More refugees are arriving in Switzerland via the Balkans and other routes. The need for civil defence facilities and multi-purpose halls to accommodate them is therefore increasing.
The government assumes that 19,000 asylum applications will have been received by the end of the year and that an additional 80,000-85,000 people from Ukraine will be in Switzerland. The Federal Office for Migration (SEM) has reacted by temporarily re-opening closed shelters and opening new facilities, an SEM spokesperson told Swiss public radio, SRFExternal link on Friday.
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Ukrainian refugees still welcome in many private Swiss homes
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The commitment of Swiss citizens who took in Ukrainian refugees is proving more persistent than expected, according to a media report.
In canton Aargau, in northern Switzerland, a shelter for refugees from Ukraine is scheduled to open on Monday. The head of the St Gallen migration office, Jürg Eberle, said the accommodation facilities in his canton were currently at around 75% capacity.
The cantonal directors of social affairs have an overview of vacant places in cantons and say the number has dropped from 9,000 at the beginning of summer to 7,000. Further centres are to be opened in the coming months, depending on demand.
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Switzerland to give millions to three UN organisations
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Switzerland is supporting Unicef, UN Women and the UN Population Fund this year with a total of CHF39 million ($47 million).
Electricity reserves still needed in Switzerland in midterm
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Switzerland's energy supply remains uncertain. Electricity reserves are still needed in the medium term, the Federal Electricity Commission (ElCom) said.
ICRC says next few days will be ‘decisive’ for aid to Gaza
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The next few days will be absolutely decisive if the Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to continue providing aid in the Gaza Strip, said its director-general Pierre Krähenbühl.
Switzerland unveils a national drought-detection system
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Switzerland launched on Thursday a new national system for detecting drought and warning the population and authorities in advance.
Federal coffers to get CHF100 million boost from Swiss Post
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Swiss Post will pay a dividend of CHF100 million ($121 million) to the Confederation this year, the company announced on Thursday.
Swiss Federal Railways satisfied with bodycams for transport police
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Since the introduction of body-worn cameras, the frequency of assaults on Swiss Federal Railways transport police has fallen by 25%.
Zurich cantonal government to compensate victims of forced labour
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Victims of past forced labour measures in canton Zurich could soon apply to receive a one-off solidarity compensation of CHF25,000 ($30,255).
Risk of a real-estate bubble in Switzerland grew in first quarter
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The risk of a bubble in the Swiss property market increased slightly in the first three months of the year compared with the previous quarter, says UBS.
French authorities order Nestlé to remove its filtration system
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Authorities in the south of France have served formal notice to Nestlé Waters, a subsidiary of the Swiss food giant, to "withdraw within two months" its microfiltration system for its Perrier mineral water.
Switzerland says pushbacks at border by Germany are unlawful
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Switzerland considers Germany's planned systematic pushbacks at the border to be contrary to existing law, the department of justice has said.
Almost 10% of eligible Ukrainian refugees in Switzerland have a job
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A total of 9.4% of adults in possession of a special “S” permit are in work, with most employed in the restaurant sector.
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