Switzerland

Just Eat Takeaway.com is experimenting robotic deliveries, starting from Oerlikon area in Zurich; automatons from RIVR, a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, will be able to adapt to their surroundings, avoiding obstacles

The number of catfish caught in Switzerland has increased tenfold in 20 years, as warmer watercourses encourage these predators to reproduce and grow more in size: of the thousands of yearly catches, those above 2m meters are regularly hooked

The suicide rate among older people in Switzerland has reached record levels, the main reason being euthanasia, while the suicide rate among younger population has fallen around 30% in the past two decades

The village of Brienz in Graubünden was closed again due to risk of landslides as 1,7 million cubic meters of rock masses in two areas above are threatening to collapse; after evacuation last November, daytime agricultural activities were recently allowed

1.400 summer flight by Swiss International Air Lines will be cancelled due to a shortage of pilots, caused by a number of unexpected developments and overly optimistic deployment planning

Retailer Migros is planning its first Switzerland supermarket with 24/7 opening in Herisau; the test will start this summer 2025: after normal opening hours it will be open in self-service mode, with automatic payments only and CCTV security

Around 50 caravans belonging to members of a travelling community attempting to enter canton Valais in southern Switzerland, from France, without prior warning were blocked by police on the motorway to prevent their unauthorised entry

43% of adults are overweight, with significantly more men affected than women; first-hand data are delivered by the obesity centre at Aarau Cantonal Hospital, which is currently receiving more new patients than ever before

The Coalition against Wage Discrimination, made up of 52 organisations, addressed the government in an open letter urging to eradicate wage discrimination against women; a woman in Switzerland loses an average of around $9.000 a year in salary

Cigarette smuggling at Swiss airports increased sharply in 2024 with 880.000 undeclared items, compared to 690.000 in 2023; Geneva airport was the focus point with over 700.000 undeclared cigarettes discovered, mostly probably intended for sale in France