Stories from Lausanne · Switzerland

The canton of Vaud will modify its penal law to prohibit and punish the use of hate symbols in public spaces. The move aims to ban such symbols within the canton. This follows a decision regarding a popular initiative where the National Council rejected a counter-proposal.

An investigation has revealed recurring governance dysfunctions at the Haute École Pédagogique Vaudoise (HEP Vaud). Diaz noted that experiences vary depending on the positions held and that it is complex for management to listen to all feedback.

Theologian Daniel Marguerat, a figure in the Reformed Church of Vaud, faces accusations of sexual abuse. The alleged abuse occurred during his time as a professor at the University of Lausanne, potentially dating back to the 1990s.

The International Ski Federation and Snowboarding (FIS) announced it will decide on the neutral athlete program for the 2026-2027 season during the spring or summer of this year. The decision will concern individual measures regarding the program for neutral athletes. The announcement was made in a formal statement by FIS.

A French Christian media investigation has identified Daniel Marguerat, a former professor at the University of Lausanne, as the subject of several reports regarding sexual abuse.

The distribution of departments in the canton of Vaud has been finalized following the March supplementary election and the election of former National Councilor Roger Nordman. Socialist politician Sandra Viscardine will reclaim the department of health and social action from Rebecca Ruiz. The move is described as a choice of continuity for the region. The Canton of Vaud announced following its weekly session that the Health and Social Action Department will not be split into multiple ministries. This department manages the CHUV, which employs more than 13,000 people. The decision maintains the current structure of the department despite previous questions regarding its potential division. This decision follows calls from a majority of deputies for Valérie Dietli to resign due to involvement in several dossiers.

A biobank facility is storing 120,000 tubes of DNA samples in specialized freezers located in the basement of a CHUV facility. Elodie Rister-Cherry, the Biobank manager, and researcher Charlotte Chabin are overseeing the storage of these samples. The process involves extracting DNA and preserving it in frozen state. The facility aims to maintain these large-scale biological archives for research purposes. The University of Lausanne biobank has collected data from over 40,000 people to advance medical research. Participants must provide explicit consent for the reuse of data collected during care for research purposes. The process includes additional blood samples taken under strictly controlled conditions. The source said that no data is taken without such consent. The University of Lausanne and the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) are maintaining a genomic biobank.

Stade Lausanne Ouchy will offer free entry to its supporters aged 6 to 16 for the Swiss Cup final on May 24th. The club has an allocation of 12,500 tickets for the match against St. Gallen. This strategy aims to fill the Wankdorf stadium for the final, as the team typically plays before fewer than 1,000 spectators in the Challenge League.

Archaeologist Marc-Antoine Cazaire, director of the Latinium museum, has authored a book titled 'Décoloniser le passé, l'archéologie et le réenchantement' (Decolonizing the Past, Archaeology and Re-enchantment). The book, published by Académie, explores how archaeology can contribute to accessing realities previously inaccessible to scientists. The Latinium museum is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year with various events.

The Grand Council of Lausanne has approved over 800 million Swiss Francs for the expansion of the city's metro network. A new line, M3, will be constructed, connecting the train station to the stadium La Tuilière. This project aims to improve public transport efficiency as bus systems are currently at capacity.