Bitesize News

The government will be discussing today if some restrictions can be lifted, but at a press conference yesterday the Federal Health Office warned that only one of the five criteria to ease has been met.

The press is speculating the Federal Council will allow bars and restaurants to open their terraces next week.

The pandemic is boosting political engagement amongst the young.

Lake Geneva rescue authorities are calling on everyone to be careful.

More than 200 protested against the continuing closures in Geneva yesterday evening. The crowd gathered in the Mont-Blanc pedestrian area near the train station.

Accidents with e-bikes are climbing, and owners as well as other road users, are being urged to take care.

A man in Ticino who bought what he thought was a bargain load of high quality wine is now demanding his money back as all the bottles were corked.

Geneva has opened up vaccinations for all those over the age of 45 – the lower age is ahead of schedule.

The Federal Council is expected to discuss if the economy should be opened up further at their regular meeting tomorrow – and pressure is growing on the government to show some leniency.

Switzerland is likely to find itself under international pressure to conform to a new move to harmonize corporate tax rates around the world.

Border crossings into Geneva were brought to a crawl yesterday as French taxi drivers protested at what they see is unfair and overzealous implementation of the rules that determine how often they can carry passengers in Switzerland.

Police in canton Aargau have seized cocaine worth around half a million francs and arrested a 22-year-old man.

The Swiss People’s Party is demanding the Federal Council allow bars and restaurants to reopen next week.

French taxi drivers are demonstrating at some border crossings into Geneva today.

Despite the social media calls for riots to push back on continuing coronavirus social restrictions, the weekend was trouble free.

The price of generic pharmaceuticals could fall later in the year – and save us all half a billion francs. Unless the powerful drugs lobby succeed in stopping a change in the law.

As vaccine rolls outs in Switzerland continue to expand – a mass vaccination centre is due to open at the Palexpo in Geneva next week – France is also boosting its immunisations.

Wealthy investors are lawyering-up against Credit Suisse after the bank lost CHF 4.4bn following the collapse of the US Hedge fund Archegos.

The Swiss president Guy Parmelin joined other leaders from around the world and expressed his ‘sadness’ following the death of the husband of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip.

After the recent riots in Sankt Gallen, young political leaders have written an open letter to the Federal Council.

The latest figures from the Federal Health Office shows infections are rising, with 2,449 new cases as of yesterday.

Switzerland says it’s ready to help France treat covid patients as a third wave overwhelms that country’s health system.

Canton Zurich is struggling to find enough senior citizens to fill appointments.

A Spanish man who lives in Switzerland has been arrested in his home country as he was driving with the corpse of his Swiss partner.

Drivers are being warned the Gotthard Tunnel will be closed for four nights next week as maintenance work is carried out.

Demolition of a dangerous building will start today in the middle of Geneva.

Two Geneva communes are to provide free female sanitary products in public buildings and elementary schools.

There remains some confusion under what conditions people living close to the French border can cross into France and why.

There are warnings that people should not get complacent with the arrival of free at home testing kits.

Switzerland is behind many other European countries on its marriage policy.

A study by the University of Basel suggests those who believe conspiracy theories about the coronavirus are often younger, hold more extreme political views and have a low level of education.

It seems Switzerland’s decision to keep the ski slopes open during the pandemic, when neighbouring countries closed theirs was the right one.

A gay former ticket inspector for Zurich Public Transport has had his firing upheld by a court.

Police in cities across the German speaking regions are preparing for possible riots after a series of violent incidents in Sankt Gallen.

The Swiss population grew slightly last year, despite a higher death rate and fewer babies being born.

The government is warning that if an initiative banning pesticides is passed in June – it could be the end of that Swiss staple – paprika flavored crisps.

Police were led on an unlikely chase in the French department of Ain on Saturday night.

Bad news for paddleboarders and kayakers in Geneva as the Rhone will be emptied for a couple of weeks.

Everyone should register to get vaccinated. That’s the message from canton Geneva.

