Swiss resorts in uphill battle over no snow, franc
By CAROLINE COPLEY | REUTERS ZURICH: Armed with snow canons and cut-price hotel deals some of Switzerland’s ski resorts, already beleaguered by the strong Swiss franc, are grappling with another […]
Federer wins sixth World Tours Final
by Thomas Stephens, swissinfo.ch and agencies Swiss tennis star Roger Federer has beaten Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 in a nail-biting match to win a record sixth title at the […]
Daredevil ‘Jetman’ soars over Alps in latest stunt
The Swiss adventurer Yves Rossy dons a jet suit and flies in formation with two Albatross jets over the Swiss Alps. The 51-year-old former pilot, who calls himself “Jetman,” took to the skies wearing a 120lb custom-built jet suit over the Alps in formation with the Breitling jet team. The […]
Integration reform faces state funding hurdles
by Urs Geiser, swissinfo.ch The justice ministry appears to have some way to go to win support for its proposals aimed at boosting integration of foreigners. The increased role of […]
Jordan: ‘Over 40 applications for independent municipalities received’
By Khaled Neimat, Jordan Times AMMAN – The government on Saturday said it has received 40 applications from communities seeking to form independent municipalities. Other applications, still in the hands of governors, are expected to be turned over to the government soon, Minister of Municipal Affairs Mahir Abul Samin said […]
Study pinpoints “upheaval” in Jewish community
source: swissinfo (this study dates back to September 2010). by Jessica Dacey, swissinfo.ch The most significant study of Judaism in Switzerland in 50 years has revealed a community in a state of major flux. Many Jews no longer identify themselves with the rules of traditional orthodox communities and instead are […]
Illuminating Jewish culture and history
by Isobel Leybold-Johnson in Zurich, swissinfo.ch When a private collection of beautiful Hebrew manuscripts belonging to Swiss businessman René Braginsky first came to light it caused a sensation. Some of […]
ICRC says it has visited Gaddafi son in prison
The Geneva-based International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said it has visited Saif al-Islam Gaddafi in detention on Tuesday.“The ICRC visited Saif al-Islam Gaddafi this afternoon in Zintan. He appeared to be in good health,” ICRC spokesman Steven Anderson told Reuters. Zintan is a small city in north-western […]
Child custody plan to ease bitter divorce battle
by Urs Geiser, swissinfo.ch A government proposal to introduce joint parental responsibility for divorced couples has been widely welcomed. However, the controversial issue of child support payments has been excluded and will be dealt with next year. It is now up to parliament to discuss the necessary legal amendments as […]
‘Religious education enforces mutual understanding’
By Laila Azzeh, Jordan Times. AMMAN – Clerics, intellectuals and researchers convened yesterday to discuss different approaches to teaching religion in schools and universities in the region, stressing the importance of inter-religious education to promote tolerance and understanding. Held under the patronage of HRH Prince Hassan, the symposium, “An Introduction […]
Zurich protestors move to church grounds
A Zurich church has granted anti-capitalist demonstrators a new site to set up camp after they were cleared by police from the Lindenhof area on Tuesday morning. Demonstrators had been in the area as part of the global Occupy movement which is protesting against the excesses of the financial sector […]
Massive bill for UN building renovations
The United Nations has estimated that repairs to its European headquarters in Geneva will cost upwards of SFr618 million ($675 million). A technical study found that the Palais des Nations repairs were urgent as failings posed health and safety risks to delegates, staff, civil society and the tens of thousands […]
Fribourg University conceals an oriental gem
by Islah Bakhat in Fribourg, swissinfo.ch The narrow display hall of the Bible+Orient Museum is rich in treasures, some 15,000 unique pieces from the ancient Near East, valued at SFr8 million ($8.9 million). Often overlooked, the museum serves to recall the common roots between the three monotheistic religions and to […]
Catholic Church issues mea culpa on apartheid
by Jean-Michel Berthoud, swissinfo.ch The Catholic Church in Switzerland dealt with apartheid “hesitantly” and allowed itself to be influenced by business interests, a church-commissioned study has found. Historians looked into the church’s approach to South Africa’s racial segregation regime between 1970 and 1990 and found “a cautious and rather hesitant […]
Muslims protest at mosque attack
A dead pig and four pig heads were buried on the site of a future mosque in an anonymous anti-Islam attack, police said. The attackers sent anonymous letters to the media in the region near the mosque site in the town of Grenchen in canton Solothurn. In the letter they […]
Swatch Group says rivals help Asian watch fakes
By REUTERS ZURICH: Swatch Group SA will cut supplies of watch movements to competitors to force them to invest in their own production and choke off exports to Asia where they may be used to make fake Swiss products, its Chief Executive Nick Hayek said. His comments are the latest […]
Hajj – a personal experience
By the grace of Allah I have been able to perform Hajj 3 times and Umra an additional 2 times. It was always a great experience, so great in fact that it is difficult to describe. But let me try … The last time I went for Hajj was 6 […]
The formative Swiss years of a Thai king
by Marc-André Miserez, swissinfo.ch Before he became the king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej lived an almost ordinary life as a student on Lake Geneva in western Switzerland. A new book, written in French by Swiss journalist and author Olivier Grivat, looks at the adolescence of a shy young man, who […]
Support group try to break alcoholic taboo
Nearly half the Swiss population is in some way affected by alcohol problems, an addiction support group has said. Addiction Info Suisse is launching a new round-the-clock manned website to help alcoholics and their friends and family with questions and problems. The group hopes the website will help overcome the […]