Bring your families out for a fun day of bowling with Democrats. Meet other Americans, win great prizes!
RSVP: events@democrats.ch
Location: Bowling de la Praille, 10 Rte des Jeunes, 1227 Carouge
Link out: http://www.democratsabroad.org/group/switzerland
Date: 15 Jan 2012
Start time: 11:30
End time: 13:30
Household borrowing in Europe, 2008 (source: 2011, Swiss Federal Statistical Office)
BERN, SWITZERLAND – The average rate of indebtedness in Europe, mortgages for a first residence not included, is 28.2 percent. Switzerland, with a rate of 18.2 percent is one of the countries with the lowest rate of household indebtedness, with only Malta and The Netherlands having lower rates and Italy and Austria having about the same as Switzerland. Germany is 26 percent, the UK a shade less and France 42 percent.
A particular feature of Swiss household indebtedness is that about 25 percent of the population lives in a household which owes money before age 50, but this figure drops to 13 percent between ages 50 and 64, and it drops to 1.8 percent after age 65, primary mortgages excluded.
Foreigners in Switzerland are more likely to turn to borrowing: 30.6 percent of European foreigners and 35.2 percent of foreigners from outside Europe.
The figures are part of a Swiss Federal Statistical Office report issued Tuesday 23 August, based on 2008 figures which are aligned for the first time with European statistics.
The reason most often given in Switzerland for not turning to borrowing commercially is that family or friends are able to loan money.
Middle-income group borrows more often than rich or poor
People who rent are more likely to borrow than homeowners with mortgages, the figures show, and people with low incomes and high incomes have about the same level of indebtedness, around 16 percent, while the middle income bracket tends to have a higher level, around 21 percent on average.
At 8%, Swiss with too high indebtedness, slip below European average
European-wide, people whose bank overdraft is considered high, or who have fallen critically behind on payments, are 9.3 percent of the population. The Swiss, with a figure of 7.7 percent, are just below the European average. “Too high” is measured as an ongoing overdraft of more than two-thirds of monthly income.
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - A Nigerian family is working out an arrangement with the landlord after being evicted by Geneva police Monday when they failed to pay their rent after several months of warnings, city police confirm.
The mother works at the International Labour Organization and is one of several Nigerians in Geneva who are reportedly owed several months of back pay by their government.
Patrick Pulh, police spokesperson, told GenevaLunch that the mother does not have diplomatic status and the family therefore was treated like any other that doesn’t pay its rent. Geneva saw 1,125 evictions in 2010, says Pulh, down from the 1,540 in 2009.
The family is believed to be working out an agreement with the landlord, but it remains unclear what the Nigerian government’s plans are in terms of settling backpay for its employees who work in international organizations.
The Nigerian Tribune reports that the country’s minister for labour, in Geneva for a meeting at the ILO in March, was briefed on the back payment problem but salaries have remained unpaid.
These are among the most recent photos of the twins Alessia and Livia Schepp, taken in December 2010. The girls have been missing since 30 January 2010.
Update 20:00 Geneva and Lausanne, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – The family of the two missing six-year-old girls, Alessia and Livia, is seeking volunteers to help in the search for the children. The Lucidi family has decided to centralize all research efforts in addition to police work through the Swiss Missing network.
The group, which actively gathers and shares information on missing persons in Switzerland, asks anyone who can offer volunteer help to register online. The form is in French, German and Italian, but it is not complicated.
The Lucidi family, on its Facebook page for the missing twins, is now pointing volunteers to the Swiss Missing site and asking those who signed up as volunteers to do so again on Facebook.
Swiss Missing told the Tribune de Geneve Thursday afternoon 3 March that it already has between 100 and 200 volunteers and it is in the process of verifying the registrations. Once this task is done the group will work with the family and the police to use the volunteers. The girls’ mother, Irina, told a Swiss magazine, Illustre, that some 200 students from Geneva have volunteered and that the group includes dog handlers and speleologists.
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A virtual world that will allow you to put yourself in the shoes of Queen Elizabeth, Mr. Bean, Cher or even Mick Jagger, and a mega-media kaleidoscope where you will be greeted by a crowd of your doubles.
Ideal activity for children.
