Swiss Identity

Book ban by Christians alarms art world

This content was published on Feb 8, 2013 In Jesus’ Name, a photographic book on the International Christian Fellowship (ICF) in Zurich, was temporarily banned when it came out in November 2012 during Photo Week in Paris. Lutz was wrapping up a trilogy on the theme of power that has taken him ten years to complete. On January 24, during a court hearing…

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Spotting flood risks early saves lives

This content was published on Feb 8, 2013 Catastrophic flooding in 1999, 2005 and 2007 led to reforms in water management in Bern. Bernard Wehren, the hydrologist in charge of regulating lake levels, told swissinfo what changes were made and what effect they have had. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)

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Finding shelter for homeless European jobseekers

This content was published on Feb 8, 2013 The migrants cannot always use shelters run by the city council, as they are often full and Swiss nationals have priority. Even if they do get in, EU citizens are only allowed to stay for one night. So the Christian charity, the Zurich city mission, is taking up the slack with its own emergency shelter.(SF/swissinfo.ch)

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Worker abuse revealed ahead of Sochi Games

This content was published on Feb 7, 2013 According to the report, which was based on interviews with 66 migrant workers on Olympic construction sites in Sochi, some workers had their passports confiscated, were denied their wages and were forced to work 12-hour days with little time off. Pay was reported to be very low, at 50 to 80 rubles (SFr1.66-2.42) per hour.…

Education

Swiss universities try to catch the MOOC wave

This content was published on Feb 7, 2013 But not everyone is convinced: some sceptics say MOOCs are not particularly innovative and just a new marketing opportunity. Last year witnessed an e-learning explosion as MOOC madness took over higher education. Eager not to miss out on this new trend, top universities from around the world are joining platform providers such as Coursera and…

Culture

Lucerne carnival explodes into life

This content was published on Feb 7, 2013 A major attraction of the Lucerne Carnival are the Guggemuusige, or masked brass bands which play well-known tunes loudly and often slightly out of tune. Unlike their counterparts in Basel, they do not march through the street in formation but make frequent stops, acting out scenes and mingling with the crowd. There are also many…

Culture

Peter Zumthor awarded Royal Gold Medal

This content was published on Feb 6, 2013 The honour is awarded annually in recognition of an individual’s or group’s substantial contribution to international architecture. Zumthor, the institute said, is “celebrated for his highly atmospheric and charged spaces” and “creates buildings that are an experience for all the senses”. The Guardian newspaper in London, reporting the RIBA news, said breathlessly that the 69-year-old…

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Bonanza year for border guards

This content was published on Feb 6, 2013 Illegal imports of fruit, vegetables and cigarettes made up the bulk of seizures at border posts. In all, officers of the Federal Customs Administration impounded 1,100 tonnes of foodstuffs, up 13 per cent on 2011. Any import over 200kg is considered organised contraband; customs made 7,200 confiscations of this type last year – chiefly fruit…

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Swiss centrally implicated in match-fixing scandal

This content was published on Feb 5, 2013 The probe by Europol, the European Union’s law enforcement agency, found 41 suspicious matches in Switzerland, making it the third-most affected country in Europe behind Germany (79) and Turkey (70). Europol found a total of 380 suspicious matches in Europe and another 300 questionable games outside the continent, mainly in Africa, Asia, South and Central…

Culture

Brazilian dances into public’s heart

This content was published on Feb 3, 2013 The prize for contemporary interpretation went to Australian Joel Woellner, and the Best Swiss prize was given to Miko Fogarty.

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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Book ban by Christians alarms art world

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Spotting flood risks early saves lives

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Finding shelter for homeless European jobseekers

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Worker abuse revealed ahead of Sochi Games

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Swiss universities try to catch the MOOC wave

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Lucerne carnival explodes into life

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Peter Zumthor awarded Royal Gold Medal

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Bonanza year for border guards

More

Swiss centrally implicated in match-fixing scandal

More

Brazilian dances into public’s heart

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