Switzerland is notorious for its banking system, not just for the excellence and accuracy that banks pledge to their customers but also for the anonymity they provide to them. In 1934, The Swiss Banking Law made it a criminal offence for Swiss banks to disclose the name of account holders. The protections and liberties provided by this financial veil has led to many unethical clients seeking refuge with large Swiss banks.
In 399 BC, Greek philosopher Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth of Athens and the citizens of Athens voted to sentence him to death by hemlock poisoning. In an ironic twist, Socrates refused and offer of help to escape Athens. Whether this was his own criticism of the uninformed masses making decisions, or respecting and standing by his values, the take-away from the vote on his death is that majority opinion does not equal truth.
The current government has already had to overcome many contentious issues in its short lifespan, striving to maintain stability. With more challenges on the horizon and ongoing within the government, we must ask if this stability will hold. The controversy surrounding CETA and rumours that Green Party TDs may leave the party has raised eyebrows recently, and fierce opposition to CETA has forced the government to push the Bill to an Oireachtas Committee for review. Pairing this with battles with unions over the reopening of schools and recent issues with thousands travelling abroad for non-essential reasons means the government may be facing a rocky couple of months.
The newly elected American President, Joseph R. Biden, is on the warpath along with much of the Democratic party, to pass the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief packages through the US Congress.
The news that Saudi Arabia would cut oil production by 1 million buckets per day (m b/d) from 9.1 million came as a welcome surprise to many, none more so than Russian energy minister Alexander Novak. The shock announcement came at an OPEC+ (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) convention in early January 2021, and we are only now beginning to see its impact on the future market.
Association of Secondary School Teachers Ireland abandon government talks:
