A river dammed by a huge Swiss landslide is flowing again. That's a relief to authorities
A huge mass of rock, ice and mud from the Birch glacier thundered into the Lötschental valley in southern Switzerland on Wednesday, destroying much of the village. Buildings that weren't buried were submerged in a lake created by the small Lonza River, whose course was dammed by the mass of material.
Authorities worried that water pooling above the mass of rock and ice could lead to risks of its own. Still, the regional government in Valais canton (state) said that the Lonza has been flowing through the full length of the debris since Friday.
Geologist and regional official Raphaël Mayoraz said Saturday that the level of the lake has since gone down about one metre (3.3 feet).
'The speed at which this lake is emptying comes from the river eroding the deposit,' he said at a news conference. 'This erosion is relatively slow, but that's a good thing. If it is too fast, then there is instability in this channel, and that could lead to small slides of debris.'
'The Lonza appears to have found its way, but it too early to be able to give an all-clear,' said Matthias Bellwald, Blatten's mayor.
The outlet of a dam downstream at Ferden, which is normally used to generate electricity, was opened partially on Friday evening to allow water to flow further down the valley and regulate the volume of water behind the dam. Authorities are still leaving open the possibility of evacuations further downstream if required, though the risk to other villages appears very low.
Days before most of the glacier collapsed, authorities had ordered the evacuation of about 300 people, as well as livestock, from Blatten. Switzerland's president said on Friday that the government was looking for ways to help the evacuees.
The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
2 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
Russian billionaire loses bid to remove name from Canada's sanction list
A Russian billionaire has lost a legal bid to remove his name from the list of individuals and companies targeted by Canadian sanctions after Moscow's 2022 assault on Ukraine began. Andrey Melnichenko and his wife, Aleksandra, were hit with Canadian sanctions in 2023. He first applied directly to then-foreign-affairs-minister Mélanie Joly for reconsideration, and after being turned down, he filed a request for judicial review in 2024. In his legal action, Mr. Melnichenko said he was advised by the Department of Global Affairs that he was listed because 'there were reasonable grounds to believe he was an associate of President Putin or the government of Russia.' Among the reasons given by the department were his role as former owner of fertilizer producer EuroChem and Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK), that he was a board member of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), and that he attended a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and members of the RSPP after the start of the 2022 attack on Ukraine. Mr. Melnichenko, who said he hasn't lived in Russia in more than a decade and has resided in Switzerland for more than 15 years with his family, alleged that Global Affairs has ignored evidence he presented to it to dispute its characterization of him. He argued he built his wealth without the help of the Russian state and 'as such does not meet the definition of 'oligarch.'' Mr. Melnichenko said he has not been an owner of EuroChem or SUEK since 2006. He said he has no personal relationship with Mr. Putin or the government of Russia 'and does not belong to the inner circle of President Putin.' Federal Court Judge Catherine Kane on Thursday dismissed Mr. Melnichenko's application, saying Ms. Joly did not err when she added his name to the sanction list 'based on being satisfied that there were reasonable grounds to believe that he is an associate of senior officials of the Russian regime.' Canada, like many other Western countries, applied sanctions to hundreds of individuals and companies in Russia and close ally Belarus over Moscow's February, 2022, attack on Ukraine – which continues to this day. Mr. Melnichenko and his wife were among a diverse group of more than 100 targeted by Canadian sanctions in 2023. Ottawa said at the time the group comprised 'parliamentarians and officials, their family members, the oligarchs, and the businesses that fund them,' all of whom continued to do Mr. Putin's bidding. Canada announces $4.3-billion in new Ukraine aid and sanctions on Russia's 'shadow fleet' Mr. Melnichenko's wife was subsequently removed from Canada's sanctions list. As The Globe and Mail reported in 2024, the fact she was a Serbian citizen with a Serbian passport played a role in her removal. Justice Kane said the foreign minister did not need to determine that Mr. Melnichenko was close to Mr. Putin to classify him as an associate of the Russian President. 'Evidence that he is not part of the inner circle or not in a position of influence does not detract from or contradict the Minister's finding that he is an 'associate.'' Justice Kane said the RSPP, the business lobby group Mr. Melnichenko associated with, and his presence at two of its meetings with Mr. Putin since 2022 were vital evidence. 'Excerpts of the transcript of the February 2022 meeting reveals that the meeting focused on the invasion, and President Putin addressed the attendees as 'colleagues' and 'friends', commended their role in preparing for sanctions, and urged their continued support,' she noted. 