Swiss Identity

Hodler painting fetches CHF8 million at auction

This content was published on Jun 5, 2013 Sotheby’s fixed an estimate of CHF3.8 to CHF4.5 million for Montanalandschaft mit Becs de Bosson und Vallon de Réchy (Montana Landscape with Becs de Bosson and Vallon de Réchy), dating from 1915. It was sold on Tuesday after a long battle between bidders in the room and by telephone. The European buyer wished to remain…

Demographics

Counting the cost of childcare

This content was published on Jun 4, 2013 To stem a shortage of facilities the government in 2003 initiated a CHF440 million ($455 million) incentive programme to fund the creation of crèches. The injection boosted the number of childcare places by more than 15,000 over ten years, adding to the around 50,000 places that already existed. One crèche owner who benefitted was Darina…

Demographics

Appeals court sharpens Schmidheiny sentence

This content was published on Jun 3, 2013 The appeals court in Turin convicted Schmidheiny, aged 65, to 18 years in prison. The court also dropped charges against his business partner Jean-Louis Marie Ghislain de Cartier because the Belgian baron died May 21 at the age of 92. Schmidheiny was not present in the courtroom when Monday’s sentence was read, and his Zurich-based spokesperson said at a press…

Demographics

Tourism in Albania: a building site with potential

This content was published on Jun 3, 2013 “Albania is not yet on the radar, but with its stunning coast, its history, its ancient ruins, his mountains and its unspoiled nature mean that it has a lot of potential,“ says Alexander Wittwer, since January 2013 the Swiss ambassador in Tirana. Albania may have potential, but it also has a bad reputation: it is associated…

Culture

‘I consider myself an artisan, a creator’

This content was published on Jun 2, 2013 In Fribourg’s Old Town, Petit-St-Jean square is surrounded by greyish-yellow Gothic buildings: two cafés, a couple of galleries, a small chocolate factory, a microbrewery, a butcher’s and L’Ecureuil tea room. When you open the door of L’Ecureuil – which means “squirrel” – a set of bells chimes rather quaintly. The room is painted orange and…

Demographics

Saving lives, fabric and cash

This content was published on Jun 1, 2013

Culture

Craftsman keeps straw skills alive

This content was published on Jun 1, 2013 The farmhouse where he lives and works is the one he grew up in, and is more than 200 years old. Hats for women account for more than half his output, but there is no woman in the house to try on his creations. Wismer has never married, and prepares his own lunch on the…

Demographics

‘A culture of change is seeping into FIFA’

This content was published on May 31, 2013 According to Mark Pieth, chairman of Zurich-based FIFA’s 13-member Independent Governance Committee, the reforms passed at the 63rd FIFA Congress on Friday in Mauritius were just the beginning of the organisation’s attempts to clean up its act after one of the most troubled periods in its history. “A culture of change is seeping into FIFA. It’s…

Culture

The many languages spoken in Switzerland

This content was published on May 31, 2013

Culture

‘Exotic’ languages get Swiss tongues wagging

This content was published on May 31, 2013 “Languages open many doors,” is something you might have heard from your parents since you were young. The fact is that in Switzerland it’s rare to bump into someone who can’t get by in a language other than his or her mother tongue. And it’s not just “traditional” languages that are piquing people’s interest. “English…

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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Hodler painting fetches CHF8 million at auction

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Counting the cost of childcare

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Appeals court sharpens Schmidheiny sentence

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Tourism in Albania: a building site with potential

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‘I consider myself an artisan, a creator’

More

Saving lives, fabric and cash

More

Craftsman keeps straw skills alive

More

‘A culture of change is seeping into FIFA’

More

The many languages spoken in Switzerland

More

‘Exotic’ languages get Swiss tongues wagging

Popular Stories

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