Cluster: Archive

Federalism offers hope for conflict resolution

This content was published on Sep 27, 2003 The Institute of Federalism also aims to teach students attending its summer course to adopt a more broad-minded, multicultural attitude. “I come from a country, where terrible things have happened,” says Lidija Basta Fleiner, who grew up in the former Yugoslavia, and who now heads the International Research and Consulting Centre (IRCC) at the institute.…

Last orders for absinthe ban

This content was published on Sep 26, 2003 In a week when parliament rejected proposals to decriminalise cannabis, it gave the green light to moves to lift the ban on the toxic tipple. The Senate’s decision paves the way for a formal proposal legalising production of the drink, to be introduced into parliament next year. Urs Klemm, deputy director of the Federal Health…

Old suspicions die hard

This content was published on Sep 26, 2003 Many poorer countries think the rich world should contribute new money to achieve that objective, but the industrialised nations want existing aid to be redirected. Most African nations are rallying behind Senegal’s proposal to create a solidarity fund that would provide new funding for ICT-related projects in developing countries. “We would like to see a…

Uncertainty dogs Switzerland’s first UN summit

This content was published on Sep 26, 2003 But Switzerland, which is to host the event in December, is confident that delegates will eventually agree on a common declaration on the “information society”. “I’m neither disappointed nor discouraged by the outcome,” the director of the Swiss Federal Office for Communication, Marc Furrer, told swissinfo. “These are very difficult topics, such as freedom of…

Switzerland’s largest IT fair shifts focus

This content was published on Sep 25, 2003 This year Orbit/Comdex has shifted its focus onto the high-tech needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). But the fair appears to be a mere shadow of its former self; in its heyday, it attracted an impressive 110,000 visitors. Management then decided the event had grown too big and chose to target the business sector…

Cannabis decision exposes political fears

This content was published on Sep 25, 2003 But the Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Addiction told swissinfo the vote exposed a serious lack of courage. On Thursday, the House of Representatives rejected legislation that would have allowed possession and production of cannabis for personal use, as well as limited trade in the drug. The bill, which had already been…

Women face retirement at 65

This content was published on Sep 25, 2003 The changes to the state pension scheme were agreed despite fierce opposition from centre-left and Green parties. Under the reforms, due to come into force in 2009, the retirement age for women will be raised from the current 63 to 65 years. The retirement age for men will remain at 65. Raising the retirement age…

Mediator to tackle airport noise row

This content was published on Sep 25, 2003 Transport Minister Moritz Leuenberger announced the decision after meeting representatives of the airport, the affected cantons and the national airline, Swiss. Leuenberger insisted that a new approach was necessary to end the current stand-off and to improve an atmosphere that the minister described as “spiteful”. “At the moment all parties are feeling aggrieved and ignored,”…

Europe heads for the Moon

This content was published on Sep 25, 2003 The Smart-1 spacecraft with a Swiss camera aboard will study the Moon more accurately than ever before. The main purpose of the mission is to test a new propulsion system, which is more efficient than traditional rocket technology for long distance space journeys. Smart-1 is very small, measuring just one cubic metre and weighing less…

Appenzell parades its bovine beauties

This content was published on Sep 24, 2003 For the first time, tourism chiefs are promoting bovine beauty shows where prize specimens can walk off with awards for udder beauty or lifetime achievement. The most important seasons in rural Appenzell are not Christmas or Easter, but the times when the cows are moved up to mountain pastures or brought home, and when they…

Cluster: Archive

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Cluster: Archive

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Federalism offers hope for conflict resolution

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Last orders for absinthe ban

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Old suspicions die hard

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Uncertainty dogs Switzerland’s first UN summit

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Switzerland’s largest IT fair shifts focus

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Cannabis decision exposes political fears

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Women face retirement at 65

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Mediator to tackle airport noise row

More

Europe heads for the Moon

More

Appenzell parades its bovine beauties

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