Swiss Identity

Aufdenblatten leads Swiss to 1-2 ski wins

This content was published on Dec 20, 2009 The 28-year-old Aufdenblatten upset the favourites to finish the Oreiller Killy course in one minute, 26.43 seconds, 0.23 seconds ahead of Styger. Aufdenblatten’s previous best World Cup result was two third-place finishes in downhill races. Lindsey Vonn of the United States was 0.26 seconds back in third to take the sole lead in the overall…

Culture

Politicians accused of doublespeak on languages

This content was published on Dec 20, 2009 That is one of the key findings of a National Science Foundation study looking at political debates on language issues over the past five decades. From the 1960s until the 1990s, discussions in parliament focussed on ensuring equality among the official languages, German, French, Italian and Romansh, as well as dialogue between the language groups.…

Demographics

Visa-free travel extended in Western Balkans

This content was published on Dec 18, 2009 The lifting of travel restrictions for 10 million people in the Western Balkans marks a symbolic end to an era of isolation and instability in the troubled region. “The visa abolishment has restored the rights that other citizens of the European Union enjoy, the freedom of movement and the feeling that we belong to the…

Demographics

Guantánamo detainee wins asylum appeal

This content was published on Dec 18, 2009 The Federal Migration Office must now re-examine the file after the Federal Administrative Court accepted the man’s appeal. The Algerian, who has been held at the US military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, since 2002 after being detained in Pakistan, submitted an asylum application to Switzerland in July 2008. US investigators accuse the man of…

Demographics

Deal limits Google Street View

This content was published on Dec 18, 2009 Google has agreed not to add any new pictures to Street Views of Switzerland or any other Google service until the Federal Administrative Court decides on the dispute over privacy protection. The deal with the federal data protection commissioner, Hanspeter Thür, allows Google to continue taking pictures using its car-mounted cameras, as long as it…

Culture

Musical marvels

This content was published on Dec 17, 2009 Around a century ago, automatic musical instruments were all the rage. They were played in public places, as well as at home, before being replaced by gramophones and the radio. Here are some of the loveliest examples from Matter’s collection near Lake Thun. (Pictures and text: Isobel Leybold Johnson, swissinfo.ch)

Ice Age 3 tops cinema charts in 2009

This content was published on Dec 17, 2009 More than 550,000 tickets were sold to Swiss films – almost 100,000 more than the previous year – largely thanks to Giulias Verschwinden (Julia’s Disappearance) , which sold 135,000 on its own. Nevertheless Nicolas Bideau, head of films at the Federal Culture Office, said one could only start talking of a success from Swiss films…

Demographics

Minaret ban sparks several appeals

This content was published on Dec 17, 2009 A spokesman for the court in the French city of Strasbourg said a number of appeals were being considered in addition to that presented by former Geneva mosque spokesman Hafid Ouardiri. The spokesman, quoted by the French news agency AFP, said Ouardiri’s request would be registered within the next few days and examined according to…

Demographics

Merz and the stolen tax data – saint or sinner?

This content was published on Dec 17, 2009 Some think the embattled Merz – who in 2009 also held Switzerland’s rotating presidency – has a chance to end his year with a modicum of dignity, while others believe he’s merely whistling in the wind. The government’s announcement on Wednesday was in protest at the French authorities’ handling of account data stolen from British…

Demographics

Basel lose at home to Fulham

This content was published on Dec 17, 2009 Basel needed only a draw to advance from Group E but trailed 2-0 after Bobby Zamora scored twice in the last three minutes of the first half. Alex Frei cut the English side’s lead with a 64th-minute penalty but Fulham – whose coach Roy Hodgson used to be the Swiss national team’s coach – went…

Swiss Identity

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