Swiss Identity

Controversial former Olympic head dies

This content was published on Apr 21, 2010 Samaranch, who was 89, died of heart failure, the hospital said on Wednesday. Previously a Spanish diplomat, he was president of the Lausanne-based IOC from 1980 to 2001. Only Pierre de Coubertin, the French baron who founded the modern Olympics, was in office longer, serving for 29 years (1896-1925). In Switzerland, he was responsible for…

Culture

Nyon takes a walk on the wild side

This content was published on Apr 21, 2010 The art-rocker took time out from his European tour with his experimental group Metal Machine Trio to discuss his new film and read poems to a packed audience in the western Swiss city. A long queue snakes slowly around the Théâtre de Marens at the Visions du Réel documentary festival. The expectant crowd of rock…

Demographics

Aviation director defends flight ban

This content was published on Apr 20, 2010 Nobody knew just how much ash a plane’s engine could tolerate, he said at a news conference in Bern on Tuesday. Müller warned that the crisis wasn’t over yet, so people shouldn’t be too ecstatic that Swiss airspace was reopened in Tuesday morning. He added that Switzerland was leading the way in finding the answers…

History

Will Good News drive out Bad?

This content was published on Apr 20, 2010 The “More Good News” campaign, which has already been postponed once in the wake of revelations across Europe of paedophilia involving priests, will try to convince people to become – or remain – one of the faithful. But voices inside and outside the Church are divided. Norbert Brunner, president of the Swiss Bishops Conference, says…

Demographics

Novartis Q1 profit up 49 per cent

This content was published on Apr 20, 2010 The Swiss pharmaceutical giant reported a net profit of $1.98 billion in the same quarter a year ago. Sales rose 25 per cent to $12.13 billion in the January-March period from $9.71 billion the previous year. The results reported on Tuesday beat analysts’ expectations for a net profit of some $2.49 billion. swissinfo.ch and agencies

Demographics

Paper sued for denying genocide in Bosnia

This content was published on Apr 19, 2010 The Society for Threatened Peoples filed a suit on Monday in cooperation with the Swiss Association Against Impunity (TRIAL) in Lausanne. La Nation, the bimonthly newspaper in question, recently published a series of articles claiming that 2,000 soldiers were killed in Srebrenica’s “pseudo-massacre”. Bosnian Serb forces overran the Muslim Bosniak town in July 1995, executing…

Demographics

Child abuse inquiry launched by monastery

This content was published on Apr 19, 2010 On Monday, the monastery in Einsiedeln announced that it had tapped Pius Schmid, canton Zurich’s former public prosecutor, to lead the inquiry. The team will also include Zug lawyer and mediator Judith Wild-Haas as well as Richard Kälin, canton Schwyz’s former youth lawyer. Additional specialists such as child psychologists will be summoned if needed. In…

History

Muslim army recruits get special conditions

This content was published on Apr 19, 2010 The move is in line with the army’s tradition of catering to other faiths, spokesman Martin Bühler said, following an article in the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper. Special provisions already exist for Jewish soldiers. Muslims going into the summer recruit school – part of obligatory military service for young men – can now signal that…

Culture

Nyon film festival to be led by Italian critic

This content was published on Apr 18, 2010 Barisone, 60, a former Italian journalist and film critic, currently manages a film festival in Florence. He will succeed Jean Perret in August, the organisers said on Sunday. This year’s Visions du Réel festival opened last Thursday and showcases 160 documentary films, including Lou Reed’s Red Shirley or the works of Alain Berliner as well…

Demographics

No planes in Swiss skies before Monday

This content was published on Apr 18, 2010 The Federal Civil Aviation Office said given the latest data it had no choice but to close Swiss airspace for safety reasons until Monday 2pm. The office is to re-assess the situation at the beginning of the week, according to spokesman Daniel Göring. About 20 countries in northern, central but also partially in southern Europe…

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