Three Iranians living in Switzerland requested the arrest of Ebrahim Raïssi, Iran’s president who was scheduled to visit Geneva on Wednesday, reported RTS. Raïssi later cancelled his visit, reported the newspaper Le Temps. Three Iranians, supported by more than 300 petitioners, requested the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) arrest the president while […]
Switzerland’s cabinet changes at a glance
This week, votes were cast to reshape Switzerland’s cabinet, known as the Federal Council. The high profile Alain Berset, minister of health during the Covid-19 pandemic, was replaced and a new chancellor was elected, reported SRF. Beat Jans, Basel-Stadt Socialist Party district president Beat Jans will succeed Alain Berset and Viola Amherd will be Federal […]
Swiss Rail launches a new pass
The previously announced half price plus rail pass, which has some of the features of an annual pass, will be available from mid-December 2023, reported Swiss Rail this week. The pass comes in three flavours: Half-Fare travelcard PLUS 1000, Half-Fare travelcard PLUS 2000 and Half-Fare travelcard PLUS 3000. They all work the same. You essentially […]
Swiss inflation down in November
After rising in October 2023, Swiss inflation dipped in November by 0.2 percentage points to bring annual inflation to 1.4%, reported Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO) this week. November’s fall brings the rate 0.6 percentage points below the Swiss National Bank’s (SNB) preferred maximum of 2% – the SNB equates price stability with a rise […]
The high cost of training Swiss doctors
Switzerland has a shortage of doctors. Training more is one way the government hopes to alleviate the problem. However, the high cost of training and the high level of staff turnover are formidable head winds. In Switzerland, becoming a doctor requires six years of study. At an average annual cost of CHF 120,000, the total […]
Swiss doctors warn against sleep gummy bear trend
An increasing number of parents looking for a quiet stress-free evening are turning to gummy bears laced with melatonin, a phenomenon trending on social media, reported SRF. Melatonin is a sleep hormone. It is triggered by darkness. But taking it at the wrong time can alter a person’s internal clock. Unlike sleeping pills, melatonin does […]
Swiss widows pensions to be cut to remove discrimination
The rules around state pensions for widows and widowers are significantly different, something deemed discriminatory by a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2022. To remove the discrimination, the federal government plans to cut pensions for widows to bring them into line with those for widowers. Currently, women get a lifelong […]
Switzerland’s birth rate – from baby boom to bust
Before the pandemic, the number of births in Switzerland was falling. Then the number shot up as the pandemic waned. Between 2020 and 2021 the birthrate rose by 4%. However, in 2022, the rate fell by nearly 10%, according to Switzerland’s Federal Statistical Office (FSO). In 2022, the birth rate was lower than it has […]
Covid – top Swiss doctor urges more vaccination
The top doctor for the canton of Bern recommends that people aged 65 and over and people with chronic illnesses be vaccinated again, reported SRF. Barbara Grützmacher, Bern’s chief doctor, said that there are currently a lot of viruses circulating. The most common are coronaviruses and rhinoviruses. Flu cases are also increasing. And the current […]
Every third Swiss childcare centre loss making
Finding a place in a Swiss nursery is difficult. Running one is also challenging. Around a third are failing to breakeven, reported SRF. A study by the Swiss childcare association Kibesuisse found that a third of the nurseries surveyed made a loss. In addition, the centres lacked qualified staff. 95% of the daycare centres surveyed […]
