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Faster, higher, stronger, Swisser: let the 2024 Olympic Games begin!

On Friday evening 128 Swiss athletes will float down the River Seine in Paris as part of the opening ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

By Thomas Stephens

History

The Olympic truce: noble myth, harsh reality

By Mathieu van Berchem, Paris

Swiss Olympic President Jürg Stahl and Sports Minister Viola Amherd

Culture

Dashed dreams: Swiss take stock of failed bid to host Winter Olympics

By Geraldine Wong Sak Hoi

Life & Aging

Swiss On shoes share the spotlight at Paris Olympics

By Julie Hunt

‘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.

Why do two Swiss researchers want to find ice on comets?

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 Using a new type of instrument, two astrophysicists from the University of Bern are hoping to get a bit closer to unravelling the mystery of the origins of the solar system.

The insect situation in Switzerland (in the picture a butterfly) is considered 'worrying'.

Biodiversity loss in Switzerland in six graphs

This content was published on Jul 23, 2024 Biodiversity loss in the Alpine nation is above the world average, and over a third of animal and plant species are endangered. Can the trend be reversed?

Switzerland Today

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 Everything you need to know – and a fair bit you don’t – about Switzerland at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Plus: Covid, the Revenge?

Will a drastic hike in Swiss inheritance tax lead to an exodus of billionaires?

This content was published on Jul 23, 2024 A proposal to levy an inheritance tax of 50% on the super-rich has provoked emigration threats from wealthy Swiss residents.

Being resistant to cold and heat and rich in protein, lentils are making a comeback on Swiss fields and plates.

Legumes – Swiss farmers’ secret weapon against climate change

This content was published on Jul 22, 2024 A group of farmers is betting on lentils and chickpeas as part of the solution to climate change in Switzerland.

Unlocking treatments for neglected diseases

This content was published on Jul 23, 2024 In the latest episode of our Inside Geneva podcast, we discuss inequalities in access to medicine and treatment for neglected diseases.

Our highlights

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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.

Inside Geneva – medical help in war zones

This content was published on Jul 9, 2024 From war-torn Sudan to Somalia and, finally, Gaza, these are some of the places Chris Lockyear, Secretary General of MSF, has visited during his career.

Parliament committees approve Swiss UNRWA payment

This content was published on Jun 22, 2024 The foreign affairs committees of the Swiss parliament have backed – with conditions – a donation of CHF10 million ($11.2 million) to the embattled UN agency.

A light blue sign surrounded be trees. In big letters at the centre it says, ‘west bank field office’. IAt the top in smaller lettering it says United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), with ‘west bank’ in the bottom left and ‘Jerusalem’ bottom right.

Green light for Switzerland’s CHF10 million UNRWA contribution

This content was published on Jun 13, 2024 Switzerland is set to pay CHF10 million to UNRWA to cover the organisation’s most urgent needs in Gaza.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

‘Less impressive and less important’: Switzerland’s role as an intermediary in Iran

This content was published on Jun 10, 2024 Cyrus Schayegh, a professor of international history at the Geneva Graduate Institute, discusses Iran’s future foreign policy and why Switzerland’s role in the region could fade.

Swiss Parliament calls for greater control of aid in Palestine

This content was published on Jun 5, 2024 The Senate has passed a proposal calling for stricter controls to ensure that funds are not used to finance terrorism.

Swiss House of Representatives does not want to recognise Palestine as a state

This content was published on Jun 4, 2024 By 131 votes to 61 with 2 abstentions, the House of Representatives said ‘no’ to the postulate put forth by the Social Democratic Party.

Protesters light flares as they take to the streets to call on the Israeli cabinet to sign a hostage deal and hold early elections during a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, on June 1.

Switzerland backs Biden’s Gaza peace plan

This content was published on Jun 2, 2024 Switzerland supports a new peace proposal pushed by US President Joe Biden for a hostage agreement and a ceasefire in Gaza.

A woman in a brown top and brown and white headscarf is on her knees, screaming, amidst the wreckage of her tent. A child in a white striped blue Puma tracksuit is standing beside her.