Location: Chavannes
Link out: http://www.lescentres.ch/centre-commercial/chav…
Start date: 7 Feb 2011
End date: 26 Feb 2011
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Let is snow, let it snow, preferably on our turf! Frankfurt and Paris were snowed in, but the sad news for skiers in Switzerland 10 December is that the snow that fell last week in the Jura has turned to mud, and the Alpine ski resorts are still waiting for the big snowfalls to arrive. You have a few more days to continue your pre-season warmup exercises and to reflect on safety on the slopes.
Weather forecast
Sun today! The first village house to get warm rays, canton Vaud 9 December
Temperatures are expected to go no higher than 2C throughout the Lake Geneva region this weekend, with sunshine alternating with partly cloudy skies. Expect resorts in Valais to have the same weather, but if you are longing to get warm, head for Ticino, where temperatures will reach 15C.
Alpine and Jura resorts updates
Shirley Curran writes from the Jura resorts area that “sadly, after last Saturday’s memorable start to our ski season where we were skiing with feather-light powder up to our knees, not a cloud in the sky and no crowds, this week’s torrential downpours and high winds have blown or washed away most of the Jura snow. The lifts will not be operating this weekend. However, they will be running every day from 18 December. You can keep up to date with information and webcams at montsjura.com.”
Several resorts in the Alps are offering reduced fares and special family offers. Sierre-Anniviers, which groups together several medium-sized resorts above the lakeside town of Sierre, including family-friendly Zinal and Vercorin, has a new special deal for parents. It allows a couple to share one ski-pass, for parents who are alternating taking care of children. It’s valid only in low season, basically January and March, but offers a good practical solution for many couples with small children or babies.
Anzere has a very good deal for this weekend, 11-12 December: CHF10 for kids and CHF20 for adults for a day pass, or CHF15/20 for two days, well below the season day pass price of CHF47. Slopes open for the season 17 December. Children up to age six are free and families of four get a 10 percent discount.
Verbier has put together an information page on parking and public transport, with useful emergency numbers, part of the effort to encourage skiers to be a bit greener.
On the lakefront, Geneva remembers a glorious moment from its past, and eats chocolate
A day for kids in Nyon.
Location: Nyon, Vaud
Link out: http://www.sic-nyon.ch
Date: 21 Aug 2010
Title: Lily gardens at the chateau
Location: Vullierens
Link out: Click here
Description: The Vullierens castle opens its door for everyone to admire the beautiful gardens.
Start Date: 2010-07-01
End Date: 2010-08-15
Location: Vullierens
Link out: http://www.jardindesiris.ch/fr/chateau-de-vulli…
Start date: 1 Jul 2010
End date: 15 Aug 2010
Title: Geneva events: Visiting private gardens
Location: Canton Geneva
Link out: Click here
Description: Two Saturdays to visit some of the most beautiful private gardens in Canton Geneva. Funds collected will benefit the CSP.
Start Date: 2010-06-05
End Date: 2010-06-12
Location: Canton Geneva
Link out: http://jardinsouverts.ch/fr/program.php
Start date: 5 Jun 2010
End date: 12 Jun 2010
Title: African music children choir
Location: Duiller, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: A wonderful evening of songs, smiles and a worthwhile cause!
Date: 2010-05-18
Title: Children activities: Reptile exhibit
Location: Chavannes
Link out: Click here
Description: An interactive exhibit for children. It includes arts & crafts, and a painting corner.
Start Date: 2010-05-10
End Date: 2010-05-29
Title: Children activities: Nock circus
Location: Nyon, Vaud
Link out: Click here
Description: For information on the circus call: +41 79 647 8280.
Start Date: 2010-05-15
End Date: 2010-05-17
Title: Iris – flower show
Link out: Click here
Description: Over 400 varieties of flowers on the gardens of a chateau, a great visual show!
Start Date: 2010-05-13
End Date: 2010-06-13
Title: The oak, king of all trees
Location: Aubonne
Link out: Click here
Description: A day of fun for families. Brocante, lunch and more activities.
For information: +41 21 808 5183
Date: 2010-05-02
Title: Children activities: May festival
Location: La Sarraz
Link out: Click here
Description: An afternoon of fun for children of all ages.
