Latest Switzerland government News

Swiss villagers pack up for evacuation over fears of another rockslide

Nov. 13, 2024 23:09 PM EST

GENEVA (AP) — Families in a tiny Swiss village were packing up Wednesday after authorities issued an evacuation order with a weekend deadline because of the threat of a possible rockslide from an Alpine mountainside overhead. Authorities in charge of the eastern village of Brienz...

Garrett Motion: Q3 Earnings Snapshot

Oct. 24, 2024 07:05 AM EDT

ROLLE, Switzerland (AP) — ROLLE, Switzerland (AP) — Garrett Motion Inc. (GTX) on Thursday reported profit of $52 million in its third quarter. On a per-share basis, the Rolle, Switzerland-based company said it had profit of 24 cents. The maker of vehicle...

Switzerland to close 9 centers for asylum-seekers as fewer people arrive than expected

Oct. 22, 2024 07:08 AM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — Swiss authorities said Tuesday they will shut nine temporary centers for asylum-seekers because the number of people seeking asylum recently has been below expectations. Switzerland has been building up refugee accommodation since 2022, putting in place 36 centers for...

US laments 'disappointing' Swiss decision not to fully adopt latest EU sanctions against Russia

Oct. 18, 2024 12:46 PM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — The United States is expressing disappointment over a decision by the Swiss government not to adopt all measures in the latest round of European Union sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. Amb. Scott Miller, the top U.S. envoy in the Swiss capital,...

Bathroom break at work? Swiss court upholds watchmaker's rule to do it on your own time

Oct. 09, 2024 13:02 PM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — A court in Switzerland — where time is money for its famed watchmaking industry — has ruled that a dial manufacturer was justified in telling workers: If you need a bathroom break, clock out and take it on your own time. An investigative report by public...

Advocacy groups suspend use of 'suicide capsule' pending Swiss criminal probe of woman's death

Oct. 06, 2024 15:44 PM EDT

Advocacy groups behind a so-called suicide capsule said Sunday they have suspended the process of taking applications to use it — which numbered over 370 last month — as a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland is completed. The president of Switzerland-based...

Swiss police detain several people in connection with suspected death in a 'suicide capsule'

Sep. 24, 2024 12:20 PM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — Police in northern Switzerland said Tuesday that several people have been detained and a criminal case opened in connection with the suspected death of a person in a “suicide capsule.” The “Sarco” capsule, which has never been used before, is presumably...

Prosecutors probe allegations of fake voter rolls in Switzerland's vaunted direct democracy

Sep. 03, 2024 14:37 PM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — Swiss federal prosecutors said Tuesday they have ordered house searches and interrogations as part of an investigation into possible electoral fraud after an advocacy group unearthed thousands of fake signatures on voter rolls. The allegation that malfeasance that...

Swiss city of Basel is chosen to host next year's Eurovision Song Contest

Aug. 30, 2024 07:45 AM EDT

GENEVA (AP) — The Swiss city of Basel will host next year's Eurovision Song Contest from May 13 to 17, organizers announced Friday. The mostly German-speaking city on the Rhine River bordering both France and Germany was selected over Geneva in a faceoff that generated buzz and...

A Swiss citizen has been arrested in Burkina Faso, Switzerland's foreign ministry says

Aug. 28, 2024 10:15 AM EDT

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A Swiss citizen has been arrested in Burkina Faso, Swiss authorities said on Wednesday, as the West African nation governed by a military junta continues to sever its ties with the West. The citizen's identity was not immediately released. The Swiss foreign...