The end to the heatwave in Switzerland could be in sight; littering fines of up to 250 francs to be introduced nationwide; and more news in our Thursday roundup.
Weather update: Still very hot, but the heatwave’s end is in sight
The extreme heat is expected to peak on Saturday in several cities in French-speaking Switzerland.
MeteoSchweiz weather service is forecasting 34C for Fribourg; 35C for Lausanne; 36C for in Sion, Delémont, Neuchâtel, Biel/Bienne and Yverdon; and 37C Geneva.
But if you want to see the end of the heatwave, you are in luck: it will likely get cooler (even if slightly) from Monday.
Though the maximum temperature forecast for Monday is 32C degrees, it will drop to 29C on Tuesday, falling to 28C on Wednesday.
Littering fines of up to 250 francs to be introduced nationwide
In order to promote the circular economy and recycling, a national penalty of up to 250 francs will be imposed on litterers.
The objective of the new ordinance, to go into effect from August 1st, is to combat littering and improve the management of urban waste, the Federal Council announced on Wednesday.
The measure is meant to “standardise nationally the fines for littering and the illegal disposal of large quantities of urban waste,” the government said, adding that the exact amount of fines will depend on the type and quantity of waste.
Heatwave is accelerating the melting of Switzerland’s glaciers
“Prolonged heatwaves are the worst-case scenario for glaciers,” according tto Matthias Huss, head of the Swiss Glacier Monitoring Network.
While one or two days of intense heat don’t cause significant melting, when the heat persists for more than two weeks, as it has so far in June – “the melting is massive, even in the highest peak regions,” he said.
“Our data shows that right now, about 400 cubic metres of water per second are flowing from the glaciers,” Huss pointed out. “That’s equivalent to filling an Olympic-sized swimming pool every six seconds, day and night, for at least these two weeks of heatwave.”
READ MORE: Switzerland’s glaciers shrink by a quarter in just a decade
It’s official: Switzerland is the world’s ‘most liked’ country
This is what emerges from the new Global Perception Ranking 2026, where Switzerland is in the 1st place (along with Canada) as the nation projecting the best image internationally, or the ‘most liked’ country.
In all, 65 countries were assessed, based on a variety of factors, including domestic stability, quality of life, diplomatic positioning, and open nes of their societies.
Switzerland aced all the categories.
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