The new Federal Council jet does not fit into the existing federal hangar at Bern-Belp airport near Bern because the plane is too big, reported RTS. The Bombardier Global 7500 does not fit into the existing building in Bern-Belp due to its size and will probably be housed at the Payerne military airbase in Vaud […]
Swiss income taxes at highest level since 2008
The latest figures from the Federal Finance Administration (FFA) show that Swiss taxpayers paid more income tax than any year since 2008, reported RTS. The average rate of cantonal and municipal tax paid reached 19.6% of income. This percentage is in addition to federal taxes and payroll taxes. The rate of tax paid ranged from […]
Switzerland’s 2025 siren test successful
Every year, Switzerland tests its apocalyptic-sounding sirens on the first Wednesday of February. On 5 February 2025, over 5,000 sirens sounded throughout Switzerland during the siren test. 99% of the sirens tested worked perfectly, reported the authorities. As part of the test more than 12 million push notifications were sent from the Alertswiss app during […]
The rise in rental scams in Switzerland
Finding a place to live in Switzerland is increasingly difficult. Scammers have noticed and are cashing in on the desperation experienced by some seeking a place to live, reported the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a federal government agency. Across much of Switzerland housing vacancy rates are less than 1%. In the cantons of Zug […]
Swiss government shifts investment plan to road and rail after failed vote on roads
In November 2024, 52.7% of voters rejected a federal government plan to expand key sections of Switzerland’s motorway network. Environmental issues associated with road traffic and the cost (CHF 5.3 billion) were common reasons given by those rejecting the proposal. This has left the government with no path to solve the country’s infrastructure bottlenecks. This […]
FILM: A COMPLETE UNKNOWN **** biopic of Bob Dylan’s early career
31 January 2025. A COMPLETE UNKNOWN **** This biopic of Bob Dylan’s early career in the 1960s is an evocative moment, one that director James Mangold (with co-scriptwriter Jay Cocks) has spun into a close impression of this mystery man of American folk music. And it is Timothée Chalamet who brings Dylan brilliantly to life […]
Fast fashion creating mountains of waste in Switzerland
Switzerland generates around 110,000 tons of used clothing a year, reported SRF. Most of it is unwanted. Only 1 in 100 items finds a buyer, according to Sascha Sardella, the operations manager at Tell-Tex, one of Switzerland’s largest textile collection organisations. Second hand clothes can’t compete with cheap new clothes from China, he said. Cheap […]
The rapidly fading economics of solar panels in Switzerland
Electricity prices in Switzerland are set for a shake up. Prices paid for electricity put into the grid are falling fast in some parts of the country, reported RTS. From 2026, these prices will be adjusted every quarter, rather than once a year. This will add further uncertainty to prices and the investment case for […]
Poll – 9 February 2025 environment vote set for rejection
The latest poll run by broadcaster SRG shows waning support for a referendum on the environment organised by the youth league of Switzerland’s Green Party. The initiative calls for Switzerland to add a clause to its constitution that would require Switzerland to operate within sustainable planetary boundaries within 10 years. The recent poll, which was […]
Parental leave – federal government commission looking at new models
In Switzerland, paid leave for new parents is limited to 14 weeks for mothers and 2 weeks for fathers. However, the political push for more is growing, and some cantons are pressuring the federal government to extend paid leave. A commission for the federal Council of States is currently analysing some of the proposals put […]
