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 Forty new Swiss Guards were sworn in at the Vatican on Saturday, the latest halberd-clutching soldiers of the pope to serve a tradition stretching back 500 years. https://www.thelocal.ch/20170507/swiss-guards-loyal-soldiers-of-the-pope-take-the-oath Sun, 07 May 2017 14:21:44 +0200 swiss-guards-loyal-soldiers-of-the-pope-take-the-oath A top Swiss court on Monday rejected an appeal by the Vatican's bank to keep secret information from one of its Swiss bank accounts suspected of being used for fraud. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150126/vatican-foiled-over-bid-to-keep-bank-data-secret Mon, 26 Jan 2015 19:45:00 +0100 vatican-foiled-over-bid-to-keep-bank-data-secret Although better known today for their colourful uniforms than their centuries-old reputation as fearless warriors, the Swiss Guards remain a powerful symbol of the Vatican. The Local speaks to David Geisser, one of the latest recruits, about a career protecting popes.
 https://www.thelocal.ch/20141219/swiss-have-unique-job-guarding-the-pope Fri, 19 Dec 2014 12:03:00 +0100 swiss-have-unique-job-guarding-the-pope A Geneva-based UN anti-torture watchdog on Monday began a two-day grilling of the Vatican over its efforts to stamp out child sex abuse by priests. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140505/vatican-faces-new-un-grilling-over-sex-abuse Mon, 05 May 2014 16:16:00 +0200 vatican-faces-new-un-grilling-over-sex-abuse A UN committee in Geneva denounced the Vatican on Wednesday for failing to stamp out systematic child abuse and called on the Church to remove all clergy suspected of raping or molesting children. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140205/vatican-slammed-over-child-abuse-failures Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:20:00 +0100 vatican-slammed-over-child-abuse-failures The Vatican was on Thursday pushed for the first time to provide answers to the United Nations in Geneva over its commitment to stamp out child sex abuse by priests. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140117/un-calls-vatican-to-account-for-child-abuse Fri, 17 Jan 2014 12:00:00 +0100 un-calls-vatican-to-account-for-child-abuse A former member of the Swiss Guard, the force responsible for the pope's safety, alleges that he was solicited for gay sex by cardinals, bishops, priests and other officials in the Vatican several years ago, a report published on Sunday says. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140105/vatican-riddled-with-gays-former-swiss-guard Mon, 06 Jan 2014 00:12:00 +0100 vatican-riddled-with-gays-former-swiss-guard The Vatican's "gay lobby" was back in the headlines on Friday after the alleged exposure of a homosexual prelate appointed by Pope Francis to a key position at the Vatican bank. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130721/prelates-gay-romance-with-swiss-guard-shocks-vatican Sun, 21 Jul 2013 13:02:00 +0200 prelates-gay-romance-with-swiss-guard-shocks-vatican A team of Swiss paramedics are heading to Rome to provide training for the Swiss Vatican Guard – the pope’s private army. https://www.thelocal.ch/20130305/swiss-paramedics-to-give-first-aid-training-to-vatican-guards Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:08:00 +0100 swiss-paramedics-to-give-first-aid-training-to-vatican-guards