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News Archives

Geneva abnormally plagued by summer traffic jams

Wed 12 Aug 2020

Normally during the summer, Geneva traffic is lighter as schools are out and many are away.

Daily infection rate continues to climb

Wed 12 Aug 2020

The daily infection rate continues to climb – the latest figures show 187 new covid-19 case...

Government secures coronavirus treatment drug with Zurich pharmaceutical company

Wed 12 Aug 2020

The government says it has agreed with a Zurich based pharmaceutical company to secure 200,000 do...

Water at idyllic waterfall could make bathers sick

Wed 12 Aug 2020

Bathers are being warned cooling down in a picturesque spot near Basel could make you ill.

1 in 4 would refuse Covid-19 vaccine, survey shows

Wed 12 Aug 2020

A survey is showing 1 in 4 Swiss residents would refuse a Covid-19 vaccine if one comes available.

Three bodies found in car in canton Zurich

Tue 11 Aug 2020

Three bodies have been found in a car in Uitikon in canton Zurich – a 30-year-old woman and...

New shopping centre in France suspected to be built as revenge

Tue 11 Aug 2020

Are plans for a new shopping centre in France, close to the Swiss border, revenge for the Sw...

Children flood back into classrooms

Tue 11 Aug 2020

Thousands of children are back at school. Several cantons, including Basel, welcomed the kids bac...

Cantons hand out over CHF 2m in Covid-19 fines

Tue 11 Aug 2020

In total the cantons have handed out over CHF 2m in fines for breaking Covid-19 restrictions.

Video showing animal cruelty from teens passed on to authorities

Tue 11 Aug 2020

Animal welfare officers in Basel are horrified at a video that’s been posted on Instagram s...

Gotthard Tunnel saw 9km tailbacks over weekend

Mon 10 Aug 2020

Weekend traffic at the Gotthard Tunnel led to delays of more than an hour at the southern entranc...

Number of daily new infections remains above 100

Mon 10 Aug 2020

The number of new infections in Switzerland remains stubbornly above 100. Yesterday the Federal O...

Body of missing Geneva resident found in canton Vaud

Mon 10 Aug 2020

The body of a missing Geneva resident has been found near Bex in canton Vaud.

Hot weather weekend brings about a number of tragedies across country

Mon 10 Aug 2020

The hot weekend weather brought thousands out to enjoy the lakes and mountains – but some n...

Cantonal check-ups on companies' Covid-19 protective measures sporadic

Mon 10 Aug 2020

Research by yesterday’s SonntagsBlick shows anti-Covid-19 measures are only being sporadica...

World's oldest 2-headed tortoise to have new home built

Mon 10 Aug 2020

The world’s oldest living 2-headed tortoise is to get a new home at the Geneva Natural Hist...

Hot temperatures expected over weekend

Fri 07 Aug 2020

We’re being warned to expect more hot weather this weekend - with temperatures potentially ...

Players and fans pile on pressure to restart sporting events

Fri 07 Aug 2020

Sports fans are trying to pile on the pressure to allow spectators to once again enjoy sporting e...

Swiss hotel overnight-stays down by almost 50%

Fri 07 Aug 2020

Overnight-stays at Swiss hotels have plunged by a record 47.5% in the first half of the year - wi...

Switzerland sends team of experts to Beirut

Fri 07 Aug 2020

Switzerland has sent a team of experts to the Lebanese capital Beirut after a massive explosion d...

Ticino to extend Covid-19 protective measures by 2 weeks

Fri 07 Aug 2020

The canton of Ticino has extended protective coronavirus measures for another two weeks from this...

Norway introduces quarantine for arrivals from Switzerland

Fri 07 Aug 2020

From tomorrow, Norway has introduced a 10-day quarantine for arrivals from Switzerland. ...

Study reveals drinking trends in Switzerland

Thu 06 Aug 2020

Ticino has the heaviest drinkers in all of Switzerland - according to a new study by the Swiss He...

City of Bern claims losing large amount of money each year in unpaid diplomat fines

Thu 06 Aug 2020

The City of Bern says it loses tens of thousands of Swiss francs every year in unpaid fines given...

