Bitesize News

It was rape — and a rape marked by cruelty.

New U.S. tariffs on Swiss imports have officially taken effect. But they maybe short lived.

It’s thought a student at a Vaud High School has been cashing in.

Switzerland’s Federal Office for Cybersecurity is warning about a growing callback scam targeting bank and payment app users.

Candles, cooking and fireworks make the holidays festive, but also riskier, warns Swiss accident insurer SUVA.

In Geneva, rare CCTV footage was shown in court this week during a rape trial.

Yesterday evening, around 100 people gathered peacefully on Zurich’s Rathausbrücke for a permitted pro-Israel demonstration under police protection.

Switzerland is stepping up efforts to attract Canadian tourists, who are traveling less to the United States.

Be careful of oysters at the Christmas markets.

Swisscom will switch off its 3G mobile network by the end of this year, ending a technology more than 20 years old.

Six swimmers from a Geneva-based club have set a new Guinness World Record by completing the first-ever relay swim along Lake Geneva and back.

It was expected, and now it’s official. Shops in Geneva will be allowed to open exceptionally this Sunday.

This coming weekend, the last ski resorts are switching to winter mode and bracing for a holiday rush.

In Geneva, authorities are keeping a close eye on alcohol sales to minors.

A springtime rescue in the woods near Verbois has a happy, and wild, ending.

The youth wing of the Transport and Environment Association is calling for the abolition of first class on trains, describing it as an unnecessary luxury.

The Upper House of Parliament, the Council of States has overwhelmingly rejected adopting an alcohol policy based on recommendations from the World Health Organisation.

A cyclist died after an accident near the UN yesterday.

Switzerland will not purchase all 36 American F-35 fighter jets originally planned, the Federal Council decided Friday.

Amnesty International is strongly criticising the police response to last October’s unauthorized pro-Palestinian demonstration in Bern.

Two men, aged 32 and 33, working at the printing works that makes the autoroute vignettes have been given house arrest and a suspended prison sentence after being found guilty of stealing the stickers and selling them online.

Shoppers looking for the perfect gift this holiday season are turning to tech and toys, according to Galaxus.

A major cross-border criminal network targeting Switzerland has been dismantled following a joint investigation by French and Swiss authorities.

More than 800,000 people rely on Zurich’s public transport every day, and from today, many of them will be navigating unfamiliar routes.

The debate over cross-border students in Geneva schools took another turn in the Grand Council.

Switzerland’s transition to DAB radio is hitting some significant hurdles.

In Geneva, a long-standing restriction on tenants buying the apartments they live in has been significantly loosened.

Geneva’s Cantonal Service for Consumer and Veterinary Affairs has opened an investigation into the Geneva Society for the Protection of Animals following complaints from former employees.

Across the country, flu cases are surging earlier than usual, with more than 800 laboratory-confirmed infections reported last week.

In Geneva, public sector workers marched again yesterday, protesting the 2026 budget and the planned cuts of nearly 300 jobs considered vital to public services.

Zurich’s most expensive rental apartment has just hit the market - a newly renovated penthouse on top of the historic Bellevue building.

Eurovision is facing a deepening crisis after Swiss singer Nemo, the 2024 winner, announced they are returning their trophy in protest at Israel’s participation in next year’s contest.

Swiss People’s Party National Councillor Andreas Glarner is calling for a return to higher speed limits on Swiss roads.

Fireworks sparked an emotional debate in parliament yesterday.

Yesterday proved a standout day for Federal Councillor Guy Parmelin.

A man who drove his car into the market in Rive in Geneva three and a half years ago has been ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment – and banned from driving for a further five years.

Bern has confirmed that it will not impose a tax on the big US tech firms such as Google and Amazon.

Investigations by Swiss Broadcasting Corporation journalists has uncovered details of what could be the first ‘incel’ attack in Switzerland.

Geneva has a wine lake – metaphorically speaking – and local producers are calling on politicians to help them out.

Motorists should brace for heavy traffic over the Christmas holidays.

