Stories from Switzerland

Two hiking trails have been closed in the municipality of Blatten in the Valais region following a debris flow. The flow was triggered by a rockfall in the area. Local authorities have been informed of the movement above Blatten. A rockfall flattened the village of Blatten, resulting in 302 deaths. The community is located in a large area of nature, described as being larger than the city of Zurich. Tjelenka Kalpermat, a 23-year-old radio journalist who grew up in the village, reported that she lived there until May 20.

The Valais public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the management of emergency services in Crans-Montana. Two families of victims have reported failures in the rescue operations.

Current air defense coverage is reported as insufficient and obsolete, covering only 8% of the territory.

Arma Suisse, the Swiss Federal Office for Defense Procurement, is responding to criticisms regarding various equipment purchase projects and their associated risks.

Mark Carney's speech at Davos helped convince European nations that Canada is an ally in defense planning and procurement. European officials have responded with multiple visits from Germany's defense and energy ministers over the past year.

FC Thun secured the championship in the Swiss first football league. This marks the first league title in the 128-year history of the club from the Canton of Bern. The club had previously spent five years in the second league. FC Thoune became the Swiss champion for the first time in the club's history. The Bernese club secured the title following a 3-0 victory by FC Sion against Saint-Gall. The result finalized the championship outcome.

Geneva Cantonal Police Commander Monica Bonfanti indicated that certain border crossing points could be closed during the G7 summit scheduled for June in Evian. The Geneva State Council has submitted a request to the Swiss Confederation regarding this possibility. Bonfanti expressed support for the option of closing crossings depending on political decisions. A majority may form in the National Council to lift existing prohibitions related to the summit security. Geneva police are responsible for managing the transfer of delegations to Evian by land, air, and water. This operation precedes an upcoming summit, which is a major topic 23 years after a 2003 G8 summit in Evian that led to riots in Geneva and issues in Lausanne.

Swiss political entities have expressed concern that UBS may reduce its political donations following discussions on banking regulation. According to a report by the bank, UBS donated 1.2 million Swiss francs to various parties last year.

A commission has withdrawn a penalty against a former president, which included a payment of 10,000 francs. The decision is being criticized because the report described the payments as disproportionately high for the mandate.

The Trinkhalle in Tarasp, which has been closed to the public since 2006, is slated for renovation. The building was closed due to its location on a slope and the resulting risk of rockfalls.