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The Local - Switzerland's News in English

Novartis drug firm faces Turkey bribe probe
A building at Novartis's campus in Basel, Switzerland. Photo: Novartis

Did the Swiss drug firm bribe Turkish health ministry officials?

April Fool!
April Fools' Day: Did The Local manage to trick you?
These chaps clearly found our April Fools' stories hilarious.

Alright, we confess: not everything you read on The Local this morning met our usual standards of accuracy.

Boules habit blows cover of Swiss fugitive in France
Photo: Soren Oxenhave

A Swiss man on the run for two years has been caught playing pétanque in the south of France.

Swiss submit Basel Fasnacht to Unesco list
Fasnacht is Switzerland's biggest carnival. Photo: Christof Sonderegger/Switzerland Tourism

Basel’s famous Fasnacht carnival could feature on the Unesco intangible cultural heritage list.

April Fool's Day
‘Cheese test’ for foreigners to go to public vote
The exam would quiz foreigners on how to make a fondue. Photo: Pedro Cerqueira

Migrants to Switzerland could be forced to take an exam on Swiss cheeses if a popular initiative is approved in a referendum in June.

Vegan loses appeal against Swiss military service veto
Photo: Antoni Da Campo

A 19-year-old vegan deemed unfit for military service slams decision as “discriminatory and arbitrary”.

Swiss fairs slammed for poor treatment of animals
Rabbit shows were among those visited by the PSA. Photo: Hans Splinter

Animals exhibited at fairs in Switzerland are often not treated properly, says the Swiss animal protection body.

Electric razor causes Basel border point evacuation
Photo: Karlis Dambrans

Huge disruption and traffic jams caused at a Swiss border crossing by an electric shaver that turned itself on in a bag.

Swiss firm reports dip in global disaster bill
The earthquake in Nepal cost $6 billion. Photo: Prakash Mathema/AFP

Natural and man-made disasters cost $92 billion in 2015 says Swiss reinsurer Swiss Re.

Refugee crisis
Geneva UN meet aims to tackle refugee crisis
Ban Ki-Moon opens the conference in Geneva. Photo Fabrice Coffrini/AFP

UN chief Ban Ki-moon opens a conference in Geneva on securing resettlement places for nearly half a million refugees.

Features
How Switzerland shaped London's youngest hotelier
Olivia Byrne stands outside her London hotel.

“Switzerland is just the best place to grow up.”

The Local List
Eight reasons Swiss-French is better than French-French
Photo: Dylan Cantwell

As Switzerland kicks off its 21st annual French-language week, The Local finds plenty of reasons to celebrate Swiss-French.

Brexit
Why these Brits in Switzerland are worried about Brexit
Photo: Justus Blumer

With the Brexit referendum looming, The Local spoke to Brits in Switzerland about what they want for their native land.

Record numbers join Swiss craft beer boom
La Nebuleuse has expanded quickly since launching two years ago. Photo: Caroline Bishop

With around 140 new microbreweries launched in the last two years alone, Switzerland now has more craft beer brewers than ever before. The Local’s Caroline Bishop finds out why.

Expat workers ride bumpy Swiss job market
Some companies are cutting jobs while others struggle to fill positions. Photo: Alan Clark

Rising unemployment and immigration concerns are balanced by job growth and a skills shortage, finds The Local’s Morven McLean.

More news
Family searches for missing US speedflyer in Swiss Alps
Harrison Fast (not pictured) was speedflying when he went mising. Photo: Ludovic Peron/File

The family of the 28-year-old American has launched a private search after the official rescue operation was called off.

Thieves leave the cars but steal their parts
Photo: Tobias Fidelis

Trio stole parts from BMW cars worth 70,000 francs ($73,000).

Woman jailed for spiking love rival's whisky with acid
The accused took advantage of the victim's dependence on alcohol. Photo: Phil Long

A woman who tried to kill her lover’s wife by poisoning her drink with hydrochloric acid has been convicted of attempted murder.

Arrests made over latest Swiss cocaine seizure
The raids took place in Biel/Bienne. Photo: Patrick Nouhailler/File

Police seize over four kilos of cocaine in two raids in Biel/Bienne.

Backcountry skiers die in weekend avalanches
Mount Titlis, the scene of one fatal accident. Photo: Caroline Bishop

Several people lost their lives in the mountains over the Easter weekend, many whilst ski-touring.

Read older articles »

From our other editions
Further Nazi allegations made against Austrian extremist
Abdurrahman A.

An Austrian photographed making a fascist Islamic salute in a concentration camp has now been accused of circulating Nazi propaganda.

WATCH: The video Turkey wants banned from Germany
"It may be in German, but I can tell they aren't saying nice things." Photo: DPA

Unfortunately for the Turkish President, the German government doesn't control the media.

April Fools' Day
Denmark banned from global ranking lists
International media will no longer be able to run a photo of Nyhavn atop every global ranking article. Photo: Colourbox

"Other countries should get a chance," the agency behind a long line of 'best of' lists said.

Fit for a king? Spain's Palace publishes list of royal gifts
Photo: AFP

Just what do you buy for the man who has everything?

Sponsored Article
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Politics
Automatic expulsion of criminal foreigners rejected at the ballot box
Sponsored Article
9 money management tips for expats
National
UK's Duchess of York seeks to become resident of Verbier
National
City of Geneva to translate information into English
National
Female guard at prison near Zurich 'helped Syrian flee jail'
National
Swiss residential real estate 'bubble risk' continues to rise
Culture
Temporary wood opera house opens near United Nations in Geneva
National
Internet video of elderly Swiss hikers falling off seesaw sparks buzz
National
'World's best chef' commits suicide in village near Lausanne
Features
Zurich celebrates centennial of quirky Dada artistic movement
Education
Children in village school told to speak German or pay 'penalty'
Features
Swiss provide multiple resources to support 'sexy' startup trend
National
Swiss citizens to vote this summer on guaranteed income for all
Culture
Geneva authorities back art museum expansion with Jean Nouvel design
National
Luxury hotel conversion in Vevey runs into financial trouble
National
World Economic Forum: Davos soldiers test positive for cocaine use
Switzerland had secret 'peace deal' with PLO to prevent attacks
Technology
VIDEO: Drone takes you to the heart of a Swiss glacier
Business & Money
Leonardo DiCaprio in Davos slams 'greed' of fossil-fuel industry
National
Miniature scale model of city of Geneva goes on public display
International
Politician and ex-head of Swiss Post among dead in Burkina Faso attack
National
Revealed: Swiss authorities strip refugees of cash and valuables
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