Author: switzerlandtimes.ch

More than 25,000 animals were abandoned in Switzerland in 2024, according to the Swiss Animal Protection Society (PSA), which warns of a worrying rise in the number of pets left behind. The charity recorded 32,079 animals taken in by shelters last year, 572 more than in 2023. Of these, 25,403 were abandoned, 5,449 were found, and 1,234 were seized in official interventions. The increase was broad-based. Cats saw the sharpest rise, with 7,963 taken in, up 357 year on year. Numbers of rodents and rabbits also climbed to 2,047, up 219. Fish remain by far the most frequently abandoned species:…

Switzerland has put Cargo Sous Terrain, an ambitious scheme to move freight through underground tunnels, on ice, reported SRF. The federal government, several cantons and the city of Zurich have suspended work on the project, citing unmet requirements. The idea was bold. A privately financed network of subterranean tunnels, backed by blue-chip firms including Coop, Migros, Swisscom and Swiss Post, promised to cut heavy lorry traffic on motorways by up to 40%. But at the start of September the company behind it admitted the sums no longer added up under current legal requirements. The vision was compelling: trucks off the…

Switzerland plans to double the length of motorway sections where speed can be cut to 80km/h during heavy traffic, reported Blick. The Federal Roads Office (FEDRO) says almost 2,200km will eventually be equipped with electronic signs to lower limits temporarily, up from around 1,000km today. Officials argue that easing off the accelerator keeps traffic flowing. Our studies show that temporarily reducing speed when roads are overloaded helps the flow, says Lorenzo Quolantoni, FEDRO spokesman. Similar systems are already in place on some Swiss motorways. Not everyone is convinced. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) describes the plan as the sneaky…

In Bern this winter, homeless people without residence permits may have nowhere to sleep but the streets, reports SRF. A new regulation from the canton restricts access to emergency shelters to those with valid papers—a move the city calls inhumane and short-sighted. Last winter up to 60 people slept rough in Bern each night as shelters overflowed. The city has since added extra beds, including spaces for women and non-binary people, and temporarily expanded existing accommodation. The canton is contributing CHF 1.3 million to these efforts—but with strings attached: only those with legal residency may use the facilities. Exceptions will…

Donald Trump is expected to attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos this January, and Swiss exporters battered by 39% American tariffs are hoping the visit might bring relief. The Federal Council, they say, should seize the chance to appeal directly to the man wielding the tariff hammer, reports SRF. A report from CH Media, still unconfirmed, set tongues wagging in business circles this week: Mr Trump plans to return to Davos for the third time as president. Many in Switzerland’s export industries—particularly machinery and precision tools—see the gathering as a last, best hope for resolving the trade spat.…

Artificial intelligence is not only consuming attention—it is also consuming electricity and water. A surge in AI activity has driven up demand for data-centre capacity across Europe, and the Swiss are increasingly uneasy about its environmental cost. More than 15 new data centres are under construction in Switzerland, many built to serve the growing demands of artificial intelligence. With over 120 facilities already in operation, the country now has one of the highest concentrations of data centres per person in Europe. A survey commissioned by AlgorithmWatch CH and partner organisations in five European countries shows that most Swiss respondents worry…

Switzerland’s biggest party, the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP), has denounced the government’s proposed package of new agreements with the European Union as a colonial treaty that would undermine the country’s sovereignty and direct democracy, reported RTS. The party wants the agreements rejected both by parliament and in a future referendum. The package, which aims to stabilise and deepen bilateral relations with the EU, includes one general agreement and three sectoral ones covering food security, electricity, and health policy. The Federal Council intends to submit the deal to a popular vote only, as it did with the earlier Bilateral I…

This week, five of the seven of the pro-Palestinian activists accused of taking part in an unauthorised demonstration after they occupied the main hall of ETH Zurich on May 31st, 2024 were convicted of trespassing by the Zurich District Court, reported SRF. Two others, in a separate trial, were cleared after judges found that no valid criminal charges had been filed against them. The five convicted activists received suspended fines ranging from 20 to 30 daily rates of 30 to 60 Swiss francs, each with a two-year probation period. “ETH Zurich has the right to control its premises. This right…

By Bill Harby What exactly is the alpine descent or désalpe / alpabzug? This article explores the event’s history and where to see it. In Switzerland, we know the clock will soon strike autumn when processions of cows crowned with flowers and hung with huge clanging bells, descend from summer alpine pastures to their winter barns before the snows come. Led by cowherds and children dressed in embroidered traditional jackets and dresses, the colorfully bedecked dairy cows come by mountain trails to village streets, where people greet the colorful parades. Désalpes Crans Montana This end-of-summer tradition, known as the Désalpes…

Retail workers in Switzerland are pushing back against plans to allow stores to open on up to 12 Sundays a year, up from the current four. A petition opposing the proposal was submitted to the Federal Chancellery in Bern on Thursday, backed by the unions Unia and Syna, which argue the change would worsen already fragile working conditions in retail. The sector employs around 230,000 full-time equivalent staff nationwide. According to the unions, the proposal not only undermines labour standards but also runs against public sentiment. This is not just about shop staff rejecting a 24-hour society—the general public does…