The summer drought and hail storms caused CHF59.2 million in crop damage, according to agricultural insurer Hagel Schweiz. This is almost three times as much damage as last summer. The months of April to August were the driest and hottest since recor...

The House of Representatives does not support the popular initiative ‘Yes to the security of medical supplies’. Parliamentarians instead endorsed the government’s direct counter-proposal. The chamber agreed that while the initiative addresses a...

Swiss residents move home five times on average during their lives, and despite a housing shortage, only about half spend more than three months searching for a new place. These are the two main findings of a survey conducted by the property portal N...

Archaeologists in Basel have uncovered an almost intact medieval hot-air heating system during renovation work at the site of the former Gnadental monastery, a find described as unique in Switzerland. The heating system was uncovered in the courtyard...

Lawmakers wants to set an upper limit on the size of the wolf population in Switzerland. If this threshold is exceeded, it should be possible to cull wolves in the affected region. After a vote in the Senate, the House of Representatives also passed ...

After two difficult years, there are growing signs of a recovery in the chocolate industry, say experts. Cocoa prices have fallen significantly from their record highs and there are signs of increased demand. Analysts at the Swiss bank Vontobel say t...

This summer's heatwaves caused around 600 excess deaths in Switzerland. Even people under 65 were affected. Weekly mortality figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) show just how severe the impact was during this summer, the hottest since r...

Austrian property tycoon René Benko has been sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after an Innsbruck court found he had caused losses to creditors. The founder of the now-bankrupt Signa property group had paid an advance on rent of €360,000...

Switzerland remains one of the world's best countries for pensioners, ranking fourth in an international study after slipping one place from last year. In 2024, it topped the ranking. Norway currently offers the best conditions for retirees, accordin...

Premium Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli has pulled its project for a flagship store in Dubai over concerns about the regional impact of the war in Iran. Lindt’s plans for the combined museum and retail outlet have been suspended “in light...

Galderma, the Swiss dermatology company, recently opened a new headquarters for the Americas in Miami, lured by the city’s mix of high-income spenders and a booming plastic surgery industry that attracts visitors from around the world. The firm, wh...

Roche’s experimental obesity shot enicepatide cut both blood sugar and body weight in type-2 diabetes patients who were overweight or obese in a mid-stage trial. Patients receiving the highest 24-milligram dose had a 2.65% reduction in HbA1c - a me...

The Swiss Senate has backed tough new capital rules for UBS, requiring the banking giant to finance 90% of its foreign holdings with core equity capital. The new rules are intended to tighten the "too-big-to-fail" framework in Switzerland. The Senate...

Former Guatemalan police chief Erwin Sperisen has once again challenged Switzerland before the European Court of Human Rights, claiming that the more than 14-year-long proceedings against him violate his right to a trial within a reasonable time. Spe...

Swiss President Guy Parmelin has called on world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly in New York to “show that cooperation remains possible”. Drawing on Switzerland's experience as a multilingual nation, he said the county has learned to ...

The Swiss passport takes 9th place in a global ranking, with 119 visa-free destinations and 54 countries requiring a visa on arrival or other entry formalities for Swiss citizens. A standard visa is required for 25 destinations. There are no downside...

The University of Bern will house one of the world’s largest diamond collections for research and teaching purposes. The collection, donated to the university, is intended to aid in the discovery of new minerals and provide insights into the format...

Insured persons in Switzerland will soon be able to access their old-age pension and social benefits data through an online platform. The Senate on Tuesday approved the full digitalisation of social insurance. The platform is expected to be available...

Among the world's cities, Zurich poses the highest risk of a property bubble, ahead of Tokyo, says a new analysis by Swiss bank UBS. In Geneva, the risk has increased compared with last year. With an index reading of 1.69 points, up from 1.55 points ...

Researchers in Switzerland have developed an adapter that can protect satellites from severe vibrations during rocket launches. The structure absorbs dangerous vibrations, said the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa...

More than a third of mpox cases in the DRC are thought to be linked to the contamination of samples from their surroundings rather than a genuine infection, say University of Geneva researchers who analysed more than 2,700 test results. According to ...

The appeal trial of an alleged member of a Belarusian special forces unit has begun at the Cantonal Court of St Gallen in northeastern Switzerland. Relatives of missing opposition politicians from Belarus are seeking a conviction for enforced disappe...

The Swiss bank UBS has reached an agreement with the Dutch public prosecutor’s office in connection with a long-standing case involving Credit Suisse and incorrect tax returns. The bank will now pay €5 million (CHF4.7 million) to settle the case,...

The Swiss food giant Nestlé says it is continuing to operate its business in Russia without restrictions, despite being placed under court-ordered administration. The food group will fulfil its obligations to customers, partners and employees “in ...

Switzerland will play its next four Nations League matches without its captain, Granit Xhaka, after the latter admitted to purchasing a fake Covid-19 certificate. Xhaka spoke on Monday for the first time about the allegation that he had obtained a fa...

Swiss defence minister Martin Pfister was bombarded with questions about the procurement of F-35 fighter jets, two weeks after the publication of a damning report. Pfister faced 19 questions by parliamentarians who wanted to know who was responsible ...

The carry trade phenomenon, one of the most widespread strategies on the foreign exchange markets, has recently been drawing even more attention to the Swiss franc. Historically dominated by the Japanese yen as the funding currency, this type of tran...

The Swiss Senate has rejected a ban on paid signature-gathering for initiatives and referendums. Lawmakers also voted against a proposal to force disclosure requirements for bodies that commission commercial signature-gathering firms. With no counter...

Pig herds at 20 Swiss farms are to be culled due to an outbreak of a contagious lung disease. In the canton of Lucerne alone, 11 farms are affected. The measures are required to combat enzootic pneumonia effectively and prevent its spread. Pig herds ...

Switzerland halted imports of meat and meat products from Brazil earlier this month, due to the lack of guarantees regarding the reduction of antibiotics in livestock farming. The Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (BLV) confirmed ...