Switzerland’s government is considering stiffer sanctions for drivers who fail to make room for emergency services to pass in emergencies, according to SonntagsZeitung. The government wants to better inform drivers too. At this stage all options remain open. Switzerland’s Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) has not yet decided how to sanction drivers, according to the newspaper. […]
How to ensure you’ll still get Le News posts on Facebook
Facebook is changing what ends up in your feed. If you want to continue to see content from Le News there are three simple things you can do. 1. Go to Le News’ Facebook page, click on the “Following menu” and then click “See First”. 2. Sign up to our weekly email newsletter. Just enter your […]
VIDEO: High winds at Verbier left skiers swinging in lift
It has been a stormy 24 hours in parts of Switzerland. The winds were so fierce at the ski resort of Verbier, lifts were temporarily halted, leaving some swinging in the wind. The footage above was captured at Les Ruinettes (2,200m) looking down towards the town. The gondola on the right is empty but the […]
Zürich family in Hawai’i caught out by nuclear attack scare
The morning of January 13th, just two days into their vacation in Hawai’i, Zürich family Olivia Raths, Rafael Gschwend and their young daughter, Linda, found themselves suddenly preparing for the unthinkable: a possible nuclear missile attack on the U.S. island state. Like everyone in Hawaii with a cellphone, the Swiss family received an urgent alert […]
Verbier breaks Santa record
Over the weekend, Verbier hosted its opening day, an event where the resort attempts to assemble a record number of skiers dressed as St. Nicolas, or his redder equivalent Santa. Unlike the red man himself, this year’s Claus turnout left last year’s tally of around 1,200 looking thin. An official representing the Guiness World Records […]
Heavy snow falls in parts of Switzerland
Snow has arrived in Switzerland, particularly in the west. While not as heavy as 2010 when 29 cm fell in Geneva between 30 November and 2 December, there is still a good dusting a bit above lake level, increasing in depth with altitude. Many ski resorts have received 20-30 cm of new snow with a […]
Deadly effects of flu and heatwave in Switzerland
A recent report shows 67,606 people died in Switzerland in 2015, 6% more than in the previous year. Two the big drivers of the rise were a flu epidemic over spring and a heatwave in July of that year. In 2015, an extra 4,000 people died compared to in 2014. Most of these extra deaths […]
Swiss depression rates far higher among French and Italian speakers
The results of a recent report by Switzerland’s Federal statistical Office reveal big differences in reported depression rates across Switzerland. The data, published by Le Matin over the weekend, show that almost 9% of those in French- and Italian-speaking Switzerland suffer from depression, compared to 5.5% in the Swiss-German-speaking part. The regional difference for women […]
VIDEO: Rock slide in Swiss town of Le Locle, Neuchâtel
On Tuesday, a rock slide in the town of Le Locle was captured on video. The video contains some swearing (in French). The rock slide happened on the outskirts of the town. According to local media no one was hurt. Le Locle, a town of around 10,000 people, borders France and is in the Jura […]
Hunting season opens in Valais
Every year hunters take to the mountains of Valais in search of deer and chamois for two weeks. The hunt is a highly regulated and well planned exercise with clear targets. The canton’s hunting authority sets annual hunting targets, part of a system of regulating wild fauna. This year the target is 1,800 red deer, […]
