Switzerland

Rules of War Under Severe Strain, New Study Warns

An authoritative survey of 23 armed conflicts over the last 18 months has concluded that international law seeking to limit the effects of war is at breaking point, with more…

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New trade map takes shape in Davos as world adjusts to Trump tariffs

President Donald Trump's use of tariffs as a foreign policy tool added fresh impetus in Davos this week to efforts to boost global trade beyond the U.S., with frustration palpable…

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Germany’s Merz: Europe must not rush to write off transatlantic ties

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz welcomed on Thursday U.S. President Donald Trump's shift in rhetoric on Greenland and urged Europeans not to be too quick to write off the transatlantic partnership.…

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Trump launches Board of Peace that some fear rivals UN

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday launched his Board of Peace, initially focused on cementing Gaza's ceasefire but which he said could take a wider role that may worry other…

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Greenland turmoil is eclipsing Ukraine at Davos

As a real war rages on Europe’s eastern edge, the continent’s leaders are distracted by a phony one on its western flank. With European leaders scrambling here at Davos to…

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New Year’s Eve tragic Swiss bar’s service door was locked from inside

The charges against bar owner Jacques Moretti may become more complex. This could happen if the public prosecutor determines he bears partial responsibility for the locked fire exit. Moretti states…

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Swiss authotorities initiate criminal investigations into Crans-Montana tragedy

Swiss authorities announced on Saturday that they have initiated a criminal investigation. The investigation targets the two French owners of the Crans-Montana ski resort bar. A tragic fire at this…

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Swiss Prosecutor Rules Out Attack After Deadly Crans-Montana Blast

Several dozen people were killed and more than 100 injured following a blast and subsequent fire at a New Year’s Eve gathering in the Swiss alpine resort of Crans-Montana, according…

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Army Chief Concedes Switzerland Lacks Means to Defend Against Major Invasion

Switzerland cannot defend itself against a full-scale attack and must boost military spending given rising risks from Russia, the head of its armed forces said. The country is prepared for…

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Geneva makes public transport temporarily free to combat pollution spike

Public transport will be temporarily free of charge in Geneva, in a first for Switzerland, as part of a series of measures aimed at tackling a spike in pollution in…

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Switzerland facing 39% US tariff as president leaves Washington empty-handed

Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter left Washington empty-handed on Wednesday after a hastily arranged trip to avert a crippling 39% tariff on the country's exports to the United States, its biggest…

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Countries adopt WHO pandemic agreement

Countries have adopted a new agreement Tuesday to protect the world from future pandemics at the World Health Organization’s annual assembly in Geneva. WHO member countries adopted the agreement by…

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Switzerland Proposes Immigration Control Measures Within EU Framework

The Swiss government said it wants the right to restrict free movement of people from the European Union if factors such as net immigration, commuter numbers or welfare dependency exceed…

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UN warns of rise in vaccine-preventable diseases

The WHO, UNICEF and Gavi vaccine alliance this week warned that there has been a global uptick in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis and yellow fever. The…

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WHO says member states reach agreement to tackle future pandemics

Members of the World Health Organization reached an agreement to prepare the world for future pandemics after more than three years of negotiations, the organisation said early on Wednesday. The…

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Switzerland leans closer to Europe after Trump tariff blow

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to hit Switzerland with steeper tariffs than most of Europe was a major shock to the export-oriented country, pushing it towards the European Union as…

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WHO freezes hiring, restricts travel after US withdrawal

The World Health Organization is freezing recruitment and slashing travel in response to the withdrawal of the U.S., its biggest funder, according to an internal email seen by POLITICO. “As…

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Trump at Davos: Plans for EU and Economic Growth

President Donald Trump, in a conversation with global business leaders Thursday, provided the clearest picture yet about how he plans to deliver on the economic promises he campaigned on: He…

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WHO says risk of bird flu ‘still low’ after US reports its first human death

The H5N1 virus has affected mainly farmworkers in that came into close contact with poultry flocks and cattle herds. However, the WHO has stated that the risk to the general…

