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Foreign affairs

Why Swiss trams have become sought-after vehicles in Ukraine

Zurich "Tram 2000" trams parked at depot

Decommissioned trams from Bern and Zurich are set for a new of lease of life in Ukraine as part of a Swiss-backed aid programme.

By Geraldine Wong Sak Hoi

Decommissioned Bernese trams sent to Ukraine.

Foreign affairs

Swiss trams embark on a rare journey to Ukraine

By Geraldine Wong Sak Hoi

Life & Aging

Does the Swiss rail network have room for international competition?

By Anand Chandrasekhar

Banking & Fintech

Why free public transport is dead on arrival in Switzerland

By Christian Raaflaub

The Council of the Swiss Abroad says yes to more democratic elections

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 The delegates have approved a project for more direct elections. New electoral constituencies sparks debate, as does the decision to hold the Congress only every four years.

Attacks on Swiss politicians: rare, but not unheard of

This content was published on Jul 14, 2024 Physical attacks on Swiss politicians are rare. However, federal police registered an average of around one reported threat per day last year.

Has food label Nutri-Score passed its expiry date in Switzerland?

This content was published on Jul 12, 2024 Five years on from its adoption, the nutrition labelling system finds itself in the crosshairs of legislators and the Swiss cheese lobby.

Switzerland Today

This content was published on Jul 12, 2024 In Friday’s briefing: 100th Swiss Abroad Congress, severe storms, higher university fees and Swiss components discovered in Russian missiles.

The political attacks which shook Switzerland

This content was published on Jul 14, 2024 Attacks like the one targeting former US president Donald Trump this weekend are often seen as alien to Swiss political culture. But they are far from unheard of in the Alpine nation.

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’.

humanitarian aid packages land with the help of parachutes in Gaza

Humanitarian law: bleak headlines, but not all bad news

This content was published on Jul 13, 2024 Dire reports from Ukraine and Gaza make it clear: international humanitarian law is often ignored. But in many less mediatised cases, warring parties continue to respect it.

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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.

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“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.

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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.

How is your country dealing with the return of stolen artifacts?

Western nations like Switzerland often have to deal with the process of recovering or returning looted artifacts which have been illegally imported. What’s the situation like in your country?

Join the discussion

Jul 3, 2024

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14 Comments

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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.

Swiss politicians agree that healthcare system has to change – but how?

This content was published on May 30, 2024 Parliament believes the Swiss healthcare system needs to be reformed, but the solutions differ. We discuss the issue in our Let’s Talk programme.

Who is Swiss Eurovision winner Nemo?

This content was published on May 29, 2024 A documentary follows the career of Nemo Mettler, who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 for Switzerland.

What is at stake in the two initiatives on healthcare costs?

This content was published on May 22, 2024 Rising healthcare costs are the main concern of Swiss voters going to the ballot boxes on June 9.

The small robot aiming to explore volcanic tunnels on the moon

This content was published on May 7, 2024 In the not-too-distant future, a hopping Swiss-developed robot could be bound for the moon to pave the way for future missions.

How drug prices are negotiated in Switzerland and beyond

This content was published on Apr 23, 2024 Switzerland’s pharmaceutical sector supplies drugs worldwide, but not all countries receive them with the same price tag. Here’s why.

External Content

Reuters International

This content was published on Jul 16, 2024 – 00:41

Judge tosses Trump documents case, ruling prosecutor unlawfully appointed

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 23:35

Israel launches new Gaza strikes after weekend attack kills scores in safe zone

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 23:24

Portuguese ‘DJ priest’ plays upbeat tunes to spread hope

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 22:55

Patrolling soldier stabbed at Paris station, interior minister says

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 21:52

Hungary accuses EU Commission of cherry picking for downgrading meeting attendance

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 21:20

Factbox-Who are the candidates running in the US presidential election?

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 20:42

Ukraine’s Zelenskiy eyes second summit in November, says Russia should attend

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 20:35

EU imposes sanctions on five Israeli individuals and three entities

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 19:20

Exclusive-White House should disclose whether Russia sharing US weapons insight with China, says Congress

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 19:06

China’s economy falters, raises pressure for more stimulus

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 19:02

Rising risk of UK’s Thames Water being broken up, JPMorgan warns

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 18:36

Webb telescope reveals wild weather on cosmic brown dwarfs

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 18:35

European shares fall, led by luxury sector, utilities

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 18:29

Romanian lawmakers more than double allowed bear kills to prevent attacks

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 18:24

Tesla’s UK lawsuit for 5G patents licence thrown out by UK court

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 18:21

FTSE 100 ends lower on Burberry profit warning, US political worries

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 18:17

US tourist granted house arrest in Rome policeman murder case

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 18:04

German 2025 budget draft has a 17 billion euros hole – sources

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 17:53

Ukraine’s mobilisation campaign picks up despite faltering enthusiasm

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 17:52

France will have to abide by EU budget rules, say Germany and Commission

Bloomberg Business

This content was published on Jul 16, 2024 – 00:40

Stocks Up as Trump Picks VP in Generational Shift: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 17:05

