Switzerland - News and perspectives

Swiss abroad

The information hub for the Swiss community abroad

Go to: Swiss abroad

Podcasts

Listen and subscribe to our podcasts

Go to: Podcasts

Debates

Join the discussion in our multilingual debates

Go to: Debates

Foreign affairs

Switzerland is not neutral on the death penalty

Fewer and fewer countries are applying the death penalty but executions are on the rise. Switzerland wants to abolish capital punishment worldwide.

By Giannis Mavris

Federal Council wants worldwide abolition of the death penalty

Foreign affairs

Switzerland targets global abolition of executions

Swiss Politics

What does ‘life sentence’ mean in Switzerland?

By Sibilla Bondolfi

Life & Aging

Cartoonists on the death penalty

Swiss experiment targets forest drought, a driver of climate change

Man standing on platform near Swiss forest.

This content was published on Oct 9, 2024 Climate change and droughts are transforming forests and reducing their ability to absorb CO2. Which tree species are suitable for the climate of the future? A unique Swiss experiment is seeking answers.

Raw milk: regulatory loophole gives Swiss the freedom to skip pasteurisation

This content was published on Oct 8, 2024 The sale of raw milk is banned in some parts of the world but Switzerland counts on labelling and personal responsibility.

Opinion

The Pact for the Future: the United Nations, from negotiation to action?

This content was published on Oct 9, 2024 In a situation plagued by conflicts and global risks on the planet and in the outer space, one could feed in skepticism about the UN.

Switzerland Today

This content was published on Oct 9, 2024 In today’s briefing: hygiene in hospitals, university rankings, federal votes and the angry farmers.

How the internet is reshaping global postal services

This content was published on Oct 7, 2024 On the eve of the Universal Postal Union (UPU)’s 150th anniversary, SWI swissinfo.ch spoke to its director general, Masahiko Metoki, about competition and how public and private postal services must work hand-in-hand.

Climbing the iconic Eiger mountain in Switzerland

This content was published on Oct 4, 2024 The Eiger, situated in the Bernese Oberland, is one of the most famous mountains in the Swiss Alps. This spectacular video takes you on a climb to the top.

Laidlaw Peringanda stands in front of his genocide museum in a suburb on the outskirts of Swakopmund.

An artefact returns to Namibia from Switzerland

This content was published on Oct 6, 2024 In the Nambian coastal town of Swakopmund, traces of the German colonial past are everywhere. An artefact from Switzerland is also on display there.

Recent stories for the Swiss Abroad community

Swiss Abroad

LA-based Swiss photographer turns lens on his Alpine village

Giusep, a dairy farmer on the Alpe di Ramosa.

For 30 years, Verner Soler, a Swiss photographer who lives in Los Angeles, has travelled back to Vrin in southeastern Switzerland to capture everyday life in the small mountain village where he grew up.

By Claire Micallef

Swiss Abroad

Swiss national injured in attack on Beirut building

Swiss Abroad

Swiss popular votes – everything you need to know

Swiss Abroad

Dear Swiss Abroad, what difficulties did you encounter when your foreign spouse applied for Swiss nationality?

By Emilie Ridard

Our highlights

Watch us on YouTube!

Visit our YouTube channel for informative and entertaining videos on a range of topics, including science, politics and Swiss people living abroad.

Listen to science stories with our podcast: The Swiss Connection

Explore Science stories and research from Swiss universities, research institutions and businesses. Please listen and follow the Swiss Connection Podcast.

Follow us on WhatsApp

Receive news from Switzerland and our latest stories directly in WhatsApp. Check out our new channel and make sure to hit ‘follow’.

Download the SWIplus app and stay informed

Do you want to stay informed abroad? Now our app SWIplus offers even more Switzerland: with news, stories and our briefing!

Newsletters

Follow us on Threads

We’re now live on Threads too. Tap this link to follow our new account and get updates on all our stories from Switzerland.

Follow us on Telegram

You can now also read us on Telegram. Follow this link to subscribe to our channel!

Swiss Film Selection

SWI swissinfo.ch offers a selection of Swiss films in English chosen from the Swiss streaming platform Play Suisse.

Let’s talk

“Let’s Talk” is SWI swissinfo.ch’s format to discuss relevant topics with high-profile experts and political figures.

Special reports

Check out our long format stories on topics like the Swiss pharma industry, Switzerland’s struggles with dirty gold, and living in the Alps.

Switzerland: How To

How do you dispose of rubbish in Switzerland? What are the visa requirements? It’s all here.

Join the conversation

We’d love to hear what you think about what’s going on in the world. You can find all of our debate questions here.

One year since October 7, seen from Geneva

This content was published on Oct 7, 2024 One year ago, Israel suffered a terrorist attack carried out by Hamas, from Gaza. The shock, suffering, and trauma were immense and Israel responded.

Picture of two young girls in Palestine.

Inside Geneva special: a year of war in the Middle East

This content was published on Oct 7, 2024 A year after the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel and the violent conflict that has ensued, we look back at our coverage of the Middle East crisis.

Switzerland warns against traveling to Lebanon and Israel

Swiss nationals warned against travelling to Lebanon and Israel

This content was published on Sep 24, 2024 The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs in Bern has issued a warning against traveling to Lebanon and Israel.

FDFA expresses concern after explosions in Lebanon

Swiss foreign ministry expresses concern after explosions in Lebanon

This content was published on Sep 19, 2024 The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has expressed its deep concern following the explosions in Lebanon on Tuesday. In a post on X, it calls on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint in order to prevent a major regional escalation.

Switzerland receives UN mandate for meeting on Middle East conflict

This content was published on Sep 19, 2024 Switzerland will organise a meeting of the parties to the Geneva Conventions on the Middle East conflict within six months.

SWISS cancels flights to and from Tel Aviv

This content was published on Sep 18, 2024 Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) has cancelled flights from Zurich to Tel Aviv and back on Wednesday and Thursday.

Swiss parliamentarians want to stop UNRWA funding

This content was published on Sep 10, 2024 On Monday, one of the two chambers of parliament in Bern voted to immediately stop payments to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees.

Swiss government wants to ban Hamas from Switzerland for five years

This content was published on Sep 4, 2024 The Swiss government has submitted to parliament its proposal to ban Palestinian militant group Hamas from Switzerland for five years.

Swiss flies to Tel Aviv again on Thursday

This content was published on Sep 3, 2024 Swiss takes decision following an in-depth analysis of the situation in the Middle East.

SWISS extends Middle East flight suspensions

This content was published on Aug 19, 2024 Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has extended its suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and Beirut, Lebanon, until August 26 due to the current tensions in the Middle East.

University of Bern replaces controversial Middle East department

This content was published on Aug 15, 2024 Former Middle East Institute was dissolved after controversial Hamas statements from lecturer.

SWISS prolongs suspension of flights to Beirut and Tel Aviv

This content was published on Aug 12, 2024 Swiss international airlines is extending the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel and Beirut in Lebanon until August 21.

In this image made from a video, people inspect the rubble at a school after being hit by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.

Swiss foreign ministry alarmed by Israeli airstrike on Gaza school

This content was published on Aug 11, 2024 The Swiss foreign ministry expressed deep concern on Saturday following an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza City.

Switzerland condemns Israeli minister’s starvation remarks

This content was published on Aug 8, 2024 Switzerland has criticised Bezalel Smotrich’s comment that starving the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip “might be justified and moral”.

Palestinian children who fled with their parents from their houses in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, gather in the backyard of an UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) school, in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

UN investigates UNRWA staff involvement in October 7 Hamas attack

This content was published on Aug 6, 2024 Nine employees of the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) “may have been involved” in the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, according to the UN’s internal investigation. This involved 19 people accused by Israel.

Is reforming the Swiss pension system still possible, and if so, how?