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Switzerland adopts more EU sanctions on Russia and Belarus

Switzerland adopted the latest EU sanctions package on Russia and Belarus, the government said on Monday. The move came one week after the European Union targeted Moscow's vessels and Chinese…

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Switzerland plans revamp of Cold War-era nuclear bunker network

Switzerland wants to update its network of ageing nuclear shelters, which are increasingly seen as an asset at a time of greater global uncertainty, notably since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.…

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Human trafficking rises sharply after dropping during pandemic, UN says

Human trafficking has risen sharply due to conflicts, climate-induced disasters and global crises, according to a United Nations report published on Wednesday. In 2022, the latest year for which data…

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Swiss ‘burqa ban’ to take effect from 2025

A contentious Swiss prohibition on facial coverings in public spaces widely known as the "burqa ban" will take effect on Jan. 1, the government said his week. Narrowly passed in…

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More than 1 in 3 tree species worldwide at risk of extinction

Just over one in three of the world’s tree species are now at risk of extinction, according to the latest update of IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. For the…

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Neutral Switzerland signs declaration to join European Sky Shield initiative

Switzerland has signed up to the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), the government said, a project which seeks to build a unified air and missile defence system across Europe. The…

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CERN ends cooperation with Russian scientists

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) will end cooperation with up to 500 scientists affiliated with Russian institutions, it said on Monday, because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Swiss-based…

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The age of the Sun depends on when you look at it

An international team of astronomers, led by a researcher from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), has shown that the Sun’s magnetic activity has a significant influence on its seismic characterisation,…

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Neutral Swiss to join European cyber security group

Switzerland will join the European Cyber Security Organization (ECSO) to strengthen the neutral country's defences against hackers and online attacks, the government said on Wednesday. Through membership, the government will…

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Mpox is not the new COVID, says WHO official

A World Health Organization official stressed on Tuesday that mpox, regardless of whether it is the new or old strain, is not the new COVID, as authorities know how to…

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Swiss government adopts more EU sanctions against Russia

Switzerland has expanded its sanctions against Russia to include additional measures recently taken up by the European Union against Moscow over its ongoing aggression against Ukraine, the Swiss government said.…

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Severe Flooding and Storms Claim Lives in France, Switzerland, and Italy

Ferocious storms and torrential rains that lashed France, Switzerland and Italy this weekend have left seven people dead, local authorities said. Three people in their 70s and 80s died in…

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Former Swiss president Berset to lead Council of Europe

The Council of Europe elected Switzerland's former president Alain Berset as its next secretary general, it said Tuesday evening, delivering a blow to Belgian candidate and EU justice commissioner Didier…

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World falling behind on environment, health and hunger goals, UN report says

The world is way off track on most of the sustainable development targets agreed in 2015, such as tackling poverty and hunger, says a United Nations report which cites funding…

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Ukraine summit strives for consensus, way forward uncertain

Western powers and their allies at a summit in Switzerland denounced Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Sunday, but they failed to persuade major non-aligned states to join their final statement,…

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Swiss parliament snubs European court climate ruling

The lower house of the Swiss parliament voted on Wednesday to reject a ruling ordering Switzerland to do more to combat global warming in a move that could encourage others…

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Switzerland says Russia not invited ‘at this stage’ to Ukraine peace talks

The Swiss government said on Thursday that "at this stage" Russia is not among the 160 delegations invited to talks to be held in Switzerland in mid-June aimed at helping…

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Swiss women win landmark climate victory at human rights court

By Gloria Dickie and Kate Abnett The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled on Tuesday in favour of a group of elderly Swiss women who had argued that their…

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Alcohol policies need sharper focus on gender, WHO says

LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization on Friday urged governments to consider gender when developing their alcohol policies, warning that industry marketing increasingly targeted women who face…

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Zurich steps up security at Jewish sites after possible antisemitic attack

Police have stepped up security measures at Jewish sites in Zurich following a serious knife attack on an orthodox Jewish man in the Swiss city overnight, local police said. Police…