First Malaria Shots From Biggest Vaccine Maker Deployed in Africa

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 13:00

Ex-Mozambique Minister Faces US Trial in Tuna-Bond Bribe Case

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 10:12

Hong Kong Tycoon Adrian Cheng to List His Venture Fund in Switzerland

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 09:22

Swatch Shares Plunge as Profit Falls 70% on China Weakness

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 07:35

Interim Credit Suisse Review Blasts Finma and SNB, SZ Says

This content was published on Jul 15, 2024 – 06:00

SNB Will Cut Rate Just One More Time This Cycle, Survey Shows

This content was published on Jul 12, 2024 – 23:26

S&P 500 Rebound Leaves Big Banks Out on Earnings: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 11, 2024 – 23:49

Stock Rotation Hits Megacaps on Bets Fed Will Cut: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 11, 2024 – 16:51

European Cocoa Grinds Show Surprise Jump Despite Surging Prices

This content was published on Jul 11, 2024 – 16:02

Barry Callebaut Sinks as Cocoa Costs Drag on Chocolate Sales

This content was published on Jul 11, 2024 – 00:18

S&P 500 Tops 5,600 Mark in Longest Rally This Year: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 10, 2024 – 17:47

Greece Battles Wildfires as Heat Builds Across Mediterranean

This content was published on Jul 10, 2024 – 15:40

UBS Financial Services Banker Sam Reinhart to Join BC Partners

This content was published on Jul 10, 2024 – 12:58

Swiss Retailer Migros Taps Banks for $1 Billion Asset Sale

This content was published on Jul 10, 2024 – 10:27

Private Credit Funds Take On Wall Street’s Least Loved Label

This content was published on Jul 9, 2024 – 23:30

BofA Taps UBS’s Top Insurance Investment Banker George Matsuzaka

This content was published on Jul 9, 2024 – 22:41

S&P 500 Holds Gains as Fed Bets Steady on Powell: Markets Wrap

This content was published on Jul 9, 2024 – 17:15

Logitech Snubs Founder, Denies Request for a New Chair Vote

This content was published on Jul 8, 2024 – 22:24

S&P 500 Ekes Out Gain to Notch 35th Record in 2024: Markets Wrap

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.

Participating in democracy, a challenge for the Swiss Abroad

This content was published on Jul 12, 2024 Should the Swiss Abroad have more political influence in Switzerland? Join the discussion on “dialogue”.

two elderly people sitting on a bench in front of the sea

More and more Swiss are living abroad

This content was published on Jul 11, 2024 The population of the Swiss Abroad is growing. For OSA director Ariane Rustichelli, these figures reflect an increasingly mobile society.

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.

Three Kenyan schools in a girl are looking at the image of a world map on an iPad.

How the UN plans to connect every school to the internet by 2030

This content was published on Jul 11, 2024 Two Geneva-based UN agencies have an ambitious plan to get all schools around the world online by 2030. Project leader Alex Wong explains how they hope to do this.

Switzerland, Dada and 100 years of Surrealism

View of the exhibition "Surrealism. The Great Game", at the Lausanne Museum of Fine Arts (MCBA)

This content was published on Jun 18, 2024 Why did Dada disappear from Switzerland after it was launched in Zurich in 1916? Curator Juri Steiner sets the record straight.

The Swiss who taught Americans about direct democracy

This content was published on Jun 15, 2024 The movement for direct democracy in the United States began in Zurich. It is closely associated with the story of the Swiss socialist Karl Bürkli.

On the surface, cameras everywhere. Behind the woman taking a selfie, an army of photographers try to catch the red carpet at the festival palace. And beneath it all, the Marché du Film, where the deals are done.

Small country, deep pockets: how to make (and fund) films in Switzerland

This content was published on Jun 11, 2024 Switzerland was the ‘guest of honour’ of the Marché du Film at Cannes this year.

The traditional potato dish Rösti has become a symbol of the Swiss linguistic divide.

Oui or nein: are languages a major fault line in Swiss direct democracy?

This content was published on Jun 10, 2024 Measures to tackle rising healthcare costs won the backing of French- and Italian speaking Switzerland but failed to pass a nationwide vote.

view of snow mountain and blue sky. Location at Swiss Aletsch Glacier. Two glaciologists walking on the Glacier.

Swiss glaciers remain under threat despite huge winter snowfall

This content was published on Jun 7, 2024 Swiss glaciologist Matthias Huss on the impact of the recent huge dump of snow on Swiss glaciers and why the long-term future of the shrinking Alpine glaciers remains grim.

Should Swiss women emulate fighter pilot’s success?

This content was published on Jun 7, 2024 Switzerland’s sole female fighter aircraft pilot, Fanny Chollet, could be an inspiration for other women.

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.

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.