Switzerland

Swiss law still values the physical franc after a Geneva hotel lost a legal battle for refusing to accept cash. The court upheld the 'Nötli-Pflicht', or cash duty, reminding the hospitality sector that legal tender remains exactly that. The ruling arrives as the Swiss National Bank’s new chief economist, Martin Brown, begins his tenure, though the public is generally more focused on his superior's interest rate decisions than the mechanics of the payment system.

The labor market is attempting to calculate the cost of automation. While studies suggest Artificial Intelligence may threaten hundreds of thousands of existing roles, the University of Lucerne found 5,000 new AI-related positions have already appeared. The transition is proving uneven: humanities graduates are finding entry-level internships increasingly elusive, while the University of Lausanne’s new rector has called for the institution to take control of its digital future before the software does.

Zoo Zurich is narrowing its focus, announcing it will part ways with its sea lions and king penguins to accommodate a new strategy. Elsewhere, the FDP is currently at odds with business associations over a proposed increase in value-added tax, a rare moment of friction between the party of the economy and the groups that represent it.