Swiss Info
Sat, 12 Oct 2024 11:20:00 GMTSwiss safe after shelling of UN headquarters in Lebanon
Three Swiss military observers stationed in Lebanon are safe. Israeli forces on Thursday shelled the headquarters of UNIFIL peacekeepers in Nakura, southern Lebanon, injuring two UN soldiers. The shelling occurred in a remote part of the large camp o...
Sat, 12 Oct 2024 11:17:35 GMTOnly 11% of companies in line with Paris Agreement
Only 11% of listed companies worldwide are currently operating in line with the 1.5°C global warming target of the Paris Climate Agreement. This is the conclusion of an analysis by the US financial services provider MSCI. The study evaluated almost ...
Sat, 12 Oct 2024 09:38:03 GMTAfter Hamas, Switzerland mulls banning Hezbollah
A Senate committee in Switzerland wants to ban Lebanon's militia Hezbollah. The committee tabled a motion to that end with 10 votes in favor and three abstentions, parliamentary services reported on Friday. The Senate's security policy committee beli...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 13:32:35 GMTPersonal care products affect indoor air quality, warns Swiss study
A Swiss study claims that typical personal care products can have a ‘significant impact’ on air quality when used in enclosed spaces. When they come into contact with ozone, the products spark chemical reactions generating new air pollutants, res...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 12:48:41 GMTGovernment estimates for first time Switzerland's carbon budget up to 2050
The Swiss government predicts that the country will produce around 660 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents for the 2020-2050 period if it meets its climate targets. But scientists and environmental groups say Switzerland’s “carbon budget” is much...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 12:03:20 GMTSwitzerland and US sign new deal on exchange of trainees and young professionals
Switzerland and the United States have signed a new agreement on the exchange of trainees and young professionals. The accord will make it easier for young Swiss people to receive training in the US for short periods, and vice-versa. + Get the most i...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 10:16:22 GMTSwitzerland imposes entry ban on far-right Austrian activist Martin Sellner
Switzerland has imposed an entry ban on the far-right Austrian extremist Martin Sellner. This prevents him from speaking at an event planned by the Swiss Junge Tat far-right group in canton Zurich on October 19. + Get the most important news from Swi...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 09:40:52 GMTZurich Film Festival gives Swiss comedian Emil Steinberger top honour for life's work
Swiss actor and cabaret artist Emil Steinberger has been given a lifetime achievement award at the Zurich Film Festival. The 91-year-old also attended the premiere of the documentary film about his life, Typisch Emil (Typical Emil), directed by Phil ...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 08:08:48 GMTSecurity firm Sicpa cuts jobs in western Switzerland
Sicpa, a company specialising in security inks, announced on Thursday that it plans to cut up to 120 jobs in canton Vaud, citing a complicated international economic context and geopolitical tensions. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 07:16:09 GMTNorthern Lights spotted over Switzerland
The Northern Lights, aka aurora borealis, were visible in parts of Switzerland on Thursday evening. But variable cloud cover meant that the spectacular natural lightshow could not be seen everywhere. + Get the most important Swiss news directly in yo...
Fri, 11 Oct 2024 06:31:20 GMTUK resumes trade talks with Switzerland in ‘Global Britain’ push
British and Swiss trade negotiators will resume trade talks on Monday as they seek to broker deeper access to each other’s financial services markets as well as agreements on data sharing and worker visas. + Get the most important news from Switzer...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:24:00 GMTSwiss army suspends CHF320m project for airspace surveillance
Two Swiss projects for airspace surveillance and fighter jet guidance have been suspended for months despite parliamentary approval of nearly CHF320 million. Problems with systems integration led to the suspension. + Get the most important news from ...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 14:06:00 GMTMurdered student: Paris asks Bern to extradite suspect
On Wednesday, France submitted an extradition request to the Swiss authorities for the man suspected of murdering Philippine, a student at Paris-Dauphine University. This was announced Thursday morning by French Justice Minister Didier Migaud on BFMT...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 11:43:12 GMTSwiss ten-year fixed mortgage rates halved since 2022 peak
Interest rate cuts by the Swiss National Bank (SNB) have halved the cost of servicing 10-year fixed mortgages compared to 2022 peaks, according to online comparison platform Comparis. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox In th...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 09:35:33 GMTSwiss employees pessimistic over 2025 salaries
Nearly half of all employees in Switzerland are unaware of salary discussions within their company, a survey reveals. Women in particular do not expect their pay to increase by 2025. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The su...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 08:47:25 GMTSwiss pharma Novartis cleared of patent abuse allegations
A two-year investigation of alleged patent abuses by Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis has been dropped by the Competition Commission (ComCo) without charges. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox The investigations had sho...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 08:28:40 GMTSwiss bearded vulture rare win amid global wildlife catastrophe
The reintroduction of the bearded vulture in Switzerland is one of the few positive ecological stories of the last 50 years, which saw three-quarters of wild animals disappear from view, according to WWF. + Get the most important news from Switzerlan...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 07:58:17 GMTGESDA takes a new step towards a global audience
The Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA), an NGO set up to spot the next generation of scientific advances, is embarking on a new stage to confront the global public with the scientific challenges of the future. + Get the most important n...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 07:34:49 GMTSwiss firms attach great importance to cash
Swiss companies remain happy to take cash payments from customers while public transport operators want to limit the use of physical francs, according to a survey by the Swiss National Bank (SNB). + Get the most important news from Switzerland in you...
