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Swiss Info

Thu, 18 Aug 2022 07:17:13 GMT
Giant megalodon shark could eat prey the size of killer whales
The megalodon, a giant shark that roamed the oceans millions of years ago, is famous for its teeth the size of a human fist. Otherwise, however, little fossil evidence exists. Scientists in Zurich have now helped create a 3D computer model of its ent...

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 15:23:00 GMT
Swiss join EU to put Ukraine’s ex-president on sanctions list
Switzerland has adopted European Union sanctions against the former Ukrainian president, Viktor Yanukovych, and his son Olkesandr. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said the pair was put on a list of travel and financial sanctions to...

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 13:08:00 GMT
Government set sights on gas and oil-fired power plants
The Swiss government wants to use gas and fossil fuel power plants to counter potential energy shortages during the coming winter months. The aim is to produce more than 300 megawatts and complement the supply of electricity through hydropower, the ...

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:26:00 GMT
Swiss football clubs play key role for social integration
Football clubs are an important pillar for integration into Swiss society, also for immigrants, according to a new study. However, immigrant women are less likely to join teams and it is more difficult for them to take over official positions in a c...

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 09:42:35 GMT
Laws tightened for flying historic aircraft
Four years after the crash of a vintage Ju-52 plane in which 20 people died, the Swiss government has tightened the regulations for flights with historic aircraft. Commercial flights will no longer be permitted, and a maximum of nine people may fly ...

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 07:25:18 GMT
Moscow hoped Switzerland would remain ‘haven for Russian business’
Russia “really hadn’t anticipated” Switzerland aligning itself with EU sanctions in March, according to a former Russian diplomat to the UN in Geneva. The Russians had hoped Switzerland would remain a “haven for Russian business – legal or...

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 15:24:00 GMT
Reptile owners criticised for neglecting animals’ welfare
Many reptiles are kept in improper conditions in Switzerland, with owners unaware that legal regulations exist for the animals’ welfare, according to an animal protection organisation. An online tool now aims to raise awareness of how to look after...

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 12:06:38 GMT
Accord signed with Uzbekistan on restitution of illicit assets
Switzerland and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement on the restitution of $131 million (CHF125 million) confiscated during criminal proceedings involving Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of the former Uzbek president. The assets will be used for the b...

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 10:46:28 GMT
Chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli pulls out of Russia
Swiss chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli is withdrawing from the Russian market, after announcing in March that it would cease operations there following the invasion of Ukraine by Russian armed forces. “We will support our employees in Russ...

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 10:33:00 GMT
Swiss voters could have final say on buying new US fighter jets
A left-wing coalition has gathered enough signatures to challenge the Swiss government’s plan to purchase F-35A fighter jets from the United States. Political groups behind the “Stop F-35” initiative, which opposes the government’s plan to b...

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 07:49:00 GMT
ETH Zurich remains top Swiss university in Shanghai ranking
The federal technology institute ETH Zurich has been ranked the best Swiss university in the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Shanghai ranking, taking 20th spot. ETH Zurich moved up one place since last year and scored ...

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 15:47:00 GMT
Swiss government to launch trial with Instagram account
The Swiss government is extending its presence on social media and will open an account on the international photo and video-sharing platform. The Federal Chancellery said a pilot project with the Instagram service was planned for October. The aim ...

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 14:47:00 GMT
Swiss lakes and rivers drop to record lows due to continuing drought
The continuing hot and dry summer weather has caused low water levels in several lakes and rivers in Switzerland. Lakes in eastern, central and southern parts of the country have recorded lows, something which occurs rarely, the Federal Office for t...

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 12:19:55 GMT
Critics target government’s planned OECD tax reform
The Swiss government is facing criticism about its planned implementation of an international corporate tax reform. The left-wing Social Democratic Party said the proposed distribution of the expected additional revenue from the reform would benefit...

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 10:07:00 GMT
Taiwan is ‘open to free trade accord’ with Switzerland
Taiwan’s top official in Switzerland says there is room for more “pragmatic cooperation” between the Asian island state and the Alpine nation, including a trade accord. “Taiwan is open to a trade agreement with Switzerland,” Taiwan’s rep...

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 09:18:00 GMT
Switzerland’s US-Venezuela ‘good offices’ accord remains blocked
A “good offices” agreement signed three years ago for Switzerland to represent United States interests in Venezuela has still not come into force, it was confirmed on Sunday. Switzerland has a long tradition of “good offices”, whereby it cov...

