Recent data from Numbeo and GlobalProductPrices show that consumers in Switzerland now pay around $7.73 for a dozen large eggs, the highest globally, followed by New Zealand at roughly $6.19 and Puerto Rico at $5.64. Denmark, the Netherlands and Luxembourg also rank among the most expensive markets, reflecting broader cost pressures across high-income economies.

While European and developed markets dominate the top tier, prices in countries such as India, Pakistan and Nigeria remain below $2 per dozen, highlighting wide gaps in production costs, labour and purchasing power.

At the centre of the price spike is a prolonged outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu , which decimated poultry flocks worldwide in 2024 and 2025. Millions of egg-laying hens have been culled to contain the disease, sharply reducing supply and pushing prices higher.

In the United States alone, egg supply fell by as much as 15–20% during peak outbreaks, contributing to price spikes that exceeded $6–$8 per dozen in some regions.

The economic mechanics are straightforward, as fewer hens mean fewer eggs, creating a supply deficit that drives prices upward in a market where demand remains relatively inelastic.

Beyond disease outbreaks, producers are grappling with escalating input costs. Feed prices, particularly for corn and soybean meal, along with higher energy, transport and labour costs, have significantly increased the cost of egg production globally.

Regulatory changes are also playing a role. In countries such as Switzerland and New Zealand, stricter animal welfare standards and transitions to cage-free farming systems have raised operational costs, which are ultimately passed on to consumers.

Faced with persistent volatility, producers are investing heavily in biosecurity measures and rebuilding flocks, though recovery remains slow because hens require time to mature and resume laying.

Exporters and importers, meanwhile, are adapting trade flows to stabilise supply. Governments in some countries are exploring increased egg imports and financial support for farmers to cushion the impact of shortages and price swings.

Retailers and food manufacturers have also adjusted, introducing purchase limits and reformulating products to reduce reliance on eggs amid elevated prices.

Switzerland

Switzerland’s flag is one of the most recognisable in the world: a white cross set against a red background. Unlike most national flags, however, its proportions are 1:1, making it perfectly square.

Historical records show the white cross was used by Swiss confederate troops as early as the 14th century during battles against Habsburg forces . Over time, it evolved into a unifying emblem for the Swiss Confederation.

The modern square format was formally defined in federal law in the 19th century. According to the Swiss Federal Chancellery, the cross represents faith, honour and freedom, while the red background reflects historic military banners.

Although Switzerland’s civil and merchant ensigns are rectangular for practical use at sea, the official national flag remains square.

The design is also closely associated with the International Committee of the Red Cross, which was founded in Geneva in 1863. The Red Cross emblem is effectively the inverse of the Swiss flag, adopted in tribute to its country of origin.

Vatican

The only other country with a square flag is Vatican City, the world’s smallest independent state.

Adopted on 7 June 1929, following the Lateran Treaty between the Holy See and Italy, the Vatican flag is divided vertically into two equal bands of yellow and white. Centred in the white half are the crossed keys of Saint Peter beneath the Papal Tiara.

According to the Holy See’s official documentation, the gold and silver keys symbolise spiritual and worldly authority, referencing the biblical passage in which Saint Peter is given the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven. The tiara represents the papacy.

Like Switzerland’s, the Vatican’s national flag is officially square in proportion.

The overwhelming majority of national flags are rectangular, typically using proportions such as 2:3 or 1:2. Standardised shapes allow for consistency in diplomatic settings, international institutions and global events.

Square flags are uncommon largely for practical reasons. Rectangular designs are easier to manufacture and more suited to maritime and military use, where flags must be visible in the wind .

While other flags, such as Nepal’s (which is triangular), break conventional shape rules, Switzerland and Vatican City remain the only recognised sovereign states whose official national flags are square.

Governments that suspended flights or warned citizens against travelling cite a combination of security concerns, institutional breakdown, and unpredictable diplomatic tensions.

Since early September, the U.S. government has been carrying out airstrikes on vessels it claims are drug-running boats from Venezuela and other Latin American countries, actions that Democrats, legal scholars and human rights groups have criticised as extrajudicial killings.

On Thursday, November 27, Trump again warned that he is prepared to expand those strikes to targets on land.

"The land is easier, but that's going to start very soon," Trump told reporters.

Maduro also accused the U.S. in a televised address in October of openly authorising CIA operations to topple his government, calling the move “unprecedented” in modern history.

“The U.S.  government  has decided to send the CIA to Venezuela,” Maduro said in the televised address reported by Viory. “They want to frighten, divide, and demoralise our people. But our people are clear, united, with millions of eyes and ears. We will defeat this conspiracy again.”

A relationship built on confrontation

Tensions between Trump and Maduro date back to 2017, when the White House imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuelan officials, state-run oil company PDVSA, and the government’s financial networks in a bid to force democratic reforms.

The sanctions accelerated Venezuela’s economic collapse, restricting its access to global capital markets and worsening shortages of fuel, medicine and basic goods.

By early 2019, the Trump administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president, triggering a rupture in diplomatic relations. Caracas expelled U.S. diplomats and accused Washington of orchestrating a coup.

As the political crisis intensified, Venezuela’s aviation system deteriorated further, prompting the U.S. decision to halt all flights that year.

Despite a brief easing of sanctions under President Joe Biden in 2023–24, Washington reinstated many restrictions after disagreements over electoral guarantees.

By the time Trump re-emerged as a central political figure in 2025, the relationship had once again become combustible.

Airlines began withdrawing voluntarily years before official bans, citing unpaid debts, unsafe airport conditions, and rising crime around transit hubs. Carriers from Colombia, Brazil, and several European countries reduced their routes long before the current wave of political restrictions.

Today’s bans come against a backdrop of continued concerns over Venezuela’s regulatory oversight, reports of airport corruption, and frequent nationwide blackouts that disrupt aviation systems. Several governments warn that deteriorating security and infrastructure make travel too risky for citizens or airline crews.

Julen argues the tower could help ease Zermatt’s housing crisis. The village’s population of 5,800 swells to around 40,000 in winter, pushing property prices to some of the highest in Europe. Many locals have been priced out, he says, and need affordable housing.

But the reaction so far has been largely negative. Critics warn the development would worsen overtourism, strain infrastructure , and dramatically alter views of the Matterhorn, one of Switzerland’s most famous natural symbols. Tourism groups and residents say the project risks turning the quiet alpine valley into a commercial “mountain city.”

Online, the pushback has been even sharper, with some joking that developers may as well “dig up the Matterhorn and build apartments inside it.”

The proposal remains at an early stage, with no approvals granted.