Synthetic sports pitches might be durable and easy to maintain, but the small black beads made from old tires found in some of them contain toxic chemicals. The French football magazine So Foot, raised the issue recently. Around 20 pitches in French speaking Switzerland are affected, according to RTS. Several analyses have been done around […]
Archives for 2018
IMF forecasts 2.25% Swiss GDP growth in 2018 while pointing to risks
A boost to investment and net exports from the tailwind of strong external demand, together with faster expansion of household spending owing to rising employment, are forecast to lift GDP growth to around 2¼ percent in 2018, said the IMF in a statement referring to Switzerland issued on 26 March 2018. On the downside the […]
Maker of the Sniper’s Choice, makes the news – but what is the Swiss company RUAG?
The Swiss company RUAG made the news last week when investigators were called in to look at information relating to the sale of ammunition. But what is this company? According to RTS, the investigation revealed contracts for the sale of ammunition to Russia that had not been properly declared, RUAG triggered the investigation itself when […]
Crime down in Switzerland – home break-in remains more likely than vehicle theft
Statistics published today show a significant drop in most types of crime in Switzerland. Between 2009 and 2017, the number of break ins fell by 36%, steeper than the fall in the number of vehicle thefts, which declined by 26%. In 2009, there were 64,268 break ins, compared to 41,351 in 2017, while vehicle thefts […]
100-year time lapse shows Alpine glacier shrinkage
The 100-year time lapse project, the work of aerial photographer Kieran Baxter, uses old archival photographs of glaciers to look back in time and compare them to footage today. In 1909, Swiss-born Eduard Spelterini took off from Chamonix in a gas-filled balloon and flew over the Mer de Glace glacier before continuing onwards to Switzerland. Spelterini gained his […]
How to ensure you’ll still get Le News posts on Facebook
Facebook is changing what ends up in your feed. If you want to continue to see content from Le News there are three simple things you can do. 1. Go to Le News’ Facebook page, click on the “Following menu” and then click “See First”. 2. Sign up to our weekly email newsletter. Just enter […]
How to ensure you’ll still get Le News posts on Facebook
Facebook is changing what ends up in your feed. If you want to continue to see content from Le News there are three simple things you can do. 1. Go to Le News’ Facebook page, click on the “Following menu” and then click “See First”. 2. Sign up to our weekly email newsletter. Just enter your […]
FILM: HUMAN FLOW – Ai Weiwei’s documentary on refugees
23 March 2018. HUMAN FLOW *** The very political Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has decided to go to the root of the worst tragedy of our times – the refugee problem. To imagine that there are 65 million people who are displaced around the world today due to wars, famine, and racial and religious discrimination […]
Swiss government set to remove ‘marriage tax penalty’
In Switzerland, married couples file one combined tax return. Because tax rates rise in line with income it means that second incomes of married couples are taxed at a higher rate than those of single cohabitating ones. Those campaigning to have this changed argue that it is unfair and acts as a disincentive for second […]
Swiss to vote on compulsory cat castration
Switzerland has many laws relating to animals. In January 2018, it made world news after banning live lobster boiling. Now there is an initiative to prevent suffering among cats. More than 100,000 signatures, the number required to hold a federal referendum, have been collected for an initiative that aims to make it compulsory to have […]
