GenevaLunch

WRG-FM - More people buy scratch cards and more people buy lottery tickets on a Friday the 13th, says the Swiss Lottery Association.

RSR, Fre - Energy consumption in Switzerland increased by 0.8% in 2006, despite growing concerns about global warming and politician's efforts to keep consumption in line with a possible electricity shortage in the country from 2015 to 2020. Electricity use rose, according to the federal energy office, because of a higher gross domestic product (GDP), up 2.7% and a population increase of 56,000. (continue reading)→

Le Temps, Fre - A man with an assault rifle opened fire, apparently at random, in a hotel in Baden, canton Argovie, Thursday night. One person was killed and three taken to hospital with injuries. A fourth person appears to have shown up later at the hospital. The killer was taken into custody.

Few details are available but police have announced a press conference for early Friday afternoon. (continue reading)→

12 April 2007, Alpine peaks: with 1,514 mountain rescues a year, chances are someone on these peaks will be calling Rega today.

TSR, Fre - Rega, the Swiss air ambulance service, was called on 9,578 times in 2006, an increase of 6.4% over the previous year. The number of trips due to mountain sports accidents was up 9%, with July and September the busiest months of the year. Winter sports accidents alone increased by more than 11%. (continue reading)→

romandie/ats, Fre - More than one-third of Switzerland's unemployed people have trouble reading. The annual cost to the Swiss economy in terms of unemployment payments, lost income and lost tax revenue is more than SFr1 billion, according to a new report by the Lire et Ecrire association. The risk of unemployment is twice as high for those whose reading and writing skills are weak. (continue reading)→