Date: 2010-05-02
Basel, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Roger Federer and his family have posted a Federer Christmas card with a family photo, answering requests from fans for another look at the twin girls born in July, taken by Robbie Federer. Within a short time more than 300 comments had appeared.
Background, GenevaLunch
Gerry Adams, the longtime leader of Ireland’s Sinn Fein party, told media 20 December that his father had abused, including sexually abusing, several members of his family. He said the family had taken a long time to come to terms with the abuse, which has left them scarred. His father died six years ago. Adams made the announcement after his niece went on British television to talk about her father, Liam Adams, who is Gerry’s brother, sexually abusing her. Gerry Adams called on his brother to turn himself in. An arrest warrant was issued for him a year ago.
Garden, fresh snow, Saturday 12 December, Valais (1,100 m)
Aminona, near Crans-Montana, canton Valais, Switzerland, 4 December 2009
Geneva, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) – Last weekend there was snow: it wasn’t always pretty and it was wet, but it was the white stuff. It’s mostly gone now, except above 2,000 metres, but crowds nevertheless packed the autoroute from Geneva and canton Vaud to the resorts in Valais Friday evening. Saturday morning: it’s snowing again at 1,100 metres, so the buildup on the slopes is starting!
Here is your first taste of GenevaLunch’s popular winter weekend reports, a regular feature, now in its third season.
Alps, season gradually opening
Resorts news:
- Crans-Montana’s ski web site, mycma.ch, has a new look and offers more functions, but it’s slow. This weekend the resort offers low season rates, CHF57 for the day. You pay high season rates, CHF63 for the day, starting 19 December so get out there this weekend! (Ed. note: the Telegraph, UK, just ran a big feature on the resort but missed the boat when they got it wrong when they said it doesn’t strike them as a family resort)
- Gstaad, join the papparazzi, all sitting around outside Roman Polanski’s chalet, where he has been confined by a Swiss judge. Gstaad, for all its glamour, is not one of the high resorts, so not much is open in or near the town, but you can always head for the Glacier 3,000 area nearby.
- Verbier has been open since 20 November and will have five lifts open 12-13 December. CHF23-45 for day passes right now. New feature this winter – video snow reports. Snow depth Thursday, last snowfall: 70cm at 2,200m and 95cm at 2,950m
- Zermatt has 60 km of decent skiing at the moment.
Jura: you might prefer hiking to skiing this weekend, but some good news for later
December 2008, Jura
(Ed. note: Shirley Curran is back with her weekly reports on the Jura slopes, where she has taught skiing for years)
Our Jura resorts are due to open on December 19th and, in view of the excellent seasons we have had recently, to remain open until April 5th. Unfortunately, the weather is glorious in the Jura mountains at the moment with cobalt blue skies and some green slopes. We are not too worried. A cold spell is expected next week and snow will fall. This will be the first time for many seasons that we have not had a substantial fall in November!
Good news is that our downhill resorts (La Faucille, Mijoux, Crozet and Lélex) are all now using only the magnetic ‘forfaits’ that you can recharge on-line or at the ticket offices. The bornes read them automatically, so there will be no more fumbling with the ticket strung round your neck. The card is valid for three years and now costs only 1€.
9 December 2009, Jura - bit slushy yet!
Further good news is that Jean Charles and Pauline are back for another season running the refuge at Crozet. My top tip is a mid-morning hot wine next to their roaring fire or their home-cooked speciality of the day.
Weather forecast for the Swiss mountain regions
Snow in the Jura and the Alps, although some dry stretches in the Valais Alps. High of 3C, but -8C at 2,000m. Sunday 13 December colder, cloudy, highs of 0-2C. Snow intermittent throughout the mountain regions. MeteoSwiss
Swiss skiers off to a great start
Be sure to check our Monday morning weekend sports reports to follow Switzerland’s skiers, who are off to a great start this year.
A US soldier who raped a 14-year-old girl in Iraq, then killed her and her family, will be sentenced by a judged in Kentucky to life in prison instead of being given the death penalty after the jury failed to agree on his punishment. Steven Green, age 24, was tried in a civilian court because he was given an honourable discharge for a personality disorder before the crimes were discovered. BBC, CNN
