After listening to the culprit claim she had committed the fraud to help her family, the judge sentenced her to deportation, according to the newspaper 20 Minutes. For the judge, the woman’s latest act of fraud, claiming unemployment benefits while working, was the straw that broke the camel’s back. This was the woman’s third welfare […]
Some Swiss Rail ticket machines set to disappear
Ticket machines once replaced many of the people selling ticket from counters. Now the internet and mobile phones threatens ticket machines. As more and more people dash past ticket machines with an electronic train ticket in their pocket, Swiss Rail is looking at phasing out some machines according to various newspapers including 20 Minutes. The […]
Number of cases of tick-borne encephalitis rises sharply in Switzerland
In around 1% of cases tick-borne encephalitis can be deadly. It is a virus carried by ticks, which can cause brain swelling and neurological damage. The period between March and November is when most people get infected, according to the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH). Ticks become active when the temperature reaches 7 […]
Swiss agricultural policy costs households 2,500 francs a year, according to study
Switzerland’s agricultural sector costs the country CHF 19.9 billion while contributing only CHF 3.4 billion, concludes a study published by the think tank Avenir Suisse. The CHF 19.9 billion cost is made up of tax breaks and direct federal and cantonal payments to the sector (4.9b), the cost of artificially inflated consumer prices due to […]
Switzerland slides significantly in expat country ranking
A recent survey suggests Switzerland might be losing its attractiveness as a place for foreigners to live and work. Switzerland fell 17 places from 27th to 44th in the ranking of 68 countries done by the networking company Internations. Switzerland’s overall ranking is a mix of good and bad. 78% of expats in Switzerland said […]
New long-haul budget airline from Basel launches fundraising
The idea is simple. Keep costs low by flying point-to-point, thus avoiding costly hubs, use one model of aircraft to contain pilot and aircraft maintenance costs, and charge passengers for everything from coffee to checked-in luggage. Southwest Airlines was first to launch the model and copycats like EasyJet followed. Now a new, yet to be […]
Survey reveals sexual behaviour of young Swiss
A survey of 7,142 Swiss, with an average age of 26, conducted by two university hospitals, was published this week. 95% of those surveyed had had at least one sexual partner, and 86% had had only heterosexual relationships. The average age for the first relationship was 17. 62% of men and 44% of women had […]
Vaud caps health insurance premiums at 12% of income
Starting in September 2018, health insurance premiums in excess of 12% of income in the canton of Vaud will be covered by the government. From the beginning of 2019, this percentage will be reduced to 10%, increasing the number of people who qualify and the size of the subsidies, according to the newspaper Le Matin. […]
Switzerland ranked 11th for global arms exports
In 2016, Switzerland exported CHF 412 million of weapons, according to the Swiss Federal Audit Office (SFAO). This ranks Switzerland 11th globally, according to RTS. The five largest importers of Swiss weapons were Germany, South Africa, the US, India and Pakistan. Weapons exports made up only 0.14% of Switzerland’s total exports in 2016, said the […]
Steep rise in number of Catholic church sexual abuse reports in Switzerland
The Episcopal Conference of Switzerland (ECS) recently released figures that show a steep rise in the number of cases of sexual abuse reported in 2017 in the Catholic church in Switzerland. After a steep fall in reported cases from 115 in 2010 to 9 in 2012, the number rose to 65 in 2017. The ECS said […]
