A group of Swiss lawyers have asked the Federal Council, Switzerland’s executive, to grant Julian Assange asylum, according to the newspaper Tribune de Genève. The 22 lawyers, mostly from Zurich, justify their request on the grounds of promoting civil society, human rights and press freedom. Among the lawyers are Marcel Bosonnet, Philip Stolkin and Bernard […]
The price of some Swiss train passes could rise significantly
Some travelers on Swiss trains could be in for a shock. The price of a GA travel card, an annual pass that allows unlimited travel of the Swiss Rail network, might rise 10% in 2021, according to the newspaper Le Matin. Compared to the price of other passes and tickets, the AG pass is relatively […]
Vote on Swiss gun law changes headed for yes, according to poll
Following the gun attacks in Paris and Brussels, the EU tightened gun rules in 2017. In 2018, the government of Switzerland, a nation outside the EU but within the Schengen area, changed its laws on guns to reflect european laws. However, the changes do not please everyone. Switzerland has a long tradition of gun ownership […]
Swiss vote on tax and pensions heading for yes, according to poll
Under outside pressure, Switzerland plans to abolish the tax privileges it offers to certain foreign companies, a system designed to attract businesses to the country. To reduce the risk of companies leaving, cantons will replace this system with lower standard company tax rates, a move that will lower tax revenue. Tax rates in Switzerland vary […]
Question of the week: when did you last say “I don’t know”?
There is little we can predict, particularly where complex systems are involved. However, in the face of impossible uncertainty, some of us claim, often quite vigorously, to know the future – if we do this then this will happen. The world seems to put a premium on answers. Some, like politicians, business leaders, consultants and […]
Two thirds of Swiss food waste avoidable
A report by Switzerland’s Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) estimates that 2.6 million tonnes of fresh food is wasted in Switzerland every year. Two thirds of this is avoidable, meaning that the food is still edible by the time it is discarded. Food losses occur throughout the chain from food production to purchase. Around […]
Switzerland makes some progress on child obesity
Last year, the percentage of children aged 8 to 12 in Switzerland that were obese or overweight fell to 19.3% during the 2017/2018 school year, the lowest it has been in over ten years, according to Promotion Santé Suisse. The number of overweight or obese school children in Switzerland rises with age. During the 2017/2018 […]
The number of disruptive kids rising in Swiss schools
The number of children between the ages of 4 and 8 disrupting classes and making life difficult for teachers in Switzerland is rising, according to a survey run by the newspaper SonntagsZeitung and reported in 20 Minutes. These difficult children were identified as the main source of stress for school staff. Younger children seem to […]
Smoking ban on Swiss train platforms coming soon
Non-smokers will soon be able to breathe easily while waiting for Swiss trains, according to the newspaper Le Matin. In 2005, it was still possible to smoke on Swiss trains in special smoking carriages. From 1 June 2019, it won’t even be possible to smoke on train platforms. Smokers will soon have to take their […]
Swiss to vote on presumed organ donor consent
Recently, a new initiative on organ donation reached the first milestone of collecting more than 100,000 valid signatures. The aim of the initiative is to introduce, by referendum, laws that would presume donor consent. The changes would allow surgeons to take organs from anyone declared dead without requiring the dead person’s prior consent. Instead they […]
