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News Archives

Vaccine supply causes more problems for roll-out

Thu 28 Jan 2021

Switzerland’s already troubled vaccine roll out is likely to be hit further after the pharm...

Geneva forced to close vaccine centres due to lack of supply

Thu 28 Jan 2021

The practical impact of the lack of vaccines is shown clearly in Geneva. Three newly opened vacci...

Zurich police break up illegal party

Thu 28 Jan 2021

Zurich police broke up an illegal party at a self-check in hotel over the weekend. Around 25 were...

Rules on Lake Geneva boat commuters clarified

Thu 28 Jan 2021

The company that runs the boats on Lake Geneva has clarified the law on what passengers need to d...

Air passengers warned to make sure they know the rules

Thu 28 Jan 2021

Passengers heading to Geneva Airport are being warned to make sure they understand all the regula...

Zurich City debates banning circus animals

Thu 28 Jan 2021

Zurich City is debating on whether to ban circuses with animals.

Geneva extends 'solidarity vouchers'.

Thu 28 Jan 2021

Geneva is continuing and expanding the use of the ‘solidarity vouchers’.

Swiss vaccine strategy slammed

Wed 27 Jan 2021

Switzerland’s vaccine strategy is a shambles, the federal government dragged its feet, the ...

Fewer people travel after work from home order and French curfew

Wed 27 Jan 2021

There are fewer people moving around the Grand Genève region due to the orders to work fro...

Geneva politicians dismiss frontalier testing plan

Wed 27 Jan 2021

Geneva politicians have come out strongly against an idea hatched in Bern that all border workers...

University under fire for poor exam conditions

Wed 27 Jan 2021

Staff at the ETH university in Zurich are under fire for forcing students into small rooms for th...

Train passengers using food as an excuse not to wear mask

Wed 27 Jan 2021

The Swiss Federal Health Office wants to stop people from taking too long to eat on a train so th...

More people becoming less religious

Wed 27 Jan 2021

We’re continuing to turn our backs on religion. The latest figures from the Federal Statist...

Bern to launch nationwide mass testing

Tue 26 Jan 2021

The government wants to roll out mass testing across the country. The plan is being welcomed by t...

France could lockdown again

Tue 26 Jan 2021

It’s looking increasingly likely France is going to lockdown once again. It will be the thi...

Lockdown saved more than 60,000 lives - study

Tue 26 Jan 2021

A study by the University of Italian Switzerland in Lugano suggests the first lockdown saved 35,0...

Most people use more than one language a week - and more speak English

Tue 26 Jan 2021

We know Switzerland is a multilingual country – and the number of people regularly using tw...

More quakes last year than on average

Tue 26 Jan 2021

With everything else last year will be remembered for, 2020 also gave us more earthquakes than av...

Bet you wouldn't do it!

Tue 26 Jan 2021

If you thought your day was going badly – have a thought for two volunteers from an animal ...

Political parties call for stricter border controls

Mon 25 Jan 2021

The leaders of all the major political parties in Switzerland have sent a joint letter to the Fed...

Geneva pays out to help shut businesses

Mon 25 Jan 2021

In Geneva the canton has paid out nearly CHF 2m on rent that businesses shut down by the pandemic...

More schools being closed due to UK variant

Mon 25 Jan 2021

The more virulent and possibly more deadly UK strain of the virus is closing schools in the ...

More vaccinations planned for Geneva

Mon 25 Jan 2021

Geneva has vaccinated 11,000 people and is vaccinating 1,000 people a day.

Dangerous Geneva buildings to be demolished

Mon 25 Jan 2021

The buildings in Servette in Geneva which had to be evacuated urgently in 2019 due to a risk of c...

Thousands head to the mountains over the weekend

Mon 25 Jan 2021

Crowds took to the mountains yesterday to take advantage of good snow and blue skies – but ...

From the cockpit to cab - pilots training to drive trains

Mon 25 Jan 2021

Pilots for SWISS International Airlines are switching the cockpit for the train cab.

Geneva moans it hasn't got enough of the vaccine

Fri 22 Jan 2021

The vaccine roll out in Geneva is being hit by lack of supplies and IT glitches.

Police identify lake body

Fri 22 Jan 2021

Bern police say they’ve identified the woman found dead in Lake Thun last Sunday.

South African billionaire jumps Swiss vaccine queue

Fri 22 Jan 2021

Questions are being asked about why a health group vaccinated a South African billionaire who doe...

Lockdowns lead to depressive thoughts

Fri 22 Jan 2021

The longer the lockdown and restrictions continue – the higher the rate of depression. ...

France tightens entry laws

Fri 22 Jan 2021

France is tightening its travel restrictions and now anyone wishing to enter the country has to s...

Plans for new Geneva park gets solid support

Fri 22 Jan 2021

Geneva city officials are examining a project to create a park near Plainpalais by closing a car ...

Govt says it could close schools - but doesn't want to

Thu 21 Jan 2021

The Federal Council says it will close all the schools again if it has to – but it will be ...

Geneva hospital starts up routine surgery

Thu 21 Jan 2021

The Geneva University Hospital is to re-start routine surgeries.

