Swiss secure internet group awarded new UN status
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – OISTE, the International Organization for Secure Financial Transactions, based in Geneva, has been given “consultative status” with UN organization Ecosoc...
View ArticleIran talks hold promise, Kerry in town
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – US Secretary of State John Kerry has come to Geneva amid signs of real progress between the G5+1 and Iran over the latter’s nuclear programme. The talks began...
View ArticleRed Cross: trouble getting aid to Philippines
GenevaLunch News Swiss send aid team to assess, set up emergency aid GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The ICRC (International Red Cross) says “there’s an urgent need to speed up the humanitarian effort” in the...
View ArticleUpdate on Swiss aid to Philippines
GenevaLunch News Emergency fund collections underway GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Switzerland 11 November shipped 11 tons of emergency supplies to the Philippines, part of the vast emergency relief effort...
View ArticleStandards agency uses Google Street View
GenevaLunch News One of the more surprising ways to visit a Geneva organization GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – As international organizations go, the ISO world standards agency would probably not be high on a...
View ArticleSwiss private, public Philippines funds: CHF15m
GenevaLunch News Bern – CHF6 million, Swiss Solidarity – CHF10.2m, Red Cross massive appeal BERN, SWITZERLAND – The Swiss continue to raise funds to increase aid to victims of Typhoon Haiyan, known...
View ArticleInternational Geneva political backing grows
GenevaLunch News Federal Council takes on board a Swiss International Geneva day GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Swiss efforts to ensure that Geneva maintains its force as a centre for international...
View ArticleGeneva bids Iran deal diplomats adieu
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Switzerland’s current push to ensure “International Geneva” remains one of the world’s top international diplomacy centres has been given a boost by the Iranian...
View ArticleSwiss Solidarity raises CHF23m for Philippines
GenevaLunch News Philippines citizens throughout country offer a day of hugs GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Hugs have been handed out in Swiss cities in the past few days as part of a hug marathon organized by...
View ArticleElephant slaughters predicted to kill 100,000
GenevaLunch News Poaching could wipe out 1/5 of Africa’s elephants in decade GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Dire predictions for the fate of Africa’s elephants are coming out of Botswana, where the world’s...
View ArticleSwiss mining firms in hot seat
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Swiss multinational mining companies operating in Peru are not living up to their human rights pledges, a report published this week suggests. They must respect...
View ArticleDetails of the new WTO trade pact
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The new World Trade Organization agreement reached in Bali covers a selection of issues from the WTO Doha Round talks. Indonesia’s trade minister, Gita Wirjawan,...
View Article“War Report”: global report calls for caution with armed conflict label
GenevaLunch News First-ever global report shows need for criteria, classification GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – “Billions and billions are spent on armed conflicts – why has [a classification] of them never...
View ArticleSexual violence a cause, not side effect of war
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – “Sexual violence continued to be a prominent feature of armed conflict in 2012,” says Alice Priddy, a researcher at the Geneva Academy, which 10 December launched...
View ArticleGov’ts pledge record amount for refugees
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Governments Tuesday pledged the highest annual amount ever for the UNHCR’s annual budget at a meeting in Geneva: $671.6 million for the UN refugee agency’s work...
View ArticleWEF energy triangle ranks Swiss no. 5
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – Norway and New Zealand take top honours for energy preparedness in a ranking published this week by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum. Switzerland comes in...
View ArticleUN, largest donation appeal ever – half needed to help Syrians
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The United Nations is seeking some CHF13 billion in donor aid for its agencies and NGOs (non-governmental organizations) for 2014, with CHF6.5b of it targeted for...
View ArticleRecord number of baby elephants orphaned in Kenya
GenevaLunch News One elephant killed every 15 minutes Ed. note: Shirley Muthu is a former microbiologist who lives in Geneva and who works as a wildlife conservationist, campaigner and writer. She...
View ArticleRussian ministers meet Syrians, Americans in Geneva
GenevaLunch News GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – “A comprehensive inter-Syrian dialogue without preconditions” is what Russia insisted on in a meeting with Syrian officials in Geneva, according to Voice of...
View ArticleUNHCR: displaced numbers rising dramatically
GenevaLunch News Forced displacements, Syrian disappearances as conflicts deepen GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / EDITOR’S NOTEPAD – Syria, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and more. In a...
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