Much to the irritation of the tobacco industry, including corporate giants such as Philip Morris in Switzerland, the World Health Organization is demanding that governments ban electronic cigarettes indoors. It also wants curbs on advertising and other tactics that lure young people. In a report issued at the end of August, the UN organization maintains […]
Travel from your couch with a drone
You can now travel around Switzerland – and neighbouring France and Italy – via a recently established site, TravelByDrone.com, that allows you to visit a town, prepare a hike, or plan a boat trip or skiing holiday, by first viewing the area from the air. The site currently comprises over 3,500 quality drone videos by […]
Divonne railway station: Going, going…?
The French spa town of Divonne-les-Bains, well-known for its colourful Sunday market, is planning a major facelift of its former railway district. The area is currently serving as a parking lot with the late 19th century station lying largely derelict apart from an SCNF ticket boutique. The nearly seven hectare site will soon be turned […]
Roger’s roar and smile and their lessons for diplomats
Roger Federer is best known as a tennis player, perhaps the greatest of all time. His record of 17 Grand Slam titles is unmatched in the sport’s history. But besides his one-hand backhand, elegant dress and phenomenal court movement and presence under pressure, his recent performance at the US Open bears witness to another quality […]
Housing: Going up or down?
Given a growing return migration of Swiss and expatriate residents from across the border in France, but also economic uncertainty in Switzerland itself, there appears to be a contradiction in the way property prices are moving. Nation-wide, prices have continued to rise in 2014 – albeit at a slower rate. The Lake Geneva region, however, […]
Toxic Loom bands alert
Loom bands, those colourful American fripperies much beloved by young people around the world have been identified as a serious potential health risk. Birmingham Assay Office, an independent laboratory in the UK, has tested Loom bands and found them to contain over 500 times the recommended safe level of phthalates, a known hormone inhibitor. The […]
Uber ignores edict and comes to Geneva
Uber, a licensed taxi substitute operating in more than 200 cities worldwide launched in Geneva this week. The controversial service connects people with a “private driver” at the tap of a button, boasting “Anytime! Anywhere! Without cash!” But all is not as it seems: the company ignores local licensing rules. Recently, licensed cabbies in London […]
Michael Schumacher moves home to continue recovery
Michael Schumacher has returned to his home near Gland from the cantonal hospital in Lausanne to continue his rehabilitation after suffering serious head injuries in a skiing accident last year. No further details have been issued regarding his condition, although a statement issued by his manager Sabine Kehm did say that he has been making […]
Managing workplace burnout
The phenomenon of professional exhaustion, or burnout, has given rise to a number of coaching and counselling services in Switzerland seeking to educate employees and managers how to recognize symptoms and to jointly take preventive measures. Job burnout is defined as chronic stress that affects both physical and mental health. In extreme cases, it can […]
Courage and company – dealing with cancer
On a rather cold and windy lakeside, a dozen or so corporate teams prepared to take each other on in the English Speaking Cancer Association’s (esca) annual dragon boat race at the Lac de Joux. All great fun and for a good cause – the event is esca’s major fund-raising event of the year. Hundreds […]