Switzerland ‘extremely concerned’ about spiralling violence in Middle East

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Switzerland has strongly condemned Hamas’ recent rocket fire on Israel and Israel’s attacks on a camp for displaced people in Rafah.

Masked Palestinian members of the "Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam" militia, the military wing of Hamas, hold their weapons and pose for the media during a march on the streets of Gaza City, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013. Arabic on headband reads, "No God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet, Ezz Al-Din Al Qassam brigade." (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Swiss parties in favour of banning Hamas

This content was published on May 29, 2024 Swiss political parties want to ban Hamas and classify it as a terrorist organisation in Switzerland, which would prevent financing and propaganda activity.

Explainer: Switzerland and the recognition of Palestine

This content was published on May 24, 2024 On Wednesday Ireland, Spain and Norway said they would recognise a Palestinian state. What are the chances of Switzerland following suit?

Pro-Palestine uni protests to be debated in Swiss parliament

This content was published on May 20, 2024 The Swiss People’s Party says it will launch two postulates calling for clarifications about the recent student protests and occupations.

A group of students seated on the floor inside a university hall. In the middle of the group is a sign reading "UZH students against genocide".

Swiss student group condemns campus occupations

This content was published on May 17, 2024 Some aspects of pro-Palestine sit-ins have gone too far, but the right to protest and debate must be upheld, the student association has said.

Swiss police remove protestors from University of Bern.

Swiss police clear pro-Palestinian students protesting in Bern

This content was published on May 15, 2024 Police moved in early on Wednesday to remove some 30 pro-Palestinian student protesters from a Bern university building.

Red Cross sets up Rafah emergency field hospital

This content was published on May 14, 2024 The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and partners are opening a field hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday.

Police clear out pro-Palestinian students protesting in Geneva

This content was published on May 14, 2024 The police intervened early on Tuesday to dislodge pro-Palestinian students who had been occupying the University of Geneva for almost a week.

‘No kids’ holidays are booming in Switzerland. Blatant discrimination or a stroke of genius?

Canny tourist operators have realised that many people will pay a premium to remove kids from their holidays. What does this say about society?

Join the discussion

Jul 17, 2024

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13 Comments

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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

What’s inside a comet?

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 Watch how two Bern astrophysicists are hoping to dig beneath the surface of a comet to find out more about the origins of the solar system.

Swiss farms make space for beans and lentils

This content was published on Jul 22, 2024 Plant breeders, scientists and farmers in Zurich’s countryside try to make the case for legume cultivation.

Trump, Biden and hatred: how US polarisation affects Americans in Switzerland

This content was published on Jul 20, 2024 A Republican, Democrat and Independent living in Switzerland describe the emotional divide in US politics.

Decommissioned Bernese trams sent to Ukraine.

Swiss trams embark on a rare journey to Ukraine

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 SWI swissinfo.ch speaks to the specialists preparing Swiss trams for transfer to Ukraine and to the Lviv public transport staff who will operate them.

How Swiss tourism bosses town deal with the effects of influencers

How Swiss tourism bosses deal with the effects of influencers

This content was published on Jul 12, 2024 Influencers tempt tourists to “must see” Swiss sites, sometimes sparking over-tourism. A Swiss tourism boss reveals how the industry deals with it.

The Swiss ‘have always crossed borders’

This content was published on Jul 12, 2024 Over the centuries, the Swiss have been tireless migrants, with successive waves spreading to every continent – for various reasons.

100 years of Swiss Abroad congresses

This content was published on Jul 10, 2024 A look back at 100 years of the Swiss Abroad Congress

Breaking protocol: Jojo Mayer and the machine

This content was published on Jun 27, 2024 He is one of the most influential drummers of recent decades, known both as a skilled technician and a visionary. Jojo Mayer talks to SWI swissinfo.ch about technology, tradition – and the future of music.

I spy: political snooping around International Geneva

This content was published on Jun 25, 2024 Geneva is fertile ground for spies in search of state secrets. We visited four places that have left their mark on the history of espionage.

Demolished buildings offer new home for CO2 emissions

This content was published on Jun 20, 2024 A Swiss company believes it has a solution to help the concrete industry decarbonise and permanently remove one million tonnes of CO2 by 2030.

