Top 10 best selling books of the week
Archives for 2014
Are referendums for the best?
With diverse constituencies (Britain, Scotland, Russia, Quebec…) dabbling in the need – or threat – to hold referendums as long as it suits their purposes, the Swiss model has proved the most successful, but also questionable. Exploring the Gripen affair on our front page, one is left wondering whether a popular vote is such a […]
Gripen: Whose truth?
BERN With the planned 18 May referendum to decide whether Switzerland should purchase 22 Swedish Gripen fighter aircraft, how transparent is Bern with regard to cost and feasibility? Both the Swiss Federal Council and the Department of Defence are pushing a plane that the Norwegian government rejected five years ago based on two studies because […]
Baby steps
Ever since we arrived in Switzerland my husband and I have been fantasizing about the outdoor adventures we could have, if only our children would walk. In true Johannesburg-child fashion, they seem to believe that feet are things meant for pressing accelerator pedals. Not that they’re lazy. They’ll run around in the park forever, bounce […]
Delightful boat cruises on Swiss lakes
SPRING-SUMMER-AUTUMN As summer moves into gear, why not take to the water to unwind and enjoy a calmer pace. No one living in the region can be unmoved by the beauty of Lake Léman, Western Europe’s largest lake. Taking one of the six Belle Epoque boats is a wonderful way to get a new perspective […]
Will a robot replace you?
GENEVA As the recent Inventions Fair in Geneva showed, the brave new world of robotic technology continues to astound with developments only previously imagined in science fiction. Robots can already run assembly lines, fly aircraft, control cranes, herd and feed farm animals, serve as waiters and cooks and even help with surgery. While this may […]
Let’s talk about sex
Sex education continues to be a delicate, if not difficult, issue in schools. At the same time, it is one that regularly appears on the political scene as it speaks to the public’s emotional, social, moral and religious mind-set. This year, it is Switzerland’s turn. Some of the conservative parties are seeking to make it […]
Buying in Geneva
If you are considering buying a place to live in Geneva or its environs, be aware that the purchase cost per square metre is expensive. Add to this the following requirements made of a purchaser and it becomes clear why, as we reported in a previous article, only 35% of Swiss residents own the property […]
Le News edition 24
08 May 2014 Download the latest edition of Le News here: Le News 15.05.14 Edition 24 (Right click “save target as”)
The wonderous Val D’Aoste
AOSTE A holiday in Italy conjures up visions of escaping cold, grey winters for a sunnier and warmer clime. The Meteo even reports sunnier weather in Italian-speaking Ticino right here in Switzerland. Nevertheless, just on the other side of the Mont Blanc tunnel, in Italy’s Val d’Aoste, the weather can sometimes be colder than in […]
