Swiss Identity

Easing the burdens of old age

This content was published on Feb 19, 2012 Switzerland currently has the highest life expectancy in Europe, and one of the highest in the world. But longevity comes at a price. Of course, not everyone who reaches a ripe old age will necessarily end up with dementia, but growing old often means that the brain starts to deteriorate. It may shrink, causing sufferers…

Demographics

“Swiss umma” project takes shape

This content was published on Feb 17, 2012 The organisers say the parliament could be up and running by next year. But certain critics question whether the Muslim body will see the light of day or actually makes sense. “Our goal is to create a legitimate democratic believers’ community that represents all of Switzerland’s Muslims,” Farhad Afshar, president of the Coordination of Islamic…

Demographics

Expat community continues to grow

This content was published on Feb 17, 2012 They account for almost ten per cent of the total Swiss population and live mainly in European Union countries. The Swiss community in neighbouring France accounted for 26.1 per cent, ahead of Germany on 11.2 per cent and the United States with 10.8 per cent. Three out of four expats have dual nationality, according to…

Demographics

Children who help cook eat better, study finds

This content was published on Feb 17, 2012 But applying pressure, such as making children finish all the food on their plates, makes them even fussier, it was found. Researcher Klazine van der Horst surveyed around 300 parents in German-speaking Switzerland with children between six and 12 years old. Her findings have been published in the journal Appetite and highlighted in the ETHZ…

Demographics

Swiss use and appreciate their forests

This content was published on Feb 17, 2012 People appreciate the benefits of forests for society, and forest protection is well anchored among the population, it was found. These are the main results of the Forest Monitoring socio-cultural survey carried out by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, and presented on Friday. It has been surveying the attitudes…

Demographics

Swiss expats caught in middle of US tax conflict

This content was published on Feb 16, 2012 Rules and regulations have become more complicated, and fees have gone up as financial institutions pass on the extra costs to their customers. Swiss expatriates are increasingly irritated by their dealings with banks in their homeland and are venting their frustrations online. “I have been living in the United States for the past four years…

Demographics

Eritreans brave extreme journey for new life

This content was published on Feb 16, 2012 Escaping one of the world’s most repressive regimes, Eritreans are fleeing the Horn of Africa in droves. Some 3,356 applied for asylum in Switzerland in 2011, making them the largest group of asylum seekers. The high numbers of Eritreans contributed to a 45 per cent increase in asylum applications in Switzerland last year – up…

Demographics

“We shouldn’t wait for a catastrophe”

This content was published on Feb 15, 2012 François Iselin, who has been following events closely for 30 years, says that the involuntary manslaughter verdict should serve as a warning against the misuse of all cancer-causing products. The Swiss Stephan Schmidheiny and Belgian Jean-Louis Marie Ghislain de Cartier were the majority shareholders in the Eternit Genova company, which owned four asbestos factories in…

Demographics

Court grants death damages to partner

This content was published on Feb 15, 2012 In response to an appeal lodged by the partner of a man who was killed in a road accident in 2008, the country’s highest court formally recognised that a “free union” can also justify the right to such compensation. The cantonal court of Fribourg in western Switzerland had rejected this right “out of respect for…

Demographics

Avalanche blasts rise during record winter

This content was published on Feb 15, 2012 Green groups are sounding the alarm over concerns that wild animals are being disturbed unnecessarily. Every day teams of experts fly up into the mountains – normally in the early morning – to trigger avalanches. Their aim: protect ski slopes and roads from spontaneous avalanches. The total number of detonations is expected to be much…

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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Easing the burdens of old age

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“Swiss umma” project takes shape

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Expat community continues to grow

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Children who help cook eat better, study finds

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Swiss use and appreciate their forests

More

Swiss expats caught in middle of US tax conflict

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Eritreans brave extreme journey for new life

More

“We shouldn’t wait for a catastrophe”

More

Court grants death damages to partner

More

Avalanche blasts rise during record winter

Popular Stories

Most Discussed