By Julia Crawford, JusticeInfo.net MAY 23, 2016 – 17:00 An ICRC humanitarian convoy delivering aid to the residents of a suburb of Damascus held by rebels and under siege from government forces since 2013 (Reuters) The Geneva Conventions form the heart of International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which is supposed to […]
PRISONER TESTIMONIES Stories of torture in Syria shock Swiss students By Islah Bakhat, Bern MAY 18, 2016 – http://www.swissino.ch In Bern, some 170 pupils under the age of 20 came to hear the activists’ testimony. (swissinfo.ch) Two Syrian refugees have described to Swiss students the brutal torture they suffered while in […]
REDISTRIBUTION PROGRAMME MAY 13, 2016 – 15:32 The group is made up of asylum seekers who reached Italy via the Mediterranean (Keystone) A group of 10 asylum seekers from Italy has arrived in Switzerland under the European Union’s refugee relocation programme. They are part of a pilot group of 30 […]
NO STATUS see video report: http://tp.srgssr.ch/p/inline?urn=urn:swi:video:42046214 EMBED CODE APR 4, 2016 – 15:45 Sometimes asylum seekers go underground, as they have no hope of getting official refugee status. They’re known as “sans papiers” (without papers). (SRF/swissinfo.ch) Asylum is only granted to those who face persecution or imprisonment in their country […]
Family trusts US tax havens – the new Switzerland? By Kara Scannell and Vanessa Houlder May 9, 2016 – 09:14 What would the former US presidents have made of South Dakota’s status as a booming tax haven? (Keystone) After pursuing Swiss banks for helping Americans hide money, the United States […]
Published: 09 May 2016 http://www.thelocal.ch A ‘beard society’ in the Gruyère region of Switzerland marked its 75th anniversary on the weekend with a mini festival celebrating Swiss folk traditions. Yodelling, alphorn and artisan crafts were on the programme at the festival in Vuadens, in the canton of Fribourg, from […]
Despite the strong showing, ETH Zurich was down four places on last years result. Photo: Ed Seymour ETH Zurich rides high in key uni reputation poll Published: 06 May 2016 11:51 GMT+02:00 Swiss federal technology institute ETH Zurich is the highest rated university in continental Europe, a prestigious new survey […]
Australian model Mecca Laalaa in a tight-fitting Islamic swimsuit, or burqini. File photo: AFP Anger as Basel pool bans ‘maxi burqinis’ Published: 29 Apr 2016 12:23 GMT+02:00 Updated: 29 Apr 2016 14:00 GMT+02:00 A swimming pool in Basel which is popular with Muslims has banned certain types of burqinis as […]
Intelligence report May 2, 2016 – 16:02 Markus Seiler, head of the Federal Intelligence Service, presented his department’s latest report on Monday. (Keystone) In its latest report, the Federal Intelligence Service (FIS) has said it is monitoring the social media activity of about 400 potential jihadis. However, no individuals have […]
Helping hands (and feet) When humanitarian assistance turns hi-tech By Isobel Leybold-Johnson May 2, 2016 – 14:45 In 2014, the ICRC helped 300,000 people via its physical rehabilitation services and prostheses (cicr) An affordable prosthetic foot for war amputees is the Lausanne-based Humanitarian Tech Hub’s first project. The research and […]
This letter needs no explanation. Albert Einstein Today the word “Einstein” is synonymous with genius, but young Albert didn’t speak fluently until he was nine-years-old, causing teachers to think he was slow. He was expelled from school for his rebellious nature and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. […]
ALPINE RESEARCH Iron Age man was a fan of Swiss cheese APR 26, 2016 – 19:25 Dominique Yersin produces Etivaz cheese on the Le Grin alpine pasture at Chateau d’Oex […]
Photo: Josh Edelson/AFP Published: 25 Apr 2016 12:33 GMT+02:00 Solar Impulse 2, the Swiss-based plane attempting to be the first aircraft to circumnavigate the globe on solar power, has landed in California after crossing the Pacific from Hawaii. Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard completed the 62-hour leg of the journey on […]
APR 25, 2016 – 14:24 Many of the clandestine immigrants from Europe work in seasonal agricultural jobs (Keystone) According to a report released by the State Secretariat for Migration on Monday, the number of clandestine immigrants residing in Switzerland is estimated to have decreased over the last decade. The authorities […]
By John Heilprin Apr 22, 2016 – 11:00 Nature already needs extra protection, like the Rhone glacier where tarp is used to help prevent ice melt (Keystone) Switzerland’s essential alpine character stands little chance of surviving predicted man-made global warming, even if the Paris agreement succeeds in putting the world […]
RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS Swiss revealed to be a spiritual nation APR 22, 2016 – 11:00 Not so many people are going to church. but the Swiss still remain spiritual (Keystone) Although traditional places of worship are emptying, religious practices and beliefs continue to be upheld in Switzerland. Almost one in […]
APR 20, 2016 – swissinfo.ch The Yemeni civil war has been raging since early 2015 (Keystone) Swiss arms exports will resume to the Middle East, excluding weapons that could either be used in the Yemen conflict or by states to repress their own citizens. Wednesday’s cabinet decision partially lifts […]
Since 2013 Swiss women can legally keep their surname after marriage. Photo: Gary Minnaert Tradition still sways married Swiss women Published: 04 Apr 2016 12:20 GMT+02:00 Only one in five women married in Switzerland since 2013 chose to keep her maiden name after marriage since the law changed to allow […]
Photo: Martin Abegglen Published: 18 Apr 2016 The family of the two Muslim schoolboys who refused to shake hands with their female teachers has applied for Swiss citizenship, a local […]
APR 18, 2016 – swissinfo.ch So-called guest workers, mainly from Italy, supplied Switzerland’s need for labour after the Second World War (RDB) Switzerland is still wrestling with the thorny question of how to reconcile immigration quotas with the accord on the free movement of people. History may hold some answers – or […]