A teenager has been diagnosed with a form of diphtheria at a centre for asylum seekers in canton Neuchâtel – the latest in a series of diphtheria cases in Switzerland this August. Medical tests were undertaken on the adolescent in the Boudry asyl...

The Swiss government and cantons are aiming to be prepared for “extreme scenarios” in the face of possible energy shortages this winter, a top cantonal security official says. For example, a power grid shutdown or blackout would have far-reachin...

Swiss and German virologists working on a nasal vaccine for Covid-19 say such a technique could be much more effective against the virus, Swiss public broadcaster SRF reports on Friday. The ideal 100% immunity is almost impossible to achieve with vi...

Some 788,000 Swiss nationals were registered with Swiss representations abroad in 2021, a number that has grown in recent years, according to the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). If the Swiss abroad community were a canton, it would be Switzerland�...

The Andermatt Swiss Alps (ASA) company, majority owned by Egyptian financier Samih Sawiris, is to build a new 1,800-bed Alpine resort in the Sedrun region in southeast Switzerland. The complex in an undeveloped area of Dieni village will include 13 ...

The southwestern Swiss canton of Valais has become the first to pay producers to film its landscapes and villages. Valais is ready to pay up to CHF100,000 ($104,000) per project, Swiss public broadcaster RTS reports on Friday. The Valais Film Commis...

The Stäfa-based multinational has acquired one of the largest chains of audiological care clinics in China. Announcing the acquisition on Friday, Sonova said it would allow the Swiss firm to expand its footprint in China, as HYSOUND has around 200...

For the fourth consecutive year, organisers of the Geneva International Motor Show have decided to shelve the event owing to external factors. The announcement to cancel the event, scheduled for February 14-19 at the Geneva Palexpo Centre, was made...

A civil rights group has filed a criminal complaint in Switzerland over the alleged attack of a Swiss journalist by Russian troops in Ukraine. The Ukrainian NGO Truth Hounds said on Thursday that it has submitted evidence of a war crime with the Swi...

Swiss companies have urged the authorities to help them hire more Ukrainian refugees by granting more flexible work permits and offering language courses. Some 60,000 Ukrainians have been awarded special S status permits giving them refuge from the ...

Switzerland’s target of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 is a massive undertaking that will require coordinated action by politicians, industry and the public, according to the Swiss Academy of Sciences. The body representing all scienc...

The first Swiss project on the legal sale of cannabis in pharmacies will start on September 15 in canton Basel City. Hemp users over 18 can now register to take part, with the number of participants limited to 370. Six cannabinoid products – four ...

The megalodon, a giant shark that roamed the oceans millions of years ago, is famous for its teeth the size of a human fist. Otherwise, however, little fossil evidence exists. Scientists in Zurich have now helped create a 3D computer model of its ent...

Switzerland has adopted European Union sanctions against the former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, and his son Olkesandr. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said the pair was put on a list of travel and financial sanctions to...

The Swiss government wants to use gas and fossil fuel power plants to counter potential energy shortages during the coming winter months. The aim is to produce more than 300 megawatts and complement the supply of electricity through hydropower, the ...

Football clubs are an important pillar for integration into Swiss society, also for immigrants, according to a new study. However, immigrant women are less likely to join teams and it is more difficult for them to take over official positions in a c...

Four years after the crash of a vintage Ju-52 plane in which 20 people died, the Swiss government has tightened the regulations for flights with historic aircraft. Commercial flights will no longer be permitted, and a maximum of nine people may fly ...

Russia “really hadn’t anticipated” Switzerland aligning itself with EU sanctions in March, according to a former Russian diplomat to the UN in Geneva. The Russians had hoped Switzerland would remain a “haven for Russian business – legal or...

Many reptiles are kept in improper conditions in Switzerland, with owners unaware that legal regulations exist for the animals’ welfare, according to an animal protection organisation. An online tool now aims to raise awareness of how to look after...

Switzerland and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement on the restitution of $131 million (CHF125 million) confiscated during criminal proceedings involving Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the former Uzbek president. The assets will be used for the b...

Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli is withdrawing from the Russian market, after announcing in March that it would cease operations there following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces. “We will support our employees in Russ...

A left-wing coalition has gathered enough signatures to challenge the Swiss government’s plan to purchase F-35A fighter jets from the United States. Political groups behind the “Stop F-35” initiative, which opposes the government’s plan to b...

The federal technology institute ETH Zurich has been ranked the best Swiss university in the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Shanghai ranking, taking 20th spot. ETH Zurich moved up one place since last year and scored ...

The Swiss government is extending its presence on social media and will open an account on the international photo and video-sharing platform. The Federal Chancellery said a pilot project with the Instagram service was planned for October. The aim ...

The continuing hot and dry summer weather has caused low water levels in several lakes and rivers in Switzerland. Lakes in eastern, central and southern parts of the country have recorded lows, something which occurs rarely, the Federal Office for t...

The Swiss government is facing criticism about its planned implementation of an international corporate tax reform. The left-wing Social Democratic Party said the proposed distribution of the expected additional revenue from the reform would benefit...

Taiwan’s top official in Switzerland says there is room for more “pragmatic cooperation” between the Asian island state and the Alpine nation, including a trade accord. “Taiwan is open to a trade agreement with Switzerland,” Taiwan’s rep...

A “good offices” agreement signed three years ago for Switzerland to represent United States interests in Venezuela has still not come into force, it was confirmed on Sunday. Switzerland has a long tradition of “good offices”, whereby it cov...

Around 900,000 people danced in the streets of Zurich on Saturday in the largest techno party in the world. The Zurich Street Parade reported a strong turnout after two years of pandemic-related cancellations. According to estimates by the organiser...

A range of options are being explored to prevent power outages this winter, says Swiss Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga. This comes amid criticism that the country hasn’t set up an effective energy savings plan. “Switzerland is doing everythi...