An international eye on Swiss news collated by Peter Hulm for NuseReal
Tourism events in Switzerland — myswitzerland — (LINK)
News events in Switzerland — swissinfo — (LINK)
Loetschental, Valais: Blatten avalanche and aftermath summary (LINK)
Moving away? swissinfo's guide
August 2025
FIFA loses multi-million lawsuit against Sepp Blatter and Markus Kattner after 10-year case (LINK) 29 August 2025
— The former FIFA officials do not have to pay back their own bonuses or the bonus totalling CHF23 million ($28.7 million) paid to another FIFA official to FIFA. According to the court, the defendants were entitled to assume "in good faith" that FIFA would authorise the bonus payments that had already been made. The decision is not yet final.
Kleptomania, family feuds and Europe's tallest dam: the strange story of Jean-Luc Godard's debut film, set in the Valais (LINK) 26 August 2025
Ranked: countries with the highest wealth per person in 2025: Switzerland 1 at $678K per adult on average but 7th with $182K for median wealth (middle value of weath distribution) (LINK) 25 August 2025
Tennis icon Roger Federer becomes seventh ever billionaire athlete, Forbes says (LINK) 23 August 2025
— Federer was highest-paid tennis player for 16 straight years despite earning less in prize money than rivals Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Federer becomes tennis’ second billionaire, following Romanian player Ion Tiriac, who won the 1970 French Open men’s doubles championship and began investing after the fall of communism. Also on the list are basketball stars Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and LeBron James, as well as Milwaukee Bucks sixth man Junior Bridgeman. Tiger Woods rounds out the list and joins James as the only players to have become billionaires while still competing in their sports.
"The World of Banksy" exhibition in Valais town of Saxon, the first devoted to the street artist in French-speaking Switzerland and the second largest after New York, has closed suddenly after more than 30,000 visitors in less than a year: "Very busy with his commitments in France, its director Alil Vardar announces that he wants to concentrate on his international career" (LINK in French, paywalled) 21 August 2025
Telerama 28 April 2025: Alil Vardar accused of sexual violence and harassment by 20 women: headline — (LINK)
—In the 20 years since he wrote the play "The clan of divorcees" (Le clan des divorcées), some 1.5 million spectators have seen it in Francophone theatres.
Swiss gold shipments to US soared in July: 54 tonnes worth almost CHF4.7 billion, almost five times as much as the previous year (LINK) 21 August 2025
Swiss Aletsch glacier 'will disappear by 2100' if nothing is done, according to Legambiente, an Italian group that monitors the health of glaciers in Italy and abroad (LINK) 20 August 2025
— Between 2000 and 2023, the glacier retreated by an average of 40 metres a year, according to Glamos, the Swiss glacier monitoring network. At this rate, and without taking into account a higher level of global warming than today, the glacier will disappear in its current form by 2100, "leaving only patches of ice at the highest altitudes". A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Aletsch glacier is the second Swiss glacier to be analysed by Legambiente after the Morteratsch glacier in Graubünden, in 2023. It is now just 20 km long.
Swiss army knife maker Victorinox considers production shift to U.S. to ease U.S. tariffs (LINK) — ground.news: 10 media reports (LINK) 20 August 2025
Canton Geneva's decision to ban children who don't live in the canton from attending its schools will be challenged in court (LINK) 19 August 2025
— Around 2,500 children attend Geneva schools while living outside the canton — mainly in France: 1,000 will not be able to end their studies in Geneva. 48 families are taking the case to the constitutional court.
Switzerland’s bid to scrap 'marriage penalty' tax ignites family values row: Conservative groups push for referendum on changes designed to stop disadvantaging dual-income wedded couples (LINK limited) 18 August 2025
The pre-owned watch market is rising, as new Swiss watch sales struggle: the secondary market just recorded its best half-year performance since early 2022 (LINK) 15 August 2025
— Patek Philippe's Aquanaut and Rolex's gold Daytona were among the top performers in the secondary market. Record gold prices and the strong Swiss franc have driven up the production cost and retail price of new timepieces, and some customers have to wait months or longer for delivery.