Hopes for Geneva economy in 2021

Thu 21 Jan 2021

There are hopes the Geneva economy will begin to bounce back during the course of this year. T...

Swiss President congratulates Biden

Thu 21 Jan 2021

The Swiss President, Guy Parmelin has congratulated President Joe Biden and the Vice-President Ka...

Far-right extremists 'wanted to start race war'

Thu 21 Jan 2021

Six alleged right-wing activists have been arrested in a co-ordinated action by Zurich, Lucerne c...

Bomb threat empties Geneva TV and university

Thu 21 Jan 2021

Hundreds had to be evacuated from the Geneva university building Uni Mail and the from the TV Tow...

Government wants to be able to search asylum seekers' phones

Thu 21 Jan 2021

The government wants to change the law to allow authorities to search the phones and laptops of a...

Two schools in canton Zurich closed due to virus

Wed 20 Jan 2021

Two schools in canton Zurich have been closed and the staff and students have been ordered to sta...

Swissmedic pushes back against skeptics

Wed 20 Jan 2021

The medicines agency Swissmedic is pushing back after vaccine skeptics claim a series of deaths i...

Health Office under fire for vaccination numbers

Wed 20 Jan 2021

The Federal Health Office found itself under attack at a press conference in Bern yesterday for n...

Another death in the mountains

Wed 20 Jan 2021

A British citizen who lived in Verbier has died in an avalanche. 38-year-old Jamie Clark had live...

Geneva beggar wins human rights case

Wed 20 Jan 2021

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled against Switzerland for detaining a beggar when she ...

Village cut off - everyone has to dig

Wed 20 Jan 2021

Everyone in an entire village in Graubünden was called to help dig out the streets after it ...

St Moritz hit by outbreak of African strain

Tue 19 Jan 2021

The exclusive ski resort of St Moritz is the centre of a new outbreak.

Father killed while skiing with his children

Tue 19 Jan 2021

A man was killed while skiing in canton Valais on Sunday morning. His children called for help wh...

Teen killed in avalanche in Vaud

Tue 19 Jan 2021

A young skier has died in canton Vaud after a group of four were caught up in an avalanche on the...

Bern police launch murder hunt after body found in lake

Tue 19 Jan 2021

Bern cantonal police have launched a murder investigation after a body was found in Lake Thun on ...

Cold weather and snow hits trains

Tue 19 Jan 2021

Heavy snow with the cold weather is disrupting train travel across the country.

Major jewellery heist at Zurich Airport

Tue 19 Jan 2021

Hundreds of thousands of francs worth of jewellery and watches were stolen from a Zurich airport ...

Geneva shoppers avoid closures by crossing the border

Tue 19 Jan 2021

Geneva shoppers are heading over the border to France to buy the things they need as confinement ...

Work from home compulsory from today

Mon 18 Jan 2021

As from today, working from home is compulsory. The latest federal guidelines say everyone sho...

Bern threatens disorganized cantons on vaccine delivery

Mon 18 Jan 2021

The Federal government is threatening not to send the vaccine to cantons which are being too slow...

Three die in avalanches over the weekend

Mon 18 Jan 2021

Weekend avalanches have claimed the lives of three people. In canton Obwalden, a group were caugh...

Geneva shops busy at weekend ahead of closures

Mon 18 Jan 2021

Thousands hit the shops this weekend in Geneva ahead of the closure of all non-essential business...

US ambassador leaves country

Mon 18 Jan 2021

The US Ambassador to Switzerland, Edward McMullen, has left the country. The Trump appointed d...

Neighbouring French town looks set to break curfew

Mon 18 Jan 2021

Restaurants in the French town of Annemasse are threatening to defy the curfew and open their doo...

Swiss travellers do not need negative test for France

Mon 18 Jan 2021

The French government has confirmed Swiss residents do not need to show a negative Covid 19 test ...

Mass testing to be expanded

Fri 15 Jan 2021

After the success of the mass testing programme in Graubünden, other cantons are interested ...

Snow brings Zurich to standstill - cuts off villages

Fri 15 Jan 2021

Heavy snow in many parts of the country is causing problems. Last night all public transport in t...

Small firms embrace homeworking but not the vaccine

Fri 15 Jan 2021

A survey carried out by the Federation of Suisse Romande Businesses show 22% have all their staff...

Teachers want to be in the first wave of vaccinations

Fri 15 Jan 2021

Teachers unions are calling for their members to be included in those being vaccinated early.

Army loses fewer weapons last year

Fri 15 Jan 2021

The army lost 70 weapons last year – a combination of assault rifles and pistols. But that ...

New federal lockdown rules from Monday

Thu 14 Jan 2021

The Federal Council has agreed to new tougher measures. The health minister Alain Berset is getti...

Geneva unhappy with new federal rules

Thu 14 Jan 2021

The new rules are not going down well in Geneva.

Man advertises himself on Geneva bus

Thu 14 Jan 2021

A man in his thirties who’s been out of work since May decided to take action.

