Max raising her young on the Swiss-German border
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – Max the stork, whose north-south migrations have been closely followed by thousands since she was banded 13 years ago, has given birth to at least two young birds, the Fribourg Natural History Museum reports.
This is the 11th time Max has raised young ones. She has been tracked longer than any bird in the wild.
Thomas Minder popular initiative to vote on too-high pay deals now has counter-proposal
Logitech’s new CEO to get hefty shares deal, but company provides details
Debate over how much those inside should be paid goes to Swiss voters
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND – Switzerland’s largest bank UBS paid US brokerage head Robert McCann close to CHF9.2 million lin 2011, making him the highest paid employee in the company, with chief executive office Sergio Ermotti, appointed to the top job in November, earning CHF6.4m.
UBS published its financial results Thursday 15 March and, while there were no surprises, the amounts paid to executives are sparking reactions. Thursday morning parliament agreed, after four years of debate, on a proposal to curb “excessive pay” packages.
The proposal will now be voted on by the Swiss, alongside a popular initiative that would curtail more sharply the freedom of boards to offer golden handshakes and high pay.
The case of UBS
UBS’s January statement that it reduced bonuses to traders and managers by 40 percent has underscored the contrast between the cuts and the large sums paid to top managers, as Le Temps (registration required) reports.
The 12 board members of the bank were paid a total of CHF70.1m, down from CHF90m the previous year.
Ermotti’s basic salary is CHF1.39m, compared to his predecessor’s CHF874,626. The compensation figures for senior executives include their base salary, bonuses including deferred pay, benefits in kind and contributions to retirement plans: the bulk of earnings by both Ermotti and McCann are deferred to future years.
One of the most contentious payments could be a one-off payment of CHF2 million to incoming board chairman Axel Weber, who is expected to take over as chairman in May, following his election to the board. EvB, a fair trade and sustainable development group that follows a number of large Swiss businesses, has been scathing in its criticism of the payment.
SION, SWITZERLAND – Two freak accidents marred the start of the Carnival weekend in Valais. An 81-year-old woman was electrocuted in her home Friday 17 February in St Nicolas and late Saturday a 23-year-old was critically injured on the road from Sion to Saviese when he hit his head while on the back of a truck. The young man died of his injuries Sunday.
The elderly woman appears to have been alone in her apartment when she touched a floor lamp with five bulbs, electrocuting herself sometime between 10:00 and 12:50, say Valais police. She died instantly.
Carnival started in most parts of Valais this weekend, and Saturday shortly before midnight, an accident occurred that involved a flatbed filled with confetti. Four people were riding on the float that was pulled by a truck when it went under a bridge. A 23-year-old man from Valais, on the trailer, was hit on the head by the bridge and taken to Sion Hospital in critical condition. He died of his injuries early Sunday afternoon
Firefighters, with a water shortage and severe cold and heavy snow, couldn't save the vacation chalet in Anzere
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND – Six people were evacuated from a vacation chalet in Anzere, canton Valais at 03:40 Monday 13 February, after they alerted the fire department that they smelled smoke.
A woman from the Jura family of six was taken to Sion hospital to be checked for smoke inhalation.
Firefighters had trouble mastering the blaze due to a shortage of water and the sub-zero temperatures.
The house was destroyed by the fire.
BERN, SWITZERLAND – A few dozen anti-World Economic Forum protesters, a small crowd estimated by one news agency at 100 persons, were stopped by police from four cantons Saturday 21 January in Bern. The group, which did not have a police permit, was protesting against capitalism and the forum, which starts 24 January in Davos, canton Graubuenden. They were detained while police checked their IDs.
The large police turnout was organized after calls for violence went out, according to one police official quoted by Swiss news agency ats.
BERN, SWITZERLAND – Finma, the Swiss financial system regulatory body, said 10 November that it is taking action against four of 20 banks where it conducted an “extraordinary audit of the handling of Pep (politically exposed persons) relationships” following three freezing orders at the start of the year by the Federal Council.
It has not detailed what specific steps it is taking against the banks.
The orders to block the accounts of the leaders and their entourages from Tunisia, Egypt and Libya required banks to immediately alert the federal government to any assets held by those listed on the freeze orders.
In the four cases where Finma found “serious lapses” in the banks’ obligations to respect Swiss law by following specific procedures, penalties are likely to be given out, but for now the investigations are continuing.
“The banks are aware of their obligations under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (Amla) in connection with Peps and, in the majority of cases, implement them in a satisfactory manner,” Finma says of the 20. “Some of the banks audited complied in full with their Amla obligations in connection with the Pep relationships examined. At the other banks, where minor shortcomings were identified, Finma is monitoring the implementation of the measures initiated by those banks to remedy them and is stepping up the intensity of its general anti-money laundering supervision.”