Swiss government urges voters to back a local tax on second homes to axe imputed rent (LINK) 15 August 2025
Swiss government backs abolishing imputed rental value of accommodation in taxes (LINK) 15 August 2025
— The proposal being put to the vote in September also restricts the deductions for direct federal tax.
Destroyed Swiss village of Blatten to be rebuilt within four years: hamlets of Eisten and Weissenried should return to normality as early as 2026 and Fafleralp in 2027 (LINK) 14 August 2025
Climatological assessments by researchers such as Markus Stoffel (University of Geneva) have renewed debate around the global systemic risks posed by a potential super-eruption at several other active volcanic complexes worldwide (LINK) 15 August 2025
— Climatologist Markus Stoffel and affiliated risk researchers estimate a ~16% probability of a super-eruption occurring globally before the year 2100.
Geneva makes public transport free in emergency bid to tackle ozone pollution (LINK) 13 August 2025
— This week temperatures in Geneva soared to 37°C (98.6°F). From Wednesday, buses, trams, trains and even the city's lake boats are free to use, with ticket inspections suspended until the air quality improves. Authorities have also imposed restrictions on vehicle use, barring the most polluting cars from the city centre between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Swiss government leaves door open to construction of new nuclear power plants but Green Party is threatening to launch a referendum (LINK) 13 August 2025
Switzerland must pay more than originally planned for US F-35 fighter jets (LINK) 13 August 2025
— Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister said on Wednesday that Switzerland may cut its order of 36 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 stealth fighters after failing to push through a fixed-price deal with the US government, driving up the cost by as much as CHF1.3 billion ($1.6 billion. Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister said on Wednesday that Switzerland may cut its order of 36 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 stealth fighters after failing to push through a fixed-price deal with the US government, driving up the cost by as much as CHF1.3 billion ($1.6 billion). Keystone. The fixed price of CHF6 billion for the jets, which has repeatedly been communicated by the Federal Council, is therefore no longer valid.
Switzerland follows the EU with new sanctions against Russian oil (LINK) 12 August 2025
— A total of 14 new individuals and 41 new companies and entities are now subject to the sanctions, the Federal Department of Economic Affairs said. In addition, 105 new vessels are subject to extensive bans on buying and selling, as well as on using maritime services. In addition, the ceiling price for Russian crude oil has been lowered to $47.60.
Iranian film director Mohammad Rasoulof receives first Locarno City of Peace Award intended to honour figures from the cultural world who have distinguished themselves in the promotion of peace, diplomacy and dialogue between peoples (LINK) 12 August 2025
— Last year, the director was sentenced in Iran to eight years in prison and flogging. Shortly before his arrest, he managed to flee the country. With films such as There Is No Evil (Golden Bear at the Berlinale) and The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Special Jury Prize at Cannes 2024 and presented on the Piazza Grande at Locarno77), Rasoulof has succeeded in combining formal rigour and civil commitment, the organisers said.
Geneva and Neuchâtel to roll out cash-rebate schemes to lure filmmakers (LINK) 12 August 2025
s— Geneva has launched a film commission and will instigate a 30% rebate in 2026, whilst Neuchâtel is testing a pilot scheme offering up to 15% back on local spend
Swiss pilot surpasses solar-powered plane altitude record in electric plane: 9521m (LINK) 12 August 2025
— The SolarStratos plane made the landmark flight from Sion airport in southwest Switzerland on Tuesday, taking advantage of warm air thermals to go beyond the record that has stood for 15 years.
