Today in Switzerland: A roundup of the latest news on Tuesday

Happy Birthday, Switzerland!

Today is a public holiday throughout the country, as the Swiss celebrate their National Day, marking 732 years since Switzerland was created.

The date marks an important and defining moment in Switzerland’s history: August 1st 1291, when cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden pledged autonomy from foreign powers — the promise that has been holding true ever since.

If you still haven’t decided how to celebrate this special day, here are some ideas:

READ ALSO: How the Swiss will celebrate National Day this year

READ ALSO: Where you can learn about Swiss history on August 1st

Electronic motorway sticker comes into effect today

The obligatory motorway vignette that must be displayed on a car’s windshield is now also available in the digital form.

The so-called e-vignette, which will be linked to the vehicle’s registration number, can be purchased at any time on the website of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security.

Just like the self-adhesive paper version, the e-vignette will be valid from January 1st to December 31st of each year, and will continue to cost 40 francs.

Motorists have the option of choosing which type of sticker they prefer, as both are valid.

Most cannabis use in Switzerland is unpunished

Smoking pot is still illegal in Switzerland and offenders risk, at least on paper, a 100-franc fine.

However according to a report in Tages Anzeiger, which based its information on data from the Federal Statistical Office, almost no one who gets caught with cannabis is sanctioned any longer.

The number of fines for cannabis use has fallen by almost 90 percent in the past five years — from 20,000 to 2,500.

A judgment of the Federal Supreme Court stipulates that a fine for cannabis consumption can only be imposed if the police catch the smoker with a joint in the mouth. Merely rolling a cigarette or holding it, is not punishable.

And a more recent judgment states that anyone possessing less than 10 grams of cannabis is not subject to a fine either.

Feisty cows attack a group on a mountain trail, injuring one hiker

Cows, even Swiss ones, are as not as docile as they may look. In fact, they can be quite temperamental when the mood strikes them.

On Monday, a herd of about 20 cows surrounded two families in Leysin, a mountain resort in canton Vaud, as the couples with small children were descending on a hiking trail.

According to eyewitnesses, the herd "harassed" the group for no apparent reason, except that a mother cow was feeding her calf when hikers were passing by.

The two families tried to flee, but the cows kept chasing after them, eyewitnesses reported. In the end, one woman fell during her escape attempt and was injured. She was airlifted to a nearby hospital.

“The owner of the offending herd was called to the scene,” Swiss media reported, though it is not known what, if any, charges he faces.

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