'While this does not confirm that Mr. Melnichenko regarded President Putin in the same way, it remains evidence relevant to and supporting the Minister's view that he is an 'associate.'' Justice Kane added: 'The second meeting, on March 16, 2023, was President Putin's first in-person address to Russia's business elite since the invasion. The evidence before the Minister described the meeting as President Putin's encouragement of Russian billionaires to prioritize national interests over profit and help stabilize the economy in response to Western sanctions. Some RSPP members chose not to attend the March 2023 meeting or had left the organization; however, Mr. Melnichenko did attend.' Adult entertainment industry payments used to evade Russian sanctions in Canada A memorandum submitted by Global Affairs during this legal action noted that Mr. Melnichenko remains sanctioned by Canada's allies, including the United States, Britain, European Union, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. William Pellerin, a partner with McMillan LLP's international trade group, said petitioning to be removed from Western sanctions lists is 'part of the modus operandi of the various oligarchs and sanctioned individuals.' These targeted individuals have business interests around the world. Winning removal from a sanction list in a country such as Canada could serve as a precedent to help them succeed in delistings in other jurisdictions that matter more to them, Mr. Pellerin said. He noted that Russian oil and gas magnate Igor Makarov earlier failed to secure removal from Canada's sanctions list. The inability of two Russian billionaires to obtain delisting in Canada could discourage further efforts, Mr. Pellerin said. Being placed on Canada's Russia-related sanctions list means any assets of the named person in Canada are frozen. People in Canada and Canadians outside of this country are prohibited from providing financial services to those under sanction, or entering into or facilitating transactions with them. Those sanctioned in Canada might also face the prospect of the federal government seizing and selling off their assets with the proceeds donated to Ukraine, as Ottawa has proposed doing. People sanctioned are also banned from entering Canada. Mr. Melnichenko's counsel in Canada did not immediately return a request for comment. As of Thursday, Mr. Melnichenko sat at No. 132 on Forbes's Real-time Billionaires list with an estimated net worth of US$17.6-billion. Italian authorities seized his superyacht in 2022 as part of EU sanctions.
National Post
6 days ago
- National Post
‘ENSURE FAIRNESS': Olympics chief announces ‘scientific approach' to ‘protect female category'
The new president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) addressed the subject of transgender athletes competing in women's sports, and revealed there is 'overwhelming support' by IOC members to 'protect the female category.' Article content Kirsty Coventry, who was in Lausanne, Switzerland, chairing her first meetings this week since becoming chief, said that a taskforce of scientists and international federations would be created in the coming weeks to come up with a new policy. Article content Article content Article content 'We understand that there'll be differences depending on the sport,' she said, according to Fox News. Article content 'But it was fully agreed that as members that, as the IOC, we should make the effort to place emphasis on the protection of the female category.' Article content Coventry continued: 'It was very clear from the members that we have to protect the female category, first and foremost. We have to do that to ensure fairness. And we have to do it with a scientific approach. And with the inclusion of the international federations who have done a lot of work in that area.' Article content The new policy is expected to ban trans athletes from competing in the female category. Article content Article content But Coventry, who won seven Olympic medal when she competed for Zimbabwe, noted that the shift in policy would not affect previous Olympics results. Article content 'We are not going to be doing anything retrospectively. We are going to be looking forward,' Coventry said. Article content The update comes after the controversial boxing tournament at the 2024 Paris Games after two athletes — Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-Ting — won gold medals despite having been disqualified from the previous year's World Championships for allegedly failing to meet gender eligibility criteria. Article content Article content World Boxing, which is now recognized by the IOC as the sport's international federation, has since introduced mandatory sex testing and said Khelif would not be able to compete in the female category until she undergoes the test. Article content Khelif has always maintained she was born a woman, competes as a woman, and is a woman. Article content 'It was very clear from the membership the discussion around this has to be done with medical and scientific research at the core, so we are looking at the facts and the nuances and the inclusion of the international federations that have done so much of this work,' Coventry said. Article content
National Post
26-06-2025
- National Post
Groups Representing Patients, Healthcare Professionals and Pharmaceutical Industry Author New Principle on Use of AI In Healthcare