Gold will not be subject to tariffs, says Trump (LINK) 11 August 2025
— On Monday, the gold price — at an overall high level — came under pressure when it became clear that the US had not imposed tariffs on gold imports after all. The price of the precious metal temporarily fell by about $50 per ounce. The White House plans to issue an executive order in the near future to clarify misinformation about the taxation of gold bullion, in particular. A customs document dated July 31 that was made public on Friday (8 August) indicated that one-kilo and 100-ounce gold bars would be subject to customs duties. This was in fact "false information", Bloomberg later reported, based on a statement by an official who requested anonymity. For Switzerland, a major gold refining centre, a tax on gold would represent a further blow after Switzerland was hit on Thursday with heavy tariffs of 39% on its products entering the United States. The Swiss Association of Manufacturers and Traders in Precious Metals (ASFCMP) said on 8 August that a tax on gold "would make its export to the United States economically unviable".
Swiss hospitals faced CHF750 million loss in 2024 (LINK) 11 August 2025
— Despite an increase in turnover and fee increases, more than half of the service providers posted negative operating results after deducting depreciation.
Greenpeace air sampling in Geneva finds microplastics in urban air(LINK PDF)11 August 2025
— Key findings include: 12 confirmed microplastic particles. Microplastics in the form of both fibres and fragments are present in urban air in Geneva, at quantities that are consistent with other studies, with six fragments (plus two tentative) and six fibres (plus one tentative) found in the f iltered air (1.7m3). The microplastics made up a small proportion of more than 150 particles in total, which were mainly of unidentified origin for the fragments, or cellulose based for the fibres (either of natural origin or modified through an industrial process). The types of polymers found in the microplastics were mainly polyester for the fibres, as well as nylon and another polyamide, all of which could have come from clothing or furnishings, while the fragments were made from a variety of polymers. Microplastic contamination is widespread in urban environments. This suggests that people are breathing in plastics every day, as a result of the huge scale of plastic being made and thrown away, which is creating an ecological and health crisis. It shows that once released into the environment microplastics can't be controlled and we can all be exposed to these invisible contaminants.
Swiss backlash over Alpine holiday congestion (LINK) 10 August 2025
The Swiss economy owes its growth largely to increase in population, through growth in areas such as retail or healthcare: an average of 1.5% per year in recent years (more than three-quarters of employment growth). Other employment grew by only 0.8% (LINK) 10 August 2025
— Switzerland is the most competitive country in the world. This is the conclusion of the Lausanne economic institute IMD. Compared to 68 other national economies, the Confederation stands out mainly for its political stability and cutting-edge infrastructure. However, per capita wealth has declined slightly in recent years. Zurich benefits from the service sector. The Lake Geneva region is resisting deindustrialization. Rolle-Saint-Prex has become a pharmaceutical site which, with research and development, represents the majority of growth. Nyon and Renens-Ecublens are developing through a combination of cutting-edge industries (medical technology and machine and equipment construction) and high-knowledge services.
Nidwalden set to be hardest-hit Swiss canton by US tariffs: 47% of its exports are U.S.-bound: region's biggest employer is aircraft manufacturer Pilatus, which in Stans employs almost 3,000 people (LINK) 8 August 2025
— In second place in the ranking (which also takes gold exports into account) of the hardest-hit cantons is Neuchâtel (25% of its exports go to the US), largely due to its watch industry. Aargau (23%), Valais (21%) and Vaud (21%) follow. Least impacted are the central Swiss cantons of Schwyz (6%) and Uri (1%), the newspaper Blick writes.
Funding crisis fears grow after gold market 'upended' on report of US tariffs on Swiss bullion (LINK) 8 August 2025
— As Switzerland refines 90% of gold sourced from industrial mines, gold is set to become significantly more expensive in the US than in the international market. As a reminder, the global trade flow for bullion is normally triangular: large gold bars travel between London and New York, via Switzerland, where they are recast into different sizes. February: "Currently, [US gold stocks] are valued at just $42 an ounce in national accounts. But knowledgeable observers reckon that if these were marked at current values — $2,800 an ounce — this could inject $800bn into the Treasury General Account, via a repurchase agreement. That might reduce the need to issue quite so many Treasury bonds this year". Things have accelerated a little since then: if we assume the 39% tariff that applies to Swiss goods, then gold is currently worth $4726 (1.39 x $3400)... which implies a $1.235 Trillion bump for the US Treasury.
