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Papal explainer Pope Francis’ Geneva trip in a nutshell

By Simon Bradley

The pope is flying into Geneva on Thursday. Here is a brief guide to the pontiff’s one-day visit.

See in other languages: 9

• Arabic (ar) زيارة البابا فرنسيس إلى جنيف بإيجاز
• German (de) Der Besuch von Papst Franziskus in Genf auf einen Blick
• Spanish (es) Visita relámpago del papa a Suiza
• French (fr) La visite du Pape François à Genève, un événement hors-normes
• Italian (it) La visita di papa Francesco a Ginevra all'insegna dell'ecumenismo
• Japanese (ja) フランシスコ・ローマ法王、１４年ぶりにスイスへ　訪問のポイントは？
• Portuguese (pt) A visita do Papa a Genebra, em resumo
• Russian (ru) Папа Римский Франциск и его визит в Женеву
• Chinese (zh) 教宗方济各日内瓦之行概述

Opinion When US migrant policy debates invoke the Bible

By Henry Sturcke

Many nations, including Switzerland, must grapple with the challenge of migration.

1 There is one comment on this article.

Additional content

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UK, US and Switzerland Studying abroad: Your questions become our stories

Are you looking to enroll in a university in the US, UK or Switzerland? Tell what you’d like to know about studying in these three countries.  

Fintech Switzerland

A new wave of digital financial technology (fintech) innovations are springing up in Switzerland that could either transform traditional financial companies - or replace them.

News in Brief

Court ruling Swiss sex shop loses legal battle over 'Harry Popper' condoms

Real estate Foreign property purchase rules left unchanged

Habemus papam Pope’s visit honoured on postage stamp

Promoting the arts Swiss Institute in New York gets new home

High price island Switzerland has most expensive food and drinks in Europe

Bloomberg business

• This content was published on June 20, 2018 8:03 PMJun 20, 2018 - 20:03 This content was published on June 20, 2018 8:03 PMTech Rally Drives U.S. Stock Gains as Oil Climbs: Markets Wrap
• This content was published on June 20, 2018 3:38 PMJun 20, 2018 - 15:38 This content was published on June 20, 2018 3:38 PMEx-UBS Trader Loses Appeal as Judges Call Case a `Tragedy'
• This content was published on June 20, 2018 7:09 AMJun 20, 2018 - 07:09 This content was published on June 20, 2018 7:09 AMEuropean Stocks Rebound as Investors Await Next Trade War Steps
• This content was published on June 20, 2018 4:00 AMJun 20, 2018 - 04:00 This content was published on June 20, 2018 4:00 AMFinding Cancer Patients Is Pharma Industry's Unlikely Challenge
• This content was published on June 19, 2018 8:07 PMJun 19, 2018 - 20:07 This content was published on June 19, 2018 8:07 PMStocks Pare Their Losses as Trade Tensions Simmer: Market Wrap

Reuters International

• This content was published on June 20, 2018 8:34 PMJun 20, 2018 - 20:34 This content was published on June 20, 2018 8:34 PMTrump backs down, signs order to end family separations at U.S. border
• This content was published on June 20, 2018 2:46 PMJun 20, 2018 - 14:46 This content was published on June 20, 2018 2:46 PMNorth Korea, China discuss 'true peace', denuclearisation - KCNA
• This content was published on June 20, 2018 7:00 PMJun 20, 2018 - 19:00 This content was published on June 20, 2018 7:00 PMChallenged at home, Merkel seeks emergency EU meeting on migration
• This content was published on June 20, 2018 5:52 PMJun 20, 2018 - 17:52 This content was published on June 20, 2018 5:52 PMExclusive - Pope criticises Trump administration policy on migrant family separation
• This content was published on June 20, 2018 6:20 PMJun 20, 2018 - 18:20 This content was published on June 20, 2018 6:20 PMSaudi-led coalition seizes Yemen's Hodeidah airport, fears for population grow

Direct democracy

#DearDemocracy

swissinfo.ch’s international portal for people with a passion for politics

Follow-up material to accompany the main content

Here are additional stories besides the main content

Human Rights Council Switzerland regrets US move to quit human rights body

By Simon Bradley

The Swiss government has defended the Geneva-based UN human rights forum’s “essential role” and “tangible impact”.

