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Swiss Info

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 09:30:05 GMT
Wealth of super-rich in Switzerland hardly dented by stock market turmoil
The 300 richest people in Switzerland saw their cumulative wealth drop for the first time in 13 years by a mere by 0.1%. But they still have enough money to distribute CHF100 ($105) to each person on the planet. The Kamprad brothers, heirs to the Sw...

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 15:14:00 GMT
Authorities introduce Swiss-wide anti-bird flu measures
A week after two cases of bird flu were detected in Zurich, authorities have imposed national measures to come into force on Monday, November 28. The measures aim to prevent any further outbreak of the disease, and mainly focus on reducing contact b...

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 14:45:00 GMT
Marsh warbler named Switzerland’s bird of the year 2023
The little perching bird succeeds the skylark as this year’s avian champion, chosen by BirdLife Switzerland for its virtuosic singing and peerless imitation skills. The marsh warbler is even smaller than a sparrow, but it’s remarkable singing is...

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 13:17:00 GMT
Damián Ortega wins 2023 Zurich Art Prize
The installation artist from Mexico is the 16th winner of the CHF100,000 ($106,000) prize, awarded annually by the Museum Haus Konstruktiv, where Ortega will hold a solo exhibition next year. The jury was particularly impressed by how Ortega’s met...

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 11:03:35 GMT
Sharp increase in online sexual harassment among Swiss teens
Swiss youths are experiencing worrying rates of online sexual harassment and cyberstalking, with girls more affected than boys, say researchers. This coincides with the steep rise in the use of video sharing apps such as TikTok. The 2022 James study...

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 11:01:00 GMT
Swiss financial sector makes limited climate progress
The Swiss financial sector has made some progress in ‘greening’ its investment portfolios in recent years, but not enough, a government-backed analysis has found. Some 133 financial firms, including pension funds, banks, and insurance companies ...

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:56:20 GMT
Switzerland returns confiscated cultural artefacts to Mexico
The Federal Office of Culture has handed over two archaeological cultural objects to Mexico that had been confiscated on suspicion of importing illegally excavated cultural goods. One of the sculptures represents a pregnant female canine, which is t...

Thu, 24 Nov 2022 08:10:11 GMT
Swiss Solidarity raises over CHF7 million for Horn of Africa
Swiss Solidarity, the humanitarian arm of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, received donations of more than CHF7 million ($7.4 million) on a nationwide collection day for victims of the food crisis in East Africa. The money will be used to support...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 17:41:00 GMT
Government wants to extend Swisscoy mission to 2026
If parliamentarians agree, Switzerland’s contribution to the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR) will be extended by another three years. Government on Wednesday proposed not only an extension of Swisscoy’s mandate, but also a boost i...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 16:15:00 GMT
Swiss doctor among new European astronaut crew
Marco Sieber has been chosen as a “career astronaut” by the European Space Agency (ESA) – he is thus set to become only the second Swiss spaceman in history. The 33-year-old from Bern was selected from a total of 22,500 candidates who applied ...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 15:05:00 GMT
Government moots backup plans in case of electricity shortages
The government has presented a draft step-by-step plan which would come into effect should there be a serious lack of electricity in the country. A week after giving details of how an eventual gas shortage would be handled, Economics Minister Guy Pa...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 13:27:00 GMT
Switzerland to join latest EU sanctions, targeting Russian oil
The government said on Wednesday it had adopted the remaining measures in the eighth package of European Union sanctions against Russia. Wednesday’s decision notably includes the introduction of a legal basis for putting price caps on Russian crud...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 11:25:00 GMT
Ambassador: Switzerland has clear position in Ukraine
Claude Wild says the Swiss stance on the ongoing conflict is clearly in support of the victims, and that the Russian aggression is “illegal and illegitimate”. Speaking to RTS public radio on Wednesday, the ambassador to Ukraine again tried to cl...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 11:22:46 GMT
Credit Suisse approves CHF4bn fundraise to underwrite restructuring
Credit Suisse shareholders have approved a CHF4 billion ($4.2 billion) capital raise amid a large-scale exodus of client assets and an expected CHF1.5 billion quarterly loss. Last month, Credit Suisse announced a major restructuring that will see 9,...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:59:46 GMT
Switzerland and Italy to step up anti-mafia cooperation
Swiss Attorney General Stefan Blättler and Italian anti-mafia prosecutor Giovanni Melillo have agreed to strengthen cooperation to fight mafia activity, which is on the rise in Switzerland. Meeting for the first time in Bern on Tuesday, they decide...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 10:11:51 GMT
Switzerland sends third fire engine to Ukraine
Switzerland has sent a third fire engine and more equipment to Ukraine as part of a package to fight fires, purify contaminated water and remove debris. It has been delivering such equipment since early October at the request of the Ukrainian author...

