Swiss Identity

Hunkeler wins bronze at Paralympics

This content was published on Sep 16, 2008 Hunkeler made a successful return to the track having been admitted to hospital briefly on September 8 after causing a pile-up which took out six of the 11 racers in the 5000-metre race. This is the 36-year-old’s third medal in two Olympics. In Athens Hunkeler, who has won the Swiss disabled athlete of the year…

Mountain village with cables of a cable car

Culture

The last nostalgic ride

This content was published on Sep 16, 2008 60-year-old chairlift retires After carrying tourists up and down the mountain in Kandersteg for over 60 years, one of the oldest wooden chairlifts of its kind in the world has gone into retirement. The best efforts of heritage groups were unable to stop its dismantling. (SF/swissinfo)

Peter Zumthor wins “Nobel prize for art”

This content was published on Sep 16, 2008 Zumthor, whose works include the Thermal Baths at Vals (1996) and the Bruder Klaus Kapelle (2007), follows in the footsteps of fellow Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron, who won the award in 2007. The Japan Art Association has assigned the Praemium Imperiale annually since 1989 for an artist’s life work in each of five…

Demographics

Politicians ponder Swiss role at the UN

This content was published on Sep 16, 2008 Parliament on Tuesday heard politicians from left and right express dissatisfaction with the multilateral body for its inflexibility and intransigence. There were calls for more principled engagement and democratic reforms. The discussion came as the House of Representatives considered a government report on relations with the international organisation. “Our country should commit more,” said Andreas…

Demographics

Petroleum processing drives Q2 business trends

This content was published on Sep 16, 2008 The Statistics Office also said that over all industries, production rose by 6.1 per cent compared with the same quarter in 2007. The news comes amid dismal market conditions in the United States and predictions of tough times in Europe. Sales were up 8.9 per cent, orders received climbed 5.4 per cent and orders on…

Demographics

Progress on children’s rights reviewed

This content was published on Sep 16, 2008 Eighteen years after the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) entered into international law, non-governmental organisations and the UN itself admit that in many countries children are trafficked, brutalised and used in combat. Until October 3, the Geneva-based committee will hear from states including Bhutan, Djibouti and Uganda. The latter has engaged…

Demographics

Blatter “dances for joy” in South Africa

This content was published on Sep 15, 2008 Glossing over concerns about delays, rising costs, rampant crime and lack of transportation, Blatter on Monday visited Cape Town’s new “jewel” of a stadium, which was long beset by political wrangling and industrial action but which is now slightly ahead of schedule. He was less flattering about the national football team, which failed to qualify…

Demographics

Ikea builds solid growth

This content was published on Sep 15, 2008 The number of customers at the company’s seven Swiss stores also rose on 2007, by 12 per cent to 11.4 million. Ikea on Monday put the healthy figures down to the opening of the store in St Gallen in September 2007 and the recent renovation of the store in Bern. It added that business in…

Tiny US village celebrates its Swiss roots

This content was published on Sep 15, 2008 Founded by the Swiss in 1869, Helvetia is proud of its roots and keeps its traditions flourishing despite having a population of only about 100 and being described as “isolated” in a high mountain valley. “I grew up in Ohio but I spent every summer in Helvetia at the home of my grandmother, whose mother…

Demographics

Girls to be vaccinated in fight against cancer

This content was published on Sep 15, 2008 Health Office director Thomas Zeltner said he was convinced that vaccinating girls between 11 and 14 years old against human papilloma virus, or HPV, would help reduce cases of cervical cancer, which can go undetected for years. Less potent strains of HPV can cause warts. A deadlier variety causes 2,000 women in Switzerland each year…

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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Hunkeler wins bronze at Paralympics

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The last nostalgic ride

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Peter Zumthor wins “Nobel prize for art”

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Politicians ponder Swiss role at the UN

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Petroