The migration agency ICE is controversial in the USA.Image: keystone
Epstein documents show further connections to Switzerland, the exclusion of the protection of minors from the draft law on social media and the pressure on Swiss drug prices: this and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers.
December 21, 2025, 07:06December 21, 2025, 07:06
Epstein and Switzerland: further connections emerged
According to media reports, the documents published on Friday on the case of the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have revealed further leads to Switzerland. In particular, an entry from a Swiss witness about the “training of little girls as sex traps” is explosive, as the “NZZ am Sonntag” wrote. The “SonntagsZeitung” also reported on it. The person in question could therefore make statements about “Epstein rapes”. A lawyer for an Epstein victim listed next to the entry has not yet been available to comment, wrote the “NZZ am Sonntag”.
Fear of USA? Federal Council is slowing down the protection of minors on social media
According to information from “NZZ am Sonntag”, the Federal Council is blocking youth protection on social media – out of fear of the USA. This is what the newspaper concluded, citing documents. At the end of October, the Federal Council presented a draft law in which it relies on mild regulation of large tech platforms. The Federal Social Insurance Office, which is responsible for child protection, was not included in the formulation of the draft, the newspaper wrote. The Federal Office of Communications wrote that it had adhered to the government’s guidelines. In order to avoid delays, child protection was not integrated. What nobody at the federal government is officially saying, according to the “NZZ am Sonntag”: The US government is closely linked to the tech companies. The Foreign Ministry warned early on about irritating the USA. “What California or Washington want is not relevant,” said Interior Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider in an interview with “SonntagsBlick”. She is open to a social media ban. In March, the Council of States commissioned the Federal Council to prepare a report on the ban on social media for young people.
Roche boss calls for higher medical prices in Switzerland
In a Tamedia interview, Roche boss Thomas Schinecker put pressure on the price of new drugs in Switzerland. The head of the pharmaceutical company showed the consequences if Switzerland did not increase these prices in accordance with the US reference system. “Unfortunately there will then be further delays in the introduction of new medications,” said Schinecker in an interview published in the “Sonntags-Zeitung” and “Le Matin Dimanche”. Switzerland has the most to gain and the most to lose, said the CEO. The pharmaceutical industry’s tax revenue alone is higher than what is spent on innovative medicines in Switzerland, he said.
Accusations to Migros: Not everyone gets the flagship PK
According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, many employees are denied access to the Migros pension fund (MPK). The pension fund is considered one of the most generous in Switzerland, as the newspaper wrote. Only a little more than half of the Migros Group’s 86,600 employees across Switzerland benefit from it. According to the newspaper, employees of many subsidiaries are included in the “in globo M” pension scheme. This offers significantly worse conditions than the MPK. This situation has historical reasons, the “NZZ am Sonntag” quoted a Migros spokesman as saying. Cost considerations are likely to be a key reason, the newspaper added. Low-income earners are unattractive for pension funds. At Migros there is a class society in all working conditions, wrote the “NZZ am Sonntag”.
Change of location of the asylum center: The problems are also increasing
After the closure of the federal asylum center for unruly asylum seekers in Les Verrières NE, problems have moved to Boudry NE, according to “Le Matin Dimanche”. Despite the announced measure, a minority of asylum seekers are causing insecurity and fear, the newspaper wrote, citing the association “Bien vivre à Neuchâtel”. The club therefore has almost 200 members. The residents, who spoke anonymously, accused certain asylum seekers of criminality. This also applies to asylum seekers who behave correctly, it was said. The future of the center will be discussed again from 2028, as the newspaper wrote.
ICE has arrested 3 Swiss citizens so far
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the US immigration authority ICE has so far arrested three people with Swiss citizenship. In all cases, the reason was a so-called “overstay,” as the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) told the newspaper. The people therefore stayed in the USA longer than their visa or ESTA approval allowed. The three people are only those cases that are known to the Swiss authorities, wrote “SonntagsBlick”. It is impossible to estimate how large the number of unreported cases is. The three Swiss nationals were each held until the next available flight to Switzerland. Everyone is now at large.
Almost 90 products became cheaper in Switzerland last year
According to “Blick”, 89 retail products have become cheaper compared to 2024. The price of berries and olive oil fell by over ten percent this year, as the newspaper wrote online. The price of berries fluctuates greatly depending on the season. Olive oil is still expensive in a long-term comparison. Also on the list published by “Blick” are, for example, lamb, melons and grapes. Items such as lamps and carpets also became cheaper. When it comes to electronics, for example, the prices of computers and electric bicycles have fallen. Compared to the end of 2024, it is also cheaper to fill up today, as can be seen from the list from “Blick”.
Swiss entrepreneurs want to buy Zurich’s share in the nuclear power plant
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the authorities of the city of Zurich have brushed off domestic interested parties in the sale of shares in the Gösgen nuclear power plant. Several Swiss entrepreneurs wanted to buy the 15 percent share, as the newspaper wrote. The administrative lead was Philippe Kohl, deputy director of the association of the mechanical and tech industry Swissmem. The city had announced “that a sale was hardly possible because it would probably have ended up with the other shareholders of the nuclear power plant,” he said. However, there were no clarifications from the other nuclear power plant shareholders, the newspaper wrote. The city let the sales campaign, which according to the newspaper cost over two million francs, fizzle out. Entrepreneurs would still be interested in purchasing.
Luxury residential project in Gonten AI is struggling with financial problems
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the 130 million franc real estate project in Gonten AI by Leonteq founder Jan Schoch is uncertain. The Jan Group is over-indebted with negative equity of 19 million francs, as the newspaper wrote with reference to the commercial register. The company is “solidly and securely financed,” Schoch told the newspaper. According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, a subordinated loan of 34 million francs is intended to compensate for the excessive indebtedness. Despite advance sales of supposedly 70 percent of the apartments, according to the land register, only five apartments were sold this year, as the newspaper continued. (sda/con)