Thousands of playgrounds in Switzerland could be contaminated with lead; MP wants doctors to report potentially dangerous patients to police; and more news in our roundup on Tuesday.
Thousands of playgrounds in Switzerland could be contaminated with lead
These playgrounds are located on former industrial sites where the ground could still have traces of toxic materials, according to the Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU).
In the worst-case scenario, this could harm the brain development of young children.
Given the urgency, the government is testing public playgrounds located on potentially contaminated land and will undertake the clean-up operations; however, privately-owned play areas are not bound by the same sanitation rules.
MP wants doctors to report potentially dangerous patients to police
As the man who attacked and injured three people with a knife in Winterthur last week had been treated for mental illness, some deputies now want psychiatrists and other medical professionals to report such cases to law enforcement.
This action would, however, require lifting of the doctor-patient confidentiality, which is enshrined in Swiss law.
MP Jacqueline de Quattro, who instigated this ‘full disclosure’ move in the Parliament, said healthcare workers should be required to report potentially dangerous individuals with extremist affiliations (as in the case of the assailant).
“This poses a security problem in our country, so we must act,” she pointed out.
Deputies will debate the issue this week.
Parliament seeks tighter requirements for platforms like Temu and Shein
The National Council has accepted a motion submitted by deputy Fabio Regazzi, aimed at introducing a tax on small parcels from major foreign retailers.
According to the motion, half a million packages with preferential rates and without proper verification arrive each year from China in Switzerland, creating unfair competition for Swiss companies, which – contrary to Chinese ones – are subject to strict regulations.
Therefore, the motion calls for a better control system, which would be financed by a tax imposed on these shipments.
Travel news: Edelweiss inaugurates a new long-haul flight
From yesterday, the airline is operating flights from Zurich to Namibia’s capital, Windhoek.
With this new connection, served twice weekly – on Mondays and Fridays – Edelweiss aims to further expand its Africa-bound holiday destinations.
Specifically, its goal is to complement the already existing popular routes to Cape Town, Kilimanjaro, and Zanzibar.
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