SWI swissinfo

Keeping a bucket of water close by is a necessary ritual when using real candles to light a tree.(Keystone) A bright ChristmasOn December 24, 1999, the year that swissinfo.ch came into existence, we reported that nine out of ten Swiss households put up a Christmas treeexteal link, with most preferring real candles rather than electric bulbs.In 2008 we wrote that candles not only illuminate trees in family homes but also in many churchesexteal link, even though open flames are baed in public places where more than 100 people can gather. The article stated that candles caused some 1,000 fires a year.Electric bulbs may save property an...

Representatives of Switzerland's youth party take part in a debate. Youth parties are the only ones who receive direct financial contributions from the Swiss state. (Keystone) State funding for Swiss political parties does exist, despite popular belief. Two young political science researchers estimate the state’s contributions at about CHF20 million ($20.6 million) - but most of the funding ...

Three-wheeler dealer Express cheese delivery in Be There's one fewer delivery van on Be's streets. Kurt Staudenma from the Chäsbueb cheesemonger now uses a cargo bike. (Video: Peter Siegenthaler) See in other languages: 3 Whether it’s dropping off kids at nursery or goods to...

What an Engadine workspace for digital nomads could look like (MiaEngiadina/Andrea Badrutt) This article on Switzerland you are about to read was actually w...

More long-distance bus companies are operating on European routes. They are a serious competitor to trains.(SRF, swissinfo.ch) Private long-distance bus providers have been steadily increasing their European network and passengers now have a bigger choice of how to travel in Europe. Statistics from the Swiss Federal Office of Transport show a fourfold increase over the past five years in licences awarded for routes, from 64 to 266. Customers are attracted by much lower prices, direct coections and shorter travelling times. That's bad news for the Swiss Federal Railways which is finding it hard to compete with the cheaper fares. In one example, a bus company providing direct coections between...