In around 1% of cases tick-borne encephalitis can be deadly. It is a virus carried by ticks, which can cause brain swelling and neurological damage. The period between March and November is when most people get infected, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). Ticks become active when the temperature reaches 7 […]
Swiss healthcare – French and Italian speakers more likely to run to hospital than German-speakers
A recent report by the Swiss Health Observatory (Obsan), presents the number of trips residents made to hospital accident and emergency departments (A&E) in 2016. The number of visits per 1,000 residents varies widely. The average across all of Switzerland was 197. However, in the canton of Appenzell-Innerhodden only 53 per 1,000 of the population […]
Swiss commutes get longer and slower
As the summer holidays wrap up, many will be getting back into their regular trip to work. The number of people commuting in Switzerland reached a record 3.9 million in 2016, a whopping 34% more than in 1990. In addition, the average Swiss commuting distance increased. in 2016, it was 14.8 km one way, 1.9 […]
Geneva airport advises against travel on 21 June
On 21 June 2018, the pope will be at the Palexpo convention centre next to Geneva Airport. Because of this and the security accompanying it the airport warns that “access to the airport is not guaranteed” and recommends avoiding it unless absolutely necessary. The airport says that road access and parking will be very heavily […]
CANNES CANCAN – Neptune reports from Cannes – part 1
Ah, to be back again in Cannes – the Everest of film festivals – as mentioned so often before. It’s a thrill each year that I’ve been coming – since 1996 – and it never ceases to excite the voyeur in each of us attending. For it has it all – the most exciting films; […]
Zürich family in Hawai’i caught out by nuclear attack scare
The morning of January 13th, just two days into their vacation in Hawai’i, Zürich family Olivia Raths, Rafael Gschwend and their young daughter, Linda, found themselves suddenly preparing for the unthinkable: a possible nuclear missile attack on the U.S. island state. Like everyone in Hawaii with a cellphone, the Swiss family received an urgent alert […]
The nations most in love with Zermatt
Brought to you by [add sponsor] Not surprisingly, Zermatt is most loved by the Swiss who flock there in large numbers in both winter (113k) and summer (116k). Who ranks next depends on the season. Zermatt is a true year-round resort. In 2016, 42% of the 487k annual visitors came from May to October, the […]
A celebration of photography – get ready for an evening of photo expos across Geneva
Lovers of wrenching, joyous, perplexing, stunning photography, get ready. The evening of 14 October 2017, the Plainpalais quarter of Geneva and the Alhambra Theatre will be a giant gallery with special photo and film expos presented on large screens and in not-so-large frames at seven sites. Launched by the city of Geneva, for the first-time, No’ Photo is a […]
Hunting season opens in Valais
Every year hunters take to the mountains of Valais in search of deer and chamois for two weeks. The hunt is a highly regulated and well planned exercise with clear targets. The canton’s hunting authority sets annual hunting targets, part of a system of regulating wild fauna. This year the target is 1,800 red deer, […]
Sion airshow update – a report from the ground
The airshow’s first day was a non-stop dazzling display of aircraft in the sky and on the tarmac, plus amazing flight simulators visitors could try out. Just a few quick highlights: The Italian Frecce Tricolori aerobatics team flying their colors. Visitors get to sit for a few seconds in the cockpit of one of the […]










