On 24 June 2025, human remains were recovered in Blatten, the Valais mountain village largely destroyed by a catastrophic landslide on 28 May 2025. The discovery was made during a targeted search operation, according to a statement from the Valais Cantonal Police. Then on 26 June 2025, the local police confirmed that the identity of […]
Switzerland expects second hottest June on record
Switzerland is sweltering under a heatwave, with MétéoSuisse forecasting the second-hottest June since records began. Temperatures reached between 32°C and 35°C across the lowlands on Wednesday, prompting a level-two heat alert across much of the country. In Ticino, Geneva and parts of Vaud and Valais, where conditions are more extreme, the alert level has been […]
High fire risk in some parts of Switzerland
Switzerland faces rising wildfire risk and authorities are restricting water use as drought grips parts of the country, reported the Natural Hazards Portal. Several regions in Switzerland have raised their forest fire alert to “considerable” danger and “high” danger, the third and fourth levels on a five-point scale, amid increasingly dry conditions and falling water […]
Growing resistance to Musk’s antennas in Valais
Some in the Alpine municipality of Leuk is the Swiss canton of Valais are pushing back against a plan to install 40 Starlink antennas on a hill above the village, reported SRF. The antennas will belong to SpaceX, an American firm run by Elon Musk, a business man and controversial political figure disliked by many. […]
Swiss public opinion on nuclear energy is shifting
Swiss public opinion on energy is shifting. A small majority now supports reconsidering nuclear power, though concerns about cost, speed, and supply security remain. According to a recent poll by gfs.bern for the Association of Swiss Electricity Companies (AES), 56% of respondents say they are favourable or somewhat favourable to building new nuclear plants. It […]
Alpine regions to face more frequent and intense summer downpours
Torrential summer rainstorms are set to become more common—and more severe—in the Alps. A new study by scientists at the University of Lausanne warns that a 2°C rise in regional temperatures could double the frequency of short, extreme rainfall events in alpine areas. The research, published on nature.com, draws on data from nearly 300 meteorological […]
Swiss interest rate cut to zero
On 19 June 2025, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) cut its policy rate by 25 basis points to 0%, effective June 20th. The Bank said the move follows a sustained decline in inflation, which turned negative in May for the first time since 2021. It also reaffirmed its readiness to intervene in currency markets if […]
Switzerland’s largest print newspaper to end
The days of picking up copy of 20 Minutes (20 Minuten), a free Swiss print newspaper, from one of the many blue bins are numbered. Switzerland’s largest print newspaper will cease its physical edition and go online-only from the end of 2025 The move is less about failure than adaptation: far from being unprofitable, the […]
Decline in marriage and children continues in Switzerland
Swiss society is undergoing a quiet demographic transformation. Marriages are declining, families are shrinking and children are increasingly seen as optional. New data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) confirm the trend: both birth and marriage rates are falling, with little sign of reversal. In 2024, women in Switzerland had an average of 1.29 children—down […]
87% of Swiss traffic delays due to motorway overload
Though they account for just 3% of Switzerland’s road network, motorways carried over 40% of the country’s traffic in 2024. Congestion, too, has grown markedly. In response, the Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) is planning targeted network improvements. Vehicles travelling on Swiss motorways covered a combined 29.8 billion kilometres last year, a modest rise of 0.7% […]
