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TODAY IN SWITZERLAND

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

From very stormy weather to Covid boosters: find out what's going on today in Switzerland with The Local's short roundup of the news.

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday
Switzerland was struck by massive lightening. Image by Felix Mittermeier from Pixabay

Tens of thousands of lightning strikes hit Switzerland

The country was hit by more 20,000 strikes in past hours, according to MeteoNews weather service.

Swiss-German cantons were the most affected.

Storms, violent in some regions, contributed to a significant drop in temperatures.

However, weather should stabilise by mid-week, with very hot summer ahead.

READ MORE: Weather: Switzerland prepares for ‘record-breaking’ hot summer 

New decisions concerning Covid boosters

The Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) and the Federal Commission for Vaccinations (CFV) have issued new guidelines regarding second booster doses.

These shots are recommended for people “with a very weakened immune system”, FOPH said on Monday.

“There is no need for the general public to receive an additional booster vaccination in the current situation. According to available data, people who are fully vaccinated or vaccinated and cured are still well protected against severe forms of COVID-19”.

For those who need boosters for trips abroad, the government is “evaluating the possibilities” to administer the shots. This is all the more important as some countries still require proof of vaccination to enter and millions of Swiss certificates will expire by autumn at the latest.

Expanded guidelines for fourth doses for the fall will be issued within the next few weeks, FOPH said, adding that Switzerland has a sufficient number of vaccine doses.

READ MORE: What will Switzerland do about the ‘millions’ of expiring Covid certificates?

Switzerland is “on the move” – sort of

Did you know that Switzerland is moving slowly but steadily, along with neighbouring countries, about 2.5 centimetres every year towards Europe’s northeast part, according to the Federal Office of Topography (Swisstopo)?

Swisstopo’s specialists are measuring the country to the nearest millimetre to determine these movements.

The measurements are based on a network of 220 landmarks whose exact coordinates are known. They are then compared with the results of the measurements carried out every six years to see the shifts.

The exact position of fixed points is important for several reasons, including for the construction of infrastructure such as bridges, roads or pipelines.

Switzerland may not find itself near the Baltic sea in our lifetimes, but it’s good to know the country is not stagnant.

Weasels cause 40 million francs of damage each year

Many motorists in Switzerland know the experience of trying to start their cars in the morning and not being able to do so. That could be because weasels sneaked into the engine at night and chewed the cables. This happens most often, but not only, in the month of May.

“Each year, 17,000 weasel claims are declared to AXA Switzerland, which represents an amount of 8 million francs in total”, the insurer said in a press release.  

Extrapolated to the whole country, the amounts likely reach 40 million per year, according to AXA.

The number of vehicles chewed up  by weasels — also known as martens —  has increased in recent years, especially in the cantons of Jura, Glarus, Thurgau and Schaffhausen, where the risk of suffering a weasel-related loss is, for inexplicable reasons, “up to 80 percent higher than the Swiss average”.

READ MORE:  Why your Swiss car insurance should contain a ‘weasel clause’

If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

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TODAY IN SWITZERLAND

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

Trains from Switzerland to Italy to be disrupted this summer; Swiss will vote on legalisation of cannabs; and other news in our roundup on Thursday.

Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Thursday

SWISS airline resumes its flights to Iran

After suspending its operations to Beirut and skirting the Iranian airspace since April 13th for security reasons, the national airline will resume  twice-weekly flights to Beirut — on Tuesdays and Saturdays — from May 4th.

“This decision is based on the lull observed in Beirut and Iran,” the company said. “After carrying out extensive evaluations, SWISS has concluded  that it is once again possible to ensure flight safety in the these regions.”

Train travel from Switzerland to Italy to be disrupted amid summer holiday rush

From June 9th, and for at least three months, the train service between Italian cities of Domodossola and Milan will be interrupted due to railway works, also disrupting travel between western Switzerland and Italy.

A bus service will run between the two cities, adding at least an hour to the trip in the best traffic conditions.

However, this plan is not acceptable to Swiss national railway company, SBB.

“Given the scale of the work, we are considering setting up direct buses from Geneva and Lausanne to Milan via the Grand Saint-Bernard tunnel,” the company said. “We are planning around three buses in each direction every day.”

“Our objective is to implement the best possible travel options for our passengers,” according to spokesperson Jean-Philippe Schmidt.

Swiss citizens set to vote on legalising cannabis

A new initiative proposes the legalisation, possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis in Switzerland, the Federal Chancellery announced

The initiative entitled “Legalising cannabis: an opportunity for the economy, health and equality” also calls for revenues from the taxation of cannabis products to be allocated to drug prevention.

The organisers have 18 months to collect the 100,000 signatures required for a popular initiative to brought to the ballot box on national level.

In a previous referendum held on this issue, in 2008, 63 percent of voters rejected the legalisation. Since then, however, the tide may have turned, according to a government survey published in 2021.

In the meantime, several Swiss cities — Basel, Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Lausanne, and Lucerne — have launched pilot projects to see what health and social effects the regulated sale of cannabis has on its users, and society in general.

READ ALSO: Switzerland’s current rules on cannabis 

Zurich has a new ‘ride-hailing’ service

Uber’s monopoly on Switzerland’s ride-hailing market is about to be broken, at least in Zurich: an Estonian company, Bolt, is launching its own service in Switzerland’s largest city.

In Zurich and Basel, Bolt already offers e-scooters and e-bikes that can be booked via its app.

On Tuesday, the company launched the car service as well, for the time being only in Zurich and the surrounding areas.

Bolt keeps 20 percent of the turnover— 5 percent less than Uber — with the rest going to the drivers.

If you have any questions about life in Switzerland, ideas for articles or news tips for The Local, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

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