20 – 21 May 2017 One Saturday evening a year, Geneva opens its museums, workshops, and gardens until midnight. This year, the event starts on the evening of Saturday 20 May 2017, runs into the night, and continues on Sunday the 21st. The event is spread over 31 locations, together offering 240 activities. Not to be missed, the event […]
Swiss no longer thinks two people are needed in the cockpit
20 Minutes. From Monday the airline will drop the rule requiring two people to be present in the cockpit at all times. A security audit showed that the measure, introduced in 2015, hadn’t improved safety. Pilots started criticising the rule at the beginning of 2016. The decision was taken after consultation among all of the airlines […]
International Geneva to get a 3 billion franc facelift
Tribune de Genève. Plans are afoot to invest close to CHF 3 billion across 15 sites across Geneva over the next few years, according to Tribune de Genève. Not only will existing buildings be renovated and extended, schools, apartments and new transport infrastructure will be added. “Over the next five years, we are going to invest […]
7.5 percent pay cut for UN employees in Geneva
20 Minutes. Those employed at the United Nations in Geneva are worried their salaries could be cut. Inflation has eroded the purchasing power of salaries paid to UN employees in New York, so a salary reduction of 7.5% is needed in Geneva to bring the purchasing power of UN employee salaries in Geneva into line […]
Swiss federal tribunal refuses to help French tax authorities
Tribune de Genève. The French tax authorities will not get Swiss help to investigate tax payers identified in data taken by Hervé Falciani from HSBC private bank in Geneva. HSBC, owner of the private bank in Geneva, which became part of HSBC in 1999 when it was acquired from Republic National Bank, a group run by Lebanese-born financier […]
Geneva is marching for science. Here’s why it matters.
On Saturday 22 April 2017, Geneva marches for science, one of hundreds of marches taking place around the world. But why would anyone march for science? Thank you science! There is a children’s book that encourages kids to say thank you for houses, the clean water that flows from the taps, cars, telephones, planes, radios, electricity and […]
A tiny Swiss group of lawyers takes on war crimes and crimes against humanity
The International Criminal Court at the Hague was created in 2002 to hold individuals responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The concept was good, but the international tribunal was almost immediately paralyzed by politics. As William Dowell writes, Alain Werner, who created Civitas Maxima has a different idea: represent the victims and fight […]
Some UN consultants thought their income was tax free. They were wrong.
20 Minutes. Some United Nations consultants haven’t paid taxes on their income, thinking it was exempt. When the tax authorities catch up with them they’ll risk paying back taxes and fines. As a general rule, foreign UN functionaries are not required to pay local taxes on their income. On the other hand UN consultants must. Over the […]
On meeting Bin Laden – former Le News editor tells his hair-raising story
When the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in February, 1989 after nearly a decade of failed occupation, most Red Army soldiers were already gone. In their stead, they left a demoralized force of Afghan soldiers and militia to protect the communist ‘Khalqi’ regime in Kabul. With their backs to the wall, these would continue fighting […]
Knocking it all down: French property developers dictate Lake Geneva’s urban vision.
Special Investigative Report Part III: Early last year, the London Sunday Times ran a two-page spread on how Paris law and local governments are enabling ‘promoteurs’ – property developers – to destroy France’s historic village centres. Largely ignored by the local press, but shared on social media, this article triggered an extraordinary response among thousands […]
