Everyone has a story. My Swiss Story is a series that looks at lives in Switzerland. In 2018, we spoke to Loki le Magnifique, a cat, originally from Honolulu, Hawai‘i, who moved to Switzerland in 2010. Settling first in Neuchâtel, with his humans, he now lives mostly in Geneva, with regular sojourns back to a […]
No need to switch phones to flight mode on Swiss
Since 1 February 2020, switching devices to flight mode is no longer required on Swiss, according to the newspaper Blick. However, flights through US airspace will still require flight mode because of US regulations. While there are no documented cases of transmitting and receiving personal electronic devices (T-PEDs) compromising flight safety, regulators have applied the […]
Switzerland most expensive country in 2020
It will come as little surprise to many that Switzerland has been ranked the world’s most expensive country. Put together by the magazine CEO World, the ranking pulls cost of living data on accommodation, clothing, taxi fares, utilities, internet, groceries, transport, and dining out, from a number of other studies. Norway ranks second, followed by […]
The Swiss company that spied on the world
Yesterday, the Federal Council, Switzerland’s executive, announced it was investigating Crypto AG, a company with ties to the CIA and West German intelligence (BND). The Federal Council obtained information on Crypto in November 2019, according to Swiss broadcaster RTS. Parliamentarian Balthasar Glättli has called for a more in-depth investigation and the creation of a parliamentary […]
Swiss vote results on affordable home quota and discrimination – 9 February 2020
The vote on an affordable housing quota was rejected by 57.1% of voters. The participation rate was 41%. Only five cantons had majorities in favour of the plan: Basel-City (60.2% in favour), Geneva (60.1%), Vaud (53.2%), Jura (53.2%) and Neuchâtel (56.2%). The other 21 Swiss cantons had majorities against the plan. The government’s plan to […]
Swiss to vote on banning discrimination based on sexual orientation – 9 Feb 2020
The government decided to extend the existing legal ban on racism and religious discrimination to discrimination based on sexual orientation. Some, who see this as limit to free expression and a form of censorship, launched a referendum to stop the government’s plan. In addition, they argue hate crimes are already punishable under the law. If […]
Swiss to vote on affordable housing quota – 9 Feb 2020
Economic and population growth have increased demand for housing in Switzerland. The period leading up to 2015 saw a fall in the number of available homes in urban areas in Switzerland. Rental prices continued to rise beyond 2015 into 2016. The initiative aims to impose a rule requiring 10% of new homes to be controlled […]
Switzerland tests its sirens
Every year, Switzerland tests its apocalyptic-sounding sirens on the first Wednesday of February. This year it will be done on 5 February 2020, starting at 13:30. Sirens will be sounded for three minutes. The tests finish at 14:00 for general sirens, and 15:00 for flood sirens. If an alarm sounds outside of these times it […]
Strasbourg calls on Switzerland to repatriate children of jihadists
Last week a majority of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) formally called on the leaders of member nations, including Switzerland, to repatriate the children of their jihadists nationals held in camps in Syria and Iraq. PACE, a 47-nation organisation dedicated to upholding human rights, called on member States to actively repatriate, rehabilitate and (re)integrate these […]
Philip Morris International to axe jobs in Switzerland
The tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI) has unveiled plans to cut jobs at its sites in Lausanne and Neuchâtel. A total of around 265 jobs are likely to go. Most of them will be transferred to the UK, Portugal and Poland. The company has opened formal processes in both cantons and those affected will […]
