20 Minutes. Andreas Meyer, the head of Swiss Rail, told the newspaper Le Matin Dimanche that Swiss Rail ticket prices should remain stable in the future. He said prices could even go down in order to compete with road travel. “Car makers want to make road journeys cheaper…. This is why we are working to […]
Archives for 2017
Number of vacant homes rises again in Vaud
At 1 June 2017, 3,650 empty homes, of which 2,655 were for rent and 995 for sale, were on the market in Vaud. This brought the vacancy rate to 0.9%, a rise of 0.1% compared to the year before. This rise follows an increase of 0.1% in 2016 from a rate of 0.7% in 2015. […]
How much pocket money Swiss kids get varies hugely by linguistic region
A study requested by Credit Suisse and Pro Juventute shows how much pocket money habits vary across Switzerland. Of the 14,000 adults surveyed a clear majority said it was their job to teach their children how to deal with money. Parents in the lowest earning category (less than CHF 50,000 p.a.) placed greater emphasis on teaching their […]
Men in Switzerland doing more around the house
The average number of hours spent on domestic tasks by men in Switzerland rose by 10% between 2010 and 2016 according to a report by Switzerland’s federal statistical office. The 17.9 hours dedicated to domestic work by an average man every week was 36% less than that of an average woman. Men however were not […]
Tax to rise as Switzerland misses emissions target
Recently published emissions numbers for 2016 show that Switzerland has not met its 2016 target for reducing emissions. The 2016 target, set at 27% less than emissions in 1990, was missed by 2.2%. Because of this the government must raise the tax on emissions from CHF 84 to CHF 96 per tonne of CO2 equivalent […]
Cannabis cigarettes soon available at Coop
20 Minutes. Low-THC cannabis cigarettes will soon be available in the Swiss supermarket chain Coop. Products with less than 1% tétrahydrocannabinol (THC) are not illegal in Switzerland, however their rapid rise in popularity has created controversy. Selling such products in supermarkets is a significant step in the product’s evolution. Swiss cigarette manufacturer Heimat has come up with a […]
Swiss franc more overvalued than 6 months ago according to Economist burger index
The Economist magazine’s 6-monthly Big Mac index shows the Swiss franc to be even more overvalued than it was in January 2017. The index, which compares the US$ price of a Big Mac around the world places Switzerland at the top with a price of US$ 6.74. This is 27.2% more expensive than the United […]
Still problems with forced deportation in Switzerland
20 Minutes. The Swiss government recently released a report on the forced repatriation of foreigners. The document sets out problems with the process, in particular the use of balaclavas and guns by the police, the way deportees are restrained, and the separation of families. The national commission for the prevention of torture, the commission behind the report focused […]
Swiss cheese fraudster gets 3 year prison sentence
20 Minutes. A court in the canton of St. Gallen sentenced a cheese vendor to three years in prison, half of it behind bars. The man was judged guilty of fraudulently using Switzerland’s world-famous Emmental cheese brand and other crimes. In addition to prison, the cheese seller was ordered to pay CHF 1 million in relation to […]
FILM: Urban photography goes on tour in France
7 July 2017. Two fine French films this week – the AC’d cinemas will cool you down! VISAGE, VILLAGE **** (vo French) This is a magical film that is based on reality. Magical, because it is engined by the amazing photo van of JR, who is an urban photographer; and realistic, because it’s Agnès Varda’s […]