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UPDATED: Swiss vote to back ’13th month’ pension payment increase

ZURICH, March 3 (Reuters) - Switzerland voted for increased pension payments for the elderly in a referendum on Sunday, as concern over living costs trumped government doubts about its affordability,…

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Swiss industry warns of ‘precarious’ 2024 as franc weighs

ZURICH, Feb 29 (Reuters) - The outlook for 2024 is uncertain, a group representing Switzerland's engineering and technology-linked sector warned on Thursday, as Swiss industrial companies wrestle with a strong…

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Swiss cracking down on attempts to evade Russian sanctions

Switzerland is increasing its efforts to crack down on companies and individuals who are using the neutral country to circumvent sanctions imposed on Russia. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs…

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Swiss still love physical cash despite rise of payment apps

ZURICH, (Reuters) - Switzerland is still in love with bank notes and coins, a survey by the central bank showed, despite the growth of mobile payment apps and predictions of…

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Swiss police kill axe-wielding hostage taker on train

Swiss authorities said a man armed with an axe and a knife held 15 hostages on a train for almost four hours, until police stormed the train and fatally wounded…

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Swiss hospitality school closes after measles outbreak

(Reuters) - Switzerland's famed hospitality management school, Ecole Hotelier de Lausanne (EHL), closed its campus in Lausanne on Saturday after cases of measles were discovered among students. "We have been…

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WHO chief worried about missing deadline for pandemic accord

GENEVA, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Countries risk missing a May deadline for agreeing a legally binding treaty on fighting pandemics and this would be a big blow for future generations,…

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UN chief says phase-out of fossil fuels ‘essential and inevitable’

DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 17 (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday said the phase-out of fossil fuels was essential and inevitable to avoid a global climate catastrophe. "Let…

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Switzerland to host Ukraine peace summit at Zelenskiy’s request

Switzerland has agreed to host a global peace summit on Ukraine at the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Neutral Switzerland has previously acted as a broker to resolve conflicts…

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Davos 2024: Ukraine to hold fourth peace formula talks on Sunday

Ukraine and Switzerland will host around 120 national security advisors on Sunday in the Swiss resort town of Davos, Switzerland's foreign affairs department said, the latest in a series of…

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Davos 2024: Extreme weather and misinformation top global risks

By Victoria Waldersee Jan 10 (Reuters) - Risk specialists see extreme weather and misinformation as most likely to trigger a global crisis in the next couple of years, a World…

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Switzerland expects high numbers of asylum seekers in 2024

Switzerland expects to see 30,000 asylum seekers this year, around the same number of people as in 2023. The number of asylum applications increased again last year. Although conclusive statistics…

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No evidence of terrorist attacks in Switzerland

The Swiss Federal Intelligence Service has no indications of concrete plans for terrorist attacks in Switzerland. However, the FIS still considers the threat of terrorism in Switzerland to be heightened,…

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Swiss capital Bern considers legal cocaine project

By John Revill Switzerland's capital is examining a pilot scheme to allow the sale of cocaine for recreational use - a radical approach to the war on drugs that is…

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Gunman kills two in Swiss alpine town, police launch manhunt

SION, Switzerland, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Police launched a manhunt after a shooter killed two people and wounded a third in the Swiss Alpine town of Sion early on Monday.…

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Swiss have frozen $8.8 bilion of Russian assets

By John Revill BERN, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Switzerland has frozen an estimated 7.7 billion Swiss francs ($8.81 billion) in financial assets belonging to Russians, the government said on Friday,…

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Gérard Wertheimer, Chanel owner, remains Switzerland’s richest person

Gérard Wertheimer remains at the top of the list of the 300 wealthiest people in Switzerland, who together with his brother Alain, the Frenchman owns Chanel. According to the 2023…

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French President Macron speaks up for Swiss neutrality

French President Emanuel Macron said he respects the tradition of Swiss neutrality, which is behind a refusal to allow war material re-exports to Ukraine. At the same time, he expressed his…

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