Swiss security policy experts from left-wing parties and the Swiss People’s Party are challenging plans to decommission F/A-18 fighter jets as planned from 2030 onwards. Starting next year, the first US F-35 stealth fighter jets are to be delivered...

Severe weather hit several regions of Switzerland on Thursday evening and overnight. In canton Zurich, the fire service was called out 268 times, according to a tally posted by the Zurich emergency services on the X social media platform. Most of the...

Swiss aviator and renewable energy pioneer Bertrand Piccard has secured the support of the European Commission to fly around the world in a hydrogen-powered aeroplane, non-stop and with zero CO₂ emissions. The new project by the Swiss explorer, cal...

House martins, barn swallows, common swifts and bats living are in sharp decline in urban Swiss areas. Yverdon-les-Bains has launched a protection plan. The plan proposes three main objectives: to promote the development of existing colonies, to comp...

Forty five bee colonies have been poisoned by a plant protection insecticide in southeastern Switzerland. Some colonies have been severely weakened, the canton Graubünden veterinary officer stated. + Switzerland’s battle of the bees The bee coloni...

An off-duty Swiss police officer fired a shot during a break-in of a gun shop. There are no reports injuries and the perpetrators managed to escape. A search has been launched in canton Solothurn in northern Switzerland. No details regarding stolen g...

Significantly fewer asylum applications were submitted in Switzerland in the first half of 2026 than in the same period last year. Some 9,734 people applied for asylum - a drop of 16%. In June 2026, 1,777 asylum applications were lodged, the State Se...

Twenty-two Japanese beetles have been caught in the Swiss city of Zug and its neighbouring municipality of Baar. To prevent the pest from spreading further, measures have been put in place across large parts of the canton. To determine whether and wh...

Last year, the Swiss mortgage market grew at an above-average rate for the first time since 2022. However, this does not automatically mean better business for lenders, as margins remain under pressure. According to the 2025 Mortgage Market Study pub...

Swiss railway equipment manufacturer Stadler has agreed to deliver 21 trams to the Texan operator Austin Transit Partnership (ATP), with an option for a further 19 trams. The Citylink-type trams, which can carry 240 passengers, will be built at Stadl...

A new study reveals that extreme floods in the Swiss Alps will become more intense and frequent by the end of the century. For every degree the Earth warms, heavy rainfall becomes more intense. This has an impact on flooding, according to a statement...

The European Court of Human Rights has partially upheld a complaint lodged by two Swiss vegans who say they were given inappropriate food in detention facilities. In a ruling published on Thursday, the European Court of Human Rights found that Switze...

A campaign to raise awareness among tourists about rules of conduct in Switzerland is receiving a positive reception from the tourism sector. Several regions are promoting this initiative, and initial feedback is encouraging. In April, the Swiss tour...

Swiss-Swedish engineering firm ABB is looking to strengthen its automation business by launching a takeover bid for British flow control solutions specialist, Rotork. The Zurich-based group is offering Rotork shareholders 505 pence per share. The dea...

A four-day-old baby gorilla has died after being bitten by its silverback father at Basel Zoo. This is the second death in the Swiss zoo gorilla group within a few days. The infant was killed during a dispute between its mother and the 14-year-old si...

Several drones have triggered a police operation at the Gösgen nuclear power plant in Switzerland. It remains unclear why the drones were flying over the plant. A resident alerted police on Sunday evening after spotting at least seven drones flying ...

The Society of Saint Pius X has lodged a preliminary appeal against the excommunication of its six bishops by the Vatican. The Holy See had taken this decision on July 2, the day after their ordination in Switzerland. The so-called preliminary appeal...

The Alliance aims to step up the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking in ports and maritime supply chains. The European Commission announced Switzerland’s accession on Wednesday. The Alliance comprises a total of 28 members: the 26 co...

The ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes in the Swiss canton of Valais has been deemed valid by the Federal Court. The country's highest court dismissed appeals lodged by the Swiss Tobacco Trade Association, Philip Morris Switzerland and other ...

The seven members of the governing Federal Council are planning to give speeches across the country to mark National Day. President Guy Parmelin has a busy schedule ahead of him, with four appearances planned but other ministers are also in demand. P...

Belgian director Fabrice Du Welz will chair the jury for the International Competition at the 79th Locarno Film Festival, which is scheduled to take place from August 5-15 Joining him are Italian producer Marco Alessi, French actress Lolita Chammah, ...

The Italian region of Piedmont is struggling with drought. The Piedmontese government plans to ask the Swiss canton of Ticino to increase the volume of water supplied to the region. At the same time, the Turin-based farmers’ association Coldiretti ...

A project to save the little owl has been awarded this year’s Walder Prize. The Hermann and Elisabeth Walder-Bachmann Foundation (WBS) in Basel is honouring three bird conservation organisations in Switzerland, South Baden and Alsace. To mark its 2...

The consultation on the planned tightening of the Lex Koller law has revealed a deep divide between the political camps. Whilst business organisations and estate agents warn of serious disadvantages, political parties on both the left and right welco...

Basel Zoo has euthanised Mobali, an 11-year-old male gorilla, following serious injuries that prevented him from urinating. The dominant male, Yeba, aged 14, had bitten him in the genitals. In recent months, there have been a series of altercations b...

The jewellery and watch group posted a strong rise in turnover in the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, exceeding analysts’ expectations. Products from the jewellery houses Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels continue to enjoy great popularit...

Despite the crises and rising costs, most Swiss people remain optimistic. A new survey reveals that 80% look to the future with confidence, mainly thanks to their social relationships, health and financial security. However, differences can be seen d...

Investment in Swiss start-ups fell by 15.5% in the first half of the year to CHF1.25 billion ($1.54 billion), according to the Swiss Venture Capital Report (SVCR) published on Tuesday. The number of such investments, however, remained virtually uncha...

The Geneva-based private bank Pictet has raised, through its subsidiary Pictet Alternative Advisors, $253 million (CHF205 million) for its Environment Co-Investment Fund I. It has thus exceeded the initial target of $200 million it had set itself. Th...

The former deputy mayor of Chermignon (2013–2016) became the 15th suspect in the January 1 tragedy in Crans-Montana to be questioned by the office of the attorney general on Tuesday. The man chose to cooperate with the authorities from his very fir...