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 Switzerland will explore ways of making foreigners take part in military service in order to help boost flagging numbers, the Federal Council has said. https://www.thelocal.ch/20250115/switzerland-to-consider-making-women-do-military-service Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:07:28 +0100 switzerland-to-consider-making-women-do-military-service Switzerland's army has banned the use of WhatsApp whilst on duty, a spokesman confirmed Thursday, in favour of a Swiss messaging service deemed more secure in terms of data protection. https://www.thelocal.ch/20220106/swiss-army-bans-whatsapp-due-to-privacy-concerns Thu, 06 Jan 2022 14:32:14 +0100 swiss-army-bans-whatsapp-due-to-privacy-concerns Switzerland in April will start a pilot project which allows female service members to wear women’s underwear.  https://www.thelocal.ch/20210330/women-in-swiss-military-no-longer-forced-to-wear-mens-underwear Tue, 30 Mar 2021 13:50:28 +0200 women-in-swiss-military-no-longer-forced-to-wear-mens-underwear Swiss voters will go to the polls on Sunday to decide on whether to ban military exports and other war materials. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201125/everything-you-need-to-know-about-switzerlands-referendum-to-ban-military-exports Wed, 25 Nov 2020 18:41:55 +0100 everything-you-need-to-know-about-switzerlands-referendum-to-ban-military-exports Swiss army reservists have been called up once again to help do battle against one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Europe. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201109/swiss-army-on-the-front-lines-in-coronavirus-battle Mon, 09 Nov 2020 17:44:34 +0100 swiss-army-on-the-front-lines-in-coronavirus-battle For the first time ever, members of Switzerland's military were invited to march in a parade commemorating France's Bastille Day on July 14th. But some say this historic event was marred by Swiss soldiers' inability to walk in formation. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200717/not-its-finest-moment-swiss-army-is-ridiculed-for-clownish-performance Fri, 17 Jul 2020 18:09:52 +0200 not-its-finest-moment-swiss-army-is-ridiculed-for-clownish-performance For half a century after WWII ended, the Swiss army refused to decommission its carrier pigeons, even though they had long outlived their usefulness. https://www.thelocal.ch/20200221/swiss-history-pigeons-were-used-in-military-service-until-1996 Fri, 21 Feb 2020 17:51:47 +0100 swiss-history-pigeons-were-used-in-military-service-until-1996 Increasing the number of women recruits would be “beneficial” to the Swiss army, a top commander has said. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170222/swiss-army-wants-to-recruit-more-women Wed, 22 Feb 2017 12:03:50 +0100 swiss-army-wants-to-recruit-more-women Six Swiss soldiers are facing a criminal investigation after being photographed making a Nazi salute in front of a swastika drawn in the snow. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170130/swiss-soldiers-investigated-over-nazi-salute-photo Mon, 30 Jan 2017 12:02:18 +0100 swiss-soldiers-investigated-over-nazi-salute-photo The Swiss army should accept overweight people for military service, a Swiss government commission has said. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170123/swiss-military-service-fat-doesnt-mean-unfit-to-serve-says-commission Mon, 23 Jan 2017 12:15:36 +0100 swiss-military-service-fat-doesnt-mean-unfit-to-serve-says-commission Over a week since a huge forest fire broke out in the canton of Graubünden the situation is finally under control, the Swiss government said in a statement on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170105/swiss-army-helps-win-battle-against-forest-fires Thu, 05 Jan 2017 10:40:26 +0100 swiss-army-helps-win-battle-against-forest-fires Switzerland has said it is ready to mobilize up to 2,000 soldiers at border crossings should migrants continue to arrive into the country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160421/swiss-army-ready-to-act-in-worst-case-migrant-scenario Thu, 21 Apr 2016 10:26:56 +0200 swiss-army-ready-to-act-in-worst-case-migrant-scenario A 24-year-old Swiss man has been fined nearly 9,000 francs by a court in Germany for accidentally smuggling his military-issue gun across the border. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160407/swiss-army-recruit-forgets-gun-in-car Thu, 07 Apr 2016 12:44:28 +0200 swiss-army-recruit-forgets-gun-in-car Divers have discovered the wreck of a long-missing World War Two biplane at the bottom of Lake Lucerne. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160303/swiss-ww2-biplane-found-in-lake-lucerne Thu, 03 Mar 2016 12:03:47 +0100 swiss-ww2-biplane-found-in-lake-lucerne Safety concerns have been raised after a report revealed that Swiss soldiers left behind 18 firearms on trains in the first nine months of 2015. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160201/conscripts-forget-guns-on-swiss-trains-report Mon, 01 Feb 2016 11:16:11 +0100 conscripts-forget-guns-on-swiss-trains-report More than 1,200 recruits were excluded from military service in Switzerland last year because they failed to pass security checks, the Swiss Army said on Sunday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20151206/over-1200-army-recruits-fail-security-checks Sun, 06 Dec 2015 22:39:18 +0100 over-1200-army-recruits-fail-security-checks Switzerland’s defence department has ordered the reinstatement of the bicycle infantry for the Swiss Army in a bid to improve fitness standards among soldiers. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150401/swiss-army-revives-bike-infantry-to-boost-fitness Wed, 01 Apr 2015 02:01:01 +0200 swiss-army-revives-bike-infantry-to-boost-fitness A crash involving a Swiss Army troop carrier and two other vehicles on Thursday night in the canton of Schwyz left four people injured, two of them seriously, police said. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150313/army-truck-in-three-vehicle-crash-on-schwyz-road Fri, 13 Mar 2015 10:05:19 +0100 army-truck-in-three-vehicle-crash-on-schwyz-road By posting to the internet a series of videos and photos showing them engaging in fun and daring activities, Swiss soldiers have proven that working for the military can be more exciting than you might think. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150115/swiss-military Thu, 15 Jan 2015 13:03:00 +0100 swiss-military The Cold War finally came to an end in Switzerland late last year, without a bang. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150113/tons-of-tnt-finally-removed-from-swiss-sites Tue, 13 Jan 2015 10:22:00 +0100 tons-of-tnt-finally-removed-from-swiss-sites