Guinness World Records recently recorded the world’s highest basketball shot. This video shows the 180.968 m (593.73 ft) shot from the top of the Mauvoisin Dam in Valais, Switzerland. The How Ridiculous gang, Brett Stanford, Derek Herron and Scott Gaunson, from Australia, managed to get the ball through the hoop on their third attempt. Derek Herron, […]
Two parents working sharply reduces risk of child poverty in Switzerland
A recent publication by the Swiss federal statistics office shows there were around 73,000 children suffering from poverty in Switzerland in 2014. Poverty is defined by depravation calculated based on responses to a list of 18 questions1. These responses are used to determine actual poverty and the risk of poverty. Overall Swiss child poverty rates […]
Swiss-based man to climb the equivalent of Mount Everest to get his message out
In 2014, Australian forester Scott Poynton used a cartoon to convince the head of the world’s largest palm oil company to stop destroying tropical forest to produce its product. This month he’s putting on his lime-green hiking boots and hitting the trail to keep men alive. Starting from Lake Geneva, Scott will climb the Jura peak, La Dole, […]
Swiss tennis star Stan Wawrinka presents the Swiss weather
Swiss tennis star presents the weather with French comedian Yann Barthès, who made fun of Switzerland’s president earlier in the year. As well as Switzerland’s temperatures, Stan gives some personal insights into Switzerland. Barthè’s show, TMC Quotidien airs on TFI in France. Note: unfortunately this video will not play in Safari. However, it works in […]
After being judged unfit, vegan man accepted by Swiss army
20 Minutes. In January, a young man from Valais, was excluded from Swiss military service because of his diet and beliefs. Because he is a vegan and won’t eat meat or wear boots made from leather he was declared unfit. Last Tuesday, the 19 year-old announced that his legal challenge had succeeded. The military has […]
Swiss support gay marriage but not so keen on adoption according to recent survey
According to recent survey results published by Pink Cross, around 7 out of 10 of those interviewed in a Swiss poll were in favour of same sex marriage. The results were stable and in line with the last survey. 69% responded favourably to the question: “Should civil union be open to homosexual couples?” 25% were […]
Roger Federer skips the US Open and heads to the Swiss mountains
Roger Federer has had a painful year. In July, the 35-year-old tennis champion said he would sit out the rest of the 2016 season to recuperate from knee surgery. On 22 August he posted a photo of himself on Twitter training with the comment: “Did some tennis training this week. Feeling great.” Right now he is […]
Expats in Switzerland aren’t feeling the love, says a new survey measuring quality of life
By Bill Harby In some ways, Switzerland is the envy of the world, which brings expats here from around the globe, hoping to ski, eat superb chocolate and open their very own Swiss bank account. In fact, now nearly 25 percent of people living in Switzerland are foreigners, says the Swiss Statistics Office. That’s a […]
Most popular Swiss baby names in 2015
Today, the Swiss government released statistics on the most popular baby names in 2015. The Swiss statistics office has been crunching this data for 30 years. Noah was the most popular boys’ name across Switzerland. 443 out of the 44,650 baby boys born in Switzerland in 2015 had this name chosen for them. However, while […]
Olympic medal rankings adjusted for population – Switzerland gains 8 places
Updated version following the end of the Olympic Games. It is no surprise that the United States and China feature at the top of the 2016 Olympic medal league table. With populations of 324 million and 1.34 billion they have enormous numbers to draw on when searching for athletic talent. Smaller countries like Grenada and […]
