Did you know that the first full moon of the year was once known as the Wolf Moon? I picked this snippet up online and shared it with my older child one cold January night, as we had a magical mommy-daughter moment, holding hands and looking up at that moon. Perhaps I should have chosen […]
Swiss 2014 exports break new record
With all the gloom that has descended on Switzerland after the sharp rise in its currency, it is nice to be reminded of its economic strength. Goods exports excluding services for 2014 grew 3.5% to reach a record 208 billion francs, surpassing 2008’s record of 206 billion. To give this context, Switzerland’s goods exports alone […]
French tax on Swiss inheritance becomes a reality
Since 1 January 2015 French residents receiving Swiss inheritance are subject to French taxes on it. Many are up in arms at what they see as a predatory French tax grab and are calling for further negotiations to establish a new agreement to replace the 60 year Franco-Swiss accord that ended at the end of […]
No Italians employed here – new Swiss sticker sparks accusations of racism
Switzerland’s small population of around 300,000 Italian speakers lives mainly in the canton of Ticino on the Italian border. Directly across the border are around 60 million Italians speaking the same language who under current rules are free to work in Switzerland. Add to this Swiss pay that is more than double the Italian average […]
Switzerland – staring down the barrel of deflation
The recent rise in the Swiss franc is driving deflation in Switzerland. The prices of imported goods are declining and there is talk of reducing salaries in some corners. Deflation is bad for an economy, particularly for the heavily indebted – your mortgage remains the same even if your salary declines and Government debts increase […]
Fighting Ebola with viral animation
Read the inspiring story behind a powerful Ebola video produced by Geneva based animator, Firdaus Kharas. Wondering what could be done to reduce the spread of this horrific virus a team of animators came up with this moving video, now available in eight languages. Geneva-based animator Firdaus Kharas, founder of Chocolate Moose Media, is an an […]
Of Pinterest, Feral Children and the Kruger National Park
Ever since the bigger child turned 8 and is now ‘practically a teenager’, we’ve been clashing over what she is and isn’t allowed to do. ‘You’re, like, totally controlling,’ she told me a few days ago. ‘No I’m not. And speak properly. And stand up straight.’ ‘You’re also overprotective. What do you ever let me […]
The Swiss introduce their version of a 35-hour week
On 27 January 2015 the Swiss government announced that Swiss companies could reduce their wage bills by cutting staff working hours and compensate them for the lost pay with partial unemployment benefits. The objective of the measure is to limit layoffs brought about by the rapid rise of the Swiss franc. Companies are required to […]
Swiss adds new destination from Geneva
Swiss adds Biarritz as a destination from Geneva. The new route will commence in June 2015. This brings its total Geneva destinations to 40. In November last year it added eight new destinations to the Geneva-based network. Four all year round destinations: Florence (with four weekly frequencies), Valencia (with two weekly services), Sarajevo (with two […]
Where the top 1% live – Switzerland leads
There was much talk of inequality at this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos. It is ironic then that the host country Switzerland has the greatest percentage of residents in the top 1% of the world’s wealthiest. Over 13% of Swiss are in this group, the highest proportion in the world according to the Credit […]