Thu, 10 Oct 2024 07:17:59 GMTSwiss canton cleared to shoot four wolf packs
The Swiss canton of Valais has been cleared to cull four of its 11 resident wolf packs following a change of mind by the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN). + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Initially, the FOEN had d...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 16:37:30 GMTSwitzerland elected to UN Human Rights Council after five-year absence
Switzerland will return to the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council from January next year until the end of 2027. The UN General Assembly re-elected Switzerland to the Council on Wednesday in New York, following a five-year absence. This return w...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 14:27:00 GMTStadler will supply up to 24 trains to Denmark
Swiss railway equipment manufacturer Stadler Rail will supply up to 24 trains to Denmark. Lokaltog, the local railway operator, has signed a contract for 14 FLIRT train sets, with an option for a further ten. This was announced by the Thurgau-based c...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 14:20:39 GMTSwiss farmers protest cuts 'at the expense of farming families'
Swiss farmers gathered in the capital, Bern, on Wednesday to protest the proposed cuts to the agricultural sector. Swiss farmers’ associations have urged the government and parliament to abandon austerity measures in agriculture. “Austerity measu...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 13:01:59 GMTKosovo Serbs to be allowed visa-free entry to Switzerland for short stays
Kosovo Serbs will be able to travel to Switzerland for stays of up to 90 days without a visa. The Swiss government announced on Wednesday that it would adopt the new European Union (EU) regulations. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in y...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 10:46:55 GMTSwitzerland to step up humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Syria
Switzerland is increasing its humanitarian aid to Lebanon and Syria in response to the escalating violence in the Middle East. On Wednesday, the Swiss government decided to allocate an additional CHF7 million ($8.1 million) for this purpose. + Get th...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 08:56:06 GMTRichard Gere presents co-produced Swiss documentary at Zurich Film Festival
Richard Gere arrived in Zurich on Tuesday evening to present the documentary Wisdom of Happiness, which he co-produced. Hundreds of fans turned out to catch a glimpse of him walking the green carpet at the Zurich Film Festival. + Get the most importa...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 08:29:22 GMTReport exposes widespread hygiene issues in Swiss hospitals
According to Swiss medicines regulator Swissmedic, Swiss hospitals have shortcomings in disinfecting, sterilising, packaging, and storing medical products. The industry is asking for understanding while promising improvements. + Get the most importan...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 07:44:25 GMTSwiss bank Mirabaud closes brokerage unit due to poor performance
Mirabaud & Cie SA closed its brokerage arm last month as part of a strategic overhaul that would see the Swiss bank focusing on its core services including wealth and asset management, as well as corporate finance. Poor performance of the unit contri...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 07:22:01 GMTGuterres condemns Israel’s plan to label UNRWA a terrorist organisation
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly spoken out against a law proposed by the Israeli parliament that would classify the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) as a terrorist organisation. Such a law, Gute...
Wed, 9 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMTETH Zurich ranked top university in Europe
The Swiss federal technology institute ETH Zurich remains the best university in continental Europe, according to the latest rankings published by the magazine Times Higher Education. As in previous years, it is in eleventh place. + Get the most impo...