4 There are 4 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 4

• Arabic (ar) سويسرا تأسف لانسحاب الولايات المتحدة من مجلس حقوق الإنسان
• German (de) Schweiz bedauert US-Rückzug aus Menschenrechtsorgan
• Spanish (es) Suiza lamenta retiro de EE UU de Consejo de DD HH
• Russian (ru) Швейцария сожалеет о выходе США из СПЧ

World Refugee Day Behind closed doors: where refugees call home in Switzerland

By Helen James (text), Yvain Genevay (images)

There are 68.5 million forcibly displaced persons worldwide as a result of war, and natural or man-made disasters.

See in other languages: 8

• Arabic (ar) خلف أبواب مُغلقة: فضاءاتُ إيواء اللاجئين في سويسرا
• German (de) Wo Flüchtlinge in der Schweiz daheim sind
• Spanish (es) El “hogar” en Suiza de quienes perdieron todo
• French (fr) Derrière la porte close, un foyer pour les déracinés
• Italian (it) Dove abitano per un po' i profughi in Svizzera
• Portuguese (pt) Onde vivem os refugiados na Suíça
• Russian (ru) Где беженцы в Швейцарии находят новый дом?
• Chinese (zh) 紧闭的大门背后：瑞士的难民收容所

Swiss conference Can research tame the excesses of the blockchain revolution?

By Matthew Allen

swissinfo.ch will be covering a three-day conference in Zug that highlights some of the best blockchain research from around the world.

Radical curators Experiments made in Zurich defy museum conventions

By Catherine Hickley, Hamburg

An eclectic selection of objects is on show on the ground floor of Hamburg’s Museum of Applied Arts.

See in another language: 1

• Portuguese (pt) Experiments made in Zurich defy museum conventions

Pro Juventute What to do when your friend talks about suicide

In Switzerland a young person commits suicide about every three days. An innovative prevention campaign wants to encourage young people to seek help.

Online behaviour Video games addiction recognised as mental health problem

By Simon Bradley

In Switzerland, there are around 70,000 “problematic” internet users – a stable number for the past five years that includes hardcore gamers.

3 There are 3 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 2

• Japanese (ja) 「ゲーム障害」が初の疾病認定 スイスのゲーム障害はどのくらい深刻なのか
• Chinese (zh) 游戏成瘾被认定为精神疾病

opinion What politicians can learn from Swiss cows

By Daniel Warner

A political scientist explains how a particular breed of alpine cow in establishing its “queen” can be used as an example for our own leaders.

2 There are 2 comments on this article.

Migration Refugees and locals learn to live together in Swiss town

By Julia Crawford

Bex was one of the first towns in the region to have an asylum seekers' centre and its foreign population is relatively high. So do people get along?

3 There are 3 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 9

• Arabic (ar) لاجئون وسُكّان مَحليون يتعلمون العيش المشترك في بلدة سويسرية
• German (de) Flüchtlinge und Einheimische lernen das Zusammenleben
• Spanish (es) Refugiados y parroquianos aprenden a convivir
• French (fr) Comment réfugiés et habitants cohabitent en paix dans une petite ville
• Italian (it) Rifugiati e autoctoni imparano a convivere a Bex
• Japanese (ja) 難民と地元住民 共生を模索するスイスの小さな町
• Portuguese (pt) Refugiados e locais aprendem a viver juntos em vilarejo suíço
• Russian (ru) Место под солнцем для беженцев в городе Бе
• Chinese (zh) 瑞士小镇成长史-难民与当地人一同学习如何相处

Football World Cup ‘Fans’ Embassy’ hits the road in Russia

By Svetlana Yakushina in Moscow

The Swiss embassy in Russia is organising a “mobile consular service” – a minibus – to help Swiss fans. 

3 There are 3 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 4

• German (de) Konsulat auf vier Rädern für Schweizer Fans
• French (fr) Soutien consulaire pour les supporters suisses
• Italian (it) Un consolato a quattro ruote per i tifosi svizzeri
• Russian (ru) Швейцарцев в России поддержит мобильное консульство

#WeAreSwissAbroad – Daniel Rehmann ‘Big differences between the law and reality’

By Nadezda Capone, St Petersburg

How to integrate in Russia? Having Russian friends and an interest in local history, culture and sport can help.

1 There is one comment on this article.

See in other languages: 4

• German (de) "Grosse Unterschiede zwischen Gesetz und Wirklichkeit"
• French (fr) Daniel Rehmann: «En Russie, il y a un fossé entre la loi et la réalité»
• Italian (it) Daniel Rehmann: "Le differenze tra la legge e la realtà sono immense"
• Russian (ru) «В Швейцарии мне не хватает русской эмоциональности»

Take a look Picture of the week

In this series, swissinfo.ch picture editors choose an image highlighting a news event of the past seven days.

