Swiss Abroad

Cabinet rejects gag on official information

This content was published on Mar 10, 2008 Interior Minister Pascal Couchepin said it was in the interests of voters and democracy to learn all the facts about an issue at stake. He added that acceptance of the proposal, to come to a nationwide vote on June 1, would mean a reversal of current practice. However, the government approved a plan to grant…

Swiss Politics

Forced marriages are also a Swiss problem

This content was published on Mar 10, 2008 According to Lathan Suntharalingam, a local politician campaigning against such marriages, it is an integration problem which can’t be solved through “multicultural do-gooding”. Forced marriages are those taking place under community or parental pressure, normally among immigrants. In some cases, violence and emotional blackmail is employed both before and after the wedding. There is evidence…

Swiss Politics

Thousands of army guns are lost

This content was published on Mar 9, 2008 The statistics come as calls mount for a ban on military weapons being stored at home by members of Switzerland’s 120,000-member conscript army. Defence ministry spokesman Felix Endrich has confirmed a report that appeared in Sunday’s Le Matin Dimanche newspaper that the guns had been stolen or lost outside military service. In addition, around 260…

Swiss Politics

Swiss and South Africans boost relations

This content was published on Mar 8, 2008 The move followed a meeting between Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey and her South African counterpart Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma in Geneva, said the Swiss Foreign Ministry. It will set the framework for a regular political dialogue and a first meeting is expected to take place in May, said a foreign ministry statement. The ministers also…

Swiss Politics

Group calls for action over female trafficking

This content was published on Mar 8, 2008 Supporters want to use the Euro 08 football championships, being co-hosted by Switzerland and Austria this summer, to draw attention to the issue – with male fans being a target. “Euro 08 against Trafficking in Women”, a coalition of around 23 non-governmental organisations, has been holding demonstrations in four Swiss cities on Saturday and has…

Swiss Politics

Army may send soldiers abroad for training

This content was published on Mar 7, 2008 The defence ministry said if the objectives of army courses in Switzerland cannot be met, they could exceptionally take place outside the country. The government initially wanted to introduce six-week courses abroad but was forced to water down its plans after opposition during the consultation procedure with all interested parties. In a related development, the…

Swiss Politics

Israel under pressure over Palestinian issue

This content was published on Mar 7, 2008 Geneva-based Middle East expert Pascal de Crousaz tells swissinfo that with no agreement in sight, Israel could end up trying to offload its Palestinian problem onto neighbouring states. Israel was placed on a state of general alert on Friday after a gunman killed eight Israeli students in a religious college in Jerusalem on Thursday. The…

Swiss Politics

Potato promoted as food staple of the future

This content was published on Mar 7, 2008 Swiss aid agencies run projects in Latin America to promote sustainable and eco-friendly cultivation methods in an effort to safeguard biodiversity. “I shall not neglect to suggest to my countrymen to introduce the plant known as the potato,” said the Italian friar Agostino Dal Pozzo in a text published in 1820. “The French call it…

Swiss Politics

Swisscoy could stay in Kosovo

This content was published on Mar 5, 2008 Questions have been raised over whether the peacekeeping unit should continue its work there, especially after Kosovo declared its independence – which Switzerland recognises – last month. The around 220-member Swisscoy, part of the multinational Kosovo force (Kfor), has been present in the region since 1999. The government decided to extend its mandate last year…

Swiss Politics

Initiative combats “mass naturalisation”

This content was published on Mar 4, 2008 Slamming “numerous abuses”, the fringe party, which is not represented in the federal parliament, called for a tightening of the criteria used when giving out Swiss passports. The party said on Tuesday that all those applying for Swiss citizenship should have to learn one of Switzerland’s four national languages since language was the most important…

Swiss Abroad

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

Sign in and personalize Swissinfo

Swiss Abroad

More

Cabinet rejects gag on official information

More

Forced marriages are also a Swiss problem

More

Thousands of army guns are lost

More

Swiss and South Africans boost relations

More

Group calls for action over female trafficking

More

Army may send soldiers abroad for training

More

Israel under pressure over Palestinian issue

More

Potato promoted as food staple of the future

More

Swisscoy could stay in Kosovo

More

Initiative combats “mass naturalisation”

Popular Stories

Most Discussed