Bitesize News

There have been veiled threats from Bern to those cantons which are still allowing mountaintop terraces to stay open.

There maybe a new lead in the unsolved murder of three members of a British family and a French citizen in Chevaline near Annecy in September 2012.

A woman died on the ski slopes yesterday after colliding with a fellow skier.

There are hopes this year’s Geneva Pride March will be able to go ahead.

SWISS International Airlines has revealed its new schedule for the next few months – and its clear it doesn’t expect everyone to return to mass flying anytime soon.

The Federal Council has announced its new rules from the 1st March, and we will be getting some freedoms back.

When bars and restaurants are allowed to reopen, the City of Geneva will allow larger outdoor areas which will be able to stay open all year.

Switzerland is running out of part time jobs.

Next month voters will be asked if a trade deal with Indonesia should go ahead. It’s the first-time voters have been asked to green-light a trade deal.

It should be safe to put on your summer tyres – the recent warm weather is stabilizing and should be here to stay, according to meteorologists.

Vaccinations are beginning to gather pace. Figures from the Federal Health Office show 2% of the population have now had both shots.

Geneva is widening the scope of people who can now apply to be vaccinated.

Bar and restaurant owners are lining up to fight any ideas that only the vaccinated will be able to enter.

Several cantons in the central part of the country are openly flouting federal regulations and turning a blind eye to mountaintop restaurants which are allowing customers to sit outside in groups.

The Ministry of the Environment has published new guidelines for 5G mobile phone transmitters which is hoped will alleviate some fears and allow the continued expansion of the new technology.

The Geneva State Councillor Pierre Maudet has been found guilty of illegally accepting gifts from the Abu Dhabi royal family – but has escaped jail time.

A car on the railway lines was hit by two trains at the same time. The 41-year-old driver was seriously injured and helicoptered to hospital.

Geneva is the worst hit canton when it comes to collapse in hotel stays.

A seriously injured man was found near the train tracks in Flüelen in canton Uri.

The president Guy Parmelin has caused surprise in some quarters after he suggested those who have been vaccinated could use public transport without wearing a mask.

Switzerland may have to give away millions of doses of vaccine if regulators continue to delay the authorization of the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Police in Aargau are hunting three men who tied up an elderly couple and ransacked their house on Saturday morning.

Authorities felt they had no choice but to shoot a deer which had found its way in to the middle of Geneva.

What are people most looking forward to when some restrictions are lifted - which could be later this week?

Mothers in some cantons are fighting regulations that are forcing young children to wear masks.

Emergency services scrambled yesterday morning after a lone pilot in a small plane crashed into Lake Constance.

The plight of bars and restaurants which will stay closed until April at least is getting some sympathy from cantonal politicians – but it seems unlikely local authorities will go against federal rules and allow a reopening.

It’s been confirmed work will start on renovating the Mont-Blanc Bridge during the summer, which will inevitably lead to traffic problems.

Work starts on Monday for the tram line 15 extension through Lancy, Plan-les-Ouates and Confignon.

Starting today and for the next 7 days, its Romansch week.

Customs officers are used to catching people with dangerous goods – and Swiss officers at the Ferney-Voltaire caught a pair with over 60 kilos of chicken spring rolls.

The Federal Council has outlined its plans for the end of the lockdown – but it will be gradual.

The hospitality sector is very disappointed with the latest announcement from the government.

The vaccination programme is continuing. Figures from the Federal Health Office show 6.3% of the population have been vaccinated – and at the current rate it will take 63 weeks for everyone to get the jab.

Tragedy struck in canton Graubünden on Tuesday after a homemade igloo collapsed, killing a 7-year-old boy.

A young teenager will face charges after he stole a car in canton Fribourg and crashed into another vehicle while fleeing the police.

The Federal Council looks set to announce a gradual return to normal life. But it will be slow.

A woman was shot dead in an apartment in Winterthur yesterday afternoon – a man was arrested on the spot.

The second wave is over in Geneva.

While we’re all trying to avoid catching a virus – one infection is being actively encouraged in Geneva. Chickenpox.

Geneva Airport has reported its first loss in its history – due to the collapse in demand.

A senior Zurich judge has been summoned to see his bosses after a Tik-Tok account run by his wife came to light.

Police in canton Schwyz issued fines to a crowd that gathered outside the Benedictine Abbey in Einsiedeln as part of a traditional ‘Sühudi’ parade yesterday.

Landlords who don’t accommodate their business tenants could be facing a long-term drought.

A bee keeper in canton Lucerne has lost ten colonies after vandals smothered air holes in the hives, killing the bees.

The Lake Geneva region is the most expensive place to buy a family home with an average price of CHF 1.5m.

Nearly 300,000 people have signed a petition calling on the government to change tack on its coronavirus restrictions and open bars and restaurants immediately.

What may be considered worrying for lovers of the summer music festival season – the Neuchâtel Open Air Festival – or Festi’neuch – has been cancelled. 

The snow on Friday evening caused scores of minor accidents and major issues for Geneva public transport. 

A stolen car reached speeds of 250 kph while being chased by police heading into the city of Bern on the A1 autoroute.

The news the Director General of the Geneva University Hospital has been given an 18% pay rise is still causing waves within the government and social media.

A group of 27 passengers in a cable car had to be rescued by helicopter yesterday after it got stuck. 

The Federal Council is under pressure to announce a lifting of some of the Covid 19 restrictions at the beginning of next month. 

The country was gripped by arctic cold weather over the weekend. The coldest place was on the Glattalp in canton Schwyz on Sunday. Sat 4am the temperatures hit a low of minus 44.4 degrees. 

All the precautions we’re taking against Covid is having a major impact on the spread of the seasonal flu.

Switzerland is running out of bikes.

Dominik Straumann says there’s a good reason and he didn’t pull rank.

For the second time this season, Geneva has activated its extreme cold measures to help the homeless.

Formula 1 driver, Fernando Alonso has been admitted to a hospital in Lugano after a bicycle accident.

A driver has been fined only CHF 2,000 for causing the death of a new born baby in canton Aargau.

Health experts are concerned about the rise of the new strains – despite the fall of infections generally – and the new possibly more dangerous Brazilian strain – has been detected in the country for the first time.

A storm over the Alps on Saturday brought high winds, spring like temperatures and sand from the Sahara Desert.

New rules for travellers arriving by plane are now in force.

The worst traffic offender in the country says he will keep driving – despite having his license revoked in 1984.