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Thailand
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Gender
Science
Digital tools
Media
Youth
Travel
Updates to Global Geneva Insights 2023
France, Dordogne
You can now explore the Lascaux Caves with an interactive virtual tour with HD photos and expert presentations — thetravel — 19 December 2023 (LINK)
Rick Steves' Europe: France's Dordogne: Caves, canoes, and culture — chicagotribune ● — 19 December 2023 (LINK)
Global Sarlat: From prehistory to tomorrow's world (LINK)
AI
Do you trust AI to write the news? It already is — and sparks issues — see_link — 5 November 2023 (LINK)
Using clever prompt engineering to have Generative AI screen out the vast deluge of exasperating disinformation and misinformation coming your way — Forbes ● — 30 October 2023 (LINK)
Bard vs CoPilot: both AI bots bombed on my tests for news (LINK)
Environemnt, culture, fishing
A 'whole way of life' at risk as warming waters change Maine's lobster fishing — usatoday — 30 October 2023 (LINK)
Letter from Maine's 'Oyster Lady': the comeback of a mollusk healthy for the planet (LINK)
ESGs
ESG ratings: whose interests do they serve? Regulators and politicians are focusing on the accuracy, transparency and potential for conflicts of interest with sustainability scores — ft — 3 October 2023 (LINK)
— ESG ratings look and sound like the familiar credit ratings produced by S&P, Fitch or Moody's. In reality, there are two crucial differences: analysts are not yet subject to regulatory scrutiny on conflicts of interest, and they work in part on unaudited environmental, social and governance data, rather than in audited financial statements. Only 5% of funds align with the 1.5C Paris goals on climate.
Interested in ESG? Look at the facts, not opinions (LINK)
Bahamas, corals
Coral Vita raced to save coral reefs as ocean temperatures spiked this summer — fastcompany — 29 September 2023 (LINK)
Coral Vita: Making reef rescue fun — and a business (LINK)
Godard, culture
Godard's Final S.O.S. at New York Film Festival — nationalreview — 29 September 2023 (LINK)
Made in U.S.A. — Godard spilt the beans on politics and atrocity (LINK)
ESGs
New global sustainability reporting requirements are out. Here's what companies need to know — www.weforum.org — 29 August 2023 (LINK)
— Backed by the G20, a set of standards released by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) will set worldwide sustainability reporting requirements for decades to come. The new requirements pave the way for companies across jurisdictions to disclose uniform climate and sustainability information.
It aligns with financial accounting practices in more than 140 countries and will help investors understand the sustainability-related risks and opportunities facing businesses. Singapore, Canada and the UK have already signalled that they are looking at routes to integrate the new standards.
'Not just money and math': Young people are willing to sacrifice returns for ESG — www.cnbc.com — 27 August 2023 (LINK)
Updated UNEP FI portfolio impact analysis tool for banks now available — see_link — 31 August 2023 (LINK)
— Its Needs Mapping toolkit covers the needs and priorities of over 100 countries across the 12 Impact Areas and 38 Impact Topics of the UNEP FI Impact Radar. These are compiled from the statistical data sets, research and policy documents of the UN, international organizations as well as reputable academic and civil society organizations.
Interested in ESG? Look at the facts, not opinions (LINK)
FTX, Finance
FTX scandal exposed: Misuse of customer deposits revealed in second investigative report — www.cryptopolitan.com — 26 June 2023 (LINK)
My FTX crypto horror story (LINK)
Nuclear fusion, energy
World's Largest Fusion Project Is in Big Trouble, New Documents Reveal — www.scientificamerican.com — 15 June 2023 (LINK)
— Accumulated schedule slips and budget overruns threaten to make it the most delayedâ€"and most cost-inflatedâ€"science project in history. As late as early July 2022, ITER's website announced that the machine was expected to turn on as scheduled in December 2025. Afterward that date bore an asterisk clarifying that it would be revised. Now the date has disappeared from the website altogether.
In January 2022 the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) put a stop to ITER assembly entirely. ASN is unconvinced that, among other issues, the planned amount of radiation shielding around the machine will be adequate, and the authority won't let the assembly go forward until ITER can prove that it can keep personnel safe.
Adjusted for inflation, its price is about the same as that of the Manhattan Project, which made the first atomic bombs — and is almost certain to get larger.
Climate change is NOT our main problem, says TV science star (LINK)
Climate Change, Development
Terry Babcock, LA Times: Greta Thunberg's "The Climate Book": "We now have a book that marshals the evidence and knowledge of over 100 diverse experts. The Climate Book, with its encyclopedic nature and ready accessibility, is a remarkable contribution to climate literature — and an urgent must-read." — lareviewofbooks — 17 April 2023 (LINK)
Climate change is NOT our main problem, says TV science star (LINK)
Culture, History
All Quiet on the Western Front's Bafta win has caused chaos. Good — awards season could really do with more anarchy — independent.co.uk — 20 February 2023 (LINK)
Key German anti-war book finally a film after 90 years (LINK)
International Geneva
War crimes round–up: Liberian civil war rebels on trial again, survivor testifies against Gambian 'death squad' — genevasolutions — 2 February 2023 (LINK)
— The appeal trial against former lieutenant–colonel and spokesperson Gibril Massaquoi of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) – a Sierra Leonean group that had close ties with Charles Taylor – began on 10 January in Turku, Finland. In April 2022, a lower court had dismissed charges against Massaquoi for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including homicide, sexual violence, and the recruitment of child soldiers, arguing "reasonable doubt" that he took part in those acts.
The appeal trial is set to continue in Liberia on 6 February and will probably go until June. Civitas Maxima and its Liberian sister NGO, the Global Justice and Research Project, had submitted the initial information about Massaquoi's alleged involvement to the Finnish authorities.
Meanwhile, a Liberian former rebel commander is seeking to overturn Switzerland's first–ever war crimes ruling. Alieu Kosiah, former United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy (ULIMO) commander was convicted to twenty years in prison in June 2021 by the Swiss Federal Criminal Court for war crimes, which included, ordering and committing the murder of civilians, rape and cannibalism, during the first Liberian civil war that ran between 1989 and 1997. Kosiah is the first Liberian to be tried for war crimes perpetrated during the conflict. Another Liberian rebel leader was found guilty of crimes against humanity and torture by a court in Paris in November 2022.
Kosiah's appeal trial opened in Bellinzona on 11 January and is expected to end on 3 February. Alain Werner, director of Civitas Maxima, is representing four of the plaintiffs who came to Switzerland to testify.
Jungle Jabbah, Alieu Kosiah and the fight against war crimes impunity (LINK)
Culture, History, Lifestyles
In the Neanderthal site of Combe-Grenal, Dordogne, France, hunting strategies were unaffected by changing climate — phys.org — 18 January 2023 (LINK)
— The archaeological site of Combe-Grenal in France was inhabited by Neanderthals for many millennia throughout the Middle Paleolithic from around 150,000 to 45,000 years ago. These inhabitants hunted local animals whose remains are also found at the site. During the Neanderthals' occupation, the region experienced numerous oscillations of climate and environmental conditions which are known to have impacted the habits of local fauna. The Neanderthals in Combe-Grenal (France) preferred to hunt in open environments, and their hunting strategies did not alter during periods of climatic change, according to a study just published. These results put into perspective the link generally established between the evolution of the production of lithic tools and the adaptation of hunting strategies of human populations in response to environmental changes.
Global Sarlat: From prehistory to tomorrow's world (LINK)
Literature
Valleys, Lakes and Waterfalls in Switzerland That Inspired Tolkien, Queen and More — goworldtravel.com — 23 December 2022 (LINK)
Tolkien's Switzerland — and much more — is in jeopardy (LINK)
WorldWideWeb
BBC testing Solid Pod secure data platform from Inventor of the world wide web — CNN — 16 December 2022 (LINK)
Tim Berners-Lee, a SOLID defender of Internet users (LINK)
Lifestyles
From Portugal to Bali, these 28 countries and territories offer 'digital nomad visas' for remote workers — Business Insider — 8 December 2022 (LINK)
Digital nomads, Caribbean revolutionaries and making the best of lockdown through NBN (LINK)
Environment
Economic experiments support Ostrom's polycentric approach to mitigating climate change — nature — 10 December 2022 (LINK)
—Interestingly, the minister of trade and commerce of a European country has just suggested that all households together each saving 10% energy could resolve the country's energy crisis, very close to Ostrom's ideas. Sanctioning does not help reach the target: it also hits the fair contributors and provokes them to reduce their further share neutralizing the positive effect of sanctioning.
The Swiss commune that changed ecology (LINK)
Culture
The greatest film of all time has been chosen by experts: Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles — unilad — 2 December 2022 (LINK)
Chantal Akerman â€" In search of lost culture (LINK).
Cities
Making cities safer for women: UN report calls for radical rethink — news.un.org — 24 October 2022 (LINK)
Getting smarter in Geneva about cities — and meetings (LINK
Lifestyles
47 countries embrace digital nomads. It's been estimated that there are currently 35 million digital nomads working around the world — weforum — 13 October 2022 (LINK)
Digital nomads, Caribbean revolutionaries and making the best of lockdown through NBN (LINK)
Coffee
For International Coffee Day, DONA, the Swiss-based supplier of coffee from women's enterprises is offering 20% off your next order if you sign up to its journal — dona — 1 October 2022 (LINK)
Coffee with a mission — from Switzerland, where else? (LINK).
Environment
The aspiring 'coral factory' restoring reefs wrecked by climate change — washingtonpost — 29 September 2022 (LINK)
Coral Vita has raised more than $4 million in funding from a roster of investors including Sustainable Ocean Alliance, Apollo Projects and Builders Initiative. It planted corals for the first time earlier this year. The company has grown its team to more than a dozen people. Coral Vita signed its first restoration contracts with the Bahamian government and the Grand Bahama Port Authority in 2021. paying visitors can take an educational tour of the farm. Coral Vita also has an adopt-a-coral program, through which individuals and corporations can sponsor anything from small fragments to entire tanks. Last year the coral adoption program brought in more than $60,000. The company was recognized in 2021 as one of five inaugural Earthshot Prize winners, an environmental award established by Britain's Prince William that gives awardees a million pounds (about $1.07 million in today's dollar) each to fund their work.
Coral Vita: Making reef rescue fun — and a business (LINK).
Environment
The environmentalists at the heart of Maine's booming oyster business — bangordailynews — 29 September 2022 (LINK)
Letter from Maine's 'Oyster Lady': The comeback of a mollusk healthy for food and the planet (LINK).
Swiss
Statistics prove Roger Federer's class, but his love for his opponents shows his greatness — The Guardian — 26 September 2022 (LINK)
Roger Federer retires: Twitter reacts as Rafael Nadal sheds tears after Federer's final match in Laver Cup — indiatvnews — 24 September 2022 (LINK)
Protester against private jets sets arm on fire on O2 tennis court ahead of Roger Federer's farewell match at Laver Cup — ground.news — 24 September 2022 (LINK)
'Roger Federer, welcome home!': When Roger is on form, even the ball seems to take on its own balletic path across the court (LINK).
Swiss creators
Top 10 Helvetica alternatives for graphic designers — creativeboom — 20 September 2022 (LINK)
—including "probably the best typeface ever designed": Akzidenz-Grotesk by H. Berthold, plus Avenir and Univers by iconic Swiss designer Adrian Frutiger.
HELVETICA: Swiss Style and 60 years of font war (LINK). This notes that many designers consider Frutiger "the best general typeface ever". It features on Swiss road signs and Dutch railway stations.
Culture
Jean-Luc Godard, giant of the French new wave, dies at 91 — The Guardian — 13 September 2022 (LINK)
— His family apparently said he died peacefully at home and there will be no funeral service, only a cremation. New York Times
— Godard's 12 Best Films: A Beginner's Guide to the Great Filmmaker's Work indiewire, but not this:
Made in U.S.A. — Godard spills the beans on politics and atrocity in a fantasy that seems more and more realistic (LINK)
Media
10 things you should know about AI in journalism — lse — 7 September 2022 (LINK)
"Why I prefer my news from AI…" (LINK)
Lifestyles
The darker side of digital nomadism — theconversation — 7 September 2022 (LINK)
How to choose the best digital nomad visa and what to consider before applying: Barbados, Malta — euronews — 12 February 2022 (LINK)
The best countries for digital nomads: Iceland, Estonia, Barbados, Croatia, Costa Rica — regus — 9 August 2021 (LINK)
Hit by coronavirus, Philippine beach resorts target local long-stay tourists, digital nomads — scmp — 28 February 2021
"There is even a new online booking platform for resorts offering monthly packages that will allow guests to continue working while at the beach."
My 10 Favorite Digital Nomad Bases — medium — 18 Jan 2021 (LINK)
Digital nomads, sCaribbean revolutionaries and making the best of lockdown through NBN (LINK)
Swiss icons
7 unconventional uses for your Swiss Army knife — esquire — 7 September 2022 (LINK)
What makes the Swiss army knife so special? The U.S. soldier (LINK)
Food etc.
Single-serve coffee balls touted as compostable alternative to pods — newatlas — 6 September 2022 (LINK) Backed by Migros (link in French)
Coffee with a mission â€" from Switzerland, where else? (LINK)
Counterpoint
How Bill Gates is reinventing the toilet and why it's a game changer — benzinga — 28 August 2022: (LINK)
Perfumed toilets: going round the S-bend? (LINK)
From the field: Okinawa
Jon Mitchell's investigations for Okinawa Times — okinawatimes — 6 August 2022 — (LINK)
The Continuing Battle for Okinawa (LINK)
Culture: Films
JD Vance: Trump-backed contender clinches Ohio Senate race — BBC — 4 May 2022 (LINK)
What happened to J.D. Vance — motherjones — 3 May 2022 (LINK)
Understanding the hysteria over Hillbilly Elegy (LINK)
P.S. Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83 percent. Critics' score: 25 percent.
History: Holocaust
Anne Frank betrayal book pulled after findings discredited — BBC — 23 March 2022 (LINK)
Remembering Anne Frank — and Buddy Elias, guardian of a teenage legacy (LINK)
Environment
Rarely Seen Paintings by J.R.R. Tolkien Portray a Lush 'Lord of the Rings' Landscape — smithsonianmag — 18 March 2022 (LINK)
Tolkien's Switzerland — and much more — is in jeopardy (LINK)
Environment
Earthshot Prize: Costa Rica wins £1m from William's Earthshot prize — BBC — 18 October 2021 (LINK)
The winning project is a scheme paying local citizens to restore natural ecosystems that has led to a revival of the rainforest.
Another winner: Coral Vita, Bahamas: A project run by two best friends who are growing coral in the Bahamas, designed to restore the world's dying coral reefs. Using special tanks, they have developed a way to grow coral up to 50 times faster than they normally take in nature.
Coral Vita: Making reef rescue fun — and a business — (LINK)
Young conservationists call for help to take their seat at the table — genevasolutions — 14 September 2021 (LINK)
Agenda 2021: a youth cure for the UN (LINK)
Overfishing
Seven Reasons to Be Optimistic About the World's Oceans — smithsonianmag — 11 August 2021 (LINK)
Overfishing: The greatest threat to our oceans (LINK)
Bahamas
Businessman Mario Carey calls FTX's landing in The Bahamas 'the holy grail of financial services' — ewnews — 11 January 2022 (LINK)
Downhill from 2016: Grand Bahama growth "stunted" after back-to-back hurricanes, notes IDB report — ewnews — 22 September 2021 (LINK)
Real estate agent says cruise homeporting can revolutionize economy — ewnews — 22 September 2021 (LINK)
Caribbean Dreams – Economic Nightmares (LINK)
Travels in Switzerland
When the Nobel Prize Committee Rejected The Lord of the Rings: Tolkien "Has Not Measured Up to Storytelling of the Highest Quality" — (1961) openculture.com — 22 September 2021 (LINK)
 Tolkien's Switzerland â€" and much more â€" is in jeopardy (LINK)
Internet
Can MIT's Tim Berners-Lee Save the Web? — bostonmagazine — 14 September 2021 (LINK)
Tim Berners-Lee, a SOLID defender of Internet users (LINK)
From the Field
Why the Island Nation of Palau Is Going Crypto — decrypt — 12 January 2022 (LINK)
At the Edge of the World (LINK)
Coral Reefs
The Sudan expedition postponed to 2022 — trsc — 9 August 2021 (LINK)
"The postponement of this first mission is due to the prolonged immobilisation of the sailing vessel Fleur de Passion following an incident in the Gulf of Aqaba on July 21st."
Reef Rescue: ETH alumni Marie Griesmar and Ulrike Pfreundt are printing 3D Lego-like clay bricks to help rebuild and regenerate the world's coral reefs — the-good-times.org — 12 July 2021 (LINK)
First Immortal Cell Line Cultured for Reef-Building Corals — the-scientist.com — 1 July 2021 (LINK)
Transnational Red Sea project to save coral reefs launched in Aqaba (LINK)
The Last Great Coral Reef Wilderness (LINK)
Coral Vita: Making reef rescue fun â€" and a business (LINK)
Digital Switzerland
Internet Computer (ICP) logs revenge recovery after crashing 95% since launch — cointelegraph — 28 June 2021 (LINK)
A Swiss initiative to redo the Internet: crypto scepticism abounds (LINK)
International
Swiss court jails Liberian commander for 20 years in war crimes case court jails Liberian commander in war crimes case — swissinfo — 18 June 2021 (LINK)
"No mitigating circumstances were taken into account in the sentencing. A deportation from Switzerland was also ordered for a period of 15 years," the said. Kosiah was also ordered to pay compensation to seven plaintiffs. Human Rights Watch called the sentencing a "landmark".
Jungle Jabbah, Alieu Kosiah and the fight against war crimes impunity (LINK)
WTO
Incoming WTO head warns 'vaccine nationalism' could slow pandemic recovery — reuters — 16 February 2021 (LINK)
Pan(dem)ic policies: what WTO can do (LINK)
