The Fields Medal, officially known as International Medal for Outstanding Discoveries in Mathematics, is a prize awarded to two, three, or four mathematicians aged under 40 by the International Mathematical Union. It has been awarded every four years since 1950. It is often viewed as the greatest honour a mathematician can receive and has often […]
Swiss cheese off EU over Russian sanctions
As tensions rise between Russia and the West, Switzerland announced last week that it has added 26 Russian and Ukrainian individuals and 18 organizations to its sanctions list, bringing the total number of individuals affected to 87 and the number of entities to 20. Switzerland is not part of the European Union and is not […]
Pleasant shock for your wallet
Many Lausanne residents will have received a pleasant surprise with their latest electricity bill – a deduction of CHF 80 for every person, including children, in the household. This is in fact an annual subsidy from the commune to partly offset the cost of living in the city. It was introduced at the beginning of […]
The Revolution of the Saints revisited from Geneva
In the West, there is tremendous fear of Islamic fundamentalism taking over the Arab world. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), often described as “extremist” and “militant,” continues its march towards Baghdad; in Egypt the Muslim Brotherhood remains an important actor. Surprisingly, there should be a particular understanding of this phenomenon from a […]
Hiking hazards in Switzerland: Not just bad weather
As Swiss meteorological records point out, July proved to be the wettest month in 50 years. Precipitation was four times higher than normal putting a severe dampener on Swiss tourism. The Lake Geneva region, Bernese Alps, Valais and Jura have all endured exceptionally high rainfall. Many resorts have reported cancellations, particularly among weekend vacationers seeking […]
Pay more for a 4 x 4
Anti 4×4 and SUV sentiment is being supported by a system of penalties being charged for importing polluting vehicles by the government. In a report by 24 Heures, importers of cars into Switzerland last year paid penalties of over CHF 5 million to the government for importing large polluting vehicles such as 4x4s. The penalties […]
Volkswagen’s viral video poll
German car manufacturer Volkswagen recently released a public information video that has been viewed over 26 million times since June. Claimed to be controversial by some and classified as a “must see and share” by many others, opinion is divided. Le News is interested to know what you think. online poll by Opinion Stage online […]
More right-wing curbs on foreigners
Despite a formal refusal of the European Union to make any special concessions on last February’s migration vote, Switzerland’s right-wing UDC party seems determined to push for even more curbs on foreigners. Catherine Ashton, the EU’s chief diplomat, has transmitted a letter to Bern agreed by the European Union’s 28 member countries that it cannot […]
Can sports can play a more positive political role in this violent world?
GENEVA The World Cup has ended. An orgy of flag waving and anthem singing has concluded for at least another four years. Germany won, as could have been expected. What wasn’t expected was how the threats of street violence and protest within Brazil over the lavish preparation did not materialize. But more interesting, and worthy […]
Asian Killer Hornets in Switzerland
BERN Swiss farmers are increasingly concerned by the impact of invasive species on agriculture. Europe currently has some 12,000 invasive species, both flora and fauna. While only 15% are considered dangerous or otherwise harmful, this is enough to threaten long-term food production. One of these is ambrosia, a weed introduced from North America during the […]
