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Should Switzerland join an international democracy alliance? The fictional question behind a recent performance in Zurich questions the country’s global role and the links between politics and theatre. In September 1946, in a famous speech at the University of Zurich, Winston Churchill called for a “United States of Europe” to follow the cataclysm of the Second World War. Almost 80 years later, on a balmy Friday evening in the same hall, his spirit is being invoked. This time, however, the talk is of an “International Democratic Alliance” (IDA): a group of 40-odd nations banding together against rampant authoritarianism. Can it save democracy – and should Switzerland be a member? The scenario, as you may have guessed, is a theatrical one. But reality is never far away; from ex-Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey to ex-Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, most of the cast are real public figures, playing versions of themselves; the 200-strong audience also has a role as a ...

In China, the space available for queer subcultures is shrinking. A drag artist from Zurich experienced this first-hand while on tour. In a small venue in Kunming, southern China, ‘Soya the Cow’ is rehearsing her act. The Zurich-based drag queen – or ‘Drag Cow’, as she calls herself – tackles themes including how humans treat animals and homosexuality in the animal kingdom. Whether her show can go ahead later that afternoon, however, is far from certain. “The tour started in Shanghai. But the performance there was cancelled,” says performer Daniel Hellmann. The gallery’s explanation was that it already needed the rooms for the next exhibition that day. “That sounds very much like an excuse, of course.” Other venues also turned the drag queen down. She and her stage partner, ‘Piano Prince’, have to look for alternatives. “It really was like an obstacle course.” Venues that had originally been booked suddenly no longer wanted ‘Soya the Cow’ on their stages. This was also the case in ...

The active ingredient in "magic mushrooms" does more than just confuse the brain. Psilocybin directs brain activity more decisively towards what is happening in the present moment. A new study published in the science journal Nature offers a fresh explanation as to why psychedelic therapy may be successful, as explained by the international research team, which includes the University of Zurich that carried out the study published today. For years, classic psychedelics such as psilocybin, LSD and DMT (the active ingredient in ayahuasca) have raised hopes in the field of psychiatry, particularly with regard to difficult-to-treat conditions such as depression. However, it is not yet entirely clear exactly how these altered states of consciousness might lead to long-term psychological changes. Studies conducted to date have shown that psychedelic substances loosen rigid brain networks. The so-called ‘entropy hypothesis’ posits that this creates a kind of beneficial neurological chaos ...

On Wednesday afternoon, the Swiss franc suddenly rose sharply in value against the US dollar, but also against the euro. The main reason is an announcement by the US Treasury. The dollar/franc exchange rate fell from over 0.81 to just under 0.80, while the euro/franc exchange rate fell from over 0.94 to as low as 0.9323. Traders attributed this primarily to dollar weakness. This was reportedly triggered by the US Treasury, which intends to significantly increase its repurchases of long-term bonds. Yields on US government bonds fell sharply immediately following the announcement. This makes US bonds less attractive to investors, and capital flows are increasingly moving into other countries or asset classes, which immediately weakened the dollar. Shortly after the announcement, the price of gold therefore rose by more than $100 (CHF79) to just under $4,500 per ounce. Bitcoin also climbed back up to nearly $70,000, reaching its highest level since early June. The Treasury ...

In response to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, the Swiss government has approved the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, thereby aligning itself with the European Union. Currently, around 2,790 individuals, companies and organisations in Switzerland are subject to asset freezes in connection with Russia’s war against Ukraine. In the energy sector, the Swiss government on Wednesday issued new service bans concerning liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers, icebreakers and LNG terminals based in Russia. In addition, the sale of tankers to Russia is now prohibited. Similarly, agreements for the sale of tankers to third countries must now include a contractual clause prohibiting their transfer to Russia. Switzerland is also, for the first time – just like the EU – activating the so-called anti-circumvention tool. This is designed to effectively prevent the circumvention of existing sanctions via third countries. In practical terms, the measure means that the export of certain ...