Lack of protection : Kosovan minorities struggle after repatriation
by Veronica DeVore, swissinfo.ch Mar 15, 2013 – 21:42 Roma and other minorities forcibly sent back to Kosovo from Switzerland after the Kosovan war ended are not being cared for […]
UN rights council adopts Swiss report – Switzerland has rejected calls from numerous states to reverse the ban on the construction of new minarets.
by Simon Bradley, in Geneva, swissinfo.ch Mar 14, 2013 – Switzerland has vowed to improve its human rights record and has accepted 100 suggestions by other states at the UN Human Rights Council. Activists commend the Swiss authorities’ inclusive approach but say they lack “political courage”. The final report of […]
Switzerland: Integrating Foreigners: Cabinet agrees criteria for permanent residency
by Urs Geiser, swissinfo.ch Mar 8, 2013 Foreigners seeking permanent residency in Switzerland must speak one of the country’s four national languages, according to a government proposal. The bill includes […]
Indonesia gets “Gold Certificate” award in Basel trade exhibition
The Jakarta Post, Indonesia’s recent participation in the Mustermesse Basel (Muba) trade fair in Switzerland has received a “Gold Certificate” award for its innovative and entertaining pavilion. The award was […]
From Baghdad to Tripoli: Cultural connections open diplomatic doors
by Rachid Khachana in Doha, swissinfo.ch Mar 4, 2013 While serving in diplomatic posts across the Arab world, the current Swiss ambassador to Qatar found that speaking the local language […]
Internet dangers: Parents underestimate kids’ online experience
by Jeannie Wurz, swissinfo.ch Mar 1, 2013 – 15:31 Half the nine- to 16-year-olds in Switzerland have been exposed via the Internet to sex pictures, depictions of violence, or cybermobbing, or have had contact with strangers, according to a study by the University of Zurich. Parents in Switzerland are to […]
Farewell: Swiss Guards seal end of Pope Benedict’s reign
Feb 28, 2013 – 21:31 The Swiss Papal Guards have marked the ofiicial resignation of Pope Benedict after seven years in office. In a symbolic gesture, the sentry closed the […]
‘Several’ killed in Switzerland shooting
Several people have been killed or wounded during a shooting at a factory in Lucerne, Switzerland, police have said. The Telegraph UK A hotline was set up for families and […]
A $100 BILLION MARKET : Mercenary firms: a lucrative niche market
by Frédéric Burnand, Geneva, swissinfo.ch European states are subcontracting an increasing number of tasks to private military companies to cut their armies’ sizes and budgets. These mainly US firms cost them dearly, however, says military expert Alexandre Vautravers. Since the 1990s, the United States Armed Forces and particularly also the […]
Muslims shocked by pork in Swiss kebabs
A Swiss laboratory discovered traces of pork in seven out of twenty tests carried out on kebabs sold in several of the country’s cities, say shocked local Muslim authorities “Sample […]
Quick tips for writing the perfect Swiss CV (Just in case you are looking for a job there).
If you’re about to apply for a job, there’s no doubt that a good CV is more important than ever. Every country, though, has a slightly different approach to the perfect resume. Rebekka Affolter, who writes the blog for leading Swiss recruitment website swissjobs.ch, tells The Local how to polish […]
Thieves steal diamonds from Swiss aircraft
Eight masked gunmen have snatched some CHF46 million ($50 million) worth of diamonds from the hold of a Zurich-bound Helvetic Airways plane at Brussels airport without firing a shot, the […]
SURRENDER? Vasella drops massive and controversial payout (or how to loose 72 million Swiss Francs in an instant)
by Chantal Britt, swissinfo.ch Feb 19, 2013 – 10:59 Outgoing Novartis chairman Daniel Vasella has chosen to forego a CHF72 million ($78 million) payout to prevent him from working for […]
Syrian human rights violators ‘should face court’ (or: one-sided justice is no justice!)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) should take on the cases of “very high officials” who have perpetrated human rights violations in Syria, according to Carla del Ponte, a member of a special United Nations Commission of Inquiry (CoI). Del Ponte, a former Swiss federal prosecutor who also served as prosecutor […]
Red Cross celebrates 150th anniversary
The world’s oldest aid organisation, the International Committee of the Red Cross, is marking its 150th anniversary today. Since its inception, the ICRC has brought relief to the victims of […]
South African Initiative: Swiss push reconciliation plan for Sri Lanka
by Simon Bradley, swissinfo.ch Almost four years after Sri Lankan government forces crushed Tamil rebels, Switzerland is backing a South African post-Apartheid reconciliation initiative to bring parties to the negotiating […]
US citizenship turns onerous for expats
Scott Schmith is a patriot and a US military veteran but he is no longer a US citizen. Sick of complex tax rules making his life in Switzerland miserable he […]
Switzerland: More foreigners and fewer naturalisations
The number of non-Swiss living in Switzerland rose slightly in 2012 to 1.825 million, a three per cent increase over 2011, the Federal Migration Office reported on Friday. Foreigners continue to make up roughly 20 per cent of the population. The increase was primarily attributed to migration by citizens of […]
Belated honour: POW medal recognises US aviators’ suffering (an interesting glimpse at Worldwar II history in Switzerland)
by Olivier Grivat, swissinfo.ch Feb 11, 2013 – 16:00 Nearly 70 years after being interned in a Swiss disciplinary camp and, for many, punished for trying to escape, a group […]
Border History: Nazi hunter says Swiss rejected fewer Jews
by Clare O’Dea, swissinfo.ch Renowned French Nazi hunter and historian Serge Klarsfeld has claimed that far fewer Jewish refugees were turned away at Swiss borders than previously thought. Klarsfeld puts […]