Solutions still need to be found to meet the challenge of an ageing population and to improve the pensions of low-paid workers, the majority of whom are women.

Join the discussion

Sep 23, 2024

6 Likes

18 Comments

View the discussion

Watch now

Lift off! Swiss students build next-gen reusable rockets

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 Rocket-building used to be the sole preserve of space-faring nations like the United States or Russia. Now many other players are getting involved from private companies to young researchers, even from Switzerland.

Breaking menstruation taboos in West Africa

This content was published on Oct 7, 2024 Over 300 million girls and women worldwide menstruate every day, yet in West Africa the topic remains taboo. Some NGOs are trying to change local attitudes to periods.

Fish stocks hit by warming lakes. Climate change seems partly to blame.

Fish species are disappearing as Swiss lakes warm up

This content was published on Sep 26, 2024 As temperatures climb in Switzerland, Swiss lakes, fish species and their natural habitat are also suffering. A look at the impact on Lake Geneva.

Biodiversity initiative: Reactions to the rejection

This content was published on Sep 22, 2024 Our reporters, Zeno Zoccatelli and Christian Raaflaub, have been speaking to both the initiative committee and the group opposing the referendum.

A popular initiative demanding greater living choices for people with disabilities in Switzerland has collected enough signatures for a national vote.

A better way to live for the disabled in Switzerland?

This content was published on Sep 18, 2024 A popular initiative demanding greater living choices for people with disabilities in Switzerland has collected enough signatures for a national vote.

Computer-generated image of the planned SedrunSolar park in canton Graubünden in southeastern Switzerland.

Construction starts on first large-scale solar park in Swiss Alps

This content was published on Sep 13, 2024 The first major solar project under the federal government’s “Solar Express” scheme is being built near the mountain village of Sedrun in southeast Switzerland.

Should the Swiss invest more in biodiversity?

This content was published on Sep 9, 2024 The Swiss will be voting on a biodiversity initiative on 22 September. It seeks to give nature more space and resources but is considered too extreme by its opponents.

Biodiversity initiative: ‘We don’t want parts of the country sealed off’

This content was published on Sep 9, 2024 Better protection for nature or more headaches for farmers? Two politicians discuss the biodiversity initiative in our ‘Let’s Talk’ series.

Storms in Swiss mountain areas keep visitors at bay

Mountain storms put damper on Switzerland’s summer visitor figures

This content was published on Sep 2, 2024 Storms in Swiss mountain areas keep summer visitors at bay.

A CHF100 banknote lying in a cardboard coffin next to a lit candle

How a Swiss banknote’s life comes to an end

This content was published on Aug 28, 2024 A banknote’s life is not eternal. What happens when it’s time to retire?

Public asked how to recover dumped munitions in Swiss lakes

This content was published on Aug 15, 2024 Authorities have launched a public competition for the best ideas for safely removing old ammunition from Swiss lakes

Genetically engineered barley, using the CRISPR/Cas method.

Genetically engineered barley grown in a secured field in Zurich

This content was published on Aug 9, 2024 Swiss scientists use the new CRISPR method of genetic engineering to try to boost crop yield.

To induce death, individuals climb into the pod-looking chamber and press a button inside that releases nitrogen into the chamber. The individual dies as a result of nitrogen hypoxia, a method which the makers claim is not painful.

Assisted suicide for CHF18 ($20)?

This content was published on Jul 27, 2024 This would be an “egalitarian” death, says Fiona Stewart, a founding member of the organisation The Last Resort.

Swiss On shoes share the spotlight at Paris Olympics

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 At the Paris Olympics, some of the best athletes will be wearing products made by the Swiss sportswear brand, On.

‘Security here, freedom there’ – insights from a US trucker festival in Switzerland

This content was published on Jul 25, 2024 Many attendees at the International Trucker & Country Festival in Interlaken yearn for the freedom associated with the US. An academic in a cowboy hat explains why.