International Geneva is facing one of its most serious challenges in decades.

Starting this Sunday, travel between Annemasse and Geneva Airport gets a welcome boost.

A major development has been given the green light in Carouge – 400 new apartments and a major student accommodation block will be built.

Businesses on the Rue de Carouge says trade is beginning to pick up again after the tram started running at the weekend.

Elon Musk’s Starlink internet system has been granted local permission to open up one of the biggest ground stations in Europe in Leuk in canton Valais.

A new study from the Swiss Ornithological Institute shows how dramatically red kites adapted their behaviour during the Covid lockdowns.

It’s been revealed the watch maker, Patek Philippe, paid some of the ransom money demanded by a man who had been planting bombs, terrorizing the local community and employees of the company.

A cryptocurrency advisor from Biel in canton Bern has vanished after raising about CHF 7m from friends and relatives.

In Yverdon-les-Bains, a 95-year-old woman is recovering after a violent burglary at her home on December 3rd.

The Geneva commune of Vandoeuvres is turning up the heat on would be burglaries.

Two coach drivers caused havoc near the entrance of the Gotthard Tunnel yesterday afternoon.

A German start-up that turns shipping containers into compact hotel rooms is setting its sights on Switzerland.

Geneva’s Escalade Race has smashed its registration record once again – but is it now full?

The Geneva government is refusing to budge on its decision to exclude children who live in France from the cantonal schools.

The bank, UBS, is preparing a major new round of cost-cutting as it continues absorbing Credit Suisse, which is proving slower than originally planned.

Tuberculosis cases are on the rise in Switzerland.

A possible new word is entering the Swiss lexicon – Zexit.

Swiss football fans are breathing a sigh of relief after the World Cup draw.

Bargain driving lessons are raising red flags across French-speaking Switzerland.

A Geneva consulting firm that touts its political neutrality is now at the center of a major investigation.

A coordination error means a new apartment block in Geneva’s Vernets district will open – but a year before a school which should be there for the new arrivals will be finished.

All cats should be microchipped. Vets are warning that the country’s stray-cat population is growing out of control.

An elderly motorist faces jail after speeding in canton Valais.

Employees at Swiss mattress makers Superba and Swissflex may finally see relief after months without pay.

Switzerland is moving toward easing its strict rules on war-material exports.

Switzerland’s inflation rate fell back to zero percent in November, down slightly from 0.1% in October.

The Federal Intelligence Service is under fire for its wide collection of data from telecommunications.

The Swiss Federal Council is growing increasingly concerned about a 2026 referendum that would cap the country’s population at ten million by restricting immigration.

In Geneva, disturbing testimony is emerging from the trial of a former Montessori teacher accused of abusing children as young as three.

TV fans are celebrating, HBO Max is has finally announced a date for its launch in Switzerland.

The trade deal with the US is still not finalized – although talks are close to conclusion.

Geneva’s vote on free dental care is now facing new uncertainty.

In Geneva, the political fallout from the suspended Vernier municipal election is escalating.

A man behind a string of parking-meter scams has been jailed.

A German tourist has been sentenced in Switzerland after being caught using a falsified autoroute vignette.

While summer is a few months away yet – the Guitare en Scène festival has announced part of next year’s lineup.

The head of the Geneva based commodities trader, Gunvor, has been forced out of his position after the US government claims he has links to the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.

New figures show a sharp rise in company bankruptcies this year.

Police in Geneva have launched a major operation after an attempted armed robbery in the city centre.

There are efforts to step up protection for victims of domestic violence.

Clocks change at the end of the week - and it could be dangerous - as it sends more people to hospital.

**** APRIL FOOL**** Many thanks for all your comments!

Residents in the threatened village of Brienz in Graubünden were allowed to visit their homes briefly yesterday.

Courtesy of the Interlaken tourist office, you can win 2 nights for two people at the Hotel Metropole in Interlaken with fantastic views of the Jungfrau.

WRS normal programming back in January