750 global experts and decision makers who named economic confrontations and national political polarization as the top risks in 2020.
Taken together, the reports depict a world facing thorny problems with few obvious solutions. Increasingly fractious politics in developed countries is undermining the rules that have underpinned trade and globalization for decades, giving elected leaders license to act unilaterally and stoking conflicts such as the trade war between the United States and China.
Read more: Davos 2020: American politics is the biggest risk facing the world right now, say experts
11/8/19
10/1/19
7/24/19
Switzerland: Worlds most innovative country
Read more at:
https://www.thelocal.ch/20190724/still-on-top-switzerland-names-worlds-most-innovative-country-again
The Digest Group
Almere-Digest
EU-Digest
Insure-Digest
Turkish-Digest
For additional information, including advertising rates - e-mail:Freeplanet@protonmail.com
Almere-Digest
EU-Digest
Insure-Digest
Turkish-Digest
For additional information, including advertising rates - e-mail:Freeplanet@protonmail.com
6/13/19
Family friendly countries: ,Switzerland and the UK ranked among the worst countries for families
Switzerland and the UK ranked among the worst countries for families
Read more at:
The Digest Group
Almere-Digest
EU-Digest
Insure-Digest
Turkish-Digest
For additional information, including advertising rates:
e-mail: Freeplanet@protonmail.com
EU-Digest
Insure-Digest
Turkish-Digest
For additional information, including advertising rates:
e-mail: Freeplanet@protonmail.com
5/19/19
Switzerland: vote in favoring tightening gun laws
Swiss voters favor tightening gun laws ...... When will US politicians have the courage to do the same?
Read more at:
https://p.dw.com/p/3Ijrb
Read more at:
https://p.dw.com/p/3Ijrb
1/26/19
Switzerland - Davos Economic Forum where the elite avoid discussing how to solve the increasing disparity between rich and poor
Davos Economic Forum: the elite talk about everything, except truly searching ways to decrease the ever increasing economic gap between the rich and the poor .
Read more at:
7/17/18
The Netherlands takes 2nd place in 2018 Global Innovation Index- by Mina Solanki
The Netherlands has moved up to second place on this year’s Global
Innovation Index (GII), by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World
Intellectual Property Organization. The GII ranks the innovation
performance of almost 130 economies from around the world.
This year marks the 11th edition of the GII, which reviews 126 economies. The theme of the 2018 edition is “Energizing the World with Innovation”. This edition looks at the energy innovation landscape of the coming decade and possible breakthroughs that could be made in the areas of consumption, distribution, storage and energy production.
To assess countries, the GII uses 80 indicators that then fall under seven pillars. The average score of the first five pillars equals the Input Sub-Index and the average score of the last two pillars makes up the Output Sub-Index. Each pillar has three sub-pillars with a varying number of indicators. The pillars are as follows:
This year marks the 11th edition of the GII, which reviews 126 economies. The theme of the 2018 edition is “Energizing the World with Innovation”. This edition looks at the energy innovation landscape of the coming decade and possible breakthroughs that could be made in the areas of consumption, distribution, storage and energy production.
To assess countries, the GII uses 80 indicators that then fall under seven pillars. The average score of the first five pillars equals the Input Sub-Index and the average score of the last two pillars makes up the Output Sub-Index. Each pillar has three sub-pillars with a varying number of indicators. The pillars are as follows:
- Institutions
- Human capital and research
- Infrastructure
- Market sophistication
- Business sophistication
- Knowledge and technology outputs
- Creative outputs
- Switzerland
- The Netherlands
- Sweden
- Britain
- Singapore
- United States of America
- Finland
- Denmark
- Germany
- Ireland
4/7/18
Spain - Swiss relations : Tit for Tat - Banking Industry: HSBC whistleblower held in Swiss-Spanish extradition saga
Whistleblower Herve Falciani, a former HSBC employee who exposed massive
tax evasion via Swiss accounts, was Wednesday arrested in Spain but
released again on Thursday. Falciani had fled to Spain to avoid jail in
Switzerland. The arrest of the whistleblower comes at a sensitive time
in Swiss-Spanish relations when Swiss courts are considering a Spanish
extradition request for Catalan separatist Marta Rovira, who fled to
Switzerland earlier this year.
