Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Social media post about fatal shooting in Zurich; worst roads to be stuck on in Geneva; and more Swiss news in our roundup on Tuesday.
MPs reach agreement on taxing teleworking cross-border workers
Cross-border employees who telework for a Swiss employer while located in their home country must be taxed in Switzerland, the same way as their counterparts who work on-site, the National Council decided.
The deputies accepted on Monday a proposal from the Federal Council, which aims to create the legal basis for taxing this category of G-permit holders.
The move is intended to ensure that cantons where companies employing these ‘remote’ cross-border workers are located, can benefit from the tax revenue that would be due to them if these employees actually commuted to, and worked in, Switzerland.
Out of approximately 400,000 border workers in Switzerland, only a small percentage work from home, but that means their taxes are collected by their home countries.
Was a murder really committed at Zurich’s train station?
A post circulating on social media reported a recent fatal shooting at Zurich's central station.
The video shows an ambulance and the alleged murder scene being roped off, with the text, “They say Switzerland is safe, but someone was just shot and killed at Zurich HB.”
The video and message elicited hundreds of comments, with users expressing shock at this rare (for Switzerland) occurrence.
However, it turns out that this is an unfortunate example of ‘fake news,’ with Zurich police confirming the report is untrue.
The post’s authors, who remain unknown, likely used a random photo taken from another source to perpetrate this lie, police said.
Switzerland plays an ‘important role’ as a US-Iran intermediary
Neutral Switzerland has been representing US interests in Iran since Washington broke off relations with Tehran in 1980.
Since that time, Switzerland has been helping the two adversaries maintain a minimum of diplomatic and consular relations.
But though Swiss authorities have not divulged what exactly their diplomats have accomplished in the context of the current conflict between Iran and Israel, the AFP reported that “US and Iranian officials alluded to the important role Switzerland was playing as an intermediary."
READ ALSO: Vital Swiss role as US-Iran go-between, as tensions soar
Geneva’s most congested roads revealed
Anyone who lives in the city or canton of Geneva, knows that the traffic there is a major hassle, with motorists spending an average of 69 hours each year stuck in bottlenecks.
However, road congestion is worse in certain neighbourhoods more than in others.
According to a report by the cantonal Transport Office, two areas are most affected.
One is the area around the Cornavin central train station, where nearly 270 trams and buses, not to mention countless cars, circulate during the peak hours.
The other is the border between Geneva and the French town of Annemasse, where traffic jams frequently slow down the flow of traffic.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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MPs reach agreement on taxing teleworking cross-border workers
Cross-border employees who telework for a Swiss employer while located in their home country must be taxed in Switzerland, the same way as their counterparts who work on-site, the National Council decided.
The deputies accepted on Monday a proposal from the Federal Council, which aims to create the legal basis for taxing this category of G-permit holders.
The move is intended to ensure that cantons where companies employing these ‘remote’ cross-border workers are located, can benefit from the tax revenue that would be due to them if these employees actually commuted to, and worked in, Switzerland.
Out of approximately 400,000 border workers in Switzerland, only a small percentage work from home, but that means their taxes are collected by their home countries.
Was a murder really committed at Zurich’s train station?
A post circulating on social media reported a recent fatal shooting at Zurich's central station.
The video shows an ambulance and the alleged murder scene being roped off, with the text, “They say Switzerland is safe, but someone was just shot and killed at Zurich HB.”
The video and message elicited hundreds of comments, with users expressing shock at this rare (for Switzerland) occurrence.
However, it turns out that this is an unfortunate example of ‘fake news,’ with Zurich police confirming the report is untrue.
The post’s authors, who remain unknown, likely used a random photo taken from another source to perpetrate this lie, police said.
Switzerland plays an ‘important role’ as a US-Iran intermediary
Neutral Switzerland has been representing US interests in Iran since Washington broke off relations with Tehran in 1980.
Since that time, Switzerland has been helping the two adversaries maintain a minimum of diplomatic and consular relations.
But though Swiss authorities have not divulged what exactly their diplomats have accomplished in the context of the current conflict between Iran and Israel, the AFP reported that “US and Iranian officials alluded to the important role Switzerland was playing as an intermediary."
READ ALSO: Vital Swiss role as US-Iran go-between, as tensions soar
Geneva’s most congested roads revealed
Anyone who lives in the city or canton of Geneva, knows that the traffic there is a major hassle, with motorists spending an average of 69 hours each year stuck in bottlenecks.
However, road congestion is worse in certain neighbourhoods more than in others.
According to a report by the cantonal Transport Office, two areas are most affected.
One is the area around the Cornavin central train station, where nearly 270 trams and buses, not to mention countless cars, circulate during the peak hours.
The other is the border between Geneva and the French town of Annemasse, where traffic jams frequently slow down the flow of traffic.
If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]
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