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND - The referee did his best to spoil the Rugby World Cup semi-final between Wales and France in the 18th minute,15 October. Welsh captain Sam Warburton was given a red card for a dangerous tackle when he upended a French player in an exuberant way but one which barely justified a yellow card, and certainly not a red. The Welsh fourteen held the French, scored the only try of the game and could have won had one of their kicks succeeded. Francois Pienaar, ex-captain of the World Cup winning Springboks was livid while commentating: accusing the ref of killing the game and allowing one of the weaker teams of the World Cup to get through to the final. Even the French TV commentators seemed rather apologetic about playing weakly but still going through, where the French team will meet either the New Zealand All Blacks or the Australian Wallabies.
Links to other sites: Rugby World Cup, Guardian, Telegraph
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND – The Rugby World Cup came down to the final four after some hard fought matches, 9th and 10th October. Australia edged past the current champions, South Africa 11-9 in a closely fought and bruising encounter. New Zealand had to struggle in the first half but then upped the tempo to beat Argentina 33-10. The Saturday games saw a revived French team sweep past a disappointing England 19-12 while Wales put on a fine show to beat Ireland 22-10. The semi-finals will feature the All-Blacks against the Wallabies and Wales face the much improved French side.
Links to other sites: Rugby World Cup, Telegraph
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND – The preliminary stage of the Rugby World Cup ended on 2 October and it is already certain that the semi-finals and the final, to be held 23 October at 10:00 Swiss time, will be contests between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. England secured top place in Pool B and sent Scotland home early with a narrow and stodgy 16-12 win over their northern neighbours. France looked out of form as they were beaten 14-19 by Tonga but still qualified as second behind New Zealand in Pool A. England will now face France for the third sussessive World Cup: the English won the last two. Argentina came second in the group and will face the mighty All Blacks next. South Africa won all their games to win Pool D and will now meet Australia. Wales came second in the Pool after losing by a single point to South Africa but were in awesome form as they swept past Fiji 60-0. They next play Ireland, which beat Australia on the way to the top of Pool C.
Links to other sites: Rugby World Cup, Telegraph,
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – Britain’s Mark Cavendish won the World Championship road race, 25 September following a mass sprint. He became the first Briton to win the title since Tommy Simpson in 1965. Cavendish confirmed his position as the finest sprinter of his generation with a well-timed drive for the line after he was guided to the finish by his team-mates. Australian Matthew Goss was second with German rider André Greipel third. Swiss star Fabian Cancellara came in fourth.
Japanese ceramist exhibits at the Ariana Museum.
Location: Geneva
Link out: http://www.ville-geneve.ch/ariana
Date: 1 Aug 2011
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – World number two overall in men’s skiing and number one in Super-G, Didier Cuche, is considering appealing a CHF5,000 fine handed to him Friday 11 March by the International Ski Federation, FIS, for “menacing” course director Günter Hujara in Norway.
Cuche, in a statement in French issued through the Swiss Ski Federation, insists that he never threatened or raised his voice with Hujara:
“After the first training run and later in the evening, I spoke with Guenter Hujara to tell him that the first jump went too far and that I was worried about the downhill that was next. I was concerned that during the race, at an even faster speed, the jump would send the racers even further into the dip. And so I suggested, in the name of several racers, to flatten the bump by a few centimetres to avoid us going too far into the dip, where it would be impossible to remain on our skis after the jump.
“The rest of the course was superbly prepared, and I just had reservations about this first jump.
Glacier Express crash, 24 July 2010
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The Glacier Express crash in July 2010 that killed one person and injured more than 40 others in the Goms Valley, canton Valais, was due to speed alone.
The bend was such that at even a slightly elevated speed the normally slow train would risk turning on its side.
A federal investigation into the accident has ruled out all other possibilities, saying the terrain, weather, rolling matieral and other possible factors were not implicated in the crash.
The driver has said he blacked out at the time, and he has been unable to explain the train’s speed. He was cleared of taking drugs or alcohol.
The federal investigation concludes with a recommendation that the train be equipped with a system to closely monitor its speed at all times.
Aung San Suu Kyi, held under house arrest for 15 of the last 20 years, may be released within hours, according to reports coming out of Yangon, the former capital of Myanmar. Her detention officially comes to an end Saturday, 13 November, but Suu Kyi has repeatedly said that she would not accept a release conditional on her renouncing political activity.
The BBC reports that the UK ambassador to Myanmar has said that the UK and the EU are pressing the government to release her unconditionally. The military government that has run the country since 1962 allowed carefully controlled elections 7 November that most followers of Suu Kyi boycotted.
