Switzerland

Davos braces for Trump-Thunberg showdown as climate change tops agenda

Some of the world's top business people and politicians - and some celebrities - will gather in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum (WEF) this week. US President Donald…

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Photo Story: ‘Patrouille Suisse’ and Airbus A321 fly-over on the Swiss Alps

F-5 Tiger jets of the 'Patrouille Suisse' and a commercial Airbus A321 plane of Swiss International Air Lines perform ahead of the Men's Downhill race run at the FIS Alpine…

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Swiss unions call for ‘social agenda’ in EU relations

Switzerland’s largest trade union group has repeated its warning that any framework deal reached with the European Union must respect measures to protect wages from cross-border competition. At the annual…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Villars-Sur-Ollon, Switzerland

A picture taken with a drone shows cyclists taking part in the 31st edition of the 'GP St-Sylvestre', a new-year snow mountain bike race, in the alpine resort of Villars-Sur-Ollon,…

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In 2019, for first time, Switzerland deported persons with Italian mafia links

Switzerland witnessed its first deportations over links to the Italian mafia in 2019. It also conducted extensive security screenings for nearly 2,000 asylum seekers, according to official figures cited by the…

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Swiss oppose plan to end free movement of citizens from EU – poll

Most of the Swiss seem to oppose a referendum campaign launched by the far right aimed at ending free movement of citizens from the European Union according to a poll…

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Swiss welcomed the New Year with environmentally-friendly fireworks

Several cities in Switzerland held more environmentally-friendly fireworks displays - or none at all - to see in the New Year. In Basel, the number of fireworks were reduced…

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Switzerland issued more entry bans in 2019 for potential criminals

Over the past year, the Swiss authorities have issued 118 entry bans - more than ever before. Those affected include radical Islamists, neo-Nazis, Mafia members and spies. The Federal Office…

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Photo Story: Luminous Sculpture at the Carouge Magique exhibition in Geneva

Luminous Bird Sculptures titled 'Le Desire et la Menace' realized by French artist Cedric Le Borgne is displayed on the Carouge Fountain during the Carouge Magique (Carouge Magic), in Carouge…

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US wants to buy ‘retired’ Swiss fighter jets for training purposes

The American navy is in talks with the Swiss army to purchase 22 decommissioned F5 Tiger fighter jets to help train its pilots in air warfare. According to the SonntagsZeitung…

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EU nationals to get quicker passport checks at the Geneva airport

Travellers holding biometric or electronic EU passports can now pass through the automated passport control gates, which are being tested at Geneva airport’s Arrivals terminal. The automated entry is also…

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HSBC Swiss unit to pay $192 million in US tax fine

The Swiss branch of HSBC's private bank has been fined almost CHF200 million by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) for having helped American clients evade tax between 2000 and 2010.…

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Switzerland grants 18 more countries access to bank details

The Swiss parliament has approved the automatic exchange of bank data with 18 additional countries from 2021. However, Turkey failed to make the cut. On Tuesday, the Senate followed the…

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Swiss school drops Christmas carols to respect other religions

A primary school in northeastern Switzerland has dropped three carols from its Christmas singing event out of respect to other cultures. The decision has been greeted with widespread surprise. “Go…

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Swiss lose faith in politicians

Confidence in politicians to deliver the best solutions has fallen dramatically, according to a survey of nearly 2,500 voters across Switzerland. The latest edition of the Credit Suisse Worry Barometer,…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Ecublens, Switzerland

An image taken with a drone shows an aerial view of several cars and trucks driving on highway A1 interchange Ecublens-Crissier, in Ecublens, Switzerland. EPA-EFE/LAURENT GILLIERON

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Import duty on cars, clothes and other products in Switzerland may be scrapped

Import duties on various products including cars, clothes, and household appliances are set to be removed in Switzerland. If parliament approves the plan, the measure will enter into force in…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Bellwald, Switzerland

A picture taken with a drone shows chalets covered with fresh snow in Bellwald, Switzerland. Photo: EPA-EFE/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

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Photo Story: Christmas decorations go up in Zurich

