The video below, by Sean Charlton White, shows Raphael Bacot, from Lausanne, on one of his attempts to cross between the 2,331 m Tour d’Ai, and 2,326 m Tour de Mayen, on a slackline. Windy Highline Leysin | Raphael Bacot from Sean Charlton White on Vimeo. Amazingly, he manages to stay on his feet despite the strong wind. […]
Swiss government doesn’t want to ban glyphosate
24 Heures. Last Friday, the Swiss parliament ignored a petition calling for a ban on the use of the agricultural chemical glyphosate. The petition, put together by several associations including Greenpeace and the Romande consumer federation, and signed by more than 25,000 people, calls for a ban on the use of all synthetic chemical pesticides. Switzerland’s parliament doesn’t […]
No more tax free shopping online
Important note: various Swiss media initially thought the start date for these changes was 1 January 2017. It is is fact 1 January 2018. On 18 October 2017, Switzerland’s government postponed the start date until 1 January 2019. Currently, most things ordered abroad and sent through the post to Switzerland that attract VAT of less […]
Switzerland in two and a half minutes – animated facts
The video below, created by Tony Johnston Media, whips through a few interesting facts on Switzerland, including its languages, political system, trains, gold, and a selection of its famous international residents. More detail on the information covered in this video can be found in these articles on Swiss wealth, Swiss trains, and the relative cost of Big […]
Geneva extends crackdown on drivers blocking intersections
Tribune de Genève. Started two weeks ago, Geneva’s crackdown on those who block intersections, has been extended for a further fortnight. Drivers caught blocking the flow of transversal traffic through intersections will be fined CHF 60. The objective of the operation is freer moving traffic and clearer intersections. The situation occurs when a car travelling […]
Swiss pay doesn’t always match company success, Ethos says
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Switzerland continues to see a disconnect between executive pay and company performance three years after voters passed some of the world’s strictest limits on compensation, according to a study by corporate governance group Ethos. While the so-called fat-cat initiative has helped to improve transparency, absolute amounts paid to top […]
Secret Alpine gold vaults are the new Swiss bank accounts
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Deep in the Swiss Alps, next to an old airstrip suitable for landing Gulfstream and Falcon jets, is a vast bunker that holds what may be one of the world’s largest stashes of gold. The entrance, protected by a guard in a bulletproof vest, is a small metal door […]
Begging banned in Swiss canton of Vaud
Le Matin. The canton of Vaud decided to ban begging after the Swiss People’s Party (UDC/SVP) launched an initiative to make it illegal. Vaud’s state government voted in favour of the move on Tuesday, by 60 votes for, 56 against, and 5 abstentions, according to the newspaper Le Matin. A referendum would achieve nothing further. […]
Switzerland’s best paid bosses
Le Matin. The Ethos Foundation recently published a list of Switzerland’s highest paid employees in 2015. The figures are striking and may leave some wondering what someone would do with such large sums. Ethos looks at the pay of the managers of the 204 largest companies listed on the Swiss stock exchange. Ethos‘ members are Swiss […]
Swiss stocks slump on Deutsche Bank trouble
30 September 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The Swiss Market Index is set to finish the week notably lower, underperforming global stocks, as financial sector stocks sell off on questions over Deutsche Bank’s solvency. Global equities edged lower this week with European financials among the biggest losers after […]