Read more: HSBC whistleblower held in Swiss-Spanish extradition saga
Read more: HSBC whistleblower held in Swiss-Spanish extradition saga
1/27/18
Davos: Vision versus Economic Capacity and Power - by RM
 |
| Economic Power (USA) Versus Vision (EU) |
When the US President spoke, it was clear that he spoke, knowing that he could say just about anything he wanted, given the economic strength of the US.
The fact that he added to his now famous slogan , "America first", the words, "but not alone*, just meant that he will support trade agreements and other multi-lateral deals only if they are based on US terms and conditions, certainly not on a multi-lateral basis.
The fact that he added to his now famous slogan , "America first", the words, "but not alone*, just meant that he will support trade agreements and other multi-lateral deals only if they are based on US terms and conditions, certainly not on a multi-lateral basis.
The Europeans, including their present champion, Emmanuel Macron, spoke with no exception, not only about the positive values of global trade, but also about major issues confronting the world, such as global warming.
The obvious conclusion one could make from these speeches in Davos, listening to these two different trains of of thought, is that unless the one submits to the others way of thinking - there is no harmony possible - and this, regardless of all the enormous challenges the world is facing today.
Unfortunately for the EU, is the fact that the Union is not unified enough to speak with one voice and put their "money where their mouth is", and consequently can not only offer a carrot as an alternative, but also when needed not use a stick against "Bougie Man" Trump.
The result of all this will be, as the saying goes, "when two dogs fight over a bone, another dog will take it",
That dog, if it has not already taken the bone, will be China.
Bottom line : Europe urgently needs to put its house in order, and those member states which like the status quo, better get out, or get thrown out of the EU.
Bottom line : Europe urgently needs to put its house in order, and those member states which like the status quo, better get out, or get thrown out of the EU.
1/26/18
EU - Davos: New momentum for Europe?
US President Donald Trump wants to put America first. And China isnot exactly a champion of democracy and human rights. That's why someEuropeans think it's time for them to step up to the plate and play a more important role on the world stage. In their speeches in Davos, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron both spoke out for free trade, international rules and universal humanist values.
The only problem is that the EU itself is deeply divided. The financial crisis has left deep scars, unemployment is high in many countries, the migration crisis has strained relations between member states and nationalism is on the rise.
Nonetheless, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström believes that Europe has a lot to offer to the rest of the world. She sees the current lack of leadership by the US as an opportunity for the EU "to show we can do good trade agreements which re sustainable and mutually beneficial.
We can promote European values through that, and we can create alliances and friendship with countriesacross the globe," Malmström said in a Davos panel called "A new momentum for Europe."
Mark Rutte, prime minister of the Netherlands, agreed in principle but added that even the European common market was still far from complete.
"We could add €1.5 trillion [$1.86 trilion] to the European economy — that's the size of the Spanish economy — by implementing the single market for digital, services, capital and
energy."
Adding these elements would create 4 million new jobs in Europe. "At the moment, we are not doing that. The European internal market is only there for goods, only 30 percent of the European economy is part of the internal market," said Rutte.
Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa tried to look on the bright side of life.
After the Brexit decision in the UK, "we have new energy for change in Europe," he said. "It's a Brexit paradox: the remaining 27 countries have made an effort to advance Europe."
Costa pointed to a closer cooperation on defense, an example that was also singled out by Merkel and Macron on the previous day.
But a Germany and a France presenting themselves as Europe's engine also have smaller countries worried, says Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. "We don't want to see meetings in Paris and Berlin where only countries with more than 40 million people are invited to attend — and the smaller countries being told afterwards what is good for Europe."
The current migration crisis has brought to light how deep the divisions in Europe are. Countries like Hungary and Poland are refusing to take in migrants, while Italy and Greece see new boats with Africans arrive at their shores every day.
Read more: Davos: New momentum for Europe? | Business| Economy and finance news from a German perspective | DW | 25.01.2018
The only problem is that the EU itself is deeply divided. The financial crisis has left deep scars, unemployment is high in many countries, the migration crisis has strained relations between member states and nationalism is on the rise.
Nonetheless, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström believes that Europe has a lot to offer to the rest of the world. She sees the current lack of leadership by the US as an opportunity for the EU "to show we can do good trade agreements which re sustainable and mutually beneficial.
We can promote European values through that, and we can create alliances and friendship with countriesacross the globe," Malmström said in a Davos panel called "A new momentum for Europe."
Mark Rutte, prime minister of the Netherlands, agreed in principle but added that even the European common market was still far from complete.
"We could add €1.5 trillion [$1.86 trilion] to the European economy — that's the size of the Spanish economy — by implementing the single market for digital, services, capital and
energy."
