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Editor
Akriti Seth
Akriti Seth is a Zürich-based editor with more than a decade of experience, anchored by foundational training at Bloomberg. As a journalist, she covers global affairs, financial markets and technology. Her career has taken her from television studios to digital newsrooms. She has reported as an on-air correspondent for Channel NewsAsia and covered markets, corporate finance and business strategy for Informa UK. Her work has appeared in Entrepreneur Magazine, Hindustan Times, Yahoo Finance, TradingView, the Crypto Council for Innovation, DailyCoin, Tech Panda and more. She founded Helvetica Times to bring independent, English-language journalism to Switzerland — serving the expats, international professionals and global readers who want Swiss news reported with clarity and rigor.
- Articles
- 233
- On staff since
- 2026
- Based in
- Zürich
- Primary beat
- Local
Latest Work
All Articles
233-
Breaking News
Switzerland Tightens Social Media Rules For Minors, But Stops Short Of An Age Ban
The Federal Council wants large social media platforms and search engines to do more to protect children and young people. It has…
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Lifestyle
Swiss Low-Cost Gym Market Consolidates As PureGym Buys NonStop
In Zurich, the deal is likely to be felt mainly through PureGym, whose network is concentrated in German-speaking Switzerland.
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Sport
FIFA’s Infantino Received $1.76m From World Cup Company Not Disclosed In Annual Report
US tax filings show FIFA president Gianni Infantino received $1.76 million in 2024 from FWC2026 US Inc, the company running the 2026…
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Climate
Northern Lights Appear Over Switzerland In Rare Mid-Latitude Display
Weak but clearly identifiable auroras were visible in parts of Switzerland on Saturday night, captured by MeteoSwiss webcams. The display followed a…
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Breaking News
Zurich Keeps Its AAA Rating, But S&P Warns Debt Could Cost It
S&P Global Ratings has confirmed Zurich’s AAA long-term credit rating but changed its outlook to “negative,” citing rising deficits, heavy investment plans…
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Crime
Ricardo Data Breach: Scammers Now Using Leaked Details In WhatsApp Phishing Messages
Personal data from about 890,000 Ricardo accounts has been exposed, including names, postal addresses and phone numbers. Three days after the breach…
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Expat
Swiss Home Prices Accelerate Despite Rising Mortgage Rates, Raiffeisen Index Shows
Single-family homes rose 2.0% and condominiums 1.7% in the third quarter, as tight supply continues to outweigh higher borrowing costs. Zurich and…
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Health
Switzerland’s Doctor Shortage Is Already Reshaping Healthcare Access
A quarter of Swiss doctors are over 60, and one in three general practices is no longer accepting new patients. The shortage…
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Business
Viac And Neon Move Ahead As ZKB’s Frankly Stays Confined To Pillar 3a
Zürcher Kantonalbank’s digital pension app Frankly remains limited to retirement savings, while Viac and Neon now offer free investing alongside pension products.…
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Politics
Bern’s Unauthorised Anti-Imperialist Demo Ends Peacefully, One Year After Violent Gaza Protest
Around 1,000 people joined the demonstration in Bern on Sunday, but police prevented a march through the city centre. The rally marked…
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Breaking News
A Party That Turned Violent: Zurich Police Clear Illegal Hardplatz Gathering
A party at Zurich’s Hardplatz escalated into a night of violence, with police pelted by fireworks, bottles and paving stones. One officer…
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Business
Rolex Allocation Claims Linger As Bucherer Removes Head Of Its Central Lucerne Flagship Store
Unresolved Rolex allocation allegations hang over Bucherer as the head of its central Lucerne flagship store, Beat Schmid, leaves immediately after nearly…
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Politics
US Midterms Could Decide How Far Trump’s Tariffs On Switzerland Go
The 39% Trump’s Tariffs On Switzerland, which took effect in August 2025, was one of the most significant trade shocks Switzerland has…
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Business
Switzerland Tops Global Innovation Ranking For A Seventh Straight Year
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) again names Switzerland the world's most innovative economy. The same index shows weakness in patent filings…
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Business
Zurich’s “Stable” Jobless Rate Masks A 9.1% Rise In Unemployment
The City of Zurich recorded 8,225 unemployed people in September, while the number of registered job seekers rose by 11% year-on-year. Foreign…
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Business
UBS Plans Large Job Cuts In November, With Senior Private Bankers Among Those At Risk
The bank's costly senior private bankers over 50, who manage client books worth CHF 1 billion to 2 billion, are particularly at…
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Breaking News
UBS Faces Potential Reshaping As Switzerland Pushes Tougher Capital Rules
Could UBS separate its Swiss businesses from its international operations?
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Business
Former UBS Technology Head Paul McEwen Joins Citi
McEwen leaving the bank was already a news running in the Swiss circuits.
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Breaking News
Switzerland India Sign Agreements During Parmelin Visit: Migration And Young Professionals On Table
Trade, investment, AI and global conflicts were discussed as Switzerland's President met Indian Prime Minister Modi.
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Politics
Former UBS Banker Céline Amaudruz Weighs Bid To Succeed Guy Parmelin
The Geneva SVP politician is among several possible successors to the departing federal councillor. Her banking career has drawn attention, but there…
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Local
Zurich Adds Anti-Discrimination Focus To 2026–2030 Integration Goals
The city has adopted 20 objectives covering access to services, participation and social cohesion. Preventing discrimination now has its own place in…
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Health
Switzerland’s 2027 Premium Rise Comes As Parliament Reworks Electronic Health Record
Health insurance premiums will rise by an average 5% next year, while Parliament is debating a replacement for Switzerland’s troubled electronic patient…
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Lifestyle
Want To Experience Oktoberfest In Zurich? Here’s When And Where To Go
Zurich’s 29th Oktoberfest will run from October 8 to November 7 at Bauschänzli, with Bavarian food, beer and live music.