Article content GENEVA — Six leading international organizations representing patients, physicians, pharmacists, nurses, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry have today adopted the first joint ethical principle in the healthcare industry on the responsible use of health data and technology, including artificial intelligence. Article content The new principle joins the International Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration in Health, guiding ethical collaboration across bodies representing patients, physicians, pharmacists, nurses, hospitals, and the pharmaceutical industry. Article content The new principle joins the International Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration (ICF), a longstanding principles-based voluntary agreement that guides ethical collaboration across these major healthcare bodies, working together to deliver high quality care for patients. Article content The ICF was established in 2014 as a global platform to ensure that relationships across the health ecosystem are grounded in ethical, transparent, and responsible decision-making. It unites six leading health bodies representing patient organizations, healthcare professionals, and the pharmaceutical industry. Article content The founding principles of the ICF focus on prioritizing patients; supporting ethical research and innovation; ensuring independence and ethical conduct; and promoting transparency and accountability. Article content The new fifth principle focuses on autonomy, data stewardship, and shared accountability in the use of health data. This reflects the growing importance of digital health and AI, and the need for ethical considerations to evolve alongside scientific innovation. Article content 'No single hospital or stakeholder can navigate today's rapid advances in health data and technology alone,' said Ronald Lavater, CEO of the International Hospital Federation. 'The ICF enables collective action, empowering global health leaders to build trusted partnerships that unlock the full potential of ethical, person-centered innovation.' Article content 'Data and technology may evolve care delivery, but ethics guides our why, how and for whom,' said Howard Catton, CEO of the International Council of Nurses. 'This principle affirms the enduring importance of trust, compassion, and dignity — values nurses uphold every day across health systems worldwide.' Article content Patient voices are central to the adoption of this principle. 'This new principle is a major step forward in safeguarding the rights of patients and people with lived experience in the digital age,' said Dani Mothci, CEO of the International Alliance of Patients' Organizations. 'As a founding member of the ICF, IAPO welcomes the clear ethical commitment around autonomy, data stewardship, and accountability highlighting focus on putting patients first. To make this a reality, we encourage patient organizations to actively engage with this principle and ensure its implementation reflects real-world patient experiences.' Article content 'Ethics is the cornerstone of effective global health policy. It ensures that decisions are guided by fairness, respect, and accountability. The World Medical Association believes that ethical collaboration is essential to building resilient health systems and delivering better care to all, especially the most vulnerable,' said Dr. Ashok Philip, President of the World Medical Association. Article content Paul Sinclair, President of the International Pharmaceutical Federation, called on pharmacy professionals to embrace the new principle: 'FIP supports ethical and responsible decision making, which involves pharmacy practitioners in relation to patients, healthcare professionals, and the pharmaceutical sector to ensure high-quality care. I invite all our members to adopt and adapt this framework at the country and regional levels of practice.' Article content David Reddy, Director General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, echoed the call for collective responsibility: 'For the past decade, the ICF has fostered stronger alliances and shared values between key partners involved in healthcare delivery, through sustained engagement on emerging ethical challenges. Today, by integrating a new principle on digital health and AI, we're echoing a growing consensus: as innovation accelerates, ethical collaboration must evolve in tandem. Our focus is on delivering for patients — first and always.' Article content Established in 2014, the Article content International Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration Article content is the only global platform of its kind that brings together patients' organizations, healthcare professionals, and the pharmaceutical industry in support of high-quality, patient-centered care. The Framework is jointly supported by six leading bodies – the Article content , Article content , Article content IFPMA Article content , Article content FIP Article content , Article content WMA Article content , and Article content IHF Article content – all united by a shared commitment to ensuring that relationships across the health ecosystem are grounded in ethical, transparent, and responsible decision-making. The Consensus Framework is a living document and is open to other stakeholders in life sciences and healthcare delivery, who are encouraged to endorse and contribute to its evolution. It is guided by four founding principles: put patients first; support ethical research and innovation; ensure independence and ethical conduct; promote transparency and accountability. In 2025, the Framework was expanded to include a fifth principle: uphold responsible use of health data and technology. This reflects the growing importance of digital health and AI, and the need for ethics to evolve alongside innovation. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content Media contacts Article content Article content
