Cluster: Swiss Abroad

Del Ponte hints at departure from diplomacy

This content was published on May 25, 2009 The former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia made the comments on Saturday, as she collected the prestigious Orvieto International Human Rights Prize in Italy. Del Ponte, who is currently serving as Swiss ambassador to Argentina, said that after her diplomatic mandate runs out in 2010, she would devote herself…

Swiss Politics

Deep rift remains in Sri Lanka, expert warns

This content was published on May 24, 2009 Martin Stürzinger believes the government victory over the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the death of their leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, is hardly going to open the door to reconciliation. On Sunday, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for an investigation into accusations of human-rights violations committed by the army during the…

Swiss Politics

Second case of swine flu confirmed

This content was published on May 22, 2009 The patient returned from a trip to Mexico and the United States on May 17 and complained of flu symptoms the next day. She was immediately put under medical supervision, along with people she had been in close contact with. She was moved to an isolation ward in Bern’s university hospital on Wednesday, and her…

Swiss Politics

Charities increase help for Pakistan

This content was published on May 21, 2009 The news comes as Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani asked aid groups and other countries for help to rebuild this conflict-affected region and to stabilize the country. The Pakistan military launched an offensive earlier this month in the Swat Valley and neighbouring districts to stop the spread of a Taliban insurgency. Caritas and Swiss…

Swiss Politics

Fight for survival threatens company rules

This content was published on May 20, 2009 Some 40 per cent of respondents thought some forms of unethical behaviour, such as bribing to win contracts, would be currently acceptable. European counterparts are even more willing to bend the rules. The European corporate fraud survey by consultancy firm Ernst & Young threw up some worrying data about how far workers would be prepared…

Swiss Politics

Bern awaits more Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka

This content was published on May 20, 2009 The country has long been a destination for Tamil refugees and many of the Swiss Tamil community have relatives in the north of Sri Lanka. But concerns have been raised that people will not be able to flee. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared his country “liberated” from the Tamil Tigers on Tuesday, after a…

Swiss Politics

Georgia and Russia resume security talks

This content was published on May 19, 2009 Representatives of Russia and the Moscow-backed rebel region of South Ossetia had left the talks on Monday, citing the refusal to attend of another Moscow-backed rebel region, Abkhazia. When the talks resumed, the two sides split into two working groups to discuss security and humanitarian issues, a source close to the process said. They broke…

Swiss Politics

Swiss call for political dialogue in Sri Lanka

This content was published on May 19, 2009 It regretted however that international humanitarian law had been violated and appealed to all parties to comply with and to ensure respect for international regulations and obligations. “Switzerland calls on Sri Lanka to grant rapid and unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to the distressed population, particularly for internally displaced persons,” it said in a statement…

Swiss Politics

Campaign launched for vote on tax increase

This content was published on May 19, 2009 Voters have the final word in September on a temporary increase of value added tax (VAT) to shore up the ailing disability insurance scheme. Couchepin said the modest tax increase – an additional 0.4 per cent for seven years from 2010 – would not harm the purchasing power of consumers and slow economic growth. “It…

Swiss Politics

Therapy supporters roll up sleeves after vote

This content was published on May 19, 2009 The most politicised issue of the proposals – supported by two-thirds of voters on Sunday – called for therapies to be included on the constitutional list of paid health services. The interior ministry had struck complementary therapies off the list in 2005 amid rising national health costs, arguing they failed to meet the criteria of…

Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Cluster: Swiss Abroad

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Del Ponte hints at departure from diplomacy

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Deep rift remains in Sri Lanka, expert warns

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Second case of swine flu confirmed

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Charities increase help for Pakistan

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Fight for survival threatens company rules

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Bern awaits more Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka

More

Georgia and Russia resume security talks

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Swiss call for political dialogue in Sri Lanka

More

Campaign launched for vote on tax increase

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Therapy supporters roll up sleeves after vote

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