Swiss Identity

The men who jump off Swiss cliffs

This content was published on Sep 4, 2013 What makes people risk their lives jumping off tall cliffs? swissinfo.ch goes to the cliff's edge with the elite – and relative newcomers – to find out.

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First Swiss jet disaster left its mark

This content was published on Sep 4, 2013 Flight SR306 took off from Zurich Airport in thick fog shortly after six a.m. on September 4, 1963. Only four minutes later, as the plane – a French-built Caravelle – reached its cruising altitude, people on the ground noticed a trail of smoke coming from the left side of the aircraft. Shortly afterwards a long…

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Deer study goes awry

This content was published on Sep 4, 2013 The research study, financed in part by the Federal Office for the Environment, was investigating the effect of the lynx population on the habits of deer in canton Bern. In order to study the behaviour of deer in the presence of lynx, 99 deer were fitted with radio collars in 2011 and 2012. In 2013…

Basejumping above Walensee in eastern Switzerland

This content was published on Sep 2, 2013 (Michael Schwery, swissinfo.ch)

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Syria wanted to buy Swiss weapon technology

This content was published on Sep 2, 2013 Seco’s export control has rejected 14 export requests worth about CHF1.7 million ($1.8 million) to Syria since 1998. The involved goods, which may have military or civil uses, required an export permit, said Seco spokeswoman Marie Avet, confirming a report in the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. Avet said Seco had “reasons to believe that the goods may…

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‘Cronut’ creator points sticky finger at Migros

This content was published on Sep 2, 2013 Paris-born Dominique Ansel, owner of a hip Soho bakery, started selling Cronuts in May. Word soon spread and people now queue at 5am to get their hands on one of 250 made each day (the bakery opens at 8am). Only two are sold per customer. Ansel – called the “Willy Wonka of NYC” by the…

Culture

Swiss centre is a mecca for translators

This content was published on Sep 2, 2013 Located in an idyllic setting just outside the village of Wernetshausen above Lake Zurich, the house gives literary translators from all over the world a place to work on their own projects in peace, while at the same time offering them the chance to exchange experiences, whether linguistic or practical. Asked for the most exotic…

Culture

Wrestling festival crowned with success

This content was published on Sep 1, 2013 The best wrestler at the Federal Wrestling and Alpine Games, which is held every three years, is known as the king schwinger. In Swiss wrestling, which has become enormously popular in the past few years, the fighters compete in a sawdust ring, and have to throw their opponents onto their backs. The sport is more…

Culture

‘The people treated us like gods’

This content was published on Sep 1, 2013 It was a fascination with Swiss artist Paul Klee that brought Osamu Okuda from Japan to Europe – initially just for a year or so. Thirty years later, he’s now a researcher and archivist at the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern, as well as an artist himself. Okuda is so shy that he seems almost…

Culture

Grappling with traditions

This content was published on Aug 31, 2013 The festival also features other unique Swiss sports – hornussen and stone throwing – as well as the best yodellers, flag-throwers and alphorn players in Switzerland. In August 2007, swissinfo.ch photographer Thomas Kern documented the federal festival held in Aarau. All images : Thomas Kern

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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The men who jump off Swiss cliffs

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First Swiss jet disaster left its mark

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Deer study goes awry

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Basejumping above Walensee in eastern Switzerland

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Syria wanted to buy Swiss weapon technology

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‘Cronut’ creator points sticky finger at Migros

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Swiss centre is a mecca for translators

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Wrestling festival crowned with success

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‘The people treated us like gods’

More

Grappling with traditions

Popular Stories

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