Switzerland

Swiss seek closer defence ties to EU, NATO; to stay neutral

Switzerland will seek closer defence and security ties to the European Union and NATO while preserving its traditional neutrality in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the government said.…

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Modern slavery on the rise as crises fuel poverty – U.N. report

GENEVA, Sept 12 (Reuters) - The number of people forced to work or in a marriage against their will has surged in recent years to around 50 million on any…

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Women’s pay in Switzerland lags that of men by 43%

ZURICH, (Reuters) - Women in Switzerland earn more than 40% less than men and draw less pension money, a gender pay gap report the government adopted this week showed, citing…

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Switzerland’s engineering sector urges country to start energy saving now

ZURICH, (Reuters) - Switzerland's mechanical and electrical engineering sector said this week that businesses and households need to start energy savings immediately and called for more government support to help…

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Swiss inflation ticks up to 3.5% in August

ZURICH, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Swiss consumer price inflation rose a higher-than-expected 3.5% in August, the seventh month in a row that inflation has surpassed the Swiss National Bank's 0-2%…

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UN rights chief’s tenure ends in disappointment for China activists

GENEVA, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Michelle Bachelet, once a political detainee under Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and a doctor for tortured children, pledged to be the champion of victims when…

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Photo Story: Transhumance in Switzerland

A herdsman looks on during the annual cattle drive (Alpabzug) on the Saemtis Alps in Bruelisau, Switzerland, 26 August 2022. Cattle feed on alpine herbs in summer and are later…

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Giant megalodon shark could eat prey the size of killer whales

Megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, is famous for its huge, human-hand-sized teeth. However, there is little fossil evidence of its whole body. International researchers in collaboration with UZH…

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Photo Story: The dried-out shore of the Lac des Brenets in Switzerland

Stranded boats are pictured on the dried-out shore of the Lac des Brenets 'or Lac de Chaillexon' part of the Doubs river, a natural border between eastern France and western…

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The WHO wants a new term for monkeypox

In a bid to do away with a name criticized for having problematic connotations, the World Health Organization (WHO) is asking the public to weigh in on what the virus…

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Switzerland could align with EU energy saving drive

Switzerland could prevent an energy shortage by aligning with a European Union plan to cut gas use by 15% this winter, Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga told newspaper SonntagsBlick. European Union…

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U.N. humanitarian agencies face record funding gap this year

GENEVA, Aug 12 (Reuters) - U.N. humanitarian projects face a record funding gap this year, with only a third of the required $48.7 billion secured so far as global needs…

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Swiss hotel sector shows signs of post-pandemic recovery

A total of 16.9 million overnight stays were made in Swiss hotels between January and June, an increase of 47.3% on the same period in 2021, when Covid health measures…

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Cash payments in Switzerland lose further ground, poll finds

Some 52% of respondents in a survey said either of the cards were absolutely indispensable for them, the independent online comparison service, moneyland.ch said. The share of respondents who prefer…

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Photo Story: Rhine Falls in Neuhausen, Switzerland

A tourist vessel sails in front of the Rhine Falls in Neuhausen, Switzerland. The weather forecast predicts warm temperatures for the coming days. Via EPA-EFE/MICHAEL BUHOLZER

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African monkeypox cases not concentrated among gay men, experts say

Monkeypox outbreaks in Africa are not concentrated among gay men, unlike in other parts of the world, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa CDC said. Outbreaks…

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Swiss adopt new EU sanctions on Russia, allow oil payments

The Swiss government imposed further sanctions against Russia over the war in Ukraine, in line with the European Union's latest measures on gold and gold products, the cabinet said. The…

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Swiss inflation holds steady at 3.4% in July

ZURICH, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Swiss consumer price inflation held steady at 3.4% in July, slightly less than economists had expected after inflation touched a 29-year high in June. The reading -…

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Photo Story: Melting Sardona glacier in Switzerlands reveals a cave

A man stands in a glacier cave at the Sardona glacier in Vaettis, Switzerland. The melting glacier has revealed a cave. Via EPA-EFE/GIAN EHRENZELLER

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Swiss set to match EU sanctions if China invades Taiwan

ZURICH, July 30 (Reuters) - The head of the Swiss agency that implements economic sanctions expects the neutral country to adopt any punitive measures the European Union launches against China if it…

