BERN, SWITZERLAND – The European Court of Human Rights Friday 8 July ruled that two cases brought against Switzerland are “inadmissable”: the Swiss popular vote against the construction of new minarets does not directly violate the rights of those who filed complaints with the court in December 2009.

Switzerland voted against the construction of new minarets, a vote that had no impact on the existing five, in November 2009. Two weeks later charges were brought by Hafid Ouardiri, co-president of the Geneva-based Fondation de l’entre-connaissance, and by the Swiss League of Muslims.

Court’s judgement (Fre)

BERN, SWITZERLAND  – Swiss media have widely covered the weekend anti-nuclear march in canton Argau, near the Beznau nuclear power plant, with what appears to be a consensus that the large turnout for the  protest has put the government on notice. The march was the largest anti-nuclear show in 25 years.

The Federal Council Wednesday 25 May will review Swiss  policy on nuclear energy, following the moratorium called by Energy Minister Doris Leuthard after Japan’s nuclear accident. The cabinet faces three options:

• the status quo, but replacing sooner than planned the country’s three aging nuclear plants
• not replacing the plants when their working life ends
• or calling a halt to Swiss nuclear energy.

BMW Oracle left California 15 December for Valencia, Spain

Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The Alinghi sailing team is preparing to defend its World Cup title in the chilly winter waters of Valencia, Spain in 2010, following a decision Tuesday 15 December by a panel of New York Supreme Court judges to uphold an earlier decision. A judge ruled 30 October against the choice by Société Nautique de Genève’s of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates for the next America’s Cup. The four-judge panel also upheld an earlier decision to exclude rudders from the measurement of the load waterline length of the race yacht.

Alinghi will face BMW Oracle in February 2010 in Valencia. The BMW team, based in San Francisco, left California Tuesday for Valencia, to start preparing for the race.

Background, GenevaLunch

Links to other sites: Alinghi, BMW Oracle