Trump tariffs: Did Swiss gold refiners fuel the crisis? Their outsize role in gold refining is distorting trade data. (LINK) 8 August 2025
— The Trump administration has counted the billions of dollars of gold that passes through Switzerland every year in its tariff calculation. On the face of it, the Swiss make a fortune from refining gold from Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. More than 2,000 tons of gold are imported annually, much of it from intermediary banks in London, New York and elsewhere, and later reexported. Despite being the world's largest gold refining hub, Switzerland's gold sector is tiny, with just five major refiners employing around 1,500 people.
— The 39% tariff, which took effect on Thursday, hits luxury and consumer goods hardest, with watches, skin care and cosmetics products, precision instruments and chocolate expected to face large price rises in the US. Around 18% of Swiss exports crossed the Atlantic to the U.S. last year. Swiss products will soon be uncompetitive for US consumers versus similar goods produced in the EU or Britain, which clinched a 10% tariff deal.The Swiss National Bank (SNB) has argued that gold should be excluded from Washington's tariff calculation since refiners earn just a small fee for processing the metal. But on Thursday, the Financial Times (FT) reported that the US has imposed tariffs on one-kilo gold bars, citing a letter from US customs authorities.
In depth: the bottled water scandal gripping France (LINK) 8 August 2025
— Nestlé's Perrier bottling plant is still next to the water's original source at Vergèze. The focus for the last year has been on a new brand: Maison Perrier. These energy and flavoured drinks are proving highly successful in France and around the world. The advantage for Perrier is that the new beverages do not claim to be "natural mineral water". They can be treated and filtered without difficulty. Source Perrier natural mineral waterno longer has the ultra-fine (0.2 micron) microfiltration, and now uses a 0.45 micron system which has been agreed with government. It has applied for "natural mineral water" status for just two out of the five drilling wells it was using for Perrier mineral water. A decision is due later this year.
Guardian long read: The landslide in Switzerland's Maggia valley in June 2024 (LINK) 5 August 2025
Swiss president under fire after Trump call leads to US tariffs shock: Karin Keller-Sutter accused of mishandling phone talk with White House as shares dive after Switzerland hit with 39% tariff: cabinet said after an emergency meeting it would improve its offer to Trump (LINK) 4 August 2025
— Local media had reported that after three months of talks, negotiators believed they had secured a 10% tariff on exports to the US, a key market for Swiss products such as luxury watches, jewellery and chocolate but also machinery and pharmaceuticals. But after a 30-minute call with Keller-Sutter on Thursday evening variously described as "bad-tempered", "disastrous" and "badly misjudged", Trump imposed a levy even higher than the 31% he had announced on his so-called "liberation day" in April.
UBS settles Credit Suisse legacy case in the US concerning so-called mortgage-backed securities: will pay $300 million (LINK) 4 August 2025
Pre-owned Rolex prices have soared 550% in 15 years (LINK) 4 August 2025
Confusion and anger in Switzerland — hit by highest US tariffs in Europe: 39% (LINK) 3 August 2025
Rapid Swiss glacier ice loss after weak winter snowfall (LINK) 2 August 2025
— Glacier Loss Day — marked every year by researchers in Switzerland — represents the point when a glacier has melted away all the snow and ice it gained during the winter. Depending on the glacier, it has arrived as early as late June or early July this year.
Swiss to launch open source Large Language Model under the Swiss AI Initiative pooling resources from over 10 Swiss institutions (LINK) 1 August 2025
Buying a Swiss watch in America is about to get a lot more expensive (LINK) 1 August 2025
Volunteers clean up shores of Geneva lake as plastic waste tops 100 tons a year (LINK) 1 August 2025
July 2025
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