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☆ U.N. agency: Arabs' Israel ties no impediment to aiding Palestinian refugees
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, said he saw no contradiction between supporting Palestinian refugees and building ties with Israel. "You can have strong bilateral relations with Israel and be a strong supporter of the agency," Lazzarini told Reuters. "Whatever rapprochement or ties (with Israel) should not have the slightest impact on your commitment and your solidarity with the Palestine refugees and your support to an agency like UNRWA. "We have normal access when it comes to delivering our services in Gaza and the West Bank, but we are very concerned about the increased violence impacting this community," he said. Last year saw the worst levels of violence in the West Bank in more than a decade after Israel launched a crackdown on militants in response to fatal Palestinian street attacks.

[1/6] Skiers pass on a small layer of artificial snow amid warmer-than-usual winter temperatures in the Alps in Leysin, Switzerland, January 4, 2023. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseLEYSIN, Switzerland, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Deprived of snow by unusually mild weather, Switzerland's world-renowned ski slopes have proven a disappointment to winter sports aficionados and resort managers eager to make the most of the holiday season. Norah Sweeney, a tourist from Boston, had prepared for a snowy Swiss sojourn, but her hopes quickly melted at the sight of yellowed grass on the slopes. MeteoSwiss, the country's federal office for meteorology and climatology, said Switzerland's average temperature of around 7.4 Celsius in 2022 was by far the warmest year since records began in 1864. Sophie Ruchet, a resident of the Vaud canton who learned to ski at Leysin, wonders if it's even worth having her children learn to ski.

☆ Lyon's Festival of Lights goes energy lite to save power
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/7] The art installation "Time" by Philippe Roca and Marko Komar is seen on the Saint-Jean Cathedral during the festival of lights (Fetes des Lumieres) amid a worldwide energy crisis in Lyon, France, December 7, 2022. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseLYON, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Lyon's 'Fete des Lumieres', or Festival of Lights, which features intricate light structures projected on historical monuments and public buildings across town, is toning things down a bit this year due to the energy crisis, organisers said. Lyon locals Beatrice Roche and Laurent Oger attend the festival every year. 'La Fete des Lumieres', originally a festival in which locals celebrate the Virgin Mary by putting a candle on their window sills, attracts large crowds of visitors from all over the world. This year, one of the artworks is the projection on Lyon's art museum of giant portraits singing, among others, Britney Spears and AC/DC songs.

☆ Swiss Christmas decorations store booms as shoppers flock back
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BASEL, Switzerland, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Christmas can never come too soon for Johann Wanner, the world's biggest purveyor of hand-made festive decorations whose shop in the Swiss city of Basel attracts shoppers from around the world. After these years of closing down (for the pandemic) people are ready to come out and invest in Christmas ornaments," the 83-year-old said. And I need my customers and they do come and help me, 54 years running," Wanner said this week. Christmas fans find unusual designs, traditional jewellery from European glassblowers, and Swiss souvenirs. Sandra Takai, a tourist from Philadelphia shopping at the store, said she was going to spend a little more on Christmas this year.

[1/6] A snowboarder starts a climb ahead of the season opening and amid surge in electricity costs in winter sports resort Val Thorens, France, November 24, 2022. A number of ski resorts including Chamonix and Val Thorens have also pledged to limit artificial snow production and reduce heating within buildings, officials said. Half of France's ski resorts have had to renegotiate their long-term electricity contracts this year amid record-high inflation, and they expect an annual bill that could increase three to six-fold in 2023, said Alexandre Maulin, who chairs France's ski resorts association. Val Thorens was able to secure a contract with utility EDF before the energy crunch for the most part of 2023. Our motto is that we always get out of difficult situations, and it will be the case this time again, because we will adapt," said Jerome Grellet, head of Val Thorens ski lift operator SETAM.

