A recent study by the Swiss state secretariat for migrants (SEM) estimates that there were 76,000 illegal immigrants or san-papiers living in Switzerland in 2015. The 88 page document presents some interesting facts about this elusive group. 1. Most arrive undeclared or on tourist visas Across the country, 63% slipped over the border without declaring their presence […]
Big change in the number of asylum requests in Switzerland
Switzerland’s administration says migration remains volatile and unpredictable. Making reliable forecasts for 2016 is impossible given the number of hard to influence factors impacting on migration routes. The first quarter of 2016 saw 8,315 asylum requests in Switzerland, around 45% fewer than the final quarter of 2015. The 1992 requests in March were down almost […]
The snow is back. Again.
Some in Switzerland awoke to snow on Sunday morning. The weather service Meteo News is predicting more light snow overnight and on Monday across the Swiss plateau. Speaking to Le Matin, Lionel Peyraud of Météo Suisse said 10 to 17 cm of snow could fall at altitudes above 1,000 m, with 15 cm falling on the […]
Swiss property prices set to decline this year says report
Tribune de Genève. According to construction and property market consultants, Wüest & Partner, the Swiss housing market, for both renting and buying, should ease by 0.3% in 2016. In French-speaking Switzerland the declines should be higher with declines of 0.6% predicted in the Lake Geneva region and a fall of 2.1% expected in Valais. For the […]
Sun powered aircraft Solar Impulse completes Pacific ocean crossing
Solar Impulse 2 left Hawaii on 21 April at 6:15 am local time (UTC-10) and landed at the Moffett Airfield on 23 April at 11:44 pm local time (UTC-7), completing its crossing of the Pacific, using only the power of the sun to drive its four motors, a feat considered impossible by industry experts. The […]
The Patrouille des Glaciers 2016 cancelled
The decision was taken this morning to cancel the last race of this year’s Patrouille des Glaciers, the iconic Swiss ski race between Zermatt and Verbier that takes place every two years. The ski mountaineering race organised by the Swiss Army, in which military and civilian teams compete, consists of four races. This year, the […]
Migration crisis: 2,000 soldiers to cover Switzerland’s borders
Tribune de Genève. In the event of a large increase in migrants flowing to Switzerland, around 2,000 soldiers must be ready to help border control staff, said Switzerland’s federal council, or cabinet, on Wednesday. The federal council has asked the Swiss department of defense to prepare for such an event. Last Thursday, Bern, the cantons, towns and communes […]
SMI struggles upward as the global stock recovery continues
22 April 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The SMI continued its struggling upward trend this week and is expected to finish slightly higher on Friday, in-line with global equity markets. Stocks held on to early gains despite concerns that the European Central Bank (ECB) and People’s Bank of China […]
Solar impulse back in the air and bound for the US
Born in Switzerland and now heading from Hawaii to California, Solar Impulse 2 took off early this morning from Kalaeloa in Hawaii, as it continues its round-the-world flight. In silence, the 100% solar-powered aircraft took off across the Pacific at 6:15am Hawaii time (UTC-10) bound for California. The plane belonging to Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, […]
Champion Swiss freerider dies in avalanche
20 Minutes. The Swiss freeride champion Estelle Balet, lost her life after getting caught in an avalanche during filming at Orsières in Valais, Switzerland. She was 21. Estelle Balet won first place in the recent Freeride World Championship held at Verbier on 2 April 2016. On Tuesday, she was being filmed in the Swiss Alps […]
