Rather than simply punishing students for passing off other people’s work as their own, schools need to help them become more discerning – and critical – with their use of online research. William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and Martin Luther King all have been accused of plagiarism, so what chance do young students stand in coming […]
From Grade I apples to car seat belts: The UN’s unknown “pearl”
Heading one of the United Nations’ least known but most influential organizations, Christian Bach, the recently appointed Danish Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) is hoping to turn it into a household name. GENEVA One of the UN’s most pervasive problems is that it is marketing itself poorly. Given that much […]
We are the champions! Roger and Stan wow Lausanne
Around 10,000 people gathered at the Place de la Navigation in Ouchy, Lausanne yesterday evening to celebrate Switzerland’s first ever win in the Davis Cup’s 115-year history and to congratulate the players, above all Stan Wawrinka and Roger Federer. They came straight to the Vaud capital off their flight from Lille, bearing the trophy with […]
Geneva: Assisted suicide central?
Geneva will become the new home for the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, which voted in favour of leaving New York in late October. According to GenevaLunch.com, the move, which is likely to take place in 2015, is associated to possible changes in the NGOs tax status in the US. The organisation has […]
Switzerland has many carnivals but Halloween is not one of them
Many Anglo expats, particularly Americans, may be dismayed to discover that Halloween is not among the many festivals widely celebrated in carnival-happy Switzerland. In fact, after a surge of popularity around 1999 and 2000, the holiday seems to be on the wane. “Today you notice it mostly in the shops, maybe a result of globalization,” […]
Syrah Prestige AOC Valais 2013 Cave Jean Maret, Fully
Syrah Prestige AOC Valais 2013 Cave Jean Maret, Fully Valais has many choices of wine – more than 70 different grape varieties. Even the Dalai Lama has a few vines in Saillon at Farinet’s trail. Farinet was the Robin Hood of the Alps and a master of forgery (do visit the intriguing museum of forgery […]
State slavery: Swiss victims seek redress
Swiss, both young and old, often forget how quickly their country has changed over the past 50-odd years, and just how backward many parts were, both in the way of life and public attitudes, at the end of World War II. As a child during the late 1950s and early 60s, I travelled every summer […]
Millionaire exodus after tax vote?
GENEVA Next 30 November, the Swiss will vote both on a federal and cantonal basis whether their country should continue to provide special tax privileges to foreign millionaires. The arrangement allows wealthy expatriates to declare a fiscal ‘forfait’ (tax package) based on their lifestyles and not the actual amount of their fortunes. On average, their […]
Swiss companies out-perform analysts’ expectations – except for UBS
Markedly positive third quarter earnings are now being released by Swiss companies. According to IG Bank, eight of the 15 companies that have reported so far have beaten analysts’ expectations by an average 2.21% with the exception of UBS. At Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS, profits were lower than expected at CHF 762 million against analysts’ […]
Swiss environmental group, Ecopop calls for birth control boost
On 30 November, Switzerland’s voters will decide whether to pass a controversial amendment put forth by Ecopop, a group of Swiss environmentalists. The initiative calls for boosting birth control in developing countries as a way to curb immigration, which according to the group shouldn’t exceed 0.2 per cent of the Swiss population over three years. […]
