Swiss Abroad

Arab democracy protests could threaten Israel

This content was published on May 9, 2011 Walter Haffner also tells swissinfo.ch that the agreement aimed at uniting the main Palestinian factions is a positive development. The interview was conducted on the sidelines of the regional conference of Swiss ambassadors that took place in Tunis from May 1 to 3. swissinfo.ch: What impact has the reconciliation pact signed between Fatah and Hamas…

Swiss Politics

UN summit for poorest nations begins

This content was published on May 9, 2011 The UN Conference on the Least Developed Countries opened on Monday in Istanbul. Before its close on Friday, it aims to approve a new action plan to improve the situation for the 48 least developed countries, 33 of which are in Africa. The conference will first review the results of the last action plan drawn…

Swiss Politics

Violent anarchist groups go global

This content was published on May 8, 2011 The group of anarchists from Italy believed to be behind the attacks are connected to three alleged eco-terrorists in detention in Switzerland. The most recent attack involved a letter bomb sent to the office of the Swiss nuclear power lobby organisation at the end of March. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said it believed the group…

Swiss Politics

Swiss screw tightens on beggars

This content was published on May 8, 2011 Lausanne is the latest focus of attention. Residents there are likely to vote on a people’s initiative which has just been handed in urging a ban on professional begging in the western Swiss city. “Begging has existed for several years in Lausanne but recently there has been a change; some beggars are more aggressive and…

Swiss Politics

Aged “should have easier assisted suicide access”

This content was published on May 8, 2011 Exit, which helped 257 people to die last year, amended its statutes accordingly on Saturday, the organisation said on Sunday. The goal is the reduction of “unnecessary hurdles placed in the way of the aged who are of a sound mind and wish to die,” the Exit statement said. The change of Exit’s statutes comes…

Swiss Politics

More Swiss train in Islamic militant camps

This content was published on May 8, 2011 In an interview with the SonntagsZeitung newspaper, Maurer said the government was aware of Swiss who went to these training camps, and others who visited Koran schools. He said the federal intelligence service had a good overview of Switzerland’s “Jihad fighters”, but refused to give any figures. According to the intelligence service, a militant Islamic…

Swiss Politics

Lebanon’s gas rights defended in Switzerland

This content was published on May 7, 2011 Earlier this week representatives from across the Lebanese political spectrum came together at a meeting in Geneva organised by the Swiss Association for Euro-Arab-Muslim Dialogue (ASDEAM). Considering the level of tension in the region – Israel is still technically at war with Lebanon – and the ultimate prize of self-sufficiency in energy provision, the battle…

Swiss Politics

ART: Shanshui. Landscapes in Chinese Modern Art

This content was published on May 6, 2011 In collaboration with Ai Weiwei, probably the most famous contemporary Chinese artist, the exhibition encompasses historical Shanshui paintings and examples of major protagonists of Chinese contemporary art, taken from the comprehensive collection of Uli Sigg. The exhibition is curated by Ai Weiwei, Peter Fischer and Uli Sigg.

Swiss Politics

Victim of Morocco attack succumbs to injuries

This content was published on May 6, 2011 The woman was on holiday with three companions when the attack on the café in the busy Djemma el-Fna square occurred. Two of the woman’s companions, a Swiss and a Portuguese resident of Switzerland aged 25 and 23, were killed immediately. The funeral of the woman’s boyfriend was held on Friday in Ticino. Announcing the death,…

Swiss Politics

Bahrain death sentences cause concern

This content was published on May 6, 2011 The ministry has called on the Bahrain government to commute the sentences as part of a review of the decisions. The four were sentenced on April 28 following a closed hearing by a military tribunal. “Bahrain has only very rarely pronounced and applied a death penalty in recent years,” the ministry said in a statement.…

Swiss Abroad

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