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Swiss leading economic indicator points to gloom ahead

ZURICH, July 29 (Reuters) - The forward-looking Swiss KOF economic barometer slipped to its lowest reading in two years in July, data published on Friday showed, indicating a sluggish development for one…

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WHO says majority of monkeypox cases are in Europe

There have been more than 18,000 cases of monkeypox reported globally from 78 countries, with the majority in Europe, the World Health Organization said. The WHO declared the outbreak a…

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Swiss brace for rolling four-hour blackouts in any energy crunch

ZURICH, (Reuters) - Switzerland could resort to rolling four-hour regional blackouts should Europe's energy crisis lead to winter power shortages, a senior utility sector official said this week. The country is bracing for…

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Photo Story: Angele at the 45th Paleo Festival in Nyon

Belgium's singer Angele Van Laeken, aka Angele, performs on the main stage, during the 45th edition of the Paleo Festival in Nyon, Switzerland, on Thursday evening. The Paleo is the…

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Swiss say energy supplies safe for now, winter shortages loom

ZURICH, July 20 (Reuters) - Swiss energy supplies are safe for now but power shortages may loom in winter due to the war in Ukraine, possible interruptions in gas supplies in Europe,…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Villars-sur-Ollon, Switzerland

A picture taken with a drone shows a giant biodegradable landart painting entitled 'Vers l'equilibre' (lit. Towards balance, in French) by French-Swiss artist Saype near the summit of the Grand…

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Swiss attorney general warns trading looted commodities could be war crime

ZURICH, July 14 (Reuters) - Switzerland's attorney general has warned Swiss-based commodities trading firms that dealing with stolen raw materials, notably from Ukraine, could trigger war crime charges. "Commercialising looted raw materials…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Corsier, Switzerland

Giant landart artwork representing Charlie Chaplin in costume of his character "The Tramp" "Charlot chez Chaplin" by French artist Franck Bonneau along the route of the 9th stage (Aigle -…

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Swiss inflation in June tops 3%, highest since 2008

ZURICH, July 4 (Reuters) - Swiss consumer prices rose 3.4% in June, more than economists had expected and the first time inflation in Switzerland has topped 3% since July 2008. The reading…

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Swiss gear up for hard times with bulked up food reserves

ZURICH, (Reuters) - Switzerland wants to expand its emergency food reserves to make sure the neutral country is not hit by shortages of coffee, grain and sugar caused by over-extended supply chains,…

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Swiss top court upholds ban on foreign online betting operators

Switzerland's supreme court has upheld a ban on accessing foreign online gambling sites, dashing the hopes of three betting outfits to tap the Swiss market. The Federal Court said in…

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Court convicts Credit Suisse in money-laundering case

BELLINZONA, Switzerland, June 27 (Reuters) - Switzerland's Federal Criminal Court convicted Credit Suisse CSGN.S and a former employee of failing to prevent money-laundering in Switzerland's first criminal trial of one of its major banks.…

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WHO says monkeypox is not yet a health emergency

LONDON, (Reuters) - Monkeypox is not yet a global health emergency, the World Health Organization (WHO) ruled on Saturday, although WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was deeply concerned about the…

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Financial watchdogs should do more to protect crypto traders, top Swiss regulator says

ZURICH, June 22 (Reuters) - Cryptocurrency trading increasingly resembles the U.S. stock market of the late 1920s, Switzerland's top market regulator said on Wednesday, calling for regulators to take more action to…

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Food crisis will drive record displacement levels higher: UN refugee chief

GENEVA (Reuters) - A food security crisis stoked by the Ukraine war is set to push more people to flee their homes in poorer countries, driving record levels of global displacement even…

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Photo Story: Geraldine Fasnacht SolarStratos wingsuit jump

Swiss freeride snowboarder, base jumper and wingsuit pilot Geraldine Fasnacht jumps out of SolarStratos, a solar powered aircraft prototype. The aircraft was flown by Swiss adventurer Raphael Domjan and this…

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WTO strikes global trade deals deep into overtime

GENEVA, June 17 (Reuters) - The World Trade Organization's164 members approved a series of trade agreements early on Friday that included commitments on fish and pledges on health and food security after more than five gruelling days of negotiations. The deals…

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