Swiss Identity

Rambo rolls into Zurich for film festival

This content was published on Sep 25, 2008 Action star Sylvester Stallone and directors Oliver Stone and Stephen Frears will be among the celebrities present at the 11-day event, which opens on Thursday. Stallone, best known for his Rocky and Rambo films, will be presented with the new Golden Icon Award for his life’s work. A retrospective of his films will be shown…

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Officials concerned over proposed Kosovo envoy

This content was published on Sep 25, 2008 The Kosovo government had suggested the ambassadorship of Naim Mala on August 29 but had been told by Swiss officials Mala was not their “preferred candidate”, authorities in Priština said. On late Thursday afternoon the Swiss foreign ministry said there were concerns over Mala’s dual Swiss-Kosovo nationality. “We have stated that the dual nationality of…

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English weather foils Fusionman

This content was published on Sep 25, 2008 The 49-year-old adventurer from Neuchâtel, known as Fusionman, said the flight, scheduled for 12.30pm local time, would have been too risky. He said he would try again on Friday. “I took the decision not to fly, as I didn’t know all the parameters. I’m not used to the region and the fast-changing weather. The bad…

Culture

New festival director takes the Locarno stage

This content was published on Sep 25, 2008 Père replaces Frédéric Maire, who is leaving to direct Cinémathèque Suisse, a private film foundation based in Lausanne. The Locarno festival in southern Switzerland focuses on amateur films and has been in existence for 61 years. It attracted some 180,000 visitors in August, when more than 400 films were screened. Père, who was born in…

Demographics

Ban on mobile phone pornography nears

This content was published on Sep 25, 2008 On Thursday, the House of Representatives approved motions banning the distribution of pornographic or violent material for such phones. A general ban is necessary, parliamentarians said, since it is impossible to prevent young people from downloading material even if there is an age limit placed on it. The chamber voted in favour of the plan…

Demographics

Obama may have a Swiss ancestor

This content was published on Sep 24, 2008 Six generations back, in 1749, one of Obama’s ancestors, named Christian Gutknecht, emigrated from the village of Bischwiller in Alsace in eastern France and settled in America. But the Bischwiller archivist, Christian Gunther, says the Gutknecht parents probably came from canton Bern at the very beginning of the 18th century. They lived in a street…

Culture

Swiss railway station turns into an opera set – live streaming on swissinfo.ch

This content was published on Sep 24, 2008 An opera performance amid throngs of commuters at Zurich’s main station: “La Traviata at Zurich main railway station” is an innovative arts project being produced by Schweizer Fernsehen (SF) in cooperation with the Franco-German culture channel Arte, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and Zurich Opera House. This production presents a major challenge both artistically and…

Demographics

Finance minister out of coma

This content was published on Sep 24, 2008 Merz suffered a heart attack on Saturday evening and underwent a quintuple bypass. He was taken off a ventilator during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, and was responsive. His doctors added that his heart was working well, and he was expected to come out of intensive care in the next few days. However, they…

Swiss music rocks but struggles to make it big

This content was published on Sep 24, 2008 According to music insiders, there is a growing buzz about new Swiss music, yet those who manage to make it big abroad can be counted on two hands and most musicians continue to struggle to make ends meet. Label Suisse, organised by Swiss national radio, was set up in 2004 to put the spotlight on…

History

Ex church official gets prison term for fraud

This content was published on Sep 24, 2008 A court in Fribourg in western Switzerland sentenced the cleric to 28 months in prison, most of it suspended for five years. The charges included fraud, breach of trust and filing false documents. Of the misappropriated funds, SFr100,000 was destined to be paid in compensation to a victim of sexual abuse by a member of…

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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Rambo rolls into Zurich for film festival

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Officials concerned over proposed Kosovo envoy

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English weather foils Fusionman

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New festival director takes the Locarno stage

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Ban on mobile phone pornography nears

More

Obama may have a Swiss ancestor

More

Swiss railway station turns into an opera set – live streaming on swissinfo.ch

More

Finance minister out of coma

More

Swiss music rocks but struggles to make it big

More

Ex church official gets prison term for fraud

Popular Stories

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