Last week the Swiss parliament voted on a proposal to allow cars to overtake not just on the left, but also the right. Proponents claimed that such a radical measure would speed up the flow of traffic on the nation’s busy motorways. Anyone who has driven between Geneva and Vevey will recall, however, that the […]
No question, it’s a great place to die.
If you live in Switzerland and plan to retire and die here be thankful. The country has just been ranked the third best place in the world to be old in by the Global Age Watch Index 2014 which measures how well 96 countries are supporting their older populations. Norway leads the ranking followed by […]
Switzerland as a global sustainability hub
Five hundred people from more than 40 countries met in Lausanne at the annual Business-for-Society Forum to discuss positioning Switzerland as a global sustainability hub. This is not the first time such an idea has been promoted. Variations on this theme have been mooted previously by the government, think tanks and universities alike. What makes […]
Franz Weber announces retirement
Doyen of the Swiss environmental movement, Franz Weber has announced his retirement from the foundation bearing his name, which he formed 40 years ago. Weber has been a sometimes controversial force for environmental policy change across the country. His daughter, Vera will take over the running of the foundation.
Fighting cows, flower-eating goats: The Crans-Montana désalpe 2014
The désalpes across the region are country-side spectacles that are difficult to grow tired of. Over the years some have changed, not only because things are apt to change but also because the towns and villages that have traditionally hosted them have realized that they offer opportunities to turn a few pennies by selling local […]
Scotland rejects independence
Edinburgh. The electorate in has voted by over 55% against independence making it mathematically impossible for the Yes campaign to win. Edinburgh voted by over 60% against independence, while Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow voted narrowly for independence, however it was not enought to deliver victory to the pro-independence campaign. Turnout in many places has […]
Scotland’s independence vote – what does it mean for Switzerland?
Scotland, you might think, is just a small country populated by roughly five million people. But it is far more. Discounting its history and disproportionate achievements (you’re only as good as your last mega-invention – Grand Theft Auto), the country has Edinburgh, a vibrant, world-class financial centre; a significant oil industry; an unassailable whisky industry; […]
Changing times at Le Temps
The Swiss Competition Commission last week approved publisher, Ringier’s take-over of flagship Swiss daily Le Temps. Managing director, Valérie Boagno has left the company and Daniel Pillard, CEO at Ringier Romandie, assumes operational management in the interim. From April 2015, Stéphane Benoit-Godet (44), Bilan’s current editor-in-chief, will be the newspaper’s editor-in-chief. Benoit-Godet worked for […]
SMS tickets to move smoothly around town
Both Geneva and Lausanne transport companies have recently introduced easy ways to buy tickets on public transport. Travellers just send an SMS (text message) to buy a ticket on their phones and voila! But be aware that you need to buy your ticket before you get on the bus, tram or metro. Gaming the system […]
Swiss organ donor shortage
Every year 100 people in Switzerland die due to lack of an organ transplant, but the country’s nationwide organ shortage could now be reduced. A new smartphone app developed by Jocelyn Corniche, an anaesthetist at Lausanne University Hospital, and Swisstransplant, informs emergency-room staff that the phone’s owner is a registered organ donor – even if […]