Bern
city in Switzerland, capital of the canton of Bern and de facto capital of Switzerland
- 3d ago
Swiss police arrest 43-year-old suspect after fatal shooting at Aarau rave
Cantonal police in Aargau have detained a 43-year-old Swiss man suspected of killing a 22-year-old Italian woman and wounding five people at an outdoor rave on the Schachen horse racing track.
- 4d ago
Two Romanian citizens confirmed dead in Swiss restaurant fire in Thusis
Swiss authorities have identified two Romanian nationals among four people killed in an overnight building fire in Thusis, while eight others sustained injuries.
- 4d ago
Deutsche Oper Berlin opens for full weekend as Aviel Cahn begins tenure
The Berlin opera house runs continuous programming from Saturday noon through Sunday evening, including an overnight club conversion and a public costume parade.
- 4d ago
Severe thunderstorms with six-centimetre hail hit northern Switzerland
A fast-moving cold front triggered destructive hailstorms, 142 km/h winds, and 46,000 lightning strikes across northern and western Switzerland on Friday morning, disrupting rail lines and knocking out power.
- Aug 24
Switzerland will enable offline card payments for essential goods by 2027
Swiss authorities, the central bank, and retailers have agreed to implement offline debit and credit card payments by the end of 2027, safeguarding transactions for food, medicine, and fuel during internet outages.
- Aug 23
DR Congo and AFC/M23 rebels agree on peace roadmap during Swiss talks
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 armed group agreed on a peace roadmap following closed-door negotiations in Switzerland.
- Aug 22
Partial lunar eclipse to darken up to 96 percent of Moon over Central Europe on Friday
Early on 28 August, the full Moon will enter Earth's shadow, reaching up to 96 percent obscuration around 06:12 CEST before setting along the western horizon.
- Aug 20
Switzerland and China conclude talks to eliminate tariffs on 99.8% of Swiss exports
Negotiators in Bern completed five rounds of talks on Thursday, agreeing to expand their 2014 free trade pact and save Swiss exporters an estimated 244 million francs annually.
- Aug 20
Swiss Federal Council sets 2032 start date for individual taxation reform
The Swiss Federal Council announced on Wednesday that individual taxation will take effect on 1 January 2032, providing cantons with the maximum six-year period to restructure regional tax codes.
- Aug 19
Union Berlin signs Swiss midfielder Michel Aebischer from Pisa for 3.5 million euros
The 29-year-old Swiss international joins on a three-year contract running to 2029 ahead of Sunday's DFB-Pokal match against Eintracht Braunschweig, reuniting with head coach Mauro Lustrinelli.
- Aug 19
Melting Trift glacier in Switzerland reveals bodies of two Belgian climbers missing since 1992
Swiss police identified the remains of two Belgian mountaineers discovered by a hiker on the Trift glacier in Valais, 34 years after their disappearance on the 4,017-metre Weissmies peak.
- Aug 16
SVP National Councillor Lukas Reimann elected to Wil SG city council, plans to leave Bern
SVP National Councillor Lukas Reimann won a seat on the Wil (SG) city council in a second-round vote on August 16, 2026, paving the way for his departure from Bern after nearly 20 years in parliament.
- Aug 16
Staudenmann wins Schwägalp-Schwinget for fifth consecutive Kranzfest as Bern wrestlers dominate
Fabian Staudenmann claimed his fifth consecutive Kranzfest victory at the Schwägalp-Schwinget on 16 August, defeating Lars Zaugg in seconds as Bern wrestlers took seven of the top nine places.
- Aug 13
Swiss Federal Council backs capping health insurance executive pay at 478,166 CHF
The Swiss Federal Council on 12 August 2026 endorsed capping compensation for health insurance executives at the salary of a Federal Councillor (478,166 CHF), responding to public anger over rising premiums and record-level executive pay approaching 1 million CHF.
- Aug 12
Swiss Federal Council proposes bonus clawbacks and tighter bank oversight after Credit Suisse collapse
Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter presented 12 measures on Wednesday to close 'too big to fail' gaps, including deferred bonuses, clawback powers, and expanded FINMA authority. Consultation runs until November 19.
- Aug 9
Swiss Super League matchday 3: Basel crushes Thun 4-2, Lugano routs FCZ 5-0, Sion stuns Vaduz late
Asane Sow led FC Basel past champion Thun with two goals and two assists, while FC Zürich collapsed 5-0 at Lugano and Vaduz surrendered a lead for the second week running.
- Aug 7
Nearly 7 million German vehicles carry reactivated 'homeland' license plates, study finds
A Heilbronn University study finds nearly 7 million vehicles registered with 336 reactivated regional license plates since 2012, as the Bundesrat pushes to expand the scheme to more municipalities.
- Aug 6
Swiss prosecutors reject Italy as civil plaintiff in Crans-Montana fire investigation
Sion's prosecutor has turned down Italy's request to stand as civil plaintiff in the Crans-Montana bar fire investigation, ruling that Italian citizenship of victims and state assistance costs do not confer injured-party status. Rome has filed an appeal.
- Aug 3
New orthobunyavirus detected in cattle in Germany, Switzerland and France
The Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut and Swiss IVI have identified a novel Simbu-group orthobunyavirus in sick dairy cows. The midge-borne pathogen causes fever, diarrhoea and a sharp drop in milk yield, and authorities expect further spread before the insect season ends in November.
- Jul 30
Swiss cantons ban fireworks ahead of National Day as drought fuels forest fire risk
Cantons from Schaffhausen to Valais have prohibited fireworks and open fires, citing persistent drought and high forest-fire danger. The restrictions hit retailers hard, with some reporting sales drops of up to 95 percent, while a public survey shows 62 percent support a permanent ban.
