20 Minutes. A government commission has rejected proposed laws designed to improve the integration of foreigners in Switzerland, with 12 votes against, 9 for, and 2 abstentions. By early 2014, the Swiss National Council and Council of States had made good progress on the project. Then, following the successful popular vote in February 2014 to […]
Swiss banks cut 4.1% of local jobs in first half as profit falls
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Banks in Switzerland reduced their domestic workforce by 4.1 percent in the first half as companies combined and made cost cuts to stem declining profitability, a survey by the nation’s main bank association showed. The loss totals 3,454 jobs, the Swiss Bankers Association said in its annual industry report […]
European and Swiss stocks higher on bank rally
2 September 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The Swiss Market Index, along with other European markets, is trading slightly higher this week after financials rallied on merger and acquisition rumors and hopes for improved growth. European banks, the industry group battered the most so far this year, lead gains […]
Expats in Switzerland aren’t feeling the love, says a new survey measuring quality of life
By Bill Harby In some ways, Switzerland is the envy of the world, which brings expats here from around the globe, hoping to ski, eat superb chocolate and open their very own Swiss bank account. In fact, now nearly 25 percent of people living in Switzerland are foreigners, says the Swiss Statistics Office. That’s a […]
Swiss say they underestimated Easyjet in Geneva
Tribune de Genève. The managing director of french-speaking Switzerland for the airline Swiss, Lorenzo Stoll, admits to errors in their strategy to win back Geneva. “We should not hide it, we attempted to move too fast” he said. Adding “We clearly underestimated the challenges of taking on Easyjet”. Easyjet is by far the largest operator at […]
Crossing Switzerland by train – Tony’s quest to test Swiss Rail’s punctuality reveals something more.
I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for years. A chance to finally test the Swiss Rail network’s world famous reputation for being on time. To see if reality matches reputation. My great rail journey will transport me from Vevey, on the shores of Lake Geneva, in Western Switzerland, across the country to the alpine vistas […]
Heavy penalty imposed on reckless speeder in Switzerland
20 Minutes. A man of 33 was caught travelling at over 230 km/h on the A7 motorway in Switzerland near Weinfelden in the canton of Thurgau. According to the newspaper Thurgauer Zeitung, his children were in the back seat without proper child seats. The driver, who was caught travelling at 231 km/h at the end […]
Geneva’s Jet d’eau turns 125
Geneva’s famous icon turns 125 this year. Inaugurated in 1891 for the federal gymnastics festival, it was illuminated a few days later for the 600th anniversary of the Swiss confederation. When it first opened it reached a height of 90 metres. In 1951, Services Industriels de Genève (SIG) opened an electrically powered pump system that pushes […]
Poll shows over 70 percent of Swiss want to ban full veils
Tribune de Genève. In March 2016, a group known as the Egerkingen committee, started the process of collecting the 100,000 signatures required to launch a federal referendum to ban the wearing of full veils in Switzerland. The Egerkingen committee, or Egerkinger Komittee, made the news in 2009, when a referendum it launched to ban the […]
Switzerland facing a shortage of doctors
24 Heures. Over 60% of family doctors will retire over the next ten years. By 2020, this will lead to a shortfall of 2,000. Talking to 24 Heures, Pierre-Alexandre Bart, professor of medicine at UNIL says “There is no time to lose”. Adding that UNIL has increased its training capacity from 110 to 120 medical students […]
