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Environment, foreigners, women's rights What are the burning issues in Swiss votes?

By

Duc-Quang Nguyen

Since 1848, the Swiss have had their say on over 600 nationwide ballots. Which have been the most popular issues in recent times?

See in other languages: 9

• Arabic (ar) ما هي القضايا الساخنة التي يُصوّت عليها الناخبون السويسريون؟
• German (de) Welches sind die brennenden Themen in Schweizer Abstimmungen?
• Spanish (es) ¿Sobre qué temas candentes votan los suizos?
• French (fr) Quelles sont les questions brûlantes dans les votations suisses?
• Italian (it) I temi caldi delle votazioni in Svizzera
• Japanese (ja) スイスの国民投票　今気になるテーマは？
• Portuguese (pt) Os temas mais debatidos nas eleições suíças
• Russian (ru) Самые «горячие» темы швейцарских референдумов
• Chinese (zh) 瑞士投票，哪些才是燃眉之急？

Sustainable Development Goals The UN has started to talk business

By

Gillian Tett

More business executives have been keen to sign up to the UN's latest pet project: the so-called Sustainable Development Goals.

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in depth

in depth Vote September 24, 2017

A look at the issues on the ballot sheet for the September 24 nationwide votes.

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Driverless vehicles First autonomous transport service in Switzerland inaugurated

Swiss health care In-demand care staff often leave profession after five years

High expenses Army top medical officer to be reinstated

Diplomacy Cassis to take over foreign ministry

1 There is one comment on this article.

Erwin Sperisen Former police chief will be released ahead of retrial

Bloomberg business

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Swiss-style VET India needs firms on board for vocational training success

By

Anand Chandrasekhar

India’s attempts to incorporate aspects of Swiss-style vocational education and training (VET) could stumble without industry involvement.

Drug dilemma What’s behind Switzerland’s vaccine shortage?

By

Celia Luterbacher

Switzerland is struggling to maintain stocks of 16 key vaccines, forcing doctors to adapt their practices.

See in other languages: 9

• Arabic (ar) الوسائل البديلة لأطباء سويسرا لتعويض النقص في اللقاحات
• German (de) Die Schweiz hat zu wenig Impfstoffe
• Spanish (es) ¿Qué hay detrás de la escasez de vacunas en Suiza?
• French (fr) La pénurie de vaccins contraint la Suisse à fixer des priorités
• Italian (it) Cosa si nasconde dietro alla carenza di vaccini in Svizzera?
• Japanese (ja) なぜ裕福な国スイスでワクチンが不足しているのか？
• Portuguese (pt) O que está por trás da falta de vacinas na Suíça?
• Russian (ru) Чем вызван дефицит вакцин в Швейцарии?
• Chinese (zh) 瑞士缺什么？疫苗！

Press review Election of Cassis ‘positive’ and ‘smart’, say papers

By

Thomas Stephens

Ignazio Cassis has been widely welcomed as the new cabinet minister, especially in Italian-speaking Switzerland.

1 There is one comment on this article.

See in another language: 1

• German (de) Der neue Bundesrat Cassis ist "gut für die Schweiz"

Elite athletes Sport and study: a high hurdle, but help on hand

By

Isobel Leybold-Johnson

It is not always easy for Swiss elite athletes to combine a demanding training schedule and competitions with their studies.

Lausanne show Ai Weiwei: Art is a way of questioning power

By

Simon Bradley

Art is innocent, but it is also a means of questioning the establishment, said contemporary artist Ai Weiwei at his new exhibition in Lausanne.

See in another language: 1

• Spanish (es) Ai Weiwei: el arte, vía para cuestionar el poder

Tama's Tales What Hindus and Muslims have in common

Tama finds out what Muslims do in their mosques.

1 There is one comment on this article.

117th cabinet minister The lightning election of Ignazio Cassis

By

Helen James & Marguerite Meyer

Every election of a Swiss cabinet minister actually begins in the bars of Bern – the night before.

