Switzerland

In Switzerland, starting from January 1, 2025, it will be illegal to cover your face in public places. Violations are subject to a fine.

Telegram channels of Russian state media have become inaccessible in European countries due to violations of local laws. The blocking affected RIA Novosti, RT, Rossiya 1 and other channels in seven European countries.

The Road of Life project on the site of the destroyed Romanivskyi Bridge in Irpin won the LIT Lighting Design Awards. The installation became part of the large-scale project “Kyiv Region. Places of Memory”.

26-year-old Swiss snowboarder Sophie Hediger died in an avalanche at the Arosa resort before Christmas. The athlete was a participant in the 2022 Olympics and had two World Cup podiums in the 2023/24 season.

Switzerland has expanded its sanctions list by adding individuals and companies from Russia and Belarus. The new restrictions include asset freezes, travel bans, and restrictions on 52 vessels carrying Russian oil.

Switzerland has announced a new aid package for Ukraine worth 45 million francs. The funds will be used to restore energy infrastructure, repair housing and meet the humanitarian needs of those affected by Russian attacks.

The voting for the jury members of the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 has started in the Diia app. Ukrainians can choose one of the 10 candidates until December 23, and three winners will be included in the jury.

A cable car with a record inclination of 160% was opened on the way to the top of the Schiltthorn. The cable car is equipped with an autonomous control system and panoramic windows that open.

23 MPs missed more than 50% of the votes in the Verkhovna Rada. Petro Poroshenko became the leader of the anti-rating with 65% of missed votes, ahead of even the MPs who fled from the OPFL.

Ukrainian entrepreneurs can now make changes to their sole proprietorship through the Diia mobile app. The process takes up to 10 minutes and allows you to update your personal data, address, and activities online.

UA:PBC has announced the list of 20 participants of the National Selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. Of these, 10 finalists will be selected to compete for the right to represent Ukraine at the contest.

The European Broadcasting Union introduces new rules for holding the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. The changes include a code of conduct, a "welfare producer", and more free time for artists.

After the fall of the Assad regime and its flight to Russia, European countries have been massively suspending consideration of asylum applications from Syrian citizens. These countries include France, Germany, Britain, Sweden, and others.

The crime musical "Emilia Perez" won four major awards at the European Film Awards. Jacques Oneard's film won awards for Best Film, Director, screenplay and actress.

Six winners of the Radio Dictation 2024 were announced, including one participant who wrote a text without errors. A total of 12,000 entries were submitted from Ukraine and 33 countries.

The yacht Sea Story with 44 passengers sank near the Egyptian resort of Marsa Alam. 31 people were rescued, 4 died, 9 are missing, and their search continues.

Components from five countries manufactured in 2023 were found in the North Korean KN-23/KN-24 missiles used by Russia to attack Ukraine. russia received more than 100 such missiles from the DPRK and uses them against civilian targets.

Residents of the Swiss city of Basel vote on the allocation of $39. 5 million to host Eurovision 2025. The referendum was initiated after Swiss singer Nemo won the 2024 contest.

Switzerland has banned exports to a Polish military equipment supplier for violating the law. 645,000 Swiss rounds of ammunition were shipped to Ukraine through a Polish company in violation of the contract.

russia's largest diamond mining company, alrosa, is closing mines and laying off staff due to the market crisis. The G7 and EU sanctions on russian diamonds have led to the loss of major markets.

The Russian company Alrosa plans to suspend unprofitable deposits and cut its payroll by 10%. The company will also slow down the implementation of investment projects due to falling diamond prices.

Swiss researchers have found that fat cells have a “memory” for obesity. Experiments have shown that after losing weight, the cells react more quickly to fatty foods, which leads to weight gain.

The city of Brovary is actively implementing alternative energy sources at critical infrastructure facilities. Solar panels are installed in hospitals and kindergartens, and alternative fuel boilers are used.

More than 80 residents of the village of Brienz in Switzerland have to leave their homes by November 17 due to the threat of rockfall. The village is threatened by the collapse of 1.2 million cubic meters of rock.

Billionaire Friedrich Knapp, creator of the New Yorker clothing chain, has died after a long illness. His company has more than 1,200 branches in 47 countries and about 23,000 employees.

A fossilized ecosystem with prints of amphibians, reptiles, and plants has been discovered in the Orobier Valtellinese Park. The find contains traces of five different species of animals that lived in the Permian period.

UA:PBC received 374 songs from 232 solo artists and 72 bands from Ukraine and other countries. Tina Karol became the new music producer of the national selection, the final of which will take place in February 2025.

Swiss President Viola Amgerd has announced the final stage of negotiations with the EU on a new political agreement. The talks are aimed at restoring relations after Switzerland's withdrawal from previous negotiations in 2021.

The Kapitoshka kindergarten will have a solar power plant.

The head of the OP Andriy Yermak met with Gabriel Luchinger, a representative of the Swiss Foreign Ministry. The parties discussed the challenges of autocratic aggression and the return of Ukrainian prisoners and deported children.