It’s the question lurking in many people’s minds, especially during the frenzy of online Christmas shopping: has my email account been hacked? MELANI has got your back – up to a point. The Reporting and Analysis Centre for Information Assurance (MELANI), is part of the Swiss Federal Intelligence Service. They have recently come into possession […]
My Swiss Story – how mountains changed my life
Everyone has a story. My Swiss Story is a series that looks at lives in Switzerland. This week we spoke to Alex Inchbald. He’s from just outside London, lives near Geneva, is married with two children, works as an extreme artist and leadership mentor and has a passion for skiing and the mountains. What brought […]
Former King Michael of Romania dies at his home in Switzerland
Michael I, Romania’s former king has died at the age of 96. A long time resident of Switzerland, he passed away today at his home in Aubonne, Vaud, Switzerland, a town more likely to be associated with an IKEA store than a former king. Under pressure from communists Michael was forced to abdicate in 1947 and […]
Verbier breaks Santa record
Over the weekend, Verbier hosted its opening day, an event where the resort attempts to assemble a record number of skiers dressed as St. Nicolas, or his redder equivalent Santa. Unlike the red man himself, this year’s Claus turnout left last year’s tally of around 1,200 looking thin. An official representing the Guiness World Records […]
Swiss Fact: Switzerland’s longest glacier has shrunk 1.3 kilometres
The longest, largest glacier in Europe is the Aletsch, in Switzerland’s canton Valais. The glacier is currently about 23 km. long and blankets about 81.7 sq. km. It’s estimated maximum depth is nearly 1 km. For now. Because, alas, like most of the planet’s glaciers, the Aletsch, which is part of a UNESCO World Heritage […]
Three of the top ten most mentioned wintery destinations on Instagram are Swiss
Three of the top ten most mentioned wintery locations on Instagram are Swiss. Focus Clinics, an eye surgery in London which counts Queen guitarist Brian May among its customers, ran a list of 70 wintery travel destinations through an Instagram search to identify the most photographed. Une publication partagée par Tom Archer ? (@tomarcherphoto) le 4 […]
Airbnb charges some customers more than others, particularly the Swiss
Many Swiss residents travel to neighbouring eurozone countries for their holidays. These countries are close and Swiss francs go far there. However, to get the most out of a strong currency you need a good exchange rate. If a Swiss resident presenting euro cash at a checkout in Germany or France was told they couldn’t […]
Heavy snow falls in parts of Switzerland
Snow has arrived in Switzerland, particularly in the west. While not as heavy as 2010 when 29 cm fell in Geneva between 30 November and 2 December, there is still a good dusting a bit above lake level, increasing in depth with altitude. Many ski resorts have received 20-30 cm of new snow with a […]
83% of Switzerland’s smokers think non-smokers should pay their tobacco-related health bills
A recent study shows 83% of smokers in Switzerland think non-smokers should continue to cover tobacco-related health costs. Most non-smokers disagree. The survey, done by Innofact AG on behalf of Comparis.ch, finds that 47% of the population smoke, a figure higher than other studies. 36% smoke daily, and 11% occasionally. A Swiss government report puts the percentage […]
New Swiss highway sticker on sale from tomorrow
Next year’s Swiss highway sticker goes on sale tomorrow. Every year it changes colour. This year it’s orange. At the same time stiffer penalties are being introduced for fake ones. According to 20 Minutes, the government is putting in place new sanctions of up to 3 years in prison. The amount lost from various forms […]
