Switzerland Today

Dear Swiss Abroad,

Thanks to the option of working from home, I didn't have to brave the freezing cold to get to my desk today. Last night temperatures reached as low as -25.2°C (-13.6°F) at La Brévine, the coldest inhabited place in Switzerland.

It is unlikely that the low temperatures would faze the 630 or so hardy residents of the town. In January 1987 La Brévine was hit by a cold front that measured a blood chilling -41.8°C (-43.2°F).

This content was published on December 12, 2022 - 18:00

2 minutes

I cover food and agribusiness and have a special interest in sustainable supply chains, food safety and quality, as well emerging players and trends in the food industry. A background in forestry and conservation biology led me down the path of environmental advocacy. Journalism and Switzerland made me a neutral observer who holds companies accountable for their actions.

In the news: Sporting heroes, terrorism trial, mental illness and invalidity insurance

The results of Swiss Sports Awards 2022External link were announced last night. Skier Marco Odermatt and sprinter Mujinga Kambundji were the big winners. Retired tennis star Roger Federer was also honoured.
The first Swiss trial for an Islamist terrorism-related killingExternal link began at the Federal Criminal Court today. The accused, a Swiss-Turkish national, had killed a man in the lakeside town of Morges in September 2020.
For the first time, mental illness was the number one cause for hospitalisations External linkamong 10- to 24-year-olds in Switzerland. In 2021 it surpassed injuries among this age group with young women the most affected.
Public broadcaster SRF writes about a case of a Swiss man who would lose access to invalidity insurance payments if he settled abroadExternal link. While the arrangement would in theory suit both the state and the recipient, the law currently does not permit it.

Culture corner: Switzerland as an art refuge

The war in Ukraine has also put cultural treasures at risk of bombardment. A lack of sufficient safe storage space for artworks prompted the representatives of the Kyiv Picture Gallery to approach Swiss museums to find a safe haven.

A total of 49 paintings from the 18th to 20th centuries have been given a temporary home at the Kunstmuseum Basel. The works by 31 Ukrainian artists from the Kyiv Picture Gallery of the national Ukrainian art museum now feature in a special exhibition called Born in UkraineExternal link.