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 11:54:19 GMT
Zurich Street Parade makes a roaring comeback
Around 900,000 people danced in the streets of Zurich on Saturday in the largest techno party in the world. The Zurich Street Parade reported a strong turnout after two years of pandemic-related cancellations. According to estimates by the organiser...

Sun, 14 Aug 2022 11:09:22 GMT
Energy minister defends strategy amid fears of blackouts
A range of options are being explored to prevent power outages this winter, says Swiss Energy Minister Simonetta Sommaruga. This comes amid criticism that the country hasn’t set up an effective energy savings plan. “Switzerland is doing everythi...

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 14:24:24 GMT
Brazilian film takes home top prize at Locarno Film Festival
The film Regra 34 (Rule 34) by Brazilian director Júlia Murat has won the Pardo d’oro (Golden Leopard) at the 75th Locarno Film Festival. “This is an important Pardo d’oro for Brazilian cinema, a nation that has written milestone pages in the...

Sat, 13 Aug 2022 10:41:47 GMT
US ambassador: ‘Switzerland’s good offices will continue to be needed’
US Ambassador Scott Miller believes Switzerland has made “tremendous progress” in adopting sanctions against Russia, but he says more could be done to close loopholes when it comes to finding Russian oligarchs’ funds. “Neutrality has never b...

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 09:26:22 GMT
Switzerland will use dogs to detect African swine fever in pigs
The first batch of dogs capable of detecting African swine fever (ASF) in farmed pigs will be operational by autumn. The specialist hounds are currently being trained in the northeastern Swiss canton of Thurgau that borders Germany. Outbreaks of the...

Fri, 12 Aug 2022 08:11:24 GMT
Swiss tighten rules on social assistance for Ukrainian refugees
Authorities have announced that they will consider the financial situation of Ukrainian refugees with Status S when evaluating requests for social assistance. This brings requirements in line with those for other temporarily admitted persons in Switz...

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 16:17:18 GMT
Cassis discusses finance and innovation with UAE minister
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has met the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, in Ticino, southern Switzerland. The working lunch on the Brissago Islands in Lake Maggiore focused on the eco...

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:47:40 GMT
Solar power plant to be built on Lake Lei dam
A large alpine solar power plant is to be installed on the dam wall of Lake Lei near Ferrera in southeastern Switzerland. The 1,800 square-metre plant is being built by the Zurich Electricity Company. Located at an altitude of 1,930 metres, the plan...

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 09:59:20 GMT
Switzerland urged to authorise monkeypox vaccine and treatments
Pink Cross, the Swiss association for gay and bisexual men, has stepped up calls for testing, vaccines and treatment for monkeypox to be made available in Switzerland. No vaccine against monkeypox has been approved for use or procured by Swiss autho...

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 09:16:31 GMT
Credit Suisse pursues legal claim against SoftBank in $440m dispute
Credit Suisse Group applied to the English High Court last week to initiate formal legal proceedings against Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp over a $440 million (CHF414 million) dispute, according to the Financial Times. The claims are related to Cred...

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 12:45:00 GMT
Swiss minister talks finance and free trade in India
Swiss Finance Minister Ueli Maurer has held talks in New Delhi with India’s finance and foreign ministers. On the agenda were bilateral trade issues and India’s upcoming G20 presidency. With his Indian counterparts Nirmala Sitharaman and Subrahm...

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 08:28:00 GMT
Swiss railways celebrate anniversary with historic trains
Celebrations have been launched to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the first time-tabled railway route in Switzerland. Transport Minister Simonetta Sommaruga and a delegation of dignitaries travelled the 23km stretch of railway line from the to...

Tue, 9 Aug 2022 16:38:00 GMT
Prehistoric graves give insights into burial practices
A burial site from the Bronze Age has been discovered in a mountain village near the town of Sion in south-western Switzerland. At least 18 graves, containing human bones and burial objects in stone-built coffin-like boxes from 2000 BC were unearthe...

Tue, 9 Aug 2022 12:32:00 GMT
Wolf population thrives in Swiss Alps
The number of wolves in the Swiss Alps will continue to grow even if hunting regulations were to be eased, according to experts. The Wolf Switzerland group said more than 250 wolf packs were living in Europe’s Alpine environment last year, while t...



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