A majority of the candidates putting themselves forward for election as federal parliamentarians on 20 October 2019 favour raising Switzerland’s retirement age to 67, according to a survey done by Smartvote and reported in the newspaper NZZ am Sonntag. This could produce a parliamentary majority on the issue after the federal election. Switzerland’s official retirement […]
Archives for 2019
Swiss research leads to cancer break through
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute recently deciphered the structure of the CC chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), a signaling protein. Cancer cells use CCR7 to guide themselves into the lymphatic system, spreading cancer throughout the body. The resulting secondary tumors, called metastases, are responsible for most cancer deaths. This new understanding of CCR7 is a […]
Fine upheld against activist returning to Switzerland with expelled Afghan
A fine of CHF 800 imposed on Anni Lanz by the authorities in Brig in December 2018 was unheld by a judge in Sion last week, according to Swiss broadcaster RTS. The 74 year old activist from Basel was caught bringing a failed Afghan asylum seeker back to Switzerland in violation of Swiss law. The […]
Switzerland heading for third hottest summer on record
According to Swiss Meteo, this summer will probably be Switzerland’s third hottest on record. This year’s average summer temperature will be between 15 and 16 degrees, around 2 degrees higher than the norm between 1981 and 2010, according to the forecaster. The marked rise in summer temperatures is a sign of climate change, according to […]
FILM – 5 franc movies across Switzerland this Sunday
30 August 2019. By Neptune CINEPHILES – ON YOUR MARKS, GET SET, READY, GO! This SUNDAY, to the annual Allianz JOURNÉE DU CINÉMA for just 5 CHF. This deal happens once a year in our overpriced cities, so take advantage. Go for a double feature, or even a triple one, to see the films you […]
Muslim politician in Geneva quits party after voicing differences on gay marriage
Earlier this year, Sabine Tiguemounine, a parliamentarian from the Green Party, made news when she decided to sit in an area of Geneva’s parliament building open to the public, rather than in the main area where parliamentary members normally sit. Earlier in 2019, the canton introduced rules preventing public officials, including members of parliament, showing […]
Swiss meat remains most expensive in Europe
To anyone familiar with Swiss prices, the results of Eurostats’ 2018 European meat price comparison will come as no surprise. The study compares the average meat price across 38 European countries to the average meat price across the EU (EU-28 nations). Meat includes beef and veal, pork, lamb, mutton and goat, poultry, other meats and […]
CERN tours – go on, expand your universe – 2019 open days
CERN Open Days 2019 On 14 and 15 September 2019, CERN will open its doors to the public for two special days for a glimpse at the heart of one of the world’s largest particle-physics laboratories. The Open Days give visitors the chance to discover the facilities, both underground and on the surface. With free […]
Is Greta Thunberg’s sea voyage to New York really less polluting than flying?
To avoid the high carbon footprint of flying, Greta Thunberg, the young Swedish climate activist is instead sailing from Europe to New York to attend a global United Nations summit. However, there is a snag. According to the German newspaper Die Tageszeitung, the coming and going of her fellow crew members from New York by […]
Work related stress rising in Switzerland
Work-related stress is affecting more and more people in Switzerland, according to a study published by the Federal Statistical Office. In 2012, 18% said they felt stressed at work most of the time. By 2017, the same figure had risen to 21%. Nine potential drivers of on-the-job stress were looked at. Only 11% said they […]
