Young Swiss adults are less inclined to rebel than to seek stability, according to the latest Youth Barometer by the research institute GFS Bern, conducted for the pharmaceutical firm Merck. Based on a survey of 1,009 people aged 16 to 30, the study challenges familiar clichés about a restless, risk-taking youth. Rebellion and other supposed […]
Switzerland prepares for the arrival of ultra-potent opioids
Swiss authorities are preparing for the likely arrival of a new class of highly potent synthetic opioids, reports RTS. In cantons such as Geneva and Fribourg, officials have recently announced measures to anticipate the spread of nitazenes—laboratory-made drugs that can be up to 50 times stronger than fentanyl. For now, Switzerland has largely been spared. […]
Switzerland’s favourite seasoning faces an uncertain future
For more than 70 years, a small yellow container has occupied a space in Swiss kitchens. Now its future is uncertain. Aromat, the ubiquitous seasoning sold under the Knorr brand, is caught up in a corporate reshuffle, reported SRF. Unilever has agreed to sell its food division, including Knorr, to McCormick. What this will mean […]
Swiss mountain rescue exceptionally busy over Easter
Switzerland’s alpine rescue services were unusually busy over the Easter weekend, as fine weather drew large numbers into the mountains. Between April 3rd and 6th, Air-Glaciers and Air Zermatt carried out a combined 121 helicopter missions, more than double the 51 recorded over the same period in 2025. Rega, a separate national service, conducted a […]
Pro-Palestine demonstration: Bern publishes images as part of hunt for suspects
After unrest at an unauthorised pro-Palestine demonstration in October 2025, the police in Bern have published images of suspected offenders as part of a large-scale search. The damage caused to around 50 buildings by some protesters is estimated to run from several hundred thousand to a few million Swiss francs, depending on how broadly costs […]
Why did a Swiss gondola fall from its cable?
On March 18th 2026 a gondola detached from a ski lift at the Engelberg resort in Switzerland and fell to the ground. A 61-year-old woman, the sole occupant of the gondola, was killed. Initial investigations indicate that the system was in sound technical condition. The Swiss Transportation Safety Investigation Board (STSB) has stated that there […]
A very Swiss language dispute in Fribourg/Freiburg
Switzerland is often imagined as a multilingual haven where citizens glide easily between different national languages. Reality is less harmonious. In German-speaking Switzerland only about 13% speak French, while in French-speaking Switzerland only around 14% speak German. And at language frontiers linguistic politics can become heated. The city of Fribourg—known as Freiburg in German—is close […]
Switzerland to ban bottle sparklers in public indoor venues
From April 1st, 2026 lighting pyrotechnic devices will be banned in indoor venues open to the public across Switzerland. The decision was announced on Friday by a body representing the 26 cantonal directors responsible for public works. The decision follows the tragedy involving these devices in Crans Montana at the beginning of the year that […]
Wastewater points to rise in ketamine use in Switzerland
Ketamine consumption appears to be rising in Switzerland, according to new wastewater data, reported SRF. Researchers at Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag) analyse sewage samples to estimate drug use, working on the premise that what flows through treatment plants offers a snapshot of consumption patterns. Figures published by Dromedario, a substance-monitoring […]
Swiss government proposes financial support for victims of Crans-Montana disaster
Switzerland’s Federal Council has pledged swift support for the victims of the tragedy in Crans-Montana and their families, announcing plans for a federal solidarity payment and the creation of a government-led round table, reported SRF. The cabinet has instructed the Federal Department of Justice and Police to draft the necessary legislation by the end of […]
