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 After some delays due to logistics, Switzerland’s first national telephone number for victims of domestic abuse - 142 – has gone live on May 1st. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260501/142-what-you-should-know-about-switzerlands-new-domestic-violence-hotline Fri, 01 May 2026 12:48:11 +0200 142-what-you-should-know-about-switzerlands-new-domestic-violence-hotline Switzerland's Federal Criminal Court on Tuesday dismissed a money laundering case against Gulnara Karimova, the daughter of Uzbekistan's former president, who has been incarcerated in her home country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260429/swiss-court-dismisses-corruption-case-against-late-uzbek-leaders-daughter Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:08:20 +0200 swiss-court-dismisses-corruption-case-against-late-uzbek-leaders-daughter Ryanair, Transavia, Volotea and other low-cost airlines are feeling the financial pain from high jet fuel prices as a result of the Middle East war and are cutting flights. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260428/budget-airlines-first-to-cut-flights-as-jet-fuel-prices-soar Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:39:16 +0200 budget-airlines-first-to-cut-flights-as-jet-fuel-prices-soar The Eurovision Song Contest is famous for celebrating everything from cross-dressing ballad singers to heavy metal bands in monster masks, but geopolitics is threatening its 70th anniversary edition. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260426/geopolitics-threatens-70th-anniversary-of-eurovision Sun, 26 Apr 2026 13:03:11 +0200 geopolitics-threatens-70th-anniversary-of-eurovision Switzerland said Friday it had begun sending staff back to Tehran and would gradually reopen its embassy, enabling it to continue as a facilitator for diplomatic contacts between Washington and Tehran. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260425/key-go-between-switzerland-to-reopen-embassy-in-iran Sat, 25 Apr 2026 09:54:25 +0200 key-go-between-switzerland-to-reopen-embassy-in-iran Booking the cheapest fares with Swiss airlines soon means packing lighter. The new ‘Basic’ ticket changes what counts as included baggage https://www.thelocal.ch/20260424/why-swiss-travellers-will-have-to-pay-extra-for-carry-on-under-lufthansa-groups-new-fares Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:27:13 +0200 why-swiss-travellers-will-have-to-pay-extra-for-carry-on-under-lufthansa-groups-new-fares Even though it is scaling down on its own operations, SWISS will help maintain Lufthansa’s flights after the German carrier announced thousands of cancellations due to the fuel crisis. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260423/swiss-airline-steps-in-to-help-lufthansa-operate-more-flights Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:23:41 +0200 swiss-airline-steps-in-to-help-lufthansa-operate-more-flights Salaries in Switzerland went up in 2025, but disparities exist among sectors, a new government study reveals. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260421/which-swiss-job-sectors-have-seen-the-highest-wage-increases Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:57:26 +0200 which-swiss-job-sectors-have-seen-the-highest-wage-increases Popular flight routes around Europe are almost impossible for passengers to book by train because of a "stone age" ticketing system, a new report has found as the EU is set to unveil plans for it single ticket system. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260421/stone-age-ticket-system-preventing-travellers-in-europe-from-taking-trains Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:50:54 +0200 stone-age-ticket-system-preventing-travellers-in-europe-from-taking-trains Reigning Swiss champions, Basel football club (FCB) has rejected an approach about staging a Kanye West concert at their St. Jakob-Park arena. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260421/swiss-football-club-turns-down-kanye-west-concert-over-antisemitic-comments Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:04:24 +0200 swiss-football-club-turns-down-kanye-west-concert-over-antisemitic-comments Switzerland has been pretty lax concerning the use of helmets for electric scooter riders, but the move to change this is now under way. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260420/switzerland-could-make-helmets-mandatory-for-e-scooters Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:51:43 +0200 switzerland-could-make-helmets-mandatory-for-e-scooters Whether its work permits, health insurance or buying property we'd like to hear from readers about what the main problems are in 2026 for international residents living in Switzerland. Please take part in our one minute survey. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260416/tell-us-what-are-the-chief-problems-facing-foreign-residents-in-switzerland Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:34:36 +0200 tell-us-what-are-the-chief-problems-facing-foreign-residents-in-switzerland After the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28th, Swiss petrol prices have risen sharply. But the conflict is impacting mortgage rates in Switzerland as well. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260420/how-war-in-middle-east-is-causing-swiss-mortgage-rates-to-soar Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:31:11 +0200 how-war-in-middle-east-is-causing-swiss-mortgage-rates-to-soar The head of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Friday called on authorities to put "well-coordinated plans in place" in the event of jet-fuel rationing due to the Middle East war. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260418/airlines-fear-jet-fuel-rationing-due-to-mideast-war Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:14:22 +0200 airlines-fear-jet-fuel-rationing-due-to-mideast-war Switzerland’s Edelweiss airline is eliminating flights to two US destinations from its summer schedule, citing ‘geopolitical’ reasons. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260416/edelweiss-airline-scraps-some-flights-between-switzerland-and-the-united-states Thu, 16 Apr 2026 12:42:11 +0200 edelweiss-airline-scraps-some-flights-between-switzerland-and-the-united-states Four more current and former officials are now under criminal investigation in the probe into Switzerland's Crans-Montana fire disaster that killed 41 people and injured 115 others. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260417/four-more-officials-are-charged-in-swiss-fire-probe Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:59:01 +0200 four-more-officials-are-charged-in-swiss-fire-probe The Middle East war has plunged Swiss watchmakers into uncertainty, testing the resilience of an iconic national industry already shaken by several crises. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260416/swiss-watchmakers-uncertain-of-effects-of-mideast-conflict-on-their-trade Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:05:30 +0200 swiss-watchmakers-uncertain-of-effects-of-mideast-conflict-on-their-trade Between April 15th and May 20th, 2026, Basel EuroAirport will be renovating its main runway, causing all but one of its airlines to cancel their flights during this time. https://www.thelocal.ch/20251215/basel-airport-flights-to-be-hit-in-spring-2026-with-only-one-airline-to-operate Mon, 15 Dec 2025 17:00:53 +0100 basel-airport-flights-to-be-hit-in-spring-2026-with-only-one-airline-to-operate The European Commission said on Tuesday it fears Europe could face jet fuel supply issues "in the near future" with no end in sight to the Iran war that's hit global energy markets. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260414/europe-could-face-jet-fuel-supply-issues-in-near-future Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:57:47 +0200 europe-could-face-jet-fuel-supply-issues-in-near-future American fast-food chain McDonald’s is set on expanding its operations in Switzerland, but not everyone is happy about its plans for a new Zurich location - including British actress Emma Thompson. https://www.thelocal.ch/20260414/oscar-winning-british-actress-joins-fight-against-new-mcdonalds-in-zurich Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:30:38 +0200 oscar-winning-british-actress-joins-fight-against-new-mcdonalds-in-zurich