Archive
October 2026
Switzerland–India: What the TEPA free trade deal must now deliver
One year after the TEPA free trade agreement started, what counts is not the trip to New Delhi but the benefits for Switzerland.
Death in Siberia: What Is Established – and What Is Not
After a death in Irkutsk, rumours about plague and biological weapons are circulating. The current state of knowledge calls for facts, not alarmism.
Pillar 3a 2027: Higher deductions are more than a tax detail
In 2027 the 3a limits rise. For households, though, it is not only the deduction that counts, but the budget, the employment situation and long-term retirement provision.
Altman and AI regulation: who bears the risks when speed comes first
OpenAI chief Sam Altman argues for broad availability of AI and for accepting certain risks. That is no substitute for rules on harm and accountability.
Hōlei Sea Arch Collapse: What Hawaii's Shifting Coast Reveals
A well-known coastal formation on Hawaiʻi has collapsed. The case shows how dynamic volcanic coasts are – and why keeping a distance from cliffs still matters.
Fireworks initiative: What the No campaign launch does not decide
The fireworks initiative targets loud fireworks. The campaign launch reveals the lines of conflict, but not yet how the vote will go.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and the police: what a lawsuit could clarify
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was released under investigation in February. A reported lawsuit against the police changes neither the presumption of innocence nor the burden of proof.
To-do lists against overwhelm – and when they create extra pressure
To-do lists create clarity and can lower stress. But writing them too full, or misreading them as self-monitoring, produces new pressure.
DB Family Ticket: When the flat fare pays off for Swiss families
The DB Family Ticket bundles long-distance travel and seat reservations. Whether it saves money depends, for families from Switzerland, mainly on the journey to the border and the children's ages.
Driverless Vehicles: Why Trust Decides Everyday Deployment
Driverless vehicles may now run on approved routes. Whether people actually board them depends on safety, transparency and everyday experience.
Trump's «AI Force»: coordination instead of regulation
The new «Super Intelligence Force» is meant to secure America's lead in AI. Whether safeguards will emerge from it remains unclear after the announcement.
Heavy rain in Catalonia: two dead, 2,469 call-outs, warning limits
Two people died in Catalonia's heavy rain, with 2,469 call-outs. Authorities warn of swollen rivers, underpasses and flooded roads.
Merz in Kyiv: New Aid, Russian Strikes, Europe's Resolve
Friedrich Merz announces new support in Kyiv. The simultaneous strike on a bridge shows that political pledges alone do not change the daily reality of war.
Up to 500 school closures in France: When safety sidelines lessons
France expects up to 500 schools to be fully or partially closed. The security decision exposes a deeper conflict in the education system.
Yemen announces offensive against Houthis: military implications
Yemen's internationally recognised leadership announces an offensive against the Houthis. A declaration replaces neither an operational plan nor a political solution.
Erling Haaland v Norwegian: a fight over image rights
Erling Haaland is going to court over an advertising campaign. The case shows how valuable personality rights have become in elite sport — even where no name and no conventional portrait are used.
Flydubai FZ1073: what new passenger reports do and don't show
New passenger reports raise questions about the crew's role. So far, the main source of verified findings is the ongoing official process.
135 million for Ukraine projects: Why Switzerland bets on companies
With state support, Swiss firms are to deliver energy, water and public transport projects in Ukraine. The approvals link reconstruction policy, trade promotion and development cooperation.
Neutrality and Russia sanctions: What Swiss law decides
The argument about neutrality is often fought with sharply pointed quotations. More important in legal terms is which sanctions Switzerland adopts, how the Federal Council justifies them and what a reversal would cost.
Bern and France's armaments agency: dialogue, not a contract
Armaments chief Urs Loher and France's Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) met in Bern to discuss developments and cooperation. Such meetings matter for interoperability and market awareness, but remain political working contacts.
Contact tracing for the next pandemic: linking cantons better
During Covid-19, the cantons organised contact tracing mainly with their own systems. For a future pandemic, the interplay is to become clearer, faster and technically compatible.
Resignation from the Federal Council: what the procedure requires
The report of a resignation by Guy Parmelin is unconfirmed. The overview shows which procedural steps such a decision triggers — and which foundations for it still need to be checked against the original sources.
Federal Administration AI: Efficiency promised, savings unproven
The Federal Council wants to use automation and AI more systematically. The goal is plausible, but organisation, oversight and verifiable savings are what matter.
France's school protests: austerity meets exhausted classrooms
The clashes at French schools are more than a question of public order. They link education quality, social inequality and a young generation's distrust of politics.