Cluster: Swiss Identity

Fighting discrimination in colour, with a smile

This content was published on Jul 11, 2012 The rights of homosexual and transexual people are still not fully recognised by the authorities – the adoption of children by same sex couples is not permitted and Switzerland still lacks a law against discrimination, underlined the organisers of Zurich Pride Festival. The Festival also sought to draw attention to the intolerable plight of many…

Education

Helping teenagers understand sexual orientation

This content was published on Jul 11, 2012 “The first time I heard about homosexuality I was quite young; it was when an uncle of mine came to a family occasion accompanied by another man”, explained a girl to her classmates. “I must have been about ten, and it was with a schoolmate,” recalled another pupil. More dramatic is the story told by…

Demographics

Tax rates stay low despite rising costs

This content was published on Jul 10, 2012 Only three of the 19 cantons surveyed (out of 26) had raised income taxes for high income earners and just one has announced a hike in corporate levies. Some cantons even reduced taxes last year in the face of worsening economic conditions. Plunging stock markets and the increasingly volatile global economy have blown big holes…

Demographics

The changing face of German immigration

This content was published on Jul 10, 2012 Education and know-how are natural resources which have helped make Switzerland one of the foremost research centres in the world. Yet, the science community depends on foreigners to make up for the shortage of young academics with Swiss passports. Germany is the main reservoir for the necessary manpower, as official data confirms. The number of…

Culture

Germans in Switzerland: so near, and yet so far

This content was published on Jul 10, 2012 German residents have more than doubled their numbers in Switzerland in the past ten years, becoming the second largest group of foreigners in the country. Some Swiss are concerned about the influx. Highly qualified Germans are now able to compete directly with Swiss citizens for top jobs. Flare ups of “German bashing”, notably from the…

Demographics

Foreign residents – home improvement?

This content was published on Jul 10, 2012

Demographics

Atomic facilities able to resist major tremors

This content was published on Jul 9, 2012 On Monday, the nuclear watchdog announced that Switzerland’s nuclear power plants had provided proof that the cooling systems for their reactors and the associated spent uranium storage pools could resist a so-called “10,000-year” earthquake and any subsequent flooding. They would also be able to stay well within the limit set for radiation exposure in the…

Demographics

“My mother’s dying wish was to die”

This content was published on Jul 9, 2012 “She came back cheerful and calm. She just wanted to get it over with,” daughter Bettina Kläy recalls. “She didn’t want to listen to music, although she loved music. It was as if she was finished with life.” By allowing Trechsel to come to her home to end her life in June 2004, Kläy was…

Demographics

Finding a place for assisted suicide in society

This content was published on Jul 9, 2012 The two main Swiss assisted suicide organisations – Exit and Dignitas – made it possible for 560 people to end their lives in 2011. This equates to one in three of all suicides in Switzerland. While the right to die is consistently backed by a majority of the electorate, there are details within the practice…

Demographics

Federer back on top of the world says Swiss press

This content was published on Jul 9, 2012 At 30, Federer equalled a record by claiming the tournament title for the seventh time on Sunday, beating Andy Murray of Britain, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. He also ensured he would be sitting on top of the world ranking, putting him level with American Pete Sampras’ record of 286 weeks as number one. The media…

Cluster: Swiss Identity

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