External Content

Reuters International

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:59

Hurricane Milton weakens as it marches across central Florida, homes destroyed

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:57

Ratan Tata, who put India’s Tata Group on the global map, dies at 86

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:55

Ukrainian drones attack Russian military airbase in North Caucasus

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:53

EU’s von der Leyen in Moldova in show of support ahead of election

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:32

Russian strikes injure four people in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:29

European stocks edge up ahead of US inflation data, GSK jumps

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:08

Ukrainian patriotism and profits spur boom in war bonds

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 08:53

UK property market strengthens, pressure on renters intensifies, RICS says

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 08:43

Britain outlines details of closely watched workers’ rights plan

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 08:29

EU envoys approve up to 35 billion euros contribution to G7 loan for Ukraine

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 07:55

Israel says it eliminates Hezbollah ‘Golan Heights’ member, Syrian media report Israeli airstrikes

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 07:42

Hurricane Milton marches across central Florida, destroying homes

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 07:16

Ukraine’s vast forests devastated in hellscape of war

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 07:11

EBRD and IFC to provide $435 million for Ukraine’s newly merged telecoms firm

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 07:05

French government to present 2025 belt-tightening budget

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 06:10

Anduril to sell small, affordable drones after success in Ukraine

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 05:30

One in eight girls and women raped or sexually assaulted before age 18, UNICEF says

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 02:59

Hurricane Milton makes landfall near Siesta Key Florida, US NHC says

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 01:05

UK may need to hike taxes by 25 billion pounds in Oct. 30 budget, think-tank says

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 01:02

Britain bolsters sanctions regime on Russia with new trade unit

Bloomberg Business

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 09:14

Stocks Steady as Traders Await US Inflation Data: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 06:01

Hodinkee Sells Used Watch Site Crown & Caliber to Boston Dealer

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 06:00

Private Equity Billionaires Seek to Torpedo Swiss-EU Talks

This content was published on Oct 10, 2024 – 05:19

Broker for the Wealthy, Charles Monat, Is Said to Consider Sale of the Business

This content was published on Oct 9, 2024 – 22:02

S&P 500 Hits Record High in Run-Up to CPI Report: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Oct 9, 2024 – 10:21

Swiss Public Transport May Start to Shun Cash Payments, SNB Says

This content was published on Oct 9, 2024 – 06:00

Switzerland’s Voters Face Another Health-Care Fight, Poll Shows

This content was published on Oct 8, 2024 – 22:25

‘Mag Seven’ Rally as Nvidia’s Winning Run Hits 14%: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Oct 8, 2024 – 15:41

Swiss Bank Mirabaud Shuts Brokerage Unit on Poor Performance

This content was published on Oct 8, 2024 – 06:23

Pictet Filing Mistakenly Showed $15 Billion Chinese Bank Bet

This content was published on Oct 7, 2024 – 22:20

Stocks Hit by Tech Rout as War Jitters Lift Oil: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Oct 7, 2024 – 17:53

European Stocks Lifted by Dealmaking Newsflow, ECB Rate Hints

This content was published on Oct 4, 2024 – 22:55

Stocks Close Near Session Highs; Yields Climb: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Oct 4, 2024 – 17:41

FIFA Player Transfer Rules Broke Law, Says Top EU Court

This content was published on Oct 4, 2024 – 16:43

WTO Leadership Race Kicks Off Next Week, Earlier Than Usual

This content was published on Oct 4, 2024 – 15:57

UK Rolex Dealer Buys Watch Site Backed by LVMH, Tom Brady

This content was published on Oct 3, 2024 – 22:31

Wall Street on Edge as Mideast Upstages Economy: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Oct 3, 2024 – 14:45

Buyout Firms Turn to Debt to Pay Out Investors in M&A Drought

This content was published on Oct 3, 2024 – 12:43

Amundi Turns Bullish on Swiss Franc in Bet on Safe-Haven Appeal

This content was published on Oct 3, 2024 – 11:02

Softbank Says Credit Suisse to Blame For Fund’s $440 Million Greensill Loss

Breaking menstruation taboos in West Africa

"Bananal" (1927), de Lasar Segall: como os canibais tropicalizaram o modernismo europeu.

