Problem aircraft, at least for Switzerland: a US F-35.Image: keystone
Relatives can view recordings of the Crans-Montana fire disaster, a record number of racism cases in Switzerland and the uncertain future of the cultural broadcaster Radio SRF 2. This and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers.
04/26/2026, 09:38April 26, 2026, 10:26 am
Crans Montana members have access to camera images
According to “Le Matin Dimanche”, the relatives of those who died in the Crans-Montana fire disaster will be able to view surveillance camera footage of the devastating New Year’s Eve from April 30th. In view of the sensitive content, the Valais justice system imposed strict rules, as the newspaper wrote. Viewing is only permitted in small groups and without telephones or recording devices. Notes can only be handwritten. According to the newspaper, from Monday the lawyers of the accused and then those of the victims’ families will be able to view the images. A total of 14 cameras recorded how the fire spread at 1:27 a.m.
Racism in Switzerland is at its highest level
According to “SonntagsBlick”, Switzerland experienced a peak in reported cases of racial discrimination last year. Counseling centers evaluated 1,245 cases, as the newspaper wrote. It was based on a previously unpublished report by the Federal Commission against Racism and the organization humanrights.ch. Compared to 2024, cases have increased by three percent – after an increase of almost 40 percent in 2023. In terms of the number of cases, black people were particularly affected by racism. In terms of advisory cases, anti-Muslim incidents increased the most. Overall, most cases occurred in education and the workplace, the newspaper wrote.
Ratings collapse: SRF 2 is threatened with extinction
According to “SonntagsBlick”, the cultural broadcaster Radio SRF 2 is threatened with extinction. The station lost 28 percent in daily usage hours in the first quarter of this year, more than any other SRF station, as the newspaper wrote. Alternatives are being discussed internally. A national cultural wave is a possible scenario. This would be broadcast throughout Switzerland and would have regional time slots in German, French and Italian. It is a fact that Radio SRF 2 Kultur has lost audience in recent years, SRG told the newspaper. We are working on aligning the offer more closely to user behavior. No concrete decisions have been made yet.
BAG squad accuses Swiss Pharma of threatening behavior and fear-mongering
According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, a senior member of the Federal Office of Public Health (BAG) accused the pharmaceutical industry of “threatening behavior, fear-mongering and a lack of transparency”. Jörg Indermitte, head of the pharmaceutical health insurance department, made the comments at a specialist conference at the beginning of April, as the newspaper wrote. Many pharmaceutical representatives were present. In his presentation, he wrote about the price expectations for the medication: “Are you trying to play us for fools?” The BAG regrets that the appearance was sometimes perceived as “too confrontational”. A constructive dialogue is important to the BAG.
Contradictions from Crans politicians: Zurich investigation should bring clarity
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the Zurich forensic institute is due to submit a report on the fire disaster in Crans-Montana VS by August 3rd. The institute was commissioned by the Valais public prosecutor’s office to find out what really happened, the newspaper wrote. The local councilor Kevin Barras, who is responsible for security, became entangled in numerous contradictions about security checks during the interview, wrote the “SonntagsZeitung” with reference to income protocols. These also showed that mayor Nicolas Féraud visited the co-accused unannounced before the interviews, as Barras stated, according to the newspaper.
EU states criticize security checks in Swiss prisons
According to information from “SonntagsBlick”, several EU states have complained about unreasonable security checks in Swiss prisons. In one case, a female diplomat was said to have been asked to strip down to her underwear, the newspaper wrote. If diplomats from EU countries want to visit detained citizens, they would first be screened themselves. According to “SonntagsBlick”, different rules apply depending on the canton. There should be a clarifying discussion between the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (EDA) and the European Community on April 29th.
Swiss only blocked 13.5 million CHF of Iranian funds
According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, Switzerland has blocked Iranian assets worth 13.5 million francs. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) announced this to the newspaper. Compared to other sanctioned countries, this is not particularly much, wrote the “NZZ am Sonntag”. According to emeritus criminal law professor Mark Pieth, the regulation on Iran sanctions is significantly less comprehensive than that on Russia sanctions. The new Iranian leader Moschtaba Khamenei, for example, is missing from the sanctions list. Seco pointed out that Switzerland does not issue any autonomous sanctions. According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, the amount was explained by the long-standing international sanctions, which greatly reduced the “financial connection”.
Criticism of leadership training in the Swiss Army
According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, the army’s leadership and communication training command was struggling with leadership and communication problems. An external report gave the former commander a bad report, as the newspaper wrote. He repeatedly asked employees to serve coffee. He also employed the underage daughter of a friend from Germany for a one-week internship without a contract. The command is handled in such a way that “everything that is not forbidden is permitted”. According to the newspaper, the experts considered this to be a “somewhat weak” argument. For reasons of privacy, the army’s media office does not comment on individual allegations or people. The commander has been working in another command since the beginning of the year.
Swiss components in Russian weapons: Seco relieves local companies
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) has exonerated local companies in connection with Swiss components in Russian weapons. The Swiss-related components are “mass-produced products” that are used for civil and industrial purposes, the newspaper quoted an analysis by Seco. These goods are also not produced in Switzerland. Nevertheless, the components are subject to Russia’s sanctions. “Exports from Switzerland – even indirectly – to Russia are prohibited,” wrote the Seco. Swiss companies are obliged to “contractually prohibit” their contractual partners in third countries from exporting to Russia.
Anti-F-35 initiative wants to write renunciation of US jets into the constitution
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, there are 12 senior citizens from the left-wing camp behind the initiative committee against the F-35 fighter jets. The best known is former National Councilor Margret Kiener Nellen (SP/BE) and the threads come together with the Geneva filmmaker Daniel Künzi, as the newspaper wrote. The committee wants to launch the popular initiative next week. The constitution should say: “The federal government will not procure any F-35 fighter aircraft.” According to the newspaper, over 200 people support the appeal against the fighter jets. The committee is aware of the tight schedule. The arrival of the jets in Switzerland cannot be stopped, but their number can be stopped, the “SonntagsZeitung” quoted. (sda)