Swiss Abroad

Mercenary companies to face ban

This content was published on Jan 23, 2013 If they are based in Switzerland, all such companies will have to report any planned activity abroad to the federal authorities, said Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga on Wednesday. Parliament will still have to discuss the bill. Combat missions, including the training of mercenaries, or activities which lead to human rights violations, will be banned. However,…

Swiss Politics

Asylum applications and rejections rise in 2012

This content was published on Jan 22, 2013 In 2012, 28,631 applications were filed, most of them from Eritrea, followed by Nigeria, Tunisia, Serbia, Afghanistan and Syria, the Federal Migration Office said on Tuesday. And, the number of decisions that were made at the applicant’s first contact point rose 28 per cent from 2011. Switzerland decided to give priority to applications not requiring…

Swiss Politics

Inertia reigns as elite return to Davos

This content was published on Jan 22, 2013 Derided by some as being little more than a millionaire’s cocktail party indulging in empty rhetoric, the 43rd gathering of international movers and shakers will again talk about debt crises, rampant unemployment, environmental time bombs and irresponsible finance. The lack of progress from last January even has WEF founder Klaus Schwab tearing his hair out…

Swiss Politics

Swiss promise millions in aid to Egypt

This content was published on Jan 21, 2013 According to the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco), some of the funds will also be used to bolster the Egyptian financial sector and work toward a more “inclusive, accountable and transparent” system of governance in the Arab nation. The agreement, which was signed Sunday in Cairo, further focuses on strengthening human rights and providing…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland continues to support mediation in Mali

This content was published on Jan 20, 2013 “The mediation continues. Switzerland is staying on the ground in Mali with its own people and supports mediation efforts,” said Yves Rossier, State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, in an interview with “Der Sonntag”. The country supports the mediation, led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), between the Mali government and the…

Swiss Politics

Gunman from Biel to appeal court decision

This content was published on Jan 19, 2013 The regional prosecutor’s office in Biel decided on Friday not to press charges because the man was not criminally liable and needed psychiatric treatment. Based on a psychiatric evaluation, he was deemed to be suffering from severe delusions of persecution. Defence counsel Philippe Kunz said that his client was “not happy” with the decision and…

Swiss Politics

One in ten Swiss lives abroad

This content was published on Jan 18, 2013 “The number of Swiss abroad has increased by 1.72 per cent, going from 703,640 in 2011 to 715,710 in 2012,” it said in a statement. More than half of these live in Europe (442,620), with the most popular countries being neighbouring France (186,615), Germany (80,715) and Italy (50,091). Outside Europe, the United States is the…

Swiss Politics

Mandatory military service in Europe

This content was published on Jan 18, 2013

Swiss Politics

Votes forced on asylum and vaccinations

This content was published on Jan 17, 2013 The law’s opponents are especially critical of revisions stipulating that people can no longer apply for asylum at Swiss embassies abroad and that conscientious objectors and deserters will no longer be considered for asylum status. However, left-wing parties – in particular the Social Democrats – were divided over whether to support the collection of signatures.…

Swiss Politics

ICRC to resume Myanmar prison visits

This content was published on Jan 17, 2013 The Swiss, who heads the Geneva-based humanitarian organisation, made the announcement in Yangon on Thursday after meeting Myanmar President Thein Sein and other top officials in the southeast Asian nation this week. “We warmly welcome this declaration,” the ICRC president said. The ICRC had been prevented from visiting prisoners in December 2005 after restrictions were…

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