Bitesize News

Geneva leads the table of the number of people who have been fined for violating various Covid regulations – by a long way.

The Swiss government is funding research to test wild animals to see if they’re carrying Covid and may be a factor in the spread and mutation of the disease.

The weekend’s Escalade races went ahead smoothly.

The government needs to buy a new private jet.

The Geneva University Hospital is triggering its ‘crisis mode’ as the number of people infected with Covid continues to climb.

All students and staff at Ecolint's La Châtaigneraie campus in Founex, Vaud are now in quarantine after two cases of the Omicron variant were confirmed.

The Federal Council is having problems getting the cantons to agree to stricter Covid measures.

Canton Geneva is set to relaunch a fight with the French about the nuclear power station in Bugey – which is only about 70 km away from the border.

A Geneva patient has launched a complaint after she says a surgeon removed an ovary and her fallopian tubes without her consent.

The Geneva public transport system is having a very bad week.

The number of infections hit a record yesterday – but vaccines are having a clear effect on hospitalizations and deaths.

There are now confirmed cases of the Omicron variant in the country.

The Geneva president Serge Dal Busco says masks will need to be worn when at the Christmas markets and during the Escalade races - although not for the runners.

The proposed new rules that limit even private gatherings of even 10 or more people will be very difficult to enforce.

The football team Lausanne Sport will have to foot the bill after Geneva Servette supporters trashed a bus taking them to last weekend’s game in the Vaud capital.

Geneva public transport officials are investigating after there were two similar accidents yesterday only a few hundred meters apart.

Tickets for the paleo festival sold out in just 45 minutes yesterday afternoon.

As expected, the government is tightening Covid restrictions.

The new rules shouldn’t affect the upcoming Course de l’Escalade in Geneva, according to organisers.

The World University Winter Games has been cancelled with just 12 days before its start, despite 7 years in the planning.

The City of Geneva has approved a text of an initiative which will pedestrianize a large section of the city centre.

France has confirmed stricter rules for its health pass.

A Deputy Mayor of the French town of Thonon-les-Bains has been fined EUR 135 for being in a restaurant without a valid health pass.

There could be a shake up on how the country is run.

A simple Twint payment between friends almost became an international incident.

The Federal Council is holding an emergency meeting later today to discuss how the government should handle the new Covid strain.

Following the vote confirming the government’s Covid policies – many are now calling for the so called ‘2G’ regulations to be brought in.

Geneva hotels are already counting the cost of the Omicron variant and are asking for aid to save the sector.

Business leaders in Geneva say they will continue to fight for more flexible arrangements despite voters rejecting a change to shop opening hours last weekend.

Switzerland has added five countries to its list of territories with a Covid variant of concern and has tightened entry requirements.

Despite the travel restrictions, the Federal Health Office says it’s very likely the Omicron variant is already in the country, and that is likely to be confirmed before the end of the day.

Voters have given a solid backing to the government’s Covid laws.

The public have also given a solid backing to the nursing profession. Over 60% said yes to an initiative which gives the profession stronger rights and better pay enshrined in the constitution.

In the third Federal vote, it was a resounding rejection of an initiative to change the way judges are selected.

Geneva voters have given an almost unanimous backing of a new method of recalling elected members of the government.

Voters are going to the polls this weekend to decide on a series of measures, locally and federally – and turnout looks like it will hit record levels.

Geneva is the latest canton to bring in stricter mask wearing rules.

Canton Vaud is now also demanding school children wear masks.

After more than two weeks of disruption, trains will be running normally from Geneva to Lausanne from tomorrow.

France is tightening Covid restrictions – but is also saying there are no plans to bring back a lockdown or close businesses.

The City of Geneva’s snow removal teams are on full standby from today until the end of March.

The medicines regulator, Swissmedic, has approved the Pfizer vaccine for use as a booster for anyone aged 16 or over who had their last jab more than 6 months ago.

A security cordon was thrown up around the Hilton Hotel in Grand Saconnex last night because of an event being held by the French right-wing journalist, Eric Zemmour.

A worker at a vaccination centre in canton Schaffhausen is suspected of forging certificates on a massive scale.

After warning workers will face the sack if they’re not vaccinated, Swiss International Airlines says the vast majority of their aircrew have now had the jab.

The idea that canton Geneva should pay to build Park and Ride car parks in neighbouring France is being put back on the agenda – despite the idea being rejected by the people in 2014 by 51%.