Geneva Conventions turn 75: are they still effective?

This content was published on Jun 11, 2024 This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions. But how relevant are these, and international law, especially for younger generations?

Swiss reject health insurance initiative: the reactions

This content was published on Jun 9, 2024 Here is what supporters and opponents of the “Premium Relief Initiative” had to say after Sunday’s vote.

Fighting soil contamination with bacteria in Lausanne.

Pioneering research using dioxin-eating bacteria could help clean up Swiss city

This content was published on Jun 7, 2024 Dioxin-eating bacteria developed in a lab are to be used to help decontaminate polluted sites in Lausanne in western Switzerland.

External Content

Reuters International

This content was published on Jul 27, 2024 – 01:45

Olympics-Flotilla on Seine, rain and Celine Dion mark start of Paris Olympics

This content was published on Jul 27, 2024 – 01:03

Trump vows return to site of assassination attempt, Obamas endorse Harris

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 23:51

Rain pours down on Paris Olympics parade, doesn’t dampen cheer

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 23:46

Air defences down 12 Ukrainian drones in the space of an hour in southern region, governor says

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 23:42

One killed, nine injured in blast at Russian gas field, says Russia’s technical watchdog

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 23:41

France’s Macron declares Paris 2024 Olympics open

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 23:36

Trump holds narrow lead over Harris, WSJ poll finds

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 22:36

Trump says he’ll hold a rally in town where he was shot

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 22:18

Ukraine says missile forces hit Russian air base in Crimea

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 21:37

Heavy rains cause dam burst in central Russia

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 21:33

Struggle for skilled workers in spotlight at Farnborough Airshow

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 21:12

EU clears $2.2 billion Dutch state aid for medical isotopes for cancer treatment

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 21:00

Biden, Jordan’s king discuss Gaza ceasefire talks

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 20:50

Alzheimer’s drug from Eisai and Biogen rejected in Europe

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 20:42

Russian drone debris found in Romania, NATO says no sign of intentional attack

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 20:33

US not seen a detailed post-war plan from Israel, Gen. Brown says

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 20:30

CIA chief to meet Israeli, Qatari and Egyptian officials for Gaza talks, source says

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 19:53

Russian drones knock out Ukrainian power facilities near Kyiv

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 19:50

UK drivers still paying too much for road fuel, says regulator

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 19:31

Exclusive-Israel seeks changes to Gaza truce plan, complicating talks, sources say

Bloomberg Business

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 23:11

Stocks Climb as Fed Bets Rekindle Broadening Trade: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 16:14

US Spars With China Over Who Subsidizes Its Industries the Most

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 15:22

Bernard Arnault Confirms He Owns ‘Very Minor Stake’ in Richemont

This content was published on Jul 26, 2024 – 00:03

Stocks Caught in Tug of War Between Tech and Rest: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 25, 2024 – 15:37

Tom Hayes Gets UK Top Court Appeal Over Libor Conviction

This content was published on Jul 25, 2024 – 13:40

French Power Export Curbs Could Boost Prices for Neighbors

This content was published on Jul 25, 2024 – 13:29

UBS Questioned by Senator Over $350 Million Tax Evasion Case

This content was published on Jul 25, 2024 – 12:17

Julius Baer Slumps as CEO Limbo Creates Strategic Uncertainty

This content was published on Jul 25, 2024 – 12:10

Nestle Cuts Sales Guidance Amid Struggle to Win Back Shoppers

This content was published on Jul 25, 2024 – 11:29

Porsche in Talks With Creditors BlueBay, Hayfin Over Varta Deal

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 23:58

Stocks Tumble as Wall Street Gets AI Wake-Up Call: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 14:00

The World’s Hunger Problem Is Barely Improving, UN Says

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 13:40

Salt Lake City Gets Shot at Olympic Redemption With 2034 Games

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 11:35

Bumper SNB Profit Is Set to Keep Hopes for a Payout Alive, UBS Says

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 11:24

LVMH Holds Talks on Sponsoring Formula 1 in Blow to Rolex

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 09:07

China’s Slowdown Is Taking a Rising Toll on European Profits

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 01:31

Australia’s Cost-of-Living Squeeze Drives ‘Baby Recession’

