A recent survey by Pro Linguis demonstrates the importance of English in Switzerland. The notional line, known as the röstigraben, that marks the border between French and German speaking Swiss does not confine Switzerland’s English speakers. To test each language group’s mastery of the world’s lingua franca, they selected difficult to translate words, like the […]
Swiss people’s party (UDC) gains extra seat in Swiss cabinet
The suspense is over. After the Swiss people’s party’s (UDC/SVP) success at the recent Federal election many expected the party to get an extra seat in the Swiss Federal council, the seven member body that makes up the Swiss executive. On 9 December 2015 it was announced that the new UDC member to join the […]
The Holy Quran experiment and its surprising twist
Two young men in the Netherlands conducted an experiment and made a short video about it that has now been viewed over 6 million times. They took a Bible, disguised it as a Holy Quran, and read passages of it to passersby in the street. The passages They chose passages from the old testament including: […]
Films this week: RAMS (Icelandic), UN + UNE (French), IN THE HEART OF THE SEA (American), SUBURRA (Italian)
11 December 2015. Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers. BELIERS/ HRUTAR/ RAMS ***1/2 (vo Icelandic) There is something very touching about Icelandic films. They’re usually grey, cold and rough, like the […]
Swiss stocks hit by diverging central bank policy
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Swiss stocks followed global equity markets lower this week after oil tumbled to a seven year low, hitting commodity producing emerging markets, while uncertainty around next week’s anticipated US rate hike weighed further on investor sentiment. U.S. and European monetary policy is expected to officially diverge next week when […]
Terrorism alert level rises in Geneva
Tribune de Genève. According to the newspaper, unease is rising among the public in Geneva. Concerns started on Thursday morning when Geneva’s authorities revealed that they had been notified by Bern of the likely presence in the Geneva region of several terrorist suspects. The unfolding of events is set out below. Thursday 10 December 2015 at […]
Swiss National Bank announcement pushes franc higher
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) announced today that it is maintaining its expansionary monetary policy. The target range for three-month Libor remains unchanged at between –1.25% and –0.25%, and the interest rate on sight deposits with the SNB stays the same at –0.75%. The announcement pushed the franc as high […]
Lausanne’s proposed tower is an “insult to good sense and taste”
Georges Rigassi, the editor of the Lausanne Gazette, is vehemently against the building project and says it is an “insult to good sense and taste”. Designed by Lausanne architect Alphonse Laverrière and inspired by New York’s skyline, the 79 metre, 19 floor tower would be Switzerland’s first skyscraper. The building has divided the community and is […]
Easyjet adds new destinations from Geneva, Zurich and Basel
Easyjet announced this morning that it will add three new destinations, one from each of Switzerland’s three main airports. The airline’s model, now used by many airlines, flies passengers directly to destinations rather than flying them into a hub airport first before flying them to their final stop, a model known as hub and spoke. Geneva’s new […]
Radicalised bag handler worked at Geneva airport
Tribune de Genève. According to the newspaper, a resident of the French region of Haute-Savoie sought by the French authorities after the attacks in Paris, worked as a baggage handler at Geneva airport for six months. The self proclaimed preacher placed under house arrest in November, before being placed in detention for not regularly clocking in with the […]