Canton Lucerne is bringing in stricter anti-Covid measures – but is also calling for the confederation to do more.

Geneva police unions are planning to strike tomorrow – but the cantonal minister for security Mauro Poggia says such a move could be illegal.

Geneva public service unions have agreed to a day of action to protect working conditions.

A demonstration against the arrival of the French far-right journalist and potential presidential candidate Eric Zemmour will be held this evening, leading to potential traffic disruption and street closures.

Volunteers laid out 5,000 shopping bags on the Plainpalais yesterday morning to highlight the needs of those who are using food banks in the city.

Stricter Covid rules are on the way. That’s the view of the of the head of the Conference of Cantonal Health Directors, Lukas Engelberger.

The Léman Express train service is being hailed as a success – despite several teething problems at its launch two years ago and then the effect of the pandemic.

It was a burst water main that brought a section of Geneva to a standstill yesterday morning.

A man is on trial in Lucerne after firing on a group of young adults who were making a noise outside his apartment. The man used his army issued assault rifle.

The 2022 autoroute vignette has been unveiled to the public. But it may be the last one you have to buy.

Forecasters say we could see snow down to the plain before the start of December.

Thousands marched on Saturday, protesting against the Covid restrictions. 2,000 took to the streets in Zurich and a further 1,500 in Lausanne.

Battle lines ahead of this weekend’s votes are already being drawn up – and there have been several hundred legal claims filed already claiming the vote has been manipulated.

It seems likely those under 65 years old will have to wait until 2022 before being able to get their third dose, despite authorities giving the go ahead.

Six people were injured on Saturday afternoon when Christmas decorations suspended from a shopping centre ceiling crashed to the ground.

Geneva firefighters had to call in a specialist team and hire a crane to help a seagull which had been caught on the spire of the Saint-Joseph church in Eaux-Vives.

Infections are climbing and the health minister Alain Berset is admitting that ‘we are not in a comfortable position’.

Infections are raging in five eastern cantons. They’re the same cantons which have also been singled out because of a high level of vaccine hesitancy.

A judge in canton Solothurn is under fire for sentencing a rapist to only one year in jail – saying it was a ‘fairly mild rape’.

The disruptions on the line between Geneva and Lausanne will last until Tuesday, at least – say Swiss Federal Railways.

New car sales in Switzerland have collapsed. Sales are down 27% compared to 2020 – which also wasn’t a great year for car sales.

An elected official of the canton Basel City had to be removed from a school in the neighbouring half canton of Basel-Country after teachers complained he was handing out racist election flyers. One student even said he uttered racial insults towards them.

The Geneva Court of Auditors is criticizing how the popular venues of the Bains de Paquis and Genève Plage are being run.

The latest polling ahead of a series of federal votes at the end of the month, shows it seems highly likely the people will back the Covid laws, say yes to better conditions for nurses – but no to selecting judges by a lottery.

The latest figures from the Federal Health Office shows infections are climbing sharply – up 40% in a single day.

There are calls for demonstrations if the controversial French TV host, and possible presidential candidate visits Geneva.

A motorcyclist who routinely ignored traffic laws and drove too fast is going to prison.

The Geneva City Council has agreed to release CHF 4m to renovate the run-down bus station in the middle of the city.

As infections rise, the pressure on intensive care beds is causing concern again.

Medical laboratories in Geneva are experiencing a rush as many people want to get a blood test to see if they have Corona antibodies in their blood.

Six suspected members of the mafia have been arrested in Switzerland.

Geneva emergency services responded quickly to a fire near a petrol station just after 8 yesterday morning.

Switzerland has dropped seven places in the world ranking of English proficiency in non-English speaking nations. It’s now 25th.

A Swiss study shows young children are still able to read the mood of those around them, despite wearing masks.

Switzerland is through to the World Cup after beating Bulgaria 4-nil.

The Federal Health Office is pushing back on social media comments that the increasing number of vaccinated people dying of Covid proves the vaccine is unsafe or ineffective.

The head of the Scientific Task Force is warning we could be in for a hard winter with increasing infections.

The Justice Minister Karin Keller-Sutter has come out strongly against an upcoming initiative to choose federal judges by a lottery system.

The Geneva Public Transport company, the TPG, says from December 12th all stops on the network will become request stops – even those in the middle of town.