Today, the Swiss government released statistics on the most popular baby names in 2016. The Swiss statistics office has been collecting this data for 31 years. In 2016, Mia (488), Emma (446) and Elena (327) were the three most popular girls’ names. Together these three names were given to 3% of the 42,900 girls born […]
40% would struggle if Swiss health insurance premiums rose, says survey
A survey by price comparison site comparis.ch found 40% would struggle if Swiss health insurance premiums rose significantly in 2018. The survey questioned 700 people across all of Switzerland. 20% of families said they couldn’t cope with a rise of CHF 10 a month and 13% said they couldn’t cope with a CHF 20 monthly […]
Halal and kosher meat might fall under proposed Swiss animal cruelty import restrictions
20 Minutes. A motion adopted by Switzerland’s parliament on 7 June 2017 proposes halting the import the meat of mistreated animals. The work of Matthias Aebischer, a socialist member from the canton of Bern, was originally focused on foie gras, frogs legs and fur, but there are now suggestions his motion might include animals slaughtered […]
No more free lunchtime parking in central Lausanne
24 Heures. In the centre of Lausanne it is no longer possible to park from free between 12:30 and 13:30. The zone stretches from the city to the main train station and from Chauderon to Parc Mon-Repos. The area covers around 1,600 parks. While difficult to estimate, the city expects to collect an extra few hundred […]
Higher Swiss health premiums for those with high deductibles challenged by commission
In June 2017, Switzerland’s Federal Council announced plans to reduce the discounts offered to those willing to risk paying the first chunk of their annual medical bills. The plan included reducing the maximum premium discounts given for opting for deductibles, the amount paid by the insured before insurance kicks in. On Tuesday, according to 20 […]
Switzerland’s 142 year old cheeses
According to Le Matin, a cheese collection in the Swiss Alpine town of Grimentz in Valais contains two of the oldest cheeses in the world, possibly the oldest. The two cheeses, among a collection of 72, were made 142 years ago in 1875. The pastures that fed the cows that produced the milk for them […]
Balls or burgers – insect products coming to Swiss supermarkets soon
Would you eat balls made from insects? Last year the Swiss supermarket Coop applied for authorisation to sell insect based products. Then on 14 August 2017 it announced a limited number of its stores and its delivery service Coop@home would start selling the products from 21 August 2017, phasing the products in across other stores between […]
Swiss hotel causes outrage with notice to Jewish guests
A Swiss hotel has caused outrage with a guest notice. A photograph of a notice posted in the hotel Aparthaus Paradies in the Swiss town of Arosa spread rapidly on social media after a Jewish family staying in the hotel noticed it. The notice singles out Jewish guests asking them to shower before swimming. SWITZERLAND: […]
Farm subsidy cuts for animal mistreatment supported by Swiss Farmers’ Union
According to 20 Minutes, Jacques Bourgeois, the director of the Swiss Farmers’ Union, supports sanctioning farmers who fail to treat their animals properly by cutting the farm subsidies they receive from the Swiss government. In 2015, producer support in Switzerland amounted to around 57% of farm revenues according to an OECD estimate. Swiss farm subsidies are second to only […]
FILM: Neptune reports from Locarno film festival
11 August 2017. Switzerland’s most important film festival, LOCARNO, celebrated its 70th birthday this year. With its penchant for “new” cinema, its exquisite setting of the Lago Maggiore, velvety mountains and its magical nightly screenings of films on the gigantic Piazza Grande (seating up to 8,000!), it draws more cinephiles every year. Despite incredibly high temperatures […]
