Switzerland

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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.…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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,…

Read More Here

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

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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.…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

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…

Read More Here

EPA’s eye in The Sky: Walenstadt, Switzerland

An aerial image taken with a drone shows people enjoying the evening on the shore of lake Walensee in Walenstadt, Switzerland. Photo: EPA-EFE/GIAN EHRENZELLER

Read More Here

Swiss artist installs 300 trees in football stadium

Basel-based artist Klaus Littmann has transformed a 30,000-capacity stadium in southern Austria into a forest as part of an exhibit paying tribute to nature. It is Austria’s largest public art…

Read More Here

Switzerland publishes first blacklist of foreign gambling websites

The Swiss Lottery and Betting Board has published its first blacklist of foreign gambling websites following a change to the law on online gambling. See the full list here Over…

Read More Here

Switzerland unlikely to sign own trade agreement with EU prior to Brexit

Switzerland is unlikely to sign its own trade agreement with the EU prior to Brexit, according to Economy Minister Guy Parmelin. In a statement to Sonntags Zeitung, Parmelin expressed pessimism…

Read More Here

Switzerland’s first crypto banks receive licences

The Swiss financial regulator has awarded banking and securities dealer licences to two new “crypto banks”. SEBA and Sygnum have been cleared to operate, a major milestone for the fledging…

Read More Here

British musicians and baby daughter killed in Swiss plane crash

Two leading British musicians and their baby daughter have been killed in a plane crash in the Swiss Alps. The award-winning composer Jonathan Goldstein, his wife, Hannah, a prominent saxophonist,…

Read More Here

EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Les Crosets, Switzerland

A picture taken with a drone shows a giant biodegradable landart painting by French-Swiss artist Saype, titled 'The Smugglers of Friendship!' ('Les contrebandiers de l'amitie!' in french) in front of…

Read More Here

Switzerland adopts EU laws on drones and post-Brexit aviation

Switzerland has taken over a EU security framework laying out new rules for drones and guarantees the continuation of aviation activities between Bern and London after Brexit. The Swiss Federal…

Read More Here

Restrictions in Switzerland on blood donations from persons who visited certain southern European countries

Travellers who spend at least 24 hours in certain southern European countries face restrictions when donating blood in Switzerland. The reason is the increase in cases of West Nile virus,…

Read More Here

Liam and Emma most popular names for new-borns in Switzerland

Liam is the most popular name for male new-borns in Switzerland according to annual statistics published on Monday and Emma among females. For the 42,838 girls and 45,013 boys born…

Read More Here

Switzerland introduces higher fees for Schengen visas

Switzerland has moved into line with European Union changes to Schengen visa applications that will raise the costs for adults and children aged between six and 12. Although Switzerland is…

Read More Here

Six-year-old girl missing after violent storm in Switzerland

A six-year-old girl is among the two persons who are missing after their car was swept away by a torrent of mud triggered by a flash flood in southwestern Switzerland.…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Fireworks rule the night from Poland to Singapore

Fireworks are a popular summertime tradition not only in Malta but in various corners of the world as these photos illustrate. Photos of various fireworks displays that were held…

Read More Here

Legendary French actor Alain Delon recovered in hospital after stroke

Legendary French actor Alain Delon, 83, suffered a stroke a few weeks ago and is currently "resting" in Switzerland, his eldest son Anthony Delon revealed. His son said the actor's…

Read More Here

Man behind death of German child in Frankfurt station was wanted by Swiss police

A man suspected of pushing an eight-year-old boy and his mother in front of a train at Frankfurt’s main station in Germany, killing the boy, had been receiving psychiatric treatment,…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Swiss Alphorn International Festival

Alphorn players play their instruments and a view of alphorns during the Alphorn International Festival in Nendaz, Switzerland, 28 July 2019. Alpenhorn blowers from the entire world descend on Nendaz for the…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Paleo Festival in Nyon Switzerland

Festival goers rest by a fire under the rain during the 44th edition of the Paleo Festival, in Nyon, Switzerland on the night of the 27th July 2019. The Paleo…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Austria Railways tests tracks painted in white against heat

An handout photo made available by the Austrian Federal Railways (OeBB) shows white paint on railway tracks, at a test area near Bludenz, Austria. The OeBB carried out a first…

Read More Here

Switzerland ranked as most innovative country in new UN report

The World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO, named Switzerland as the world’s most innovative country on Wednesday, during the launch of its latest Global Innovation Index, (GII) in the Indian capital…

Read More Here

Switzerland could lose billions in global corporate tax reform push

Switzerland stands to lose up to CHF10 billion ($10.2 billion) because of attempts by other countries to change how multinationals are taxed. Countries belonging to the G20 and OECD…

Read More Here

Emergency in Mt Blanc Tunnel because of smoke

Some 67 people were evacuated from a coach in the Mt Blanc tunnel after it came to a halt because of a technical fault and started giving out smoke on…

Read More Here

Zurich Airport’s hub status is “at risk”

Zurich Airport risks losing its hub status if flight time restrictions are rolled out, warns the CEO of Lufthansa, the German parent company of Swiss International Air Lines. Carsten Spohr…

Read More Here

UK and Switzerland boost collaboration on security and migration

The UK and Switzerland have signed an agreement committing to continue their work in tackling cross-border crime and terrorism after Brexit. Home Secretary Sajid Javid signed a Memorandum of Understanding…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Climate activists block Swiss bank Credit Suisse in Basel

A group of climate activists from the Collective Climate Justice organization block the entrance to the Swiss bank Credit Suisse, at the Aeschenplatz, in Basel, Switzerland, 08 July 2019.…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Crop Circle in Switzerland

An aerial view taken with a drone shows a crop circle in a wheat field near Bueren an der Aare, Switzerland, 06 July 2019. According to local reports, the…

Read More Here

Swiss women’s international footballer Florijana Ismaili confirmed dead

Switzerland women’s international Florijana Ismaili has been confirmed dead. Ismaili, a female football player with the Swiss national team, has been declared missing after a swimming accident on Lake Como…

Read More Here