Links to other sites: AFP, Financial Times
More bodies are being found on islands off the western coast of Sumatra, as Indonesian rescue workers reach the more isolated villages and bays along the coast, following the tsunami on 25 October. The death toll has climbed above 400, officials said 29 October, and hopes are receding that the 300 people said to be still missing will be found alive. Dozens of villages were swept away entirely when a 7.7 scale earthquake 240 km south of Padang caused the giant wave that swept over the islands off the coast of Sumatra.
The disaster highlights the difficulty of tsunami warnings reaching the people most vulnerable to natural disasters. Most often they are the most difficult to reach.
Links to other sites: BBC, CNN, Washington Post
Peru has rediscovered guano, a natural resource that was once its second-most famous export, after gold. Guano, from the Quechua “wano”, meaning excrement, is deposited by the millions of birds that inhabit 21 islands and 11 pensinsulas along the Pacific coast, now protected areas. In some places the guano is metres deep, and it is collected and put in 50kg bags for sale as an organic fertilizer rich in phosphates and nitrates, according to AFP.
Peru’s warm and dry coastal weather mean that the guano is dried and the nitrates are not leached out. Peru produces more than 23,000 tons per year, mostly for domestic consumption by the one million or so orgnaic farmers. In the late 19th century Peru exported 200,000 tons a year.
Links to other sites: AFP, Romandie News (Fre)
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The Swiss ID online identity system, launched 3 May, is off to a good start, according to Seco (Swiss State Secrdetariat for Economic Affairs). Orders have been received for 110,000 of the online chip ID cards, used with pin codes. Most orders have been placed by large companies that use the Internet to provide online services or that sell online, including the post office and banks.
Background, GenevaLunch
Basel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Supermarket cooperative group Migros posted a 20.8 percent increase in profits, CHF846 million, in 2009 despite a 3.1 percent fall in sales, the company announced Tuesday 30 March.
Turnover was CHF24.95 billion, of which retail sales were CHF21.04b.
Police say goodbye to freed swan and release it back into Lake Geneva (photo, ©2010 P Brodbeck)
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - A swan, trapped by a line from a boat in the harbour in Geneva Saturday morning 13 February, was saved by two photographers and a quick-to-the-rescue Geneva police team. Other swans in the area began to attack the trapped bird, pecking at it. One photographer kept them at bay while the other alerted nearby police, who arrived in their dinghy to save the swan.
The bird would probably have died of exhaustion and stress within the hour if it had not been freed, according to photographer Peter Brodbeck. It was the second swan save of the day for the police team, the boys in blue told the photographers.
Swan-save photos by Peter Brodbeck
copyright 2010 P Brodbeck, all images below
See GenevaLunch swan rescue album: 24 images. Click on images here to view larger.
German local government confirms new stolen data offered, Swiss president confirms Germany bought first batch
Swiss politician might consider reconsidering Swiss banking secrecy, some hint
Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The saga of data stolen from Swiss banks and offered to the German government continues, with new wrinkles to the story. A German newspaper will publish an article Saturday, reports Swiss television TSR, stating that a new batch of stolen data, with 2,000 client names, is being offered to a regional German government. The government of Bade-Wurtemberg has confirmed the information.
Meanwhile, Swiss President Doris Leuthard told reporters as she came out of a meeting that Switzerland will likely ask for a copy of the first batch of stolen data. Switzerland did the same with data stolen from a Geneva branch of British bank HSBC and sold to the French government. The data will allow Switzerland to see if requests for judicial assistance from France, and perhaps now from Germany, are based on information obtained from the stolen files. If this is the case, Switzerland will refuse to provide assistance because of the illegal source of the information.
Switzerland and Germany have confirmed this week that they are slowly, steadily continuing to negotiate a new bilateral double taxation agreement.
One of the results of this, according to Le Temps newspaper, is that the question of the viability of Swiss banking secrecy is no longer a taboo political issue.
Thieves to be prosecuted once identity known
Wednesday morning accident latest in regional string where pedestrians hit by cars
Group opens campaign to raise drivers’ awareness
Geneva: pedestrians are particularly vulnerable at busy intersections with cars, trams, buses
Lausanne, Switzerland(GenevaLunch) – An elderly man crossing the street at the Avenue du Tir-Fédéral in Chavannes-près-Renens shortly before 09:00 Monday has died at the Chuv (university hospitals), where he was taken. The car and the state of the road do not appear to have been factors, according to local police. The accident is one in a string of serious accidents where cars have hit pedestrians in the region in recent days. It occurs just as a campaign is kicking off to increase awareness by drivers of the problems of elderly pedestrians.
