El Chapo Basel; Love Locks Lost; World Economic Forum Returns To Davos

News For 17 January 2023

In case you were under the impression that Basel is a sleepy backwater where nothing of note ever happens, you may want to reassess.  Yesterday began the trial of a 47 year old Spanish, Colombian dual citizen who was living in Basel and managed to smuggle and distribute over half a billion Francs worth of cocaine around the world.  In Basel alone, the man has been accused of distributing over 110 tons of cocaine between 2014 and 2021 at the time of his arrest.  Leading to his arrest was the fact that authorities managed to crack an App used for communication with his suppliers and distributors.  It is likely the man will be expelled from the country and face a long sentence in prison if he were to return.

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It seems the Basel Buildings Department has made new year resolutions of its own, when they removed all the "love locks" from the Mittlerbrucke Chapel, a favorite of those couples resolving to love one another forever and ever.  After removing the locks, the iron grating which served as the frame for those ready to commit, was covered up with a wooden panel to prevent new ones from being affixed.  The official reason provided by the Buildings Department was the Vogel Gryff festival which was celebrated last Friday, the highlight of which is the Wilde Maa (or Wild Man of Kleinbasel) dancing across the bridge, and in front of the chapel.  For those who took their oaths of fidelity seriously, the removed locks can be collected at the Basel Civil Engineering office over the course of the next two weeks, and theoretically be reattached to another bridge.  For those whose love has waned or moved on all-together, the city will be scrapping the locks for recycled metal. 

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The 52 year old World Economic Forum (WEF) is back for its 2023 confab in Davos, Switzerland.  Founded by 84 year-old German Klaus Schwab an alumnus of ETH and University of Fribourg, the WEF hosts global enterprises with the mission that the forum improves the state of the world through engagement of business, politics, educational institutions and global leaders.  The theme of this years confab is "Cooperation In a Fragmented World", featuring keynote addresses by Renee Fleming, Idris Elba, Kyrsten Sinema, and Will.I.Am.