24 Heures. Live video streaming has been invading classrooms across the canton of Vaud. Mobile phone apps such as Periscope, launched in early 2015 with the tag line: “Explore the world through the eyes of others”, has turned the world of some Vaud teachers and school children upside down. After being secretly filmed by students […]
Swiss cabinet member walks out over immigration clash
24 Heures. Last week Swiss federal councillor Simonetta Sommaruga walked out of parliament after being harshly criticised by members of the Swiss people’s party (UDC/SVP) during a debate about extending the free movement of people to Croatia. Under the terms of the European Union agreement on the free movement of people, Switzerland is required to […]
Europe’s bitterest takeover battle continues in Switzerland
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The main players in Europe’s most hostile bid situation are digging in. Saint-Gobain said last week that its bitterly contested plan to take control of building materials rival Sika was still a strategic priority — even though the Swiss target’s board and minority shareholders are prepared for a multi-year […]
Why people power and peace movements still matter
Renu Chahil-Graf takes a Walk in the Park with Colin Archer, Secretary-General of the International Peace Bureau to discuss the importance of people power and peace movements. The sounds of war drown out calls for peace Listening to Colin Archer, one understands why he chose Geneva’s Botanical Gardens for his walk. Not only does he consider this […]
Swiss stocks underperform as central banks put policy changes on ice
29 April 2016 – Swiss and global market roundup. Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Swiss equities are expected to finish lower this week, underperforming global stocks after the Federal Reserve and the bank of Japan held off on policy changes, mirroring last weeks “wait and see” stance of the European Central Bank. U.S. central bankers skipped […]
Confusion surrounds start date of tighter Swiss naturalisation rules
GHI. Expected to come into force on 1 January 2017 across the country, confusion now surrounds the date the new rules will take effect, reports the Geneva weekly newspaper GHI. Bernard Gut, director of Geneva’s population and migration office (OCPM), told RTS in early March the new rules would be applied from 1 January 2017. Now […]
Prayers in Geneva airport cafeteria spark anger
GHI. Muslim bag handlers at Geneva airport have been stopping work several times a day to pray in a common area, and it has been causing friction, reports the Geneva weekly newspaper GHI. “It’s incredible. Last January we reported that some of our colleagues were regularly praying in the common room, but it has continued […]
Speeder in Switzerland pays thousands and loses car
Le Matin. Last Friday, a 30 year old portuguese national was flashed by a speed camera going 185 km/h in an 80 km/h zone in St. Gallen, Switzerland. The speeding happened on a stretch of road between Trübbach and Sevelen. Penalties for speeding offenses like this, defined as reckless, are severe in Switzerland. In this […]
Swiss watch exports post biggest quarterly drop since 2009
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. Swiss watch exports posted the biggest quarterly drop since 2009 as the industry faces declining demand across all its main markets. Shipments fell 8.9 percent in the first quarter, adjusted for working days, according to data from Switzerland’s customs office. Exports declined 16 percent in March to 1.5 billion francs ($1.5 […]
How eastern Germany’s watch making capital is beating Switzerland
Brought to you by Investec Switzerland. The east German village of Glashuette doesn’t look like much: just a handful of streets stretching up and down a narrow valley from a bare station platform, where trains depart once an hour for the 45-minute trip to Dresden. Scratch a bit deeper, though, and you’ll find that the town of 7,000 is home to […]