In Geneva early Wednesday afternoon an elderly person was hit by a tram in Carouge, reports the Tribune de Geneve. Police have not yet ocnfirmed details,including the state of the victim. The accident has disrupted service to lines 12, 13 and 14 in the city.
A young boy was hit by a car Tuesday morning in Ollon, in Vaud, at 06:50, as he was crossing the street on the route d’Aigle at the rue du Carroz.
GenevaLunch will be taking a short news pause until Tuesday evening due to technical problems. We will bring you up to date then on the latest news in the Lake Geneva region. Our apologies for the inconvenience.
Update 15:40 An express train has rammed into another train in a station in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh state, in northern India and left at least 22 people dead and more than 50 injured early Wednesday 21 October. Rescue workers are still cutting people out ofthe crumpled wagons. Romandie News, Times of India
Typhoon Ramil, known internationally as Lupit, still packing winds of 175km at its centre with gusts of up to 210km, was 510km east northeast of Aparri, on the northern tip of Luzon, the Philippines’ main island, and moving at 15km per hour. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said it may slow down and may still change course slightly and veer northwards. Pagasa has declared northern districts of Luzon “signal 3″, the highest storm warning. GMA News, Philippine Enquirer,
Six men were sentenced to death 12 October for their role in the riots in Urumqi, Xinjiang province in western China that killed 197 people in early July. A seventh has been given a life sentence. The men, all reportedly ethnic Uighurs, are the first to be tried in what was China’s worst ethnic rioting in decades. They were convicted of murder, looting and rioting.
The victims were mostly Han Chinese in a historically Muslim ethnic Uighur region which has seen large-scale Han Chinese immigration over the past decades. The riots erupted after a clash at a toy factory earlier in eastern China left two Uighurs dead. AP, Xinhua
Zurich, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - Julius Baer Group has agreed to buy ING Bank (Switzerland) Ltd, based in Geneva, for CHF520 million, the Swiss bank announced 7 October. The ING bank will be folded into Bank Julius Baer. The combined assets under management (end August 2009 figures) will be CHF160 billion, with the Dutch bank subsidiary’s CHF15 billion under management providing Julius Baer with a 10 percent boost to assests under management. Julius Baer’s position as the top Swiss wealth management bank is thus ensured.
ING has 310 employees, of which 80 are relationship managers, and the its addition will double the presence of Julius Baer in Geneva. The wholly-owned ING subsidiary’s business in Monaco and Jersey are included in the deal, which is expected to go into effect in early January pending regulatory approval. ING Bank is strongly capitalized, the Baer Group says, and it has a net asset value of about CHF 380 million.
Links to other sites: Julius Baer press release, Bloomberg, Financial Times
Lake Neuchatel from the port © 2009 LNM
Neuchatel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Men who wear a watch made in Switzerland get a free boat ride on the Lake of Neuchatel during the month of October. In September it was women who wore dresses who got the free ride, courtesy of the Société de Navigation des Lacs de Neuchatel et Morat (LNM). That special offer provoked a number of e-mails from irate men.
Link to other site: 2oMinutes
San Siro, Milan (GenevaLunch) - FC Zurich took on the mighty AC Milan in the European Champions League and succeeded in pulling off a shock win thanks to a spectacular heeled goal by their Finnish centre back Hannu Tihinen. The Italian team, owned by Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, has won the European Championship seven times, second only to Real Madrid. Real won their game against Olympique Marseille 3-0, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice. Manchester United came from behind to beat German champions Wolfsburg 2-1, while Chelsea made heavy going of their game against Nicosia but still won 0-1.
Details: UEFA
A little less water than usual in Lake Geneva near Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The fire that began in Lausanne Thursday 23 September in the storage space of an archiving firm was finally under control late Tuesday, but it continues to smolder, say officials. More than 300 firefighters from around the region have been involved in the battle against the flames and smoke, with the army called in over the weekend to provide relief and more equipment.
Forty-five soldiers from the catastrophe division put in 48 hours, providing a 1.5 km waterhose from Lake Geneva up the hill to the Rue de Provence, to ensure an adequate water supply to douse the fire. The hose delivered 8,000 litres of water a minute for 27 hours straight.
Flushing Meadows, New York (GenevaLunch) - World number one Roger Federer beat Leyton Hewitt for the 14th time in a row, but dropped a set before he managed to pull away from the Australian 4-6 6-3 7-5 6-4. Another Swiss, Marco Chiudinelli, lost to 8th seed Nikolay Davydenko. Novak Djokovic came through in four sets, beating Jesse Witten 6-7 6-3 7-6 6-4. Andy Roddick, who reached the Wimbledon final was the shock loser in the men’s draw, going out to 55th-ranked John Isner who has played most of his tennis for the University of Georgia.