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Expat
Why Did ETH Zurich Slip To 12th In World Rankings? China’s Tsinghua Climbs
ETH Zurich Falls to 12th Despite Higher Score as Tsinghua Moves Ahead.
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Breaking News
Zurich Ad Agency Wirz To Cut Jobs As Migros Reduces Work
The agency says its long-standing client relationship will continue, but with less work. Wirz has not disclosed how many employees will be…
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Business
Lindt Chairman Ernst Tanner Under The Microscope After Sales Forecast Cut
"An unprecedented heatwave this summer additionally weighed on sales in Europe," said Lindt CEO Adalbert Lechner.
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Climate
Zurich Has Met Only 8.3% Road-Space Target for Walking, Cycling, Public Transport
The city credits a new park above a covered motorway for much of its first-year progress.
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Health
Zurich Sets Aside Around CHF 1.4 Billion For 2027 Health Insurance Premium Relief
About CHF 800 million is earmarked for individual premium reductions. Eligible residents will see provisional support deducted from their insurance bills from…
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Breaking News
Does UBS Technology Executive’s Reported Exit Signal Tensions Over AI Strategy?
Is Paul McEwen leaving the bank as technology operations goes under Beatriz Martin’s leadership? UBS has not publicly confirmed the reason for…
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Breaking News
FINMA Finds Serious Failings At Julius Baer Over Benko-Linked Loans, Russian PEP Clients
Swiss regulator says Julius Baer exposure exceeded CHF 1 billion and orders continued oversight despite closing its investigation.
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Breaking News
Self-Driving Cars Hit The Road In Zurich On Monday
Travellers will be able to book rides through an app, but a safety operator will remain behind the wheel throughout the car…
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Technology
Zurich Says AI Could Double Productivity Growth, But Jobseeker Rise Raises Questions
In insurance, banking and financial services, and information and communications, AI could add between 1.7% and 1.8% points to annual productivity growth.
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Crime
Eight Arrested After Two Violent “Attempt To Homicide” Attacks In Zurich
The victims were attacked without warning and assaulted with objects, including glass bottles and kicks to the head, while lying defenceless on…
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Breaking News
UBS–Morgan Stanley Merger Talk Emerges After Swiss Capital-Rules Setback
Is UBS Senior Leadership Again Considering Options For Leaving Swiss Jurisdiction?
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Politics
Zurich Reports 41% Postal Voting Ahead Of Swiss Neutrality Referendum
The dispute is over how much freedom the government should retain to cooperate with security partners and respond to conflicts.
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Business
Zurich Tops Global Property-Bubble Risk Ranking As Housing Shortage Deepens
Zurich and Tokyo are the only markets in the highest risk category.
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Business
Cembra Set To Move Headquarters From Zurich To Baden: No Job Cuts
Cembra framed the move as part of longer-term workplace and space planning rather than a cost-cutting exercise.
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Business
UBS Faces Parliamentary Setback As Capital Rules Tighten
Ermotti’s campaign fails to shift vote as UBS suffers a clear setback.
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Business
Bitcoin Suisse’s Layoffs Turn Bitter: “Good Leavers” v/s “Bad Leavers”
Group CEO Andrej Majcen has publicly framed the restructuring as "an offensive play rather than a defensive one."
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Climate
ETH Zurich Study: Switzerland’s Worst-Case Climate Scenario Now The Most Likely One
Because Switzerland warms faster than the worldwide mean, a 3°C global scenario would translate to roughly 4.9°C of local warming.
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Expat
Should You Raid Your Retirement Savings For A Swiss Home Down Payment?
Should buyers treat retirement-fund withdrawals as a last resort to bridge a genuine funding gap rather than a default financing strategy?
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Breaking News
Swiss Market Index: Stocks Gain Monday, Pause Tuesday, Climb Again Wednesday
The Swiss Market Index opened 0.336% higher at 14,000.25 points on Wednesday.
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Business
Switzerland Raises 2026 Growth Forecast To 1.7%, Warns Of Iran-Linked Energy Risks
The Federal Council expects a further pickup in global demand in 2027, with the rest of Europe.
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Local
Large Fire Breaks Out In Buchs Zurich, Sends Smoke Plume Visible From Oerlikon
According to Alertswiss, the fire is producing a strong, unpleasant odour and is disrupting traffic in the surrounding area.
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Business
Swiss Re Shifts CorSo IT Jobs To India, Mexico And Slovakia As US And UK Cut Roles
Did Managing Director Florian Maurer accelerate the India/overseas outsourcing shortly before his own departure?
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Expat
Who Speaks For Zurich’s Foreign Residents? Meet The New 25-Member Council
Of the 124 people who applied, the City Council selected 25.
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Breaking News
Sunrise Confirms 450 Job Cuts, Far Exceeding Earlier Speculation
Sunrise cut 147 jobs already earlier this year.
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World
Is Switzerland Really The World’s Most Expensive Country?
A family of four can expect to spend upward of CHF 5,000 a month on basic expenses alone, excluding housing.
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Health
One Dead As Wetzikon Legionella Cases Reach 33, Source Still Unknown
Investigations so far point to a connection between the illnesses and the presence of Legionella bacteria found in shower-water samples in several…