Protest against Monsanto and Syngenta in Basel
There was a protest against Monsanto and Syngenta yesterday (Saturday) in Basel’s city centre. The demonstration against the agrochemical companies started at 1.30pm with protestors gathering on Barfüsserplatz.
No other major firm has divided public opinion as much as Monsanto: The company has been demonised because of its early genetic engineering of plants and production of chemicals, which some see as the biggest saviour in a potential food crisis facing the world. Monsanto will never be a normal company. No other firm had so many enemies around the world.
In the last financial year, Monsanto made 15 billion US dollars in profit. Worldwide, the company controls a 26 per cent market share of the seed business. Critics complain about limitations in the diversities of variety and the independence of farmers, mostly in developing countries, since the dominant position of Monsanto in many markets can lead to a significant rise of the price of seeds which can be seen for example in terms of cotton, according to the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Agriculture.
According to critics, the seeds become too expensive for many farmers. The genetically engineered types are not made for the weather conditions in developing countries and are ineffective against pests. This results in fertilisers and pesticides being needed to keep crops growing. Monsanto became known by its herbicide Glyphosat, which is the most commonly used in the world. The substance has been used in farming so often in recent years that herbs in the US have become resistant against it.
Also for that reason, protestors in Basel are demanding that farmers provide a food supply which is free from pesticides, patents, and genetic engineering. The protest started at 1.30pm at Barfüsserplatz with several speakers and a band. At 2.30pm, the protestors marched towards the Syngenta headquarters.
Roger Federer attended Kate's sister Pippa's wedding
Fairy tale wedding in England: Pippa, younger sister of Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, wed her businessman fiancé James Matthews on Saturday. Among the illustrious guests were also Roger Federer and his wife, Mirka.
Photographers captured the married couple kissing in front of St. Mark's church in the English hamlet, Englefield. The couple got married earlier in a private ceremony.
The guests included the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, as well as William's brother, Prince Harry. Whether his girlfriend, the American actress Meghan Markle, also attended the wedding, remained unclear.
Swiss tennis player Roger Federer and his wife Mirka were also invited and tried to outshine each other.
Pippa Middleton had been a witness six years ago to her sister's wedding to Prince William, who is second in line to the British throne. At the wedding, Pippa received attention for her form-fitting dress. On Saturday she returned the favour by fixing the designer dress of her sister before entering the church. Princess Charlotte was a flower girl, assisted by Prince George.
Blaze in Büsserach causes damage to property
A blaze in the attic of a block of flats in Büsserach on Saturday morning caused 100,000 Swiss francs worth of damage, the police informed. Nobody was injured.
All residents were able to flee the Solothurn property before the fire took hold, the cantonal police said on Saturday. The fire brigade arrived quickly on the scene and quickly put the flames out. Despite their quick action, the fire caused damage to the affected flat as well as to those underneath. The cause of the fire is under investigation.