Swiss Abroad

Ban Ki-moon thanks “punctual” Deiss

This content was published on Sep 12, 2011 Deiss, from the centre-right Christian Democratic Party, said on Monday that the General Assembly had perceived its role as a moral force for strengthening the UN. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon thanked Deiss for doing a “super job in a very demanding year”. Ban added that Deiss had always been punctual – “a real inspiration…

Swiss Politics

Paralysed WTO celebrates new Geneva building

This content was published on Sep 12, 2011 Monday’s symbolic ceremony comes at a difficult time for the organisation, which is struggling to find a way forward on the ten-year-old Doha trade talks. At the building site on the WTO’s former car park overlooking Lake Geneva, two huge cranes turn gracefully on their axes to the sounds of drills and hammers. Teams of…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey attends security meeting in Geneva

This content was published on Sep 12, 2011 The working meeting follows the alleged violent assault of the son of a United Nations diplomat in the centre of Geneva in July which gained widespread attention and raised concerns over safety in the western city. Very little was divulged about Monday’s session of the “Permanent Joint Confederation-Canton Geneva Group on Priorities for International Geneva”,…

Swiss Politics

Mobile phones ring debt alarms

This content was published on Sep 12, 2011 The area in which these debtors owe most – SFr468 ($530) on average – is for subscriptions for their mobile phones and the internet. Other areas where they are pushed into in the red are health bills (SFr254) and online shopping (SFr106). Young men are almost twice as likely as young women to rack up…

Swiss Politics

Swiss freeze further Syrian funds

This content was published on Sep 12, 2011 The sum of blocked assets now totals SFr45 million. In May the Swiss government announced sanctions against Syria, including a freeze on any assets held in Swiss banks by 13 members of the Syrian regime. Since then, sanctions have been extended to 34 individuals and four companies. It remains to be decided whether Bern will…

Swiss Politics

Disabled protest at training cuts

This content was published on Sep 12, 2011 The petition is a response to planned government measures aimed at saving about half the costs for the professional training of disabled youngsters as part of its revision to the invalidity insurance system. Under the proposed measures, people receiving invalidity benefits will only get their apprenticeship financed if it is likely to enable them to…

Swiss Politics

US embassy in Bern remembers 9/11

This content was published on Sep 11, 2011 About 250 people, among them a mix of diplomats and Americans living in Switzerland, gathered in the garden of the embassy residence. At exactly 2.46pm – the central European time of the attack on the World Trade Center in New York ten years ago – US Ambassador Donald Beyer called for a moment of silence.…

Swiss Politics

Swiss New Yorkers reflect on 9/11

This content was published on Sep 10, 2011 On September 11, 2001, Beat Baudenbacher was at his office early when his colleagues began streaming in with news that the twin towers had been hit by two passenger planes. He left his office, and saw the second tower collapse. “There were other planes in the sky and that was scary. I remember thinking for…

Swiss Politics

Cabinet vacancy to define final campaign stage

This content was published on Sep 9, 2011 Political scientist Claude Longchamp says the planned resignation of the social democrat foreign minister, Micheline Calmy-Rey, marks a shift from specific topics, including immigrants, nuclear energy and the economy, to a personality-focused campaign. The latest survey by his leading gfs.berne polling and research institute was carried out among more than 2,000 citizens across the country…

Swiss Politics

Police on high alert for election rallies

This content was published on Sep 9, 2011 A similar rally held by the party during the election campaign in October 2007 was marred by violence as hundreds of leftwing militants prevented People’s Party supporters from marching through the capital to the parliament building. Leftwing activists have called for a gathering “against racism” in Bern on Saturday which will coincide with the People’s…

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Ban Ki-moon thanks “punctual” Deiss

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Paralysed WTO celebrates new Geneva building

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Calmy-Rey attends security meeting in Geneva

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Mobile phones ring debt alarms

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Swiss freeze further Syrian funds

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Disabled protest at training cuts

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US embassy in Bern remembers 9/11

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Swiss New Yorkers reflect on 9/11

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Cabinet vacancy to define final campaign stage

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Police on high alert for election rallies

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