See in other languages: 6

• Arabic (ar) الإنتخاب السريع لإينياتسيو كاسيس
• German (de) Die Blitzwahl von Ignazio Cassis
• Spanish (es) Imágenes de una elección sin sobresaltos
• Portuguese (pt) A eleição relâmpago de Ignazio Cassis
• Russian (ru) Как избирали нового швейцарского министра
• Chinese (zh) 瑞士新联邦委员出炉

Development Impact Bond Are India's daughters a good return on investment?

By

Anand Chandrasekhar in Bhilwara, Rajasthan

The world’s first performance-based investment scheme aims to keep rural India girls in school. But can private sector efficiency change destiny?

See in another language: 1

• French (fr) Investir en banque dans la scolarité des fillettes indiennes

Swiss Pioneers The king of chocolate in Mexico

A Swiss man emigrates to Mexico, sets up a company, and makes a fortune making something the Mexicans have never tasted before: white chocolate.

Second pillar of the community Occupational pensions, a hidden Swiss treasure

By

Armando Mombelli

Swiss pension savings far exceed gross domestic product (GDP) and the reserves of the Swiss National Bank (SNB). 

1 There is one comment on this article.

See in other languages: 6

• German (de) Der verborgene Schatz der Schweizerinnen und Schweizer
• Spanish (es) El tesoro escondido de los suizos
• French (fr) Le trésor caché des Suisses
• Italian (it) Il tesoro nascosto degli svizzeri
• Portuguese (pt) O tesouro escondido dos suíços
• Russian (ru) Пенсионные накопления — тайное сокровище швейцарцев

United Nations Trump pushes for UN reform at New York meeting

By

Simon Bradley

Switzerland is backing a US-sponsored meeting and declaration on UN reforms. But observers in Geneva remain dubious about its impact.

1 There is one comment on this article.

Tumbling mountains High-tech protection from rockslides

When every minute counts, advanced warning systems are a matter of life and death for people who live in rockslide danger zones.

See in another language: 1

• Japanese (ja) 土石流を早期に察知　最新技術の警報システム

Reformation stories: The Strauss Affair A professor’s appointment wreaks havoc in Zurich

By

Regula Bochsler

In 1839, the election of a reform-minded theologist to Zurich’s education council caused an uproar that split the canton in two.

1 There is one comment on this article.

See in another language: 1

• Portuguese (pt) A seleção de um professor instala o caos em Zurique

Good offices Switzerland keeps US and North Korea talking

By

Balz Rigendinger

Switzerland has been negotiating between the United States and North Korea without fanfare but with success.

3 There are 3 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 5

• German (de) Die Schweiz behält USA und Nordkorea im Gespräch
• French (fr) La Suisse maintient le lien entre Washington et Pyongyang
• Italian (it) La Svizzera mantiene il dialogo tra Stati Uniti e Corea del Nord
• Portuguese (pt) Suíça oferece discrição para americanos e norte-coreanos conversarem
• Russian (ru) Швейцария посредничает между США и Северной Кореей

Tenants' market Swiss apartment glut puts pressure on landlords

It's a good time for people looking to rent a flat in Switzerland, as there are many empty properties and landlords are slashing rents in some places.

Take a look Picture of the week

In this series, swissinfo.ch picture editors choose an image highlighting a news event of the past seven days.

US-Swiss double taxation ‘I prefer to fight to change the system’

By

Jeannie Wurz

The fifth in our series on US expats in Switzerland features cross-border financial planner and residency-based taxation advocate Jonathan Lachowitz.

4 There are 4 comments on this article.

Jura question Accusations of fraud frame final Jura votes

By

Marc-André Miserez

Two small Bernese municipalities are deciding whether to join the canton of Jura amid voter fraud accusations after the last such vote.

See in other languages: 3

• German (de) Betrugsvorwürfe bei letzter Abstimmung
• French (fr) Derniers votes sur fond d’accusations de fraude
• Italian (it) Ultime votazioni sullo sfondo di presunte frodi

Citizen participation How long before all Swiss expats can use e-voting?

The use of e-voting in Switzerland has been making slow progress. The Swiss Abroad want online voting to be established by October 2019.

See in another language: 1

• French (fr) Tous les expatriés pourront-ils voter en ligne en 2019?