After a two-year lull the number of abandoned animals is on the rise, according to animal protection organisations in French-speaking Switzerland, reported RTS. Animal adoptions rose during the Covid-19 pandemic. But as people have transitioned back to normal life the number of abandoned animals has risen and the number in refuges is rising again, particularly […]
Swiss health premiums set for sharp rise in 2023
Swiss health insurance premiums are set to rise sharply in 2023, according to a new study. Price rises could reach close to 10% in some cantons. On average premiums across the country are expected to jump at least 5.4%, according to a study published by Accenture, reported RTS. One of the reasons behind the rises […]
Ukrainian refugees struggling to find accommodation in Switzerland
Many of the 60,000 Ukrainian refugees arriving in Switzerland found accommodation in Swiss homes. Now more and more are seeking independent accommodation and are facing the same challenges faced by others arriving in Switzerland: vacant homes are rare and very expensive. In a typical year net migration into Switzerland is around 50,000. The number of […]
Swiss dam dumping water during drought and energy shortage
A dam in Switzerland is releasing huge quantities of water despite widespread drought conditions and hose bans across Switzerland, reported Blick. The Gibidum reservoir and dam in the canton of Valais has a problem that much of the rest of the country would like to have: too much water. The dam that contains the lake’s […]
Hydro electricity industry accused of record fish deaths in Switzerland
High temperatures, a lack of precipitation and competition for water from hydroelectricity is killing record numbers of fish is Switzerland, reported RTS. According to the Swiss Fishing Federation (SFF), we are currently witnessing fish mortality at a historic level with some species facing the threat of extinction. Across the Swiss plateau and the southern side […]
Portable electric heaters may face ban in Switzerland
After a steep rise in gas and heating oil prices, portable electric heaters have been flying of the shelves in Switzerland. However, with a squeeze on electricity production there are fears these extra heaters might destabilise the power grid, reported the newspaper Tagesanzeiger. Portable electric heater sales are up 300% compared to last year, according […]
Swiss hospitals close to overload
Swiss hospital workers hoping to be able to regain their breath after the Covid pandemic are faced with a difficult reality. Swiss hospitals are close to saturation due to a severe shortage of staff, reported RTS. A Swiss labour market survey published this week shows the severity of the shortage. 3,000 vacant hospital positions were […]
Swiss plan to register air passenger details sparks criticism
Switzerland’s federal government wants to create a database containing the personal details of air passengers to counter terrorism and crime, reported RTS. However, the project has drawn serious criticism. After the terrorist attack in the US on 11 September 2001, America’s federal government demanded access to passenger data. Destination, name, passport number, birth date and […]
Trust in neighbours high in Switzerland, according to survey
A survey published this week shows high levels of trust and generosity towards neighbours in Switzerland. Published by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute, an offshoot of Migros, the survey reported that three quarters of those surveyed felt very safe where they lived and practically no one reported being dissatisfied with their relationships with their neighbours. 67% […]
July 2022 Switzerland’s sunniest month on record
July 2022 broke a Swiss record. Never before has such a sunny month been recorded in Switzerland. Geneva was Switzerland’s sunniest city. There the sun shone for 373 hours, a Swiss record. The previous Swiss record dates back to July 1911, when the sun shone in Bern for 370 hours, reported the weather service Meteo […]