Swiss economy expected to suffer less than others in Europe

Thu 06 Aug 2020

The Swiss economy is expect to suffer less from the Covid-19 crisis than other countries in Europ...

Government reissues list of quarantine countries

Thu 06 Aug 2020

The federal government has issued a renewed list of quarantine countries, now including Spain and...

Swiss ambassador to Beirut speaks of her experience

Thu 06 Aug 2020

The Swiss ambassador to Lebanon who was injured during Monday’s huge explosion in Beirut ha...

Geneva art dealer accused of owing CHF 330m in taxes

Wed 05 Aug 2020

An art dealer from Geneva owes CHF 330 million in taxes, according to Switzerland’s federal...

Rental costs rise despite pandemic

Wed 05 Aug 2020

Swiss rental costs have continued to rise, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Government criticised for lack of control over infection spread

Wed 05 Aug 2020

The Swiss Office for Federal Health is being criticised for not having a handle on the source of ...

Geneva becomes coronavirus 'hotspot'

Wed 05 Aug 2020

Geneva is being called a ‘hotspot’ for coronavirus infections.

Swiss ambassador to Beirut injured in explosion

Wed 05 Aug 2020

The Swiss ambassador to Beirut has been injured and taken to hospital after an explosion in the L...

World's first electric plane approved for flight in Switzerland

Tue 04 Aug 2020

The world’s first electric airplane has won approval to fly in Switzerland.

Ban on swimming in Lake Neuchâtel after 6 dogs die in 24 hours

Tue 04 Aug 2020

A ban on swimming in Lake Neuchâtel has been continued into this week.

Former Harbour Master hailed as hero after reacting to boat fire

Tue 04 Aug 2020

A former Harbour Master in Ascona is being hailed as a hero after he intervened when a motor boat...

Basel airport introduces compulsory Covid-19 testing for 3 countries

Tue 04 Aug 2020

Basel’s EuroAirport has introduced compulsory coronavirus testing for passengers arriving f...

Calls for Spain to be placed on quarantine list as infection rates spike

Tue 04 Aug 2020

There are calls for those returning to Switzerland from holidaying in Spain to be put in quaranti...

Seven sailors celebrate National Day with fondue whilst floating down Rhone on kayak

Mon 03 Aug 2020

A group of seven sailors have celebrated Swiss National Day by enjoying a full-scale fondue onboa...

Unmarried couples living in different countries to reunite

Mon 03 Aug 2020

From this morning, unmarried couples living apart between Switzerland and a so-called ‘thir...

Catering industry turnover takes nosedive in July

Mon 03 Aug 2020

The catering industry has announced a sharp decrease in turnover in July.

National Day celebrated with balcony flags and musicians in the street

Mon 03 Aug 2020

Switzerland celebrated its National Day over the weekend - but in a much more low-key way than us...

Belgium places Geneva, Vaud and Valais on "red list"

Mon 03 Aug 2020

Belgium has red-listed travel to Geneva, Vaud and Valais.

Nightclubs not source of most infections

Mon 03 Aug 2020

Nightclubs are not the source of the most infections of coronavirus in Switzerland.

Geneva opens pandemic-friendly fair today

Fri 31 Jul 2020

There will be a taste of summer around Lake Geneva, despite the cancellation of the annual firewo...

Number of infections rising, federal and cantonal relationships strain

Fri 31 Jul 2020

The number of new infections continue to climb. In the last 24 hours the Federal Health Office sa...

Pandemic and heatwave change usual National Day plans

Fri 31 Jul 2020

Tomorrow is National Day, but it will be a muted affair.

Town bans non-Swiss residents from using local swimming pool

Fri 31 Jul 2020

Could swimming pools in Switzerland soon be off-limits to those not living in the country?

Weather alert issued until weekend as temperatures rise

Thu 30 Jul 2020

Several cantons have banned all fires as the risk of forest fires is too high – and there a...

'Companies not required to pay quarantining workers' say lawyers as risk list set to grow

Thu 30 Jul 2020

The number of countries on the government’s risk list could grow.

