A new shopping and leisure complex has opened in the Swiss capital, Bern, designed by New York star architect, Daniel Libeskind. The SFr500 million project includes 55 shops, ten restaurants and bars, a hotel, a multiplex cinema, a spa and leisure pool, and an old people's home. Trendy apartments will be added later. (Julie Hunt, swissinfo)
Switzerland is a well-known transit route for north/south traffic. This applies to cars, trucks, trains – and also birds. Every year, millions of migrating birds pass through Swiss airspace on their way south. An observation post has been set up in the northern village of Lauwil by the Swiss ornithological station. For the rest of October, migrating birds will be observed, registered and ringed. (SF/swissinfo)
The villagers of Auw in central Switzerland are gearing up for an historic event. On October 12, the pope will officially declare one of their former residents, the blessed Maria Bernarda Bütler, a saint. The last Swiss person to be made a saint was Niklaus von Flüe, who lived in the 15th century. He was canonised in 1947. Julie Hunt visited Auw to find out how Maria Bernarda Bütler earned her holy status. (swissinfo, Julie Hunt)
St Bernard dogs were first recorded as doing rescue work in the early 18th century. Because of their heavy build, they were eventually replaced by lighter dogs. Today the "Barry" foundation is not only preserving the legendary St Bernard breed but is also seeking a new role for it. (SF1/swissinfo)
In autumn, it's common in Switzerland to see herds of cattle decorated with bells and flowers being led down from the mountains to their winter stables. But these days, you might rub your eyes – surely those aren't cows marching down into the valley? No indeed: around 400 Swiss farmers now keep llamas or alpacas to supplement their falling incomes. (SF1/swissinfo)
Ever fancied taking a fighter jet for a spin? Wealthy customers can do just that, thanks to a private association based at the military airport in Payerne in western Switzerland. The group is offering high-octane trips in Mirages once used by the Swiss air force, and there's no shortage of demand. But politicians and local people are not so thrilled. (SF1/swissinfo)
A century ago the Swiss wore traditional garments every day. Today though these costumes can only be seen at folklore events and parades. Pro Helvetia, the Swiss arts council, has launched a project to bring traditional clothing elements back into contemporary fashion. (SF1/swissinfo)
When you gather wild mushrooms, you had better not put a death cap in your basket by mistake. But if you do, a visit to the inspection centre will eliminate any poisonous fungi. Even better is to go mushrooming with an expert. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello)
Swiss artist François Junod has changed the automaton into a new art form. He calls his unique creations androids - mechanical robots designed to resemble humans in both appearance and behaviour. swissinfo visited his studio in St Croix, in the Jura mountains. (swissinfo, Julie Hunt)
The River Thur runs through the biggest floodplains area of central Switzerland. Unfortunately a lot of the natural plains have disappeared in the past due to flood protection buildings. Now the river shall be freed of the concrete and the floods shall recreate natural biotopes that are vital for many endangered plants and animals. (SF1/swissinfo)
After carrying tourists up and down the mountain in the Swiss resort of Kandersteg for over 60 years, one of the oldest wooden chairlifts of its kind in the world has gone into retirement. The best efforts of heritage groups were unable to stop its dismantling. (SF/swissinfo)
The Large Hadron Collider is housed in a 27-kilometre tunnel beneath the French-Swiss border near Geneva and is the world's largest and most complex scientific instrument. It will soon smash protons at almost the speed of light, recreating conditions a fraction of a second after the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago. (Cern/swissinfo)
Josef und Silvia Beeler have an unusual occupation. They breed snails on their organic farm in Steinen, central Switzerland. The molluscs could soon help the Beelers make their fortune, as they're about to be offered as delicacies in upmarket restaurants. (SF/swissinfo)
The Lichtspiel cinema in the Swiss capital Bern takes you on a magical journey back through time, lovingly recalling the early days of silent movies, and charting the development of film through the ages. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)
From this week on, Swiss pet owners are no longer allowed to keep single canaries, parrots, rats, mice and guinea pigs. New regulations dictate that these social animals must be kept in groups. But what if one of a pair dies? An enterprising breeder has the answer – rent a replacement. (SF/swissinfo)
September 3, 1998: Swissair flight SR111 crashes off the coast of Canada, killing all 229 passengers and crew. It is the worst accident in Swiss civil aviation history, and causes shockwaves in both Switzerland and Canada. (SF/swissinfo)
Fuse Factory is a three-person electro pop act based in Lausanne and is made up of an American, Swiss and a Frenchwoman.
