By Bill Harby Muskets blasting, swords flashing, drum and fife corps parading through the medieval streets, plus hot spiced wine and little cauldrons made of chocolate – welcome to this year’s “Escalade”. Geneva citizens know the story of how, on the night of Dec. 11th, 1602, a sharp-eyed cook now immortalised as Mère Royaume, spied […]
Archives for 2019
MUSICAL SPECTACLE – Attention, Maîtres Chanteurs
They are back in town! At the Salle Centrale Madelaine, 4 and 5 December, 2019 and 24, 25 and 26 February, 2020. Dear folks, even if you don’t speak French, run to any of the 5 evenings of this delightful musical – early December and end of February – with the super-talented and charming Raphaëlle […]
Swiss foreign work permit quotas maintained for 2020
Every year, Switzerland sets quotas for the number of work visas it issues to citizens outside the EU and EFTA. This week the government announced it would maintain the quota of 8,500 permits that was in place in 2018. In addition, it confirmed an earlier deal it struck with the UK to issue up to […]
1 in 10 Swiss hospitals face financial difficulty
Around one hospital in ten in Switzerland could end up in financial difficultly, according to a report by PWC. In addition, 37 of the 44 hospitals surveyed will not be profitable enough to remain competitive over the next five to ten years, predict the authors of the report. The shift towards more outpatient care instead […]
Number of jobs reaches all-time high in Switzerland
Unemployment rose in the third quarter of 2019, however, there have never been more jobs in Switzerland. The total number of jobs in Switzerland rose to 5.137 million at 30 September 2019, a level never seen before. The figure was 1.3% higher than at 30 September 2018 and 0.3% higher than 30 June 2019. And […]
Compensating victims of Switzerland’s administrative detention ahead of schedule
Up until 1981, the Swiss authorities imprisoned thousands of people who were not tried for any crime, under a procedure known as administrative detention. 60,000 were imprisoned in this way, often for years at a time, according to an estimate published by RTS. Referred to as a kind of compulsory welfare, people, including men, women […]
Federal Council paves way for VAT refund on Billag fee
At its meeting on 27 November 2019, the Federal Council set out its plan for the refund of value-added tax (VAT) on Switzerland’s radio and television licence, formerly known as Billag. Between 2010 and 2015, VAT was charged on Swiss television and radio licences. The Federal Tribunal, Switzerland’s highest court, has stated in two judgments […]
FILM: PROXIMA – to be a mother or an astronaut, that is the question
29 November 2019. By Neptune. Here’s an array of varied, entertaining films to fill your week. Do go out and see them! PROXIMA ***1/2 To be a mother or an astronaut, that is the question. The lovely Eva Green plays here an accomplished career woman who is being trained for a lengthy mission, Proxima, to […]
Antibiotic resistance – Swiss researchers make a breakthrough
Some life-threatening bacteria are becoming resistant to existing antibiotics. Swiss researchers at the University of Zurich recently discovered a new class of antibiotics that is able to attack a particularly treatment-resistant class of bacteria known as Gram-negative bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria have an extra outer membrane, which makes them hard to attack. This protective outer layer […]
You’re in the army now: an expat recruit’s experience in Switzerland’s militia
This article was first published on Global Geneva As one of Europe’s most culturally mixed immigrant nations, Switzerland is witnessing the rise of a steadily growing group of citizens known as the ‘new’ Swiss. These are citizens of expatriate background, some born in Switzerland, others not, ranging from Kosovars and Spanish to British, Americans, Bangladeshis and […]