Researchers studying sewage water for the coronavirus are warning a third wave could be building.

Commuters using the lake road around Versoix will soon have cause to celebrate as three years of renovation work is due to come to an end.

French police in Haute-Savoie launched a major operation on Sunday to search for a 12-year-old boy who’d gone missing while taking his electric bike to his grand-mother’s house along the river near Bonneville.

The pandemic has not cooled Switzerland’s red hot housing market.

The Chinese company that bought the temporary Opera House which was installed for three seasons near the Place des Nations is suing Geneva as they say the building is not fit for purpose. They paid CHF 7m for the structure.

At a press conference in Bern yesterday, the Health Minister Alain Berset is urging people to stay safe over the long weekend – but didn’t tell people to stay indoors.

Travel is what Geneva expats miss the most – and eating out is a close second.

Geneva is expecting thousands of people to take to the lakeside over the weekend – and will be boosting patrols to make sure social distance is maintained and masks are being worn in places where they should be.

France is re-entering lockdown to try to stem one of the worst infection rates in Europe. But there will be some allowance for Easter.

Infections in Switzerland continue to rise. The infection rate 'R' number is at 1.19 across the country. Anything above 1 means the infection is spreading.

The pandemic is still costing canton Geneva millions – but it hasn’t stopped new companies from setting up.

The newly elected member of the Geneva government, Green Party member Fabienne Fischer will take control of a newly formed Department of Economy and Employment.

Geneva is now making its own masks – and it’s being described as a win-win situation.

Swisscom suffered a major fault yesterday afternoon. Thousands were unable to make or receive mobile calls.

There are growing calls for a lightening of the Covid restrictions next month.

Many Geneva residents seem to be in two minds about the decision to open up the Luna Parc Funfair on the Plainpalais.

The Health Minister Alain Berset says self-testing kits will be available in pharmacies around the country by the 7th April.

Anyone over the age of 16 can now register for a vaccination in canton Zurich – but it will be a while before they actually get one.

French Police are investigating the discovery of a body of a 30-year-old Swiss man on the road in Neydens in Haute-Savoie, only a few kilometres from the Swiss border.

An off-duty Geneva policeman has been arrested after he was found to be harassing passers-by while drunk and still in uniform.

Basel Public Transport is testing a French developed system to make buses and trams safe again.

Disgraced former Geneva politician, Pierre Maudet, has lost his attempt to re-enter the Geneva government at a run off vote yesterday.

In canton Bern, voters in the French speaking commune of Moutier have once again shown they do want to change from being under the control of canton Bern and switch to Jura.

A graffiti artist has died in Bern after being chased by police on Saturday night. The 29-year-old woman leapt over a wall at Bümpliz train station and fell badly. She later died in hospital.

Geneva police tried to stop a group of around 60 cyclists on Friday evening as they took to the streets as part of the ‘critical mass’ movement.

A man has been cleared of drunk driving by a Geneva court – after two years and three appeals.

Another mobile phone mast has been set on fire.

It’s going to be down to the cantons – that’s the message from the health minister Alain Berset as the country gears up for an increased vaccination drive.

There could be two more vaccines available in the next few months.

The head of the EPFL in Lausanne says the pandemic has shown this country has a problem with its digital infrastructure and it needs to be addressed.

Officials in a Bernese village are scratching their heads after 14 million litres of water has gone missing.

Bern City council is considering changing the law to allow pets to be buried with their owners.

The Federal Government says it wants to create an internationally recognised vaccination certificate by the summer which will allow those who have had the jab to travel.

After a large demonstration against the coronavirus measures in canton Basel-Country last Saturday, those in favour of the lockdowns and the vaccine are starting to fight back.

A man caught smuggling drugs on a Geneva tram earlier this month has been sentenced to 18 months in jail by a French court.

Prosecutors in Zurich have closed the case of a zoo keeper who was mauled to death by a tiger last year.

The Geneva cable TV operator Naxoo will have to pay a fine of over CHF 3m for unfair practices and exploiting its dominant market position.