Unique Brazilian Modernism art exhibition takes over Swiss capital

This content was published on Oct 6, 2024 An unprecedented exhibition in Bern seeks to insert 20th century Brazilian art into the grand narrative of “global modernism”.

The pieces in the "Mechanical Marvels" exhibition at the Maison de la Mécanique d'Art in Geneva illustrate the art of the automatier in a simple and playful way.

Sainte-Croix: the Swiss village that keeps the tradition of automata alive

This content was published on Oct 5, 2024 The “Mechanical Marvels” exhibition at the Maison de la Mécanique d’Art in Geneva showcases automata and the work of mechanical artists from the Swiss village of Sainte-Croix.

Will Moldova vote to join the EU despite Russia’s influence?

This content was published on Oct 4, 2024 On October 20, Moldova will vote on EU accession. How will the referendum turn out in a country with many Russia sympathisers?

The Alps supercomputer in Switzerland is the world's sixth most powerful machine.

Swiss Alps supercomputer to leverage AI for science

This content was published on Oct 3, 2024 Switzerland’s new supercomputer, Alps, will provide science projects with the muscle to harness the potential of AI.

Young person holding a cigarette in their hand.

New Swiss tobacco law: are minors sufficiently protected?

This content was published on Oct 3, 2024 Are minors in Switzerland sufficiently protected from the risks of tobacco consumption? Join the multilingual debate on “dialogue”!

The Swiss metal detectorist who helped find a Roman military camp

This content was published on Oct 2, 2024 Self-taught archaeologist Romano Agola talks about life as a detectorist and the “treasure hunter” phenomenon in Switzerland.

Object of a collection, terracotta sculpture of the «Tumbas de Tiro» tradition

Artefacts held in Swiss private collection return to Latin America

This content was published on Oct 1, 2024 Private individuals increasingly choose to return cultural artefacts to their countries of origin. Here’s a notable case from Switzerland.

LA-based Swiss photographer turns lens on his Alpine village

This content was published on Oct 1, 2024 For 30 years, Verner Soler, a Swiss photographer who lives in Los Angeles, has travelled back to Vrin in southeastern Switzerland to capture everyday life in the small mountain village where he grew up.

Swiss students drive rocket research forward

This content was published on Sep 27, 2024 Swiss students are propelling the future of space travel with innovative reusable rocket technology, putting Switzerland on the map in the global space race.

Fish species are disappearing as Swiss lakes warm up

This content was published on Sep 26, 2024 As temperatures climb in Switzerland, Swiss lakes, fish species and their natural habitat are also suffering. A look at the impact on Lake Geneva.

Carolin Lerchenmüller has been Professor of Gender Medicine at the University of Zurich since May 1, 2024. She is the first professor with this specific title in Switzerland.

Switzerland now has a Professor of Gender Medicine. She’s here to stay.

This content was published on Sep 20, 2024 Carolin Lerchenmüller says it will take time to fully understand how and why women react differently to some diseases and treatments.

Hunting: where two visions of nature clash

This content was published on Sep 19, 2024 It’s the hunting season again in Switzerland. Hunting is a well-established tradition in rural and mountain regions in Switzerland, but it also sparks criticism.

In Focus

Why melting glaciers affect us all

Alpine glaciers could disappear by the end of the century. The consequences will be felt not only in the Swiss Alps but throughout Europe.

Sister republics: Switzerland and the US

The US and Switzerland were known as “sister republics”. Explore the links that still bind these two very dissimilar countries.

Swiss federal votes on September 22, 2024

Biodiversity and pensions are on the agenda for the federal votes on September 22.

Taiwan: a model democracy

Taiwan has developed into an exemplary democracy. This can be seen in schools as well as in election campaigns – despite or because of its precarious status.