Playing with contrasts like inside/outside, hard/soft, Swiss artist Gregory Chapuisat creates challenging installations that turn the visitor into an explorer of secret passages and other mysterious places. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello)
Finding a suitable parking spot in a multi story car park can be frustrating and time consuming. The Swiss have come up with a new way to dispel the parking blues – a car park in which robots do the work for you. Swiss TV tested out the newly opened building in Frauenfeld, eastern Switzerland. (SF/swissinfo)
The aerodrome in Gruyères is the only place in Switzerland where disabled pilots can learn to fly. Handicapped airmen from all over Europe recently attended a rally at the tiny airport to share their experiences and encourage aspiring pilots with disabilities to take the plunge.(swissinfo, Julie Hunt)
Until recently I knew nothing about the dolphins and whales living in the Mediterranean. Then in July I accompanied the Swiss marine mammal conservation organisation "OceanCare" on a research journey through the so-called Pelagos Sanctuary for Mediterranean marine mammals. I discovered a lot I didn't expect to find. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)
More and more Swiss are discovering the trend sport geocaching – a modern treasure hunt with the aid of GPS devices. But not everybody is happy about the increasing numbers of people roaming the forests. (SF1)
The spectacular Eiger north face, one of the most famous Swiss mountains, remained invincible until 1938. A film tells the story of the failed 1936 German ascent, when mountain climbing was still an Olympic sport, politically exploited by the Nazis. (SF/swissinfo)
With the Olympics underway, everyone hopes that the air quality in Beijing will not adversely affect the athletes' performance. A questionable asthma test has stirred controversy inside the Swiss Olympic team. (SF/swissinfo)
Bern's Historical Museum is hosting a special exhibition on Charles the Bold and Burgundian life during his time. For ten days the museum's grounds are being transformed into a medieval encampment, where doctors have their own ways of curing people and knights risk their lives in jousting tournaments. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)
This summer, Switzerland's biggest ever youth environmental protection camp was held outside Bern. The week - organised by the conservation organisation pro natura – offered children from all over the country various ecological activities, boat tours and treasure hunts. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)
A butcher from Kirchberg near the Swiss capital Bern fulfilled a childhood dream a few years ago when he adopted two big cats – both leopard/panther hybrids. Now that the felines are older, the male has become too aggressive to play with. (SF/swissinfo)
In the summer months, the region around the Swiss resort town of Interlaken turns into a giant outdoor fun park. Tens of thousands of tourists, many of them young people, come here for the thrill of adventure sport. Journalist Justin Häne tried canyoning for the first time. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello/Justin Häne)
The Swiss are very efficient recyclers. Metal, glass and paper are collected and disposed of separately from other waste. Small metal parts though still end up with the ordinary rubbish. Now, in times of increasing metal prices, the industry is finding ways to collect even the smallest parts they can find. (SF1)
Animals kept in captivity are safe from extinction, but their social behaviour often changes: three years ago at Basel Zoo in Switzerland a young gorilla male became a father at the age of six. The unusual event – in the wild fatherhood never occurs before 12 – was proven by a paternity test earlier this year. (swissinfo, Raffaella Rossello)
150 tonnes of fish are caught annually by the eight full-time professional fishermen working on Lake Biel. swissinfo spent a day on the lake with Silvano Solca. He's been fishing there for 20 years, working up to 14 hours per day in summer. (swissinfo, Julie Hunt)
Over 23,000 scouts and 2,000 leaders and helpers have set up camp in the Linth plane between lakes Zurich and Walen. The national scout camp is the only event bringing together all Swiss scouting groups and it takes place only once every 14 years. (SF1)
For many centuries Bex in canton Vaud was Switzerland's only salt producer. Today the historic salt mines attract 67,000 visitors every year. The 50km of galleries chiselled out by hand bear witness to the hard and dangerous working lives of miners in the past. (swissinfo, Michele Andina)
Once upon a time, Zermatt was just a typical Swiss alpine village with its cluster of narrow, wooden chalets. But it rose above the rest in the 19th century when a mountain on its doorstep - the Matterhorn – became a magnet for climbers and British tourists. (SF/swissinfo)
Swiss marathon runner Viktor Röthlin has been training for months in the Chinese capital, Beijing. Swiss TV followed him during his initial contact with a new environment. (SF1)
The Swiss Showband is performing alongside the world's most prestigious military formations at this year's military tattoo in Basel. The 130-strong music/dance team was recruited from across German speaking Switzerland, and has been practicing its unique show for a year now.
