Popular Payment System Fails; Zoo Loses Cheetah; COVID Mandates To Be Lifted

News For 22 March, 2022

The popular app payments system, TWINT, encountered system failure issues late last week, preventing thousands of users from being able to make payments for goods and services.  Users began reporting errors with payments on Thursday morning at approximately 10 am and the company appears to have restored services by late afternoon.  There was no further information available about the cause or resolution of the issues.

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Starting April 1st, the Swiss Federal Council is expected to lift all remaining mask mandates associated with the Coronavirus pandemic.  What this means is that people will also no longer be required to wear masks on public transport, in hospitals or in health care facilities.  In addition, quarantine isolation requirements will also be lifted at the end of this month, theoretically allowing infected individuals to mingle with the population at large.  In addition, the Swiss Covid Task force, which has been advising the Federal Council will be dissolved at the same time. 

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Basel Zoo spokeswoman Corinne Moser announced late last week that one of the Zoo's cheetahs had died.  The mating female, named Dina, was 3.5 years old at the time of her death in mid-February, and the apparent cause of death was stomach inflation caused by ulcers according to the medical examination which was performed post-mortem.  Dina left behind two cubs, both almost a year old, who will stay together until they mature to adulthood at two years old.  The cubs have already been weaned from their mother, so zoo keepers expect that they will maintain their good health despite the loss of their mother.