People admire the Christmas illumination nicknamed "Lucy" on Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich, Switzerland, 21 November 2019. “Lucy”, as the new network of twinkling LED lights is called, was switched on early…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Tremola Pass, Switzerland

An aerial view taken with a drone on the Tremola pass road, on the Gotthard Pass, Switzerland. The Tremola is a historic pass road with serpentines leading to the Gotthard…

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Switzerland and UK sign social security agreement in the event of No-Deal Brexit

Switzerland and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement in London to maintain social security rights in the event of a no-deal Brexit. The text is in line with the…

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Lucerne city parliament declares climate emergency

Lucerne has become the latest Swiss city to approve proposals urging the government to implement climate-related regulations. On Thursday it adopted a petition by the Young Green Party and declared…

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Green parties make historic gains in Swiss election

Green parties have made historic gains at the expense of those to the right and the left in elections to the Swiss parliament. Final results show the left-wing Green Party winning…

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Greens set for gains as Swiss elect parliament

Swiss voters’ concerns about climate change look set to give the environmentalist Greens strong gains in a parliamentary election on Sunday that could dilute the centre-right’s grip on power. A…

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Vatican police investigating Holy See’s Chelsea property project

The Vatican is investigating how $200m in Swiss bank accounts controlled by its central administrator ended up financing a luxury property development in London’s Chelsea district that generated large profits…

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Geneva commuters fall out of love with cars

Commuters in the Geneva region are becoming increasingly disillusioned with private cars and are embracing “multimodal” forms of transport, a survey has found. An in-depth survey of commuter behaviour in…

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Photo Story: Floating solar panels unveiled in Swiss Alps

Floating barges with solar panels are pictured on the Lac des Toules, an alpine reservoir lake, in Bourg-Saint-Pierre, Switzerland. Upon completion the floating solar panel station will consist of 36…

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EU to remove Switzerland from tax haven lists

European Union finance ministers are set to remove Switzerland from the bloc’s lists of countries deemed to act as tax havens, an EU document said. On October 10 they are…

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Switzerland to introduce two-week paternity

Fathers in Switzerland are set to receive two weeks off work after the government proposed a compromise with family leave campaigners. Campaigners had sought a period of four week’s paternal…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Geneva, Switzerland

A picture taken with a drone shows a view of a giant biodegradable landart painting by French-Swiss artist Saype at the Parc de la Grange in Geneva, Switzerland and that…

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Concern in Switzerland after first vaping-related illness

Swiss lung doctors are calling for a register of suspected vaping-related illness after a first suspected case was reported in Switzerland. The issue has gained global attention in recent weeks as…

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Photo Story: Highlights from the Swiss Festival of Traditional Music in Crans-Montana

Highlight of some of the 1,500 participants during the closing parade of the Federal Festival of Traditional Music (Fete Federale de la Musique Populaire) in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, 22 September 2019.…

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Another Swiss bank enters into cryptoassets

Arab Bank Switzerland has teamed up with blockchain technology firm Taurus to offer its wealthy clients access to bitcoin and ethereum. The bank joins a growing list of established players…

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Photo Story: The final touch

A staff member cleans the red carpet prior to the arrival of Slovenian President Borut Pahor in Kehrsatz near Bern, Switzerland, 19 September 2019. Slovenian President Borut Pahor is on…

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Investors withdraw gold from Hong Kong

Private investors have begun to shift their holdings of gold from Hong Kong, months into the financial centre’s worst political crisis. Gold is moving to Singapore and Switzerland as some…

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Saype’s Beyond Walls Project land art in Geneva

A picture taken with a drone shows a view of a giant biodegradable landart painting by French-Swiss artist Saype at the Parc de la Grange in Geneva, Switzerland, 14 September…

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FDI in Luxembourg, Netherlands, Malta, Ireland, Switzerland and British territories fuelled by multinational corporate tax avoidance – Research

40% of the world’s stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) is “phantom” capital, designed to minimise companies’ tax liabilities rather than financing productive activity, according to research. The Financial Times…

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