A US Army F35 at an air show in Dubai.Image: keystone
The controversial deportation of a terror suspect, Epstein’s connections to Switzerland and a Swiss mercenary Ukraine mercenary on trial: this and more can be found in the Sunday newspapers.
December 14, 2025, 07:27December 14, 2025, 07:27
Man threatened to attack ESC in Basel – deportation raises questions
According to information from “NZZ am Sonntag”, a terrorist suspect who was deported from Switzerland was dropped off unaccompanied by the French security authorities not far from the Swiss border. The now 25-year-old was considered dangerous and was dependent on several psychotropic medications, as the newspaper wrote based on court rulings and other documents. He threatened to attack the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel and described himself as a representative of the Islamic State. According to the newspaper, the Federal Administrative Court actually ordered that the Swiss authorities must ensure adequate care for the man in France. The Bern cantonal police said he was handed over to the responsible authorities with the necessary medication “for the time being”. The French police have “nothing to say” about the case. The Frenchman, who grew up in Switzerland, is currently around twenty kilometers from Switzerland – without supervision.
Vice-Miss Switzerland was also approached by Epstein
A former Miss Switzerland finalist said she was harassed by the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during a beauty pageant in 1993 in the “NZZ am Sonntag”. “Epstein introduced himself to me on the sidelines of the competition as ‘Donald Trump’s best friend,'” the now 55-year-old told the newspaper. A year ago she accused US President Trump of sexual harassment. He had the allegations denied, as the “NZZ am Sonntag” wrote. On the same occasion, Epstein invited her to a party at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. When the Swiss woman waved her off, Epstein became pushy. He also wanted to set her up with the former British Prince Andrew, she told the newspaper. Her story is representative of a time when powerful men used the modeling business as a hunting ground, wrote the “NZZ am Sonntag”. Switzerland was a hub in this global system.
Epstein Files: Swiss banks on the radar of the US authorities
According to the “NZZ am Sonntag”, the US Senate Finance Commission has targeted the Swiss banks UBS and Julius Baer, among others, in the case of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The two banks are listed in a bill currently being discussed in the Senate committee, the newspaper wrote. The law would require the US government to release all “suspicion reports” about Epstein and his accomplices from any associated companies and banks. However, it is unclear whether the commission has concrete information about the two banks. According to “NZZ am Sonntag”, UBS and Julius Baer did not comment on this.
Another Swiss Ukraine mercenary on trial
According to “SonntagsBlick”, a Swiss mercenary from Ukraine is standing in front of the Meilen ZH district court on Thursday. The man from Schaffhausen is said to have fought in the International Legion for the Defense of Ukraine from February 2022 to at least the end of 2024, as the newspaper quoted from the indictment in an online article. The Swiss, who has been convicted several times, is threatened with a fine or imprisonment. It is unclear whether he will take part in the trial. He currently lives in Israel, as CH Media recently reported. The defendant and his defense did not want to comment on “SonntagsBlick”. It is the first time that the military justice system has charged a Swiss mercenary from Ukraine, the newspaper wrote. Investigations are currently underway against 15 other suspected mercenaries.
SVP member Giezendanner wants to finance highway expansion with expensive gasoline
According to Tamedia, a provocative SVP initiative to finance motorway expansion has also been well received by FDP, centrist and GLP politicians. SVP National Councilor Benjamin Giezendanner is demanding that the Federal Council consider a mineral oil tax surcharge of four cents per liter, as the “SonntagsZeitung” and “Le Matin Dimanche” wrote. The additional money should be used to expand the road network. 50 members of parliament have already signed the proposal. The Aargau National Council is expected to submit the proposal next week. He hopes that postponed expansion projects will be revived with the additional income.
FM withdrawal: Now SRF is threatened with further trouble
According to “SonntagsBlick”, a private radio station has announced legal steps due to SRG’s planned VHF return. “In a constitutional state, everyone must have the same playing field,” said Reto Wettstein, owner of the private broadcaster Radio2Go.CH and Aargau FDP councilor, in an article published online. If the Federal Office of Communications grants SRG an exemption or an early reallocation of the returned FM frequencies, this will be contested, he said. The Association of Swiss Private Radios does not want to put any obstacles in the way of the SRG. However, if an exception is granted, he will check that everything is legally correct.
New Swiss army pistol continues to cause criticism
The competition criticized the choice of the new army pistol in the “SonntagsZeitung” as “arbitrary”. Jean-Paul Schild, general importer of Glock pistols, wrote a letter of protest to Defense Minister Martin Pfister, the newspaper wrote. The Glock pistol performed best in all tests, which the federal government also admitted, the newspaper wrote. The selected P320 from SIG Sauer does not meet the technical requirements. The pistol is said to have been no longer in the running before armaments chief Urs Lohner intervened, wrote the “SonntagsZeitung” with reference to sources in the Federal Armaments Office. The representative of the Czech CZ pistols, Armin Landolt, also complained that the requirement criteria had been changed during the process. The Federal Armaments Office announced that the federal government decided on the P320 based on a “holistic armament policy and economic assessment”.
In extreme cases, fighter jet money is only enough for 24 planes
According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, in extreme cases the federal government can only procure 24 new F-35 fighter jets with the approved 6 billion francs. The problem is the many additional services that are included in the cost ceiling, as the newspaper wrote. The aircraft alone account for 3.8 billion francs. The estimated additional costs of up to 1.3 billion francs relate only to the machines, as the Federal Armaments Office confirmed to the newspaper. In order to meet the cost ceiling, the money would probably only be enough for 24 jets.
According to the boss, Globus is getting money together to repay creditors
According to statements by Globus boss Lucia Guagliardi in the “SonntagsZeitung”, the new Globus owner, the Thai Central Group, has guaranteed the department store the money it needs to repay loans. “We will be able to fully fulfill our obligations to Migros and Basler Kantonalbank,” said Guagliardi. How the Central Group feels about this remains to be seen, wrote the “SonntagsZeitung”. Next year, the department store will have to repay 300 million francs to creditors within one year. Guagliardi trusts in the expertise of the Central Group. “They know exactly what they’re doing,” she said. Globus must continue to reduce costs and generate more sales, the newspaper wrote. (sda/con)