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 08:46:23 GMT
Environment is top concern for Swiss this year
The environment is the main concern of the Swiss in 2022, followed by pensions and energy, according to this year’s Credit Suisse Worry Barometer. The Covid-19 pandemic, which was the main worry last year, is no longer among the top ten concerns, ...

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 17:04:00 GMT
OECD lowers growth forecast for Swiss economy
The Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation expects Swiss GDP to grow by 2.1% this year, down from a previous forecast of 2.5%. The main reason for the lowered prospects is the war in Ukraine, which is affecting the global economy as w...

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:48:00 GMT
Beer sales bounce back in Switzerland post-pandemic
Sunny and dry weather, along with the end of Covid restrictions, drove an uptick in the amount of beer drunk over the past year, the industry has reported. In the 2021-2022 brewing year (October to October), beer sales by Swiss breweries rose again ...

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 15:09:00 GMT
Swiss gender pay gap among the widest in Europe
The gender pay gap in Switzerland is still among the biggest in Europe. In 2020, women earned on average 18.4% less than men for equivalent work, according to new figures. The Federal Statistical Office (FSO) reported on Tuesday that Switzerland had...

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:28:00 GMT
Swiss youths have appetite for political engagement, study shows
Almost three out of four young people would like to participate more in politics, but feel held back by various factors including a lack of information, according to a report published on Tuesday by the Federal Commission for Child and Youth Affairs ...

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 13:12:00 GMT
Axpo to invest CHF1.5 billion in Swiss solar projects
The plans by the energy company involve building solar plants both in the Alps and in lower-lying regions of the country by 2030, Axpo said on Tuesday. The energy firm, Switzerland's largest producer of renewable energy, said the goal was to build p...

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 09:29:18 GMT
Swiss and French police boost cross-border cooperation
Switzerland and France are strengthening cooperation between their judicial, police and customs authorities to step up the fight against cross-border crime, Swiss authorities have announced. “Currently, highly mobile, organised international crimi...

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 08:25:00 GMT
Rolex plans new factory and 2,000 jobs in Switzerland
The luxury Swiss watch brand Rolex hopes to invest CHF1 billion ($1 billion) in a new production site at Bulle in western Switzerland that should result in 2,000 new jobs. The watchmaker hopes to build a new production site at Bulle in canton Fribou...

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 17:38:00 GMT
Women violence victims ‘should be taken more seriously’
Switzerland’s police, judiciary and social welfare services need to strengthen levels of trust among women who are victims of violence, a government minister says. Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter on Monday launched a nationwide initiative tha...

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:43:00 GMT
Work begins on Swiss geothermal project after 20-year wait
A 20-year planning process has finally resulted in drilling being commenced at a Swiss geothermal project, designed to heat up to 3,000 homes. The project in the French-speaking part of Switzerland is one of 20 such plants envisaged by the western c...

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 16:17:00 GMT
SWISS airline embarks on major hiring spree
Swiss International Air Lines aims to hire 1,500 new staff to keep up with surging demand for flights after the lifting of coronavirus lockdowns. The airline is focusing on cabin crew during in its hiring spree next year, including 1,000 flight atte...

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 14:54:00 GMT
Foundation meets to discuss frozen Afghan funds
Managers of a foundation set up to manage $3.5 billion (CHF3.34 billion) in frozen Afghanistan central bank funds are meeting for the first time in Geneva. A Swiss government spokesperson confirmed the meeting to the Reuters news agency on Monday. ...

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 13:38:00 GMT
Switzerland disappointed at ‘OneLove’ World Cup armband ban
The Swiss national football team has backed down in the face of sporting sanctions on a pledge to have their captain wear a World Cup armband sporting the “OneLove” message of diversity and inclusion. FIFA, world football’s governing body, has...

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 11:28:00 GMT
Switzerland extends professional services access with Britain
A Swiss-British deal, granting access of consultants, engineers and IT workers to each other’s markets, will be extended until the end of 2025. Some 4,000 British professional services providers have made us of the 90-day market access facility si...



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