The heatwave has had a marked impact on Switzerland’s hydro landscape. However, not all regions have been affected in the same way. Hydro electric plants in lowland areas have seen production fall as river flows have declined. Guillaume Gros, head of production at Romande Energie, told RTS that some small low-lying turbines were switched off […]
Swiss municipality forced to grant citizenship to Iranian refugee
Becoming a Swiss citizen is a three layered process. Once certain requirements have been met, such as sufficient time in the country, evidence of integration, the ability to financially support oneself, and mastery of the local language, applications pass through three layers of approval: municipal, cantonal and federal. An application can fail at any one […]
Cause of fatal vintage plane crash in Switzerland remains a mystery
On Saturday, a plane constructed in 1939 crashed in the Alps while flying from Locarno to Dübendorf, just outside Zurich, leaving all 17 passengers and 3 crew dead. The Junkers JU-52 aircraft, flown by the company Ju-Air, crashed at 2,540 metres on the side of Piz Segnas in the Swiss canton of Graubunden. The aircraft, […]
Traffic cost Switzerland nearly 2 billion francs in 2015
Traffic cost the nation 1.9 billion francs in 2015, according to calculations by Switzerland’s Federal Office for Spatial Development (ARE). Most of the cost (69%) was time lost waiting in traffic. The cost of traffic related accidents accounted for a further 24%, and wasted energy (5%) and environmental costs (2%) made up the rest. Between […]
Switzerland bans new Audi cars from its roads
Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) has banned the registration of generation 7 Audi A6 and A7 diesel cars, which have been affected by emissions manipulation. The A6 and A7 3.0 diesel models, which are required to comply with Euro 6 standards, were found to have been equipped with illegal defeat devices affecting exhaust emissions. FEDRO […]
Swiss town engulfed in mudslide
On Tuesday evening, a flash flood of mud engulfed the Alpine town of Grugnay in the canton of Valais in Switzerland, according to RTS. High-altitude mud flows triggered by heavy storm rain hit the village at around 7:15 pm, according to the broadcaster. Some cars and houses were damaged and two roads were closed. The […]
Switzerland’s first blockchain marriage
Dispensing with administrative officials, a couple in the Swiss canton of Vaud, recently tied the knot using block chain technology, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. The official record of their agreement to marry is a blockchain-based smart contract. Once an agreement is in the block chain it is essentially impossible to alter. Such technology […]
Swiss temperatures hit annual high
On Tuesday, the temperature reached 35.5 degrees in the town of Cevio in Ticino, Switzerland’s highest temperature this year. At the same time Swiss Meteo raised Ticino’s heat wave warning to 4, one level from its maximum 5. The meteorological service’s warning remains in place until 5 August 2018 and comes with a forecast of […]
Switzerland’s young socialists restart the debate on first class train seats
Recently, members of the young socialists raised the debate of the social inequalities associated with two ticket classes again while on trains travelling between Fribourg and Bern. They complain that at periods of peak demand second class carriages are overflowing, while first class ones often have space and spare seats. Yvan Rime, co-president of the […]
Prisoner in Bern requests assisted suicide
A 64-year-old in prison in the canton of Bern recently asked the organisation Exit for suicide assistance. It is rare for someone in a Swiss prison to make such a request, although Pierre Beck of Exit told RTS that a gravely ill prisoner in Geneva made a similar request last year. Exit is taking the […]