Zurich researchers build crash free drone

Thu 14 Jan 2021

Researchers in Zurich have developed what they call is a crash proof drone. One of the main reaso...

More infections expected due to UK variant

Wed 13 Jan 2021

The Federal Health Office says it expects a rise in infections, due mainly to the arrival of the ...

Second vaccine given go-ahead

Wed 13 Jan 2021

The medical regulator, Swissmedic, has authorized the use of the Moderna vaccine in addition to t...

One UK tourist being blamed for ski race cancellation

Wed 13 Jan 2021

One British tourist is being blamed for the cancelation of the Laubernhorn World Cup ski race in ...

Heavy snow hits Geneva region

Wed 13 Jan 2021

Heavy snow fell around the Lake Geneva region yesterday afternoon – causing traffic tailbac...

UBS to close more branches

Wed 13 Jan 2021

UBS is to close 1 in 5 of its branches in Switzerland with the loss of 150 jobs.

UK Covid variant already in country before borders closed

Tue 12 Jan 2021

Despite the Swiss government banning arrivals from the United Kingdom on December 21st in an effo...

City of Geneva could take over creches

Tue 12 Jan 2021

The City of Geneva is considering taking over managing the creches.

We are wearing masks

Tue 12 Jan 2021

The vast majority of people are following mask wearing rules. It’s been compulsory to wear ...

Film and Human Rights event to go ahead - no matter what

Tue 12 Jan 2021

The Geneva Film Festival and the International Forum for Human Rights will go ahead – no ma...

Toddler locks Dad out

Tue 12 Jan 2021

Police in Winterthur responded to a call from neighbours who feared a nearby apartment was being ...

Half of restaurants could go bust

Mon 11 Jan 2021

Half of bars, restaurants and cafes will go bust unless they get urgent financial support from th...

Geneva fire forces 46 out of their homes

Mon 11 Jan 2021

A major fire on Sunday morning in Geneva forced 46 people out of their homes. Many had to be evac...

Two year old in hospital after being run over - twice

Mon 11 Jan 2021

A two-year-old boy is in hospital with fortunately only minor injuries after being run over by a ...

Passengers at Zurich airport complain about queues

Mon 11 Jan 2021

Passengers at Zurich airport complained yesterday they were not able to maintain social distancin...

Geneva acts to protect homeless in cold weather

Mon 11 Jan 2021

The City of Geneva has activated its emergency cold plan for the homeless.

Geneva tourist faces bill after crashing drone

Mon 11 Jan 2021

A tourist in Geneva is set to pay a large bill.

Covid sufferers could have long term lung damage

Fri 08 Jan 2021

A study by a group of Swiss doctors suggest Covid suffers will be left with permanent lung damage...

Swiss government 'concerned' at events in Washington

Fri 08 Jan 2021

The Swiss Foreign Ministry says it is concerned about the recent events in Washington DC and it&r...

Bern crematorium working at full capacity

Fri 08 Jan 2021

Workers at a crematorium in canton Bern say those who doubt the severity of the pandemic should s...

Large 2020 drugs haul at Zurich airport despite fewer flights

Fri 08 Jan 2021

The Federal Customs Office says over a tonne of drugs were seized at Zurich airport over 2020.

Geneva traders say December didn't make up for previous closures

Fri 08 Jan 2021

Despite a statement from the Geneva Statistical Office which says the level of retail trade in De...

Federal Council confirms extended restrictions

Thu 07 Jan 2021

The Federal council has confirmed the existing restrictions will continue for another few weeks -...

Drug maker given go-ahead to produce Moderna vaccine

Thu 07 Jan 2021

Although the regulator, Swissmedic, has not yet approved the Moderna vaccine – it has given...

Geneva calls on more federal help for restaurants

Thu 07 Jan 2021

Geneva is calling on the federal government to offer further help to the beleaguered hospitality ...

First conviction for homosexual hate speech

Thu 07 Jan 2021

The first fine has been issued under a law passed by voters which extended anti-racist protection...

Grand Genève region continues to grow

Thu 07 Jan 2021

The economic growth of the Grand Genève region continues and the bordering Geneva town of ...

Assange could be granted humanitarian visa for Switzerland

Wed 06 Jan 2021

The Wikileaks founder Julian Assange could be granted a humanitarian visa to enter Switzerland an...

Hopes everyone who wants a vaccine will get it by summer

Wed 06 Jan 2021

The head of the vaccination strategy at the Federal Health Office, Nora Kronig, says everyone in ...

Man changes his mind about prison because of dirt

Wed 06 Jan 2021

A man in canton Thurgau who said he would go to jail and not pay a fine changed his mind in recor...

Man fined for arguing Covid is a conspiracy.

Wed 06 Jan 2021

A man who believes the pandemic is a major conspiracy is now facing a large fine.

Tougher lockdown rules could be coming

Tue 05 Jan 2021

The Federal Council is expected to discuss tomorrow extending the lockdown until the end of Febru...

Vaccinations under way in Switzerland

Tue 05 Jan 2021

Vaccinations are now well under way in Switzerland and a second consignment of the drugs has been...