This year’s 2017 Global Talent Competitiveness Index places Switzerland at the top. In addition, the study by the business school INSEAD, with input from the Adecco Group and the human capital leadership institute, puts Switzerland at or near the top on all six measures that make up the overall ranking of 118 nations. Switzerland excels […]
Freezing Bise wind to sweep across Switzerland
The cold, dry wind known as the Bise, which blows across the Swiss plateau, occurs when the air pressure in eastern Switzerland exceeds that in the west. As the wind reaches Lake Geneva it gains intensity as it is channeled through the narrow gap between the pre Alpine mountains and those of the Jura to the […]
Swiss franc less overvalued according to latest Big Mac index
On 12 January 2017, the Economist came out with its latest Big Mac index. Also known as the burger benchmark, the index compares the price of a Big Mac around the world. This catchy, if highly incomplete means of comparing the relative purchasing power of different currencies, uses the United States and the US$ as its […]
World cup skiing cancelled in Switzerland because of too much snow
According to race organisers, the FIS Alpine World Cup men’s Lauberhorn downhill race was cancelled today. The men’s race was to take place in Wengen in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland. In Wengen, nearly half a metre of snow covered the men’s course and there was no window to prepare the surface, as it continued to snow throughout the day. […]
Winds of over 150 km/h battered parts of Switzerland last night
Winds above 150 km/h hit Switzerland last night as winter storm “Egon” swept across the country, according to Vincent Devantay of MeteoNews. The strongest winds were recorded at Säntis (154 km/h), Pilatus (147 km/h), Chasseral (144 km/h), Saint-Chrischona (139 km/h) and La Dôle (132 km/h). These are all relatively high mountain peaks with the exception […]
Changes to health insurance zones could lead to steep premium rises for some
In Switzerland, how much you pay for compulsory health insurance depends on where you live. Premiums vary hugely by canton. For 2016, average monthly adult premiums in Basel City are CHF 545.60, Switzerland’s most expensive, compared to CHF 326.70, in lowest-cost Appenzell-Innerhoden. The difference between the two cantons is 40%. In addition to big differences between […]
Winter storm expected tonight followed by snow tomorrow
20 Minutes. Despite warmer temperatures today, the winter chill is far from over. According to Klaus Marquardt of Meteonews, a cold front called “Egon” is heading for Switzerland and will hit on Thursday night and Friday. “We should expect snow, lightening, thunder and falling temperatures” he told 20 Minutes. Swiss Meteo, has warned there will […]
Swiss mortgage rates climb in 4th quarter
20 Minutes. After reaching a historical low in the third quarter of 2016, rates started rising in the fourth quarter. Rate increases hit mortgage tenors of five and ten years. Compared to Q3, fixed mortgage rates on loans of ten years went up an average 0.2% to 1.62% according to price comparison website Comparis.ch. Five […]
Women’s march planned in Geneva on Trump’s first day in office
The Women’s March on Washington, timed to coincide with Donald Trump’s first day in office as U.S. president, has spread around the world – including Geneva. Currently, there are plans for 62 similar marches in 31 cities on 21 January, according to Women’s March Geneva organiser Karen Olson. Olson, a former interpreter for the United […]
Living close to a major road increases risk of dementia
A recent study published in the Lancet finds a link between living close to a major road and dementia. The study looked at 2.2 million residents aged 55-85 years in Ontario in Canada. Initially, all of these people were free of neurological diseases. Between 2001 and 2012, 243,611 cases of dementia were identified among the group. A […]
