With summer holidays around the corner, many people will soon be heading off to exotic holiday destinations. Many holidaymakers will pay to stay in expensive hotels and resorts while leaving their homes in the beautiful Lake Geneva region empty. There is, however, a way to put your empty home to good use, save money and […]
Archives for June 2014
First all-boys boarding school since 1970 to open in Gstaad next year
Switzerland is known for its boarding schools and now the first all-boys boarding school since 1970 will open in Gstaad next year. The Surval Gstaad school aims to educate international students from ages 13 to 19. It will open with just 25 students, with yearly fees expected to be around CHF 90,000. Headmaster and former […]
Are schools ready for the future?
As the world of business, science and technology is changing around us, school education must follow suit. But do our schools prepare the citizens of tomorrow’s world adequately? The question is all the more pertinent now that China is taking over as a leading economy with a completely different take on education from most Western […]
EY Global Fraud Survey
An EY Global survey of 50 Swiss executives highlights that unethical behaviour persists, with 36% of executives feeling that it is justified to survive an economic downturn. Emerging risks are not being taken seriously enough with more than half of Swiss respondents considering cybercrime a low risk, suggesting that executives may not have a proper […]
Infringing Neutrality: The RAF in Switzerland (1940–45)
This 255-page book by Lake Geneva-based author Roger Anthone is more geared to military or history buffs, and makes a fascinating read for those intrigued by the role of Allied forces in Switzerland during World War II. As a neutral country, Switzerland was obliged to intern all Allied and Axis personnel, regardless of nationality, who […]
Lausanne is renewing its backing for the Béjart Ballet
Lausanne is renewing its backing for the Béjart Ballet. The city has signed an agreement to extend support to the Béjart Foundation for five years. By boosting the city’s image and promoting tourism in the region, the ballet is perceived as an excellent ambassador for the city.
Show jumping at Villars-Gryon – win tickets!
This year’s showjumping trials at Villars-Gryon take place on 3–10 July and there’s plenty on offer for those interested in equestrian sports amid spectacular Alpine scenery. This free event, which brings together both regional and national as well as pony competitions, serves as a qualifier tournament for the Swiss Grand Prix Championship Elite 2014. If […]
Report on undeclared workers published
The commission fighting against undeclared workers in the restaurant business has published its annual report. A total of 241 companies throughout Vaud were inspected and the status of 3,425 employees verified. Half of the checks were random, the others as a result of denunciations. There was a slight increase over last year, when 147 companies […]
Glencore under wide attack
Zug-based mining and commodities giant Glencore is facing fierce, detailed criticism of its operations and financial dealings in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Swiss NGOs Bread for All and Fastenopfer, and UK human rights watchdog RAID have issued an exhaustive report accusing the company of allegedly polluting drinking water, evading tax, opaque financial transactions, human […]
Radioactive waste blame game
For the past 18 months, Swiss authorities allegedly have been covering up the presence of highly radioactive material, which in some areas emits radiation of well over 100 times the permitted amount. According to Le Matin, 120kg of highly radioactive radium-based paint, originally used by the watchmaking industry to make watch faces visible at night, […]