https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The Swiss Air Force is scrapping ten of its F-5 Tiger fighter planes after cracks were discovered in the bodies of the aircraft, the federal defence department said on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150415/cracks-force-air-force-to-scrap-ten-planes Wed, 15 Apr 2015 12:58:53 +0200 cracks-force-air-force-to-scrap-ten-planes American company Textron Airland is bidding to sell its “budget” Scorpion jets to the Swiss government at one-seventh the cost of Swedish Gripen fighter planes turned down by voters in Switzerland this month. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140527/us-firm-pitches-budget-jets-to-swiss Tue, 27 May 2014 12:18:00 +0200 us-firm-pitches-budget-jets-to-swiss The Swiss allowed a multi-billion-dollar deal to buy fighter jets from Sweden to crash and burn Sunday, when a majority turned out to nix funding for the purchase. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140518/swiss-shoot-down-swedish-fighter-jet-deal Sun, 18 May 2014 20:41:00 +0200 swiss-shoot-down-swedish-fighter-jet-deal Swiss citizens are expected to reject a referendum this weekend on whether to introduce the world's highest minimum wage, that would offer each and every worker at least $25 an hour. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140513/voters-expected-to-reject-gripen-fighter-deal Tue, 13 May 2014 20:42:00 +0200 voters-expected-to-reject-gripen-fighter-deal Sweden appointed a new ambassador to Switzerland Wednesday, a day after a media report that the current envoy lobbied Swiss parliamentarians to promote the sale of Swedish fighter jets. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140430/new-swede-named-to-bern-amid-gripen-flap Wed, 30 Apr 2014 23:30:00 +0200 new-swede-named-to-bern-amid-gripen-flap Swiss Defence Minister Ueli Maurer is under attack for repeatedly making sexist comments in a gag used to promote the planned purchase of Swedish Gripen fighter jets by the state. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140428/defence-minister-lambasted-for-sexist-speeches Tue, 29 Apr 2014 00:54:00 +0200 defence-minister-lambasted-for-sexist-speeches Switzerland's voters could sink a decade of negotiations and evaluations when they go to the polls to vote on a multi-billion deal to buy fighter jets from Sweden. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140427/swiss-keep-swedish-fighter-deal-up-in-the-air Sun, 27 Apr 2014 11:29:33 +0200 swiss-keep-swedish-fighter-deal-up-in-the-air Swiss voters are set to sink a massive defence deal with Swedish firm Saab to buy 22 fighter planes, an opinion poll showed Friday ahead of a referendum next month. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140412/swiss-voters-set-to-sink-swedish-jet-fighter-deal Sat, 12 Apr 2014 12:36:00 +0200 swiss-voters-set-to-sink-swedish-jet-fighter-deal A key Swiss defence deal with Sweden to buy 22 fighter aircraft could cost three times more than the government claims, opponents said on Monday, ahead of a referendum on the plan. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140331/opponents-charge-gripen-jets-cost-could-triple-2 Mon, 31 Mar 2014 22:31:00 +0200 opponents-charge-gripen-jets-cost-could-triple-2 Ahead of a Swiss referendum on the country's plan to buy 22 fighter jets from Sweden, a report on Sunday raised concerns that a US-made communication system onboard could be used for spying. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140330/spying-fears-plague-swiss-fighter-deal-report Sun, 30 Mar 2014 23:24:00 +0200 spying-fears-plague-swiss-fighter-deal-report A narrow majority of Swiss voters approve an initiative to establish a minimum wage of 4,000 francs ($4,580) a month, according to the results of a new survey released on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140316/voters-back-swiss-minimum-wage-initiative-poll Mon, 17 Mar 2014 00:49:00 +0100 voters-back-swiss-minimum-wage-initiative-poll The Swedish government has been blamed for "interfering" too much in the referendum on the purchase of Gripen jets in Switzerland, causing the Christian Democrats to pledge to withdraw support for leading the yes campaign. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140216/swiss-party-tells-sweden-to-butt-out-over-gripen Sun, 16 Feb 2014 14:49:00 +0100 swiss-party-tells-sweden-to-butt-out-over-gripen Sweden developed a secret action plan to influence a referendum in Switzerland on the purchase of 22 new Jas Gripen fighter jets after Swiss Defence Minister Ueli Maurer asked the Swedes for help, according to media reports from Stockholm. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140212/sweden-has-secret-plan-to-tip-swiss-gripen-vote Wed, 12 Feb 2014 09:38:00 +0100 sweden-has-secret-plan-to-tip-swiss-gripen-vote Swedish defence contractor Saab has been slammed over claims of attempting to influence a referendum in Switzerland that could determine whether or not the Swiss air force purchases 22 new Jas Gripen fighter jets. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140122/swiss-fury-over-saab-meddling-in-gripen-vote-2 Wed, 22 Jan 2014 10:20:00 +0100 swiss-fury-over-saab-meddling-in-gripen-vote-2 The Swiss public could vote as early as May on a deal to buy 22 fighter planes from Sweden after opponents on Tuesday submitted over 100,000 signatures seeking a referendum. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140114/referendum-looms-on-gripen-fighter-plane-deal Tue, 14 Jan 2014 19:13:00 +0100 referendum-looms-on-gripen-fighter-plane-deal UPDATED: Fire fighters on Thursday recovered the bodies of two crew members who died when a Swiss army fighter jet crashed a day earlier in the canton of Obwalden. https://www.thelocal.ch/20131024/swiss-fighter-jet-crash-crew-found-dead Thu, 24 Oct 2013 19:56:00 +0200 swiss-fighter-jet-crash-crew-found-dead Left-wing groups on Tuesday officially launched a referendum against the Swiss government’s plan to buy 22 Swedish Gripen fighter planes at a cost of 3.13 billion francs ($3.46 billion). https://www.thelocal.ch/20131008/referendum-campaign-opposes-gripen-combat-jets Wed, 09 Oct 2013 00:55:00 +0200 referendum-campaign-opposes-gripen-combat-jets The lower house of the Swiss parliament gave its blessing on Wednesday to a controversial deal to purchase 22 Swedish fighter jets but hurdles remain before the deal can be finalized. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130911/mps-back-gripen-fighter-jets Wed, 11 Sep 2013 15:56:00 +0200 mps-back-gripen-fighter-jets A majority of Swiss remain opposed to the government’s planned acquisition of Swedish Saab Gripen fighter jets at a cost of 3.1 billion francs. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130908/swiss-remain-against-gripen-fighter-jets-poll Sun, 08 Sep 2013 23:04:00 +0200 swiss-remain-against-gripen-fighter-jets-poll Switzerland's purchase of 22 Swedish fighter jets hit yet another snag on Tuesday as the Swiss parliament suspended funding discussions amid reports that EADS was trying to undercut the deal by offering used fighters at half-price. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130409/swedish-fighter-jet-order-hits-new-snag Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:53:00 +0200 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