This content was published on Jul 24, 2024 – 00:01

Tech Falls in Late Hours as Earnings Underwhelm: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 23, 2024 – 20:25

Porsche Warns on Profit as Supply Chain Hit Slows Production

This content was published on Jul 23, 2024 – 15:52

ADIA Weighs €1 Billion Investment in Nestle Ice Cream Venture

Biden withdrawal: Swiss newspapers welcome ‘inevitable’ decision

This content was published on Jul 22, 2024 Better late than never – but US President Joe Biden’s decision on Sunday to pull out of the race for the White House was far too late, reckon the Swiss media.

Trump, Biden and hatred: how US polarisation affects Americans in Switzerland

This content was published on Jul 20, 2024 A Republican, Democrat and Independent living in Switzerland describe the emotional divide in US politics.

At the Musée du Louvre in Paris, visitors can discover the work of Emile Gilliéron, including a series of plaques and medallions.

Emile Gilliéron, the Swiss iconographer of the first Olympic Games

This content was published on Jul 21, 2024 An exhibition at the Louvre in Paris is paying tribute to Swiss artist Emile Gilliéron.

The world is chessboard artwork by US artist Lutz Bacher, Art Basel 2024

Art Basel keeps its lead as art fairs go corporate and scramble for markets

This content was published on Jul 19, 2024 As the leading art fairs incorporate into big holdings and expand on a planetary scale, are smaller fairs being squeezed out of existence?

Coal-fired power plant in Lünen, Germany.

Why Switzerland is diverging from Europe on a key energy treaty

This content was published on Jul 18, 2024 The EU will withdraw from the ECT, a treaty that protects investments in coal and oil. Why is Switzerland going its own way, and what could happen next?

Dr. Fernando Taveras, a psychiatrist and Hispanic mental healthcare expert with SOMOS Community Care Clinic, holds a model of a brain as he stands for a portrait in New York on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. Mental health experts, community clinics and politicians are working to create new programs to break down barriers that Latinos might face to getting therapy or treatment.

Is Switzerland in a mental health crisis?

This content was published on Jul 19, 2024 Mental health has shifted more into focus in Switzerland, and the latest figures confirm an increase in mental illness.

Anniversary Trip to the Square of the Swiss Abroad

OSA President Filippo Lombardi poses with participants of the Swiss Community Youth Camp on Saturday, July 13, 2024.

This content was published on Jul 17, 2024 The 100th Congress of the Swiss Abroad came to an end with a visit to the Swiss Abroad Square in Brunnen. A photo gallery.

The Olympic truce: noble myth, harsh reality

This content was published on Jul 14, 2024 The Olympic truce is rarely respected. We take a look at the history behind this ‘invented tradition’.

The Swiss ‘have always crossed borders’

This content was published on Jul 12, 2024 Over the centuries, the Swiss have been tireless migrants, with successive waves spreading to every continent – for various reasons.

The Congress of the Swiss Abroad, taking place July 11-13 in Lucerne, will mark the 100th time that Swiss citizens living abroad will meet in Switzerland.

After 100 years, the Swiss Abroad Congress remains politically significant

This content was published on Jul 10, 2024 While the Congress has evolved over the years, its core mission remains the same: to unite the Swiss Abroad and raise awareness of their specific needs.

Albert Anker's "The Reader" (Die Lesende), 1883. The exhibition at the Bern Museum of Fine Arts highlights the artist as a promoter of literacy for women when this idea was a taboo.

The revival of Albert Anker: from old-school artist to progressive activist

This content was published on Jul 6, 2024 The quintessential Swiss artist, much-loved by traditionalists, has found new praise as an early advocate of women’s education.

Swiss theatre director Milo Rau stages revolution in Vienna

This content was published on Jun 30, 2024 As new artistic director of the Vienna Festival, the Swiss director Milo Rau is putting the Austrian government, the Freedom Party and himself on trial.

Breaking protocol: Jojo Mayer and the machine

In Focus

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.