☆ Vivid pink diamond sells for $28.8 mln at Christie's auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A model holds a 18,18 carat pink diamond called "Fortune Pink" that could fetch 30 million U.S. dollars during a preview at Christie’s before the auction sale in Geneva, Switzerland, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File PhotoGENEVA, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever put up for auction sold for 28.4 million Swiss francs ($28.8 million) at a Christie's sale of rare jewels on Tuesday, the auctioneer said. The Fortune Pink Diamond -- which weighs 18.18 carats, which Christie's had called a fortuitous number for Asian collectors -- had been estimated to go for $25 million to $35 million. The largest vivid pink diamond sold at Christie's was the 18.96-carat Winston Pink Legacy, which got $50.4 million in 2018, a world record price per carat for a pink diamond sold at auction. ($1 = 0.9865 Swiss franc)Reporting by Cecile Mantovani; writing by Michael Shields; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Michael Schumacher's winning Ferrari up for auction in Geneva
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Denis BalibouseGENEVA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The Ferrari driven to five race victories by Michael Schumacher during his World Championship-winning 2003 Formula 1 season is being auctioned next week in Geneva, auction house Sotheby's said on Friday. The red "Chassis 229" Ferrari raced by German world champion driver Schumacher nine times could fetch up to $9.4 million, according to the sellers. Sotheby's is also presenting eight rare "Fancy Blue" diamonds valued at more than $70 million. This colour is the highest possible colour grading for blue diamonds and is awarded to no more than 1% of blue diamonds submitted to the Gemological Institute of America, Sotheby's said. "It is extremely rare and to have a collection of eight it is super exciting," said jewellery specialist at Sotheby's Geneva, Marie-Cécile Cisamolo.

☆ UN human rights chief fears pushback on gender issues, cites Iran clampdown
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Cecile Mantovani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

GENEVA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The new U.N. human rights chief said on Wednesday there was a worrying pushback against progress in easing rights abuses, above all on gender issues, pointing to Iran's violent clampdown on unrest touched off by a woman's death in police custody. Turk, whose predecessor Michelle Bachelet drew criticism in some quarters for appearing soft on some governments when they were backsliding on human rights, also promised to speak out "when we feel our voice can make a difference". He takes charge of the U.N. human rights office at a time of turbulence in Europe over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as well as some of the most widespread unrest in Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution. Turk pointed to what he called a pushback on human rights, especially with respect to gender issues, and highlighted to a "strongman mentality" and autocratic tendencies in a number of countries. "And unfortunately, human rights is thrown into the vortex of these dynamics and has become a battlefield which we cannot afford and human beings cannot afford," he said.

☆ Vivid pink diamond could go for $35 million at Christie's auction
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] A model shows a 18,18 carat pink diamond called "Fortune Pink" that could fetch 30 million US dollars during a preview at Christie’s before the auction sale in Geneva, Switzerland, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseGENEVA, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The largest pear-shaped fancy vivid pink diamond ever put up for auction could sell for up to $35 million at a Christie's sale of rare jewels on Nov. 8, the auctioneer said on Wednesday. It really, really is a gem and something that we haven't seen in a long time at Christie's." The Fortune Pink Diamond is estimated to go for $25 million to $35 million. The largest vivid pink diamond sold at Christie's was the 18.96-carat Winston Pink Legacy, which got $50.4 million in 2018, a world record price per carat for a pink diamond sold at auction.

☆ Swiss on course to reject initiative to ban factory farming
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Cecile Mantovani | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Some of the 18000 Lohmann Classic laying hens of the Gallipool Frasses farm are seen in the the stalling area ahead of a vote to ban factory farming in Les Montets, Switzerland, September 16, 2022. REUTERS/Denis BalibouseGENEVA, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Swiss voters were on track on Sunday to reject a proposal to ban factory farming in a referendum on whether the wealthy country's strict animal welfare laws need to be tightened yet further, initial results showed. "There are farmers who are doing intensive farming with their animals but they are respecting animal welfare and to feed the population, we have to do factory farming, at least a little, otherwise, we won't be able to eat meat anymore." The farming proposal would require the government to set stricter rules for caring for animals, including giving them access to the outdoors, and for slaughtering them. "I think in general, people are regulating themselves on their own," said Geneva resident Florian Barbon who opposed the initiative.

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