Trained police dog euthanised after attacking child

Thu 30 Jul 2020

A trained police dog has been euthanized after it attacked a 5-year-old boy without provocation.&...

2 cars stop mid-autoroute in road rage incident

Thu 30 Jul 2020

Police are investigating a case of road rage when two cars stopped in the middle of the A1 autoro...

House catches fire and woman hit by trampoline in major storms

Wed 29 Jul 2020

Major storms swept across the country yesterday afternoon and into the evening.

'Mr. Coronavirus' concerned over rising infection rates

Wed 29 Jul 2020

The latest figures from the Federal Health Office show a further 132 have tested positive for Cov...

Speculation that large gatherings could be banned until March

Wed 29 Jul 2020

There’s speculation that large scale gatherings could be banned by the government unti...

Police search for blind dog kidnapped by woman

Wed 29 Jul 2020

Police in Zurich have launched a search for a blind dog which was taken from the Letzipark shoppi...

Geneva bar closes after staff member tests positive for Covid-19

Wed 29 Jul 2020

A Geneva bar will close for the next 10 days after one if its staff tested positive for Covid-19....

Zug prison quarantines after inmate tests positive

Tue 28 Jul 2020

A prison in canton Zug is in quarantine after an inmate tested positive. The prison says the man ...

Body of washed away 6-year-old found in Lake Geneva

Tue 28 Jul 2020

The body of a 6-year-old girl who was washed away in a storm last summer has been found in Lake G...

Infection rate continues to climb as cantons strengthen pandemic rules

Tue 28 Jul 2020

The case of the Rooftop bar highlights a wider trend in Geneva: the canton is seeing a surge...

'Superspreader' infects bar-goers and family members in Geneva

Tue 28 Jul 2020

One person infected 20 others at a bar in Geneva over the weekend.

Farmer's field destroyed after teens light firework

Tue 28 Jul 2020

A group of teenagers playing with firecrackers are being blamed for a blaze which destroyed 30,00...

Woman trampled by own horse dies

Mon 27 Jul 2020

A woman has died after she was trampled by her own horse at a showjumping competition in canton S...

Researchers develop formula showing link between lockdown and death rates

Mon 27 Jul 2020

A study by the University of Bern suggests if the government had waited an extra week before lock...

Four killed in Valais plane crash

Mon 27 Jul 2020

Four people have been killed in a light-plane crash in canton Valais.

Tourism up but much lower than last year

Mon 27 Jul 2020

While the number of tourists in Switzerland is climbing slightly, it's still significantly lo...

Federal Health Office calls on cantons to be stricter following infections rise

Mon 27 Jul 2020

The Federal Health Office is calling on cantons to strengthen their controls on social distancing...

Car refuses to stop, police open fire

Fri 24 Jul 2020

Vaud police opened fire on a car last night as it smashed through a road block. Four people have ...

Covid-19 outbreak at children's summer camp in Graubünden

Fri 24 Jul 2020

There’s been several infections at a children’s summer camp in Graubünden.

New app may help Geneva nightclubs stay open and safe

Fri 24 Jul 2020

An app to help Geneva nightclubs stay open and customers to stay safe is now being backed by the ...

Calls for frontalier workers to continue working from home

Fri 24 Jul 2020

There are calls to allow frontalier workers to continue working from home until the end of the ye...

Man arrested for series of animal thefts

Fri 24 Jul 2020

A man has been arrested for a series of animal thefts in canton Vaud. The 22-year-old father of t...

Countries on the at-risk list as over 6,000 people in quarantine

Fri 24 Jul 2020

There are now more than 6,000 people in quarantine as they have returned from a country on the go...

Holidaymakers warned that countries' quarantine statuses could change

Thu 23 Jul 2020

The Federal Health Office is warning holidaymakers the status of the country they’re visiti...

Fire in Lausanne train station caused by dropped battery

Thu 23 Jul 2020

A small fire broke out at the main train station in Lausanne after a man dropped his backpack, wh...