8 There are 8 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 9

• Arabic (ar) صورة الأسبوع
• German (de) Bild der Woche
• Spanish (es) Foto de la semana
• French (fr) L'image de la semaine
• Italian (it) L'immagine della settimana
• Japanese (ja) 今週の写真
• Portuguese (pt) Imagem da semana
• Russian (ru) Фотография недели
• Chinese (zh) 本周图片

Alternative championship Welcome to the World Cup of Direct Democracy

By Joe Mathews and Bruno Kaufmann

What if the World Cup were decided not by playing football but by the quality of each nation’s direct democracy?

2 There are 2 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 4

• German (de) Wie Brasilien, Spanien und Deutschland das WM-Viertelfinale verpassten
• French (fr) Bienvenue au Mondial de la démocratie directe
• Italian (it) Benvenuti ai Mondiali 2018 della democrazia diretta
• Portuguese (pt) Como o Brasil, Espanha e a Alemanha perdem nas quartas de final

Week in numbers Stray cats, dates of birth and overseas wealth

Here’s a round-up of the most interesting statistics to appear in the past week’s stories.

#SWISSHISTORYPICS Swiss welfare pioneer SUVA turns 100

By Sibilla Bondolfi (text), Ester Unterfinger (photo editing)

While the focus used to be on occupational accidents and diseases, leisure accidents are more of a problem today.

1 There is one comment on this article.

See in other languages: 9

• Arabic (ar) تاريخ تأمين الحوادث.. من الضرورة إلى الرفاهية
• German (de) Schweizerische Unfallversicherung - das erste grosse Sozialwerk der Schweiz
• Spanish (es) Un siglo de primera aseguradora social suiza
• French (fr) L’assurance accident, première grande institution de sécurité sociale en Suisse
• Italian (it) La pioniera delle assicurazioni sociali in Svizzera compie 100 anni
• Japanese (ja) 貧困から豊かな国へ　スイスの経済発展を映す傷害保険の１００年
• Portuguese (pt) Caixa Nacional Suíça de Seguros - a primeira grande entidade social no país
• Russian (ru) Первый страховщик Швейцарии — 100 лет SUVA
• Chinese (zh) 不知道Suva，说明你在瑞士待得还不够久

Particle physics Large Hadron Collider to get bigger and brighter

By Simon Bradley

The world’s largest particle collider at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (Cern) near Geneva is getting a massive upgrade.

School dress codes ‘You’re going to school, not out clubbing’

By Jie Guo Zehnder and Susan Misicka

Revealing summer clothing has sparked the question of whether Swiss schools need dress codes.

14 There are 14 comments on this article.

See in other languages: 2

• Russian (ru) В школу как на дискотеку — в Швейцарии это возможно!
• Chinese (zh) 瑞士老师说：露肚脐、化浓妆都可以，穿校服绝对不行！

Foreign policy ‘Neutrality no longer means passivity’

By Kathrin Ammann

Hardly any countries are as well connected as Switzerland. That is why Christa Markwalder believes that an active foreign policy is so important.

1 There is one comment on this article.

See in other languages: 8

• German (de) "Die Zeiten der Abstinenz auf der internationalen Bühne sind vorbei"
• Spanish (es) Concluyó la abstinencia en la escena mundial
• French (fr) «Le temps de l’abstinence sur la scène internationale est révolu»
• Italian (it) "Sono finiti i tempi dell'assenza sulla scena internazionale"
• Japanese (ja) スイスの中立「今や『守り』の姿勢は成り立たない」
• Portuguese (pt) "O tempo de abstinência no palco internacional passou"
• Russian (ru) «Швейцария должна продвигать свои ценности за рубежом»
• Chinese (zh) “瑞士在国际舞台上的无为时代一去不复返”

Ueli Maurer World Cup: ‘You have to separate sport and politics’

By Larissa M. Bieler

As the football World Cup kicks off in Russia, the Swiss finance minister tells swissinfo.ch why he doesn’t support a boycott of the tournament.

See in other languages: 7

• German (de) Ueli Maurer: "Man muss Sport und Politik voneinander trennen"
• Spanish (es) "No hay que mezclar deporte y política"
• French (fr) Ueli Maurer: «Il ne faut pas mélanger sport et politique»
• Italian (it) Ueli Maurer: "Bisogna separare lo sport dalla politica"
• Portuguese (pt) "Não se deve misturar esporte com política"
• Russian (ru) Швейцарский министр: «Не нужно смешивать спорт и политику»
• Chinese (zh) 乌力·毛勒：“我们必须将体育和政治分开”