Adding these elements would create 4 million new jobs in Europe. "At the moment, we are not doing that. The European internal market is only there for goods, only 30 percent of the European economy is part of the internal market," said Rutte.
Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa tried to look on the bright side of life.
After the Brexit decision in the UK, "we have new energy for change in Europe," he said. "It's a Brexit paradox: the remaining 27 countries have made an effort to advance Europe."
Costa pointed to a closer cooperation on defense, an example that was also singled out by Merkel and Macron on the previous day.
But a Germany and a France presenting themselves as Europe's engine also have smaller countries worried, says Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. "We don't want to see meetings in Paris and Berlin where only countries with more than 40 million people are invited to attend — and the smaller countries being told afterwards what is good for Europe."
The current migration crisis has brought to light how deep the divisions in Europe are. Countries like Hungary and Poland are refusing to take in migrants, while Italy and Greece see new boats with Africans arrive at their shores every day.
Read more: Davos: New momentum for Europe? | Business| Economy and finance news from a German perspective | DW | 25.01.2018
1/23/18
Switzerland - Davos: Indian PM Narendra Modi warns of three major global threats
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi told a packed forum in Davos on Wednesday that the world in its current state looked rather unprepared to face the big challenges of the future.
He urged sweeping reforms to modernize and restructure current political and economic institutions, also with a view to reflecting the needs and developments of emerging economies.
Modi singled out three major challenges mankind was facing right now. He said the greatest threat came from rapid climate change and the resulting extreme weather conditions, natural disasters and rising sea levels which threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world.
The prime minister identified terrorism, and the radicalization of people in many societies, as the second-biggest threat. Without providing concrete examples, he criticized world powers for, in his eyes, making the problem worse by artificially distinguishing between "bad terrorists" and "good terrorists."
Thirdly, Modi said there was no denying the fact that many nations have become increasingly focused on themselves again as globalization "was losing its luster." He mentioned that many trade agreements "had come to a standstill," with cross-border financial investments dropping in many areas.
Read more: Indian PM Narendra Modi warns of three major global threats | Business| Economy and finance news from a German perspective | DW | 23.01.2018
He urged sweeping reforms to modernize and restructure current political and economic institutions, also with a view to reflecting the needs and developments of emerging economies.
Modi singled out three major challenges mankind was facing right now. He said the greatest threat came from rapid climate change and the resulting extreme weather conditions, natural disasters and rising sea levels which threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the world.
The prime minister identified terrorism, and the radicalization of people in many societies, as the second-biggest threat. Without providing concrete examples, he criticized world powers for, in his eyes, making the problem worse by artificially distinguishing between "bad terrorists" and "good terrorists."
Thirdly, Modi said there was no denying the fact that many nations have become increasingly focused on themselves again as globalization "was losing its luster." He mentioned that many trade agreements "had come to a standstill," with cross-border financial investments dropping in many areas.
Read more: Indian PM Narendra Modi warns of three major global threats | Business| Economy and finance news from a German perspective | DW | 23.01.2018
1/19/18
Switzerland-Davos: How the Fourth Industrial Revolution can help us prepare for the next natural disaster - Scott L David
In the wake of recent devastating hurricanes, floods, wildfires and earthquakes in North America, the Caribbean, Latin America and South Asia, preparing for natural disasters has never been more urgent. Some estimates suggest flooding damage to coastal cities will cost around US$1 trillion per year by 2050. The cost of naturally-caused forest fires - which exceeded $2billion this year and set a new US record - continues to rise.
The “fog of indecision,” is one such vulnerability that results from institutional hesitancy to collaborate and share data in emergency settings. It’s something that can’t continue. Inaction will only contribute to avoidable suffering.
The technologies and systems of the Fourth Industrial Revolution offer very powerful assets for responding to natural disasters. With nearly 6 billion mobile phone users worldwide, connected individuals have proven to be one of the most effective and efficient ways of strengthening resilience when disaster strikes.
Likewise, social media, drones, satellite imagery and predictive analytics have all been tremendously helpful for coordinating responses and accelerating the recovery of individuals and communities in the aftermath of recent natural disasters.
Likewise, social media, drones, satellite imagery and predictive analytics have all been tremendously helpful for coordinating responses and accelerating the recovery of individuals and communities in the aftermath of recent natural disasters.
Read more: How the Fourth Industrial Revolution can help us prepare for the next natural disaster | World Economic Forum
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