Major storms cause flooding and rockfalls in Valais

Thu 23 Jul 2020

Canton Valais and parts of Fribourg were hit by major storms last night, triggering flash-floodin...

Pastor chooses to accept gift despite clear church rules

Thu 23 Jul 2020

A pastor in Bern had to make a choice: the church or accepting a legacy from one of his pari...

Locals dispute youngest person to climb Matterhorn claims

Thu 23 Jul 2020

The celebration in the British media about the youngest person ever to climb the Matterhorn was p...

Nurses outraged at being 'thanked' with ballpoint pen

Thu 23 Jul 2020

Nurses at Bern’s main hospital, the Inselspital, are outraged by a ballpoint pen as a gift....

Country running out of butter

Wed 22 Jul 2020

The country is running out of butter.

Over 40% of Geneva workers foreigners

Wed 22 Jul 2020

More than 40% of the working population in canton Geneva are foreigners. The latest figures from ...

Swiss and Italian police operation leads to 75 arrests

Wed 22 Jul 2020

Years of cooperation between Swiss and Italian police culminated yesterday after 75 people were a...

Two men fight bloody outside supermarket

Wed 22 Jul 2020

Two men fought a bloody knife battle outside a supermarket in Lugano in canton Ticino on Monday a...

Detention guard could be charged with asylum seeker death

Wed 22 Jul 2020

A police guard who was supposed to be watching detainees in a Vaud detention centre could face ch...

Man sets himself alight after asylum bid rejected

Tue 21 Jul 2020

A man is being treated in hospital after setting himself alight in front of the Federal Palace in...

Public confused by compulsory mask wearing on boats

Tue 21 Jul 2020

People are generally adhering to the new law that makes mask wearing on public transport compulso...

Young driver fined over CHF 14,000 for tailgating

Tue 21 Jul 2020

We know the dangers of speeding – not just for safety, but also the fines.

Referendum launched against track and trace app

Tue 21 Jul 2020

A referendum has been launched against the Swiss government’s Covid-19 track and trace app.

False alarm awakes town residents twice

Mon 20 Jul 2020

The residents of Altdorf in canton Uri had their Sunday slumber disturbed by a false siren w...

Latest figures show no new Covid deaths last week

Mon 20 Jul 2020

The latest figures from the Federal Health Office show 99 people have tested positive for the cor...

Lucerne school students angry at new face mask rules

Mon 20 Jul 2020

School students in canton Lucerne are angry they will have to pay for their own facemasks when sc...

Light aircraft crashes in cornfield during pleasure flight

Mon 20 Jul 2020

A light aircraft crashed in a cornfield in canton Aargau over the weekend.

Teen arrested over stabbing incident in Zurich

Mon 20 Jul 2020

A teenager has been arrested in Zurich after a 19-year-old was stabbed on Saturday night near the...

Search for women in Geneva seen walking into lake

Mon 20 Jul 2020

A search is underway in Geneva for a woman in her forties after her belongings, with her ID card,...

Swiss army marches like 'stroll in the park' at Paris Bastille Day parade

Fri 17 Jul 2020

A 4-man Swiss army detachment seems unlikely to ever live down the embarrassment of its showing a...

Ticino publishes new guidelines for schools reopening

Fri 17 Jul 2020

Canton Ticino has published new guidelines for when schools reopen at the end of the summer.

German doctor illegally issues mask-wearing exemption certificates

Fri 17 Jul 2020

As stricter mask restrictions are being bought in, there are a few legitimate reasons why so...

Coronavirus far from over in Switzerland

Fri 17 Jul 2020

The latest figures from the Federal Health Office shows the fight against coronavirus is far from...

More cantons hand out free masks to those claiming benefits

Fri 17 Jul 2020

More cantons are handing out free masks to those who are claiming benefits.

Explosives not used to down power pylon, investigations to continue

Thu 16 Jul 2020

Investigations into the felling of a power pylon in Gland will be continued by canton Vaud after ...

Vegan man loses claim that he was unable to eat vegan food in prison

Thu 16 Jul 2020

A vegan man has lost his bid for compensation after he claimed he was unable to follow his diet w...