US tax scandal brings down Wegelin
Switzerland\’s oldest private bank, Wegelin & Co, will sell most of its business to the Raiffeisen Group amid a dispute with United States tax authorities.

Davos Open Forum gives lessons in leadership
Those attending the Davos Open Forum this week heard plenty of calls for bold and innovative leadership in times of crisis.

New Africa emerging to defy the odds
Africa has experienced sustained growth for more than ten years, along with the emergence of a middle and entrepreneurial class.

Game over as Neuchâtel Xamax declared bankrupt
Stricken Swiss football side Neuchâtel Xamax has slipped into near-oblivion, with its Chechen owner arrested just hours after declaring the club bankrupt.

China forecast to remain global growth engine
The prospects of continued Chinese economic growth remain excellent despite obstacles to stimulating consumer spending, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has heard.

Scientists challenge Swiss food traditions
Will legendary salty Swiss delicacies like Gruyere cheese, cervelas sausage and silserli bread ever be the same again?

Merkel defends Germany’s role in debt crisis
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has dismissed criticism that she has not done enough to defuse the European debt crisis, as she delivered the keynote speech in Davos.

Swiss take long, hard look at green policies
A lack of significant progress in global climate talks in recent years is forcing Switzerland to rethink its approach to environmental problems.

Swiss tax system needs reform says OECD
Switzerland should radically reform its tax system to boost economic growth, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Fibre optic standards simplify networking
In international comparison, few homes in Switzerland have access to fibre-optic technology. But the current figure of 300,000 could treble in just three years.

Banking lobby celebrates centenary
The success of Switzerland as a financial centre owes much to the Swiss Bankers Association, also known as SwissBanking, founded a hundred years ago this month.

Calls for a minimum wage mount
Switzerland may be a rich country, but there are still many “working poor” – people who work but are under the poverty line – a situation unions want to change.

Rubik deals run into trouble
The tax deals which Switzerland reached last year with Britain and Germany could yet fail in the face of opposition in Europe and in the countries concerned.

Revealing nature’s secrets in the test tube
The key to curing many neurodegenerative diseases may be found through observing nature, believes organic chemist and Latsis prize winner Karl Gademann.

Central bank scandal stokes political fires
The recent furore over the Swiss National Bank’s former chairman is not just about banker behaviour – it is also focusing debate once again on banking secrecy.

Geneva to blow out 300 candles to Rousseau
Geneva is this year celebrating the 300th anniversary of the birth of philosopher, writer and composer Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Novartis U-turn is a “win-win solution”
The decision by Novartis to scale down Basel job cuts and reverse its October decision to close a Swiss factory has been hailed as a triumph for local resistance.

Site inspections track labour law abuses
For almost ten years Switzerland and the European Union have had an agreement allowing the free movement of people, effectively creating a common labour market.

Swiss football is “healthy” despite Xamax woes
The scandals that have threatened to engulf FC Neuchâtel Xamax for the past few months have finally caught up with it, but the long-term impact is still not clear.

Tamiflu drug divides opinion
Medical opinion is split over the efficacy of Tamiflu, the widely prescribed influenza drug produced by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche.

Hamas visit to Switzerland sparks outcry
A Hamas delegation visiting Geneva has defied protests to attend a session of the Geneva-based Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU) and a university conference on Gaza.