After an unusually mild spell, winter is set to return to Switzerland this weekend. Temperatures are expected to drop sharply—by about 10°C—between Friday night and Saturday, according to MétéoSuisse. Snow is also forecast to return, although the snowline and expected amounts remain uncertain. Spring had seemed to arrive early this year, with trees budding and […]
Henniez forced to avoid some water sources after filtration scandal
After revelations that its mineral water had been filtered, Henniez can no longer use the activated-carbon filters that once removed traces of pesticides. The Swiss bottler, owned by Nestlé Waters, must now stop using part of the water from some springs and instead adjust the blend of remaining sources so that the final product complies […]
Swiss government rejects Greens’ solar initiative
Switzerland’s government has rejected a popular initiative by the Green Party of Switzerland that would make solar installations mandatory for all new buildings and major renovations, reported RTS. On Friday the Federal Council of Switzerland dismissed the proposal without offering a counter-proposal, arguing that it would infringe on private property rights. The government acknowledged that […]
Swiss anti-GM initiative gathers enough signatures for a vote
Regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in Switzerland is set to return to the ballot box. A popular initiative titled “For food without genetically modified organisms” was submitted to the Federal Chancellery on Friday with more than 137,000 signatures, comfortably above the 100,000 required to trigger a nationwide vote. The proposal calls for continued strict […]
How eight remarkable Ghanaian women began a soil revolution
Scott Poynton, a forester based near Nyon in the canton of Vaud, spent last Wednesday in unusual company. In northern Ghana he met eight women who had taken their livelihoods firmly into their own hands. Impressed by their initiative, he later dubbed them the “Inspiration Sisters”, a title they accepted with quiet pride. The encounter […]
Continued rise in number of fare evaders caught on Swiss public transport
The number of fare evaders caught on Switzerland’s public-transport network is increasing steadily. In 2024, 1.17m passengers were found travelling without a valid ticket, according to figures released on Wednesday by the Alliance SwissPass. That is well above the one-million mark crossed for the first time the previous year. The data, reported by various media […]
Switzerland plans text alerts to supplement sirens
Switzerland’s annual test of its civil-defence sirens was largely successful. Nearly 99% of the country’s roughly 5,000 alarms functioned properly during the nationwide drill on Wednesday, according to the Federal Office of Civil Protection. The figure is broadly unchanged from last year. Cantons and municipalities have been instructed to repair or replace faulty equipment without […]
Swiss railways set a new punctuality record
Switzerland’s state railway, Swiss Federal Railways, reported its best punctuality on record in 2025, with only 1 in 17 trains (5.9%) arriving late, down from 6.8% in 2024. In 2025, an average Swiss train commuter making the daily trip to and from work would have arrived late only 28 times across the year. Overall, 94.1% […]
Swiss climate vote: the 1% of GDP question
The cost of inaction is enormous, says the committee behind Switzerland’s proposed climate fund. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, its members urged voters to back the initiative on March 8th, arguing that it is essential to protect future generations. Alpine Switzerland is particularly exposed to the effects of climate change, according to the […]
Swiss left mobilises city voters to get night trains back on track
Left-wing parties in Switzerland’s largest cities are trying to revive international night trains—by leaning on the federal government and, if need be, filling the gap themselves. This week, socialist and Green politicians are tabling motions in Geneva and Lausanne, as part of a coordinated push with Zurich, Basel and Bern, reported RTS. The aim is […]
