20 Minutes. In 2016, the number dying on Swiss roads dropped 15% compared with 2015. 216 people died, 37 less than the year before (-15%). While there were fewer car, motorcycle and pedestrian accident victims, the number of seriously injured cyclists climbed. Since records began in 1940, only 1945, when 211 died, has seen fewer […]
Green politician wants to ban all petrol and diesel cars from Swiss roads by 2025
20 Minutes. National Councillor Balthasar Glättli tabled a motion that would require all cars in Switzerland to be electric by 2025. He sees this as a way to meet emission levels set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change which aims to limit the global temperature rise to 2 degrees by 2030. His plan […]
Thought provoking art meets the animal kingdom at Geneva’s Natural History Museum
To celebrate its 50th birthday, Geneva’s Natural History Museum invited two artists to transform parts of the building. French artist and engineer Alexandre Dang graced the windows with his dancing solar art, and Nicolas Righetti, a photographer from Geneva, created a photographic installation called “Guided Visits!” (Visites Guidées!). Dang’s provocative work comprising 2,000 solar-powered dancing figurines […]
Earthquake shakes Switzerland
An earthquake, measuring 4.6 on the richter scale, shook Linthal in the canton of Glarus at 21:12 on 6 March 2017, according to the Swiss Seismological Service. The quake occurred at a depth of 5 km. In addition, the Swiss Seismological Service tweeted that the quake occurred at Ortstock in the canton of Schwyz and measured 4.7. […]
One Swiss resort suffers lowest snowfall in recorded history
This season, a resort on the southern side of the Alps received the least snow in recorded history, according to Meteo Swiss. Between December 2016 and February 2017, the resort of Bosco-Gurin in Ticino received snow cover of only 14 cm. This is the lowest depth since the region started recording snow depth in 1961. […]
High winds swept through Switzerland over the weekend
24 Heures. Strong winds swept through the Alps over the weekend forcing the closure of a number of ski lifts. SRF Meteo reported that the Joran, a wind which blows in the Jura, reached 111 km/h at Chasseral. Organisers of the Bienne carnaval were forced to close festivities between 15:00 and 17:00 on Saturday. In 2013, […]
Heavy snow warning for parts of western Switzerland
Swiss Meteo warns of heavy snow tomorrow in the region stretching from Aigle, in Vaud, through to the region around the Grand St. Bernard pass in the canton of Valais. Snow of between 40 cm to 70 cm is expected above 800 m. The affected region includes the Swiss ski resorts of Leysin, Villars, Torgon, Morgin […]
New temperature record for Switzerland
Today, 23 February 2017, was the warmest February day ever recorded in Switzerland, according to Meteo News. Several weather stations on the Swiss plateau recorded temperatures exceeded 20 degrees. Normally, temperatures this high do not arrive in Switzerland until the end of April. Temperatures reached 21.2 degrees in Sion (1.4 degrees above the previous record), in […]
Why what is on the lunch menu at sustainability events matters
Yesterday, Le News attended the 2017 Swiss Global Compact Dialogue on responsible business, in Wankdorf, near Bern. The subject was: corporate social responsibility and sustainability, a somewhat abstract word that means living in ways that leave future generations with a planet that supports human life. The event was free for media and included a free lunch, so […]
Siren tests in Switzerland. What you need to know.
Every year Switzerland tests its sirens. The sirens were installed across the country starting in 1936. Testing was introduced in 1970 and became compulsory in 1988. Testing now takes place once a year on the first Wednesday of February starting at 13:30. Sirens must be sounded for three minutes. The tests finish at 14:00 for […]
