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Political situation in Switzerland
Referendum on maximum ten million Swiss: “Illusion of a free lunch”

Switzerland will hold a referendum on a population limit of 10 million by 2050 on Sunday, several media outlets report. Critics warn of a labor shortage and a deteriorating relationship with the EU.

The population has grown rapidly and more than a quarter are migrant workers without Swiss citizenship, the majority of them from EU countries, according to CNN. The proposal from the right-wing populist Swiss People’s Party (SVP) is justified by accusations of “creeping Islamization” and accuses immigrants of being behind the housing shortage and the overcrowded schools, hospitals and buses.

“The proposal sells an illusion of a free lunch, but does not solve our problems with traffic and housing,” says Rudolf Minsch, chief economist at Economiesuisse, to The Guardian.

He warns of a labor shortage. The business organizations, the parties that govern in coalition with the SVP and both chambers of parliament are against the proposal, according to the BBC.

Middle East crisis  Israel-Hezbollah
Israel attacks again – despite promising peace agreement

On Saturday, Israel carried out several attacks in southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese news agency NNA. According to AFP, this was preceded by a warning from the Israeli army. The extent of the damage is currently unclear.

The attacks come just days after there has been real progress in peace negotiations between Iran and the United States. These negotiations have previously foundered precisely because of Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

The conflict began after the Iran war broke out in March. It is between Israel and the terrorist group Hezbollah, which has a strong stronghold in Lebanon. Both parties have continued to attack each other even after a ceasefire was agreed.

Trump's USA  Name changes
Celebration at Kennedy Center as Trump's name is removed

People have gathered outside the Kennedy Center in Washington DC to watch Donald Trump's name being taken down from the cultural center's facade, American media reports.

At the end of May, it was announced that the president's decision to rename the historic Kennedy Center after himself violated the law. Only Congress can change the name.

A crowd has been waiting for hours to see the sign with Trump's name taken down. According to the AP, spontaneous cheering and chanting about "taking down the sign" have sometimes broken out when scaffolding has been erected. At the same time, the work has been delayed by strong winds.

Political situation in South Korea
Seoul celebrates Pride: "Stop pretending we don't exist"

Thousands of people filled central Seoul with rainbow flags on Saturday. The annual Pride parade is the only time of year that LGBTQ people in South Korea can show exactly who they are, filmmaker Jay Park tells The Guardian.

Homosexuality is still stigmatized in the country and same-sex marriage is not legal. Attempts to pass an anti-discrimination law have also been repeatedly blocked by the country's conservatives.

Korean politicians have long treated minority issues as unimportant, says Jay Park.

“Stop pretending we don't exist. Vote through the anti-discrimination law now,” says Park.