https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Members of France's 'yellow vest' movement are set to stage a protest outside the United Nations Office in Geneva on Wednesday, with organisers promising the demonstration will be peaceful. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190219/french-yellow-vest-protesters-to-stage-geneva-demo Tue, 19 Feb 2019 20:00:16 +0100 french-yellow-vest-protesters-to-stage-geneva-demo The UN on Monday settled a case filed by a former investigator claiming she faced retaliation for raising concerns 15 years ago over the handling of a suspected rape case. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180605/un-settles-sex-assault-retaliation-case-after-15-years Tue, 05 Jun 2018 10:55:23 +0200 un-settles-sex-assault-retaliation-case-after-15-years A woman who has accused a top UNAIDS official of sexual assault rejected on Monday the UN's decision to reopen the case, saying she has no confidence it will deliver justice. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180430/accuser-in-unaids-sexual-assault-case-rejects-new-probe-united-nations Mon, 30 Apr 2018 15:41:48 +0200 accuser-in-unaids-sexual-assault-case-rejects-new-probe-united-nations The United Nations asked donors on Tuesday for nearly $3 billion to help an estimated 13 million people who urgently need aid in war-ravaged Yemen. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180403/united-nations-launches-3-billion-yemen-appeal-geneva Tue, 03 Apr 2018 13:38:42 +0200 united-nations-launches-3-billion-yemen-appeal-geneva The United Nations on Thursday voiced outrage at the deaths of 68 people when a fire engulfed police holding cells in Venezuela and urged Caracas to investigate the tragedy. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180329/un-says-appalled-by-venezuela-prison-deaths-urges-probe Thu, 29 Mar 2018 23:16:24 +0200 un-says-appalled-by-venezuela-prison-deaths-urges-probe The head of the United Nations office in Geneva warned Friday that "trust" in the world body as an employer was taking a hit, as staff resumed striking over pay cuts. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180324/geneva-top-united-nations-official-backs-unions-as-strikes-persist-switzerland Sat, 24 Mar 2018 10:28:28 +0100 geneva-top-united-nations-official-backs-unions-as-strikes-persist-switzerland UN staff in Geneva have overwhelmingly voted to strike on Friday over "unfair" pay cuts, in a move sure to disrupt a wide range of activities at the world body's European headquarters. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180315/un-geneva-staff-agree-to-full-day-strike-over-pay-cuts-switzerland Thu, 15 Mar 2018 21:21:17 +0100 un-geneva-staff-agree-to-full-day-strike-over-pay-cuts-switzerland Nearly 100,000 people who fled Venezuela have claimed refugee status since the start of 2017, the UN said Tuesday, as it ramped up response plans for a displacement crisis likely to worsen. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180314/refugee-claims-by-venezuelans-surging-united-nations Wed, 14 Mar 2018 09:20:57 +0100 refugee-claims-by-venezuelans-surging-united-nations United Nations staff in Geneva carried out a two-hour work stoppage Monday over "unfair" pay cuts, briefly disrupting high-level events with the secretary-general and government ministers in attendance. https://www.thelocal.ch/20180227/geneva-striking-un-employees-delay-high-level-events-switzerland Tue, 27 Feb 2018 09:55:27 +0100 geneva-striking-un-employees-delay-high-level-events-switzerland New tougher controls security controls were introduced at the United Nations Office at Geneva on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160623/un-steps-up-security-in-geneva Thu, 23 Jun 2016 13:04:45 +0200 un-steps-up-security-in-geneva Former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is currently probing rights abuses in Syria, on Monday backed Russia's air strikes on "terrorist groups" in the war-torn country. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160208/del-ponte-backs-russian-intervention-in-syria Mon, 08 Feb 2016 22:44:32 +0100 del-ponte-backs-russian-intervention-in-syria The UN special envoy for Syria announced on Wednesday a "temporary pause" until February 25th of troubled talks in Geneva aimed at ending the country's brutal civil war. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160203/syrian-opposition-leader-arrives-for-geneva-talks Wed, 03 Feb 2016 19:46:51 +0100 syrian-opposition-leader-arrives-for-geneva-talks The UN human rights chief said on Monday that those committing crimes against humanity in Syria's brutal war should not be let off under any deal, as peace talks struggled in Geneva. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160201/syria-crimes-against-humanity-should-not-be-let-off Mon, 01 Feb 2016 16:38:29 +0100 syria-crimes-against-humanity-should-not-be-let-off The UN said on Thursday that there was no postponement of Syria peace talks due to start on Friday in Geneva, despite uncertainty around whether the main opposition umbrella group would attend. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160128/un-set-to-start-syria-peace-talks-in-geneva Thu, 28 Jan 2016 20:32:01 +0100 un-set-to-start-syria-peace-talks-in-geneva Syria peace talks are expected to begin within a few days, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Zurich on Wednesday, adding that Moscow was ready to cooperate closer with the United States on Syria aid supplies. https://www.thelocal.ch/20160120/syria-peace-talks-set-to-start-russian-minister Wed, 20 Jan 2016 19:18:58 +0100 syria-peace-talks-set-to-start-russian-minister The UN's envoy on Syria, Staffan de Mistura, held meetings in Geneva this week aimed at reviving peace talks, a statement said on Tuesday, amid mounting pressure to end the four-year war. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150923/geneva-efforts-continue-on-syrian-peace-talks Wed, 23 Sep 2015 10:56:23 +0200 geneva-efforts-continue-on-syrian-peace-talks The Swiss federal government has approved a 400-million-franc ($412-million) interest-free loan for the renovation of the United Nations building in Geneva. https://www.thelocal.ch/20150914/switzerland-green-lights-loan-for-un-renovations Mon, 14 Sep 2015 12:58:19 +0200 switzerland-green-lights-loan-for-un-renovations Syrian government forces are waging a campaign of siege warfare and starvation against civilians as part of their military strategy, a UN-mandated commission said in Geneva on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140305/un-probe-decries-syrian-sieges-and-starvation Wed, 05 Mar 2014 18:17:50 +0100 un-probe-decries-syrian-sieges-and-starvation Prominent Syrian filmmaker Mohammad Malas has been prevented by authorities in his country from leaving his homeland to attend a human rights film festival in Geneva, a news media report says. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140304/syrian-cineaste-denied-right-to-attend-swiss-festival Tue, 04 Mar 2014 23:26:00 +0100 syrian-cineaste-denied-right-to-attend-swiss-festival The conflict in Syria is a poster child for the United Nations’ failure to live up to its proper dispute prevention and resolution role. https://www.thelocal.ch/20140218/uns-syria-mediator-should-keep-open-mind Tue, 18 Feb 2014 20:50:00 +0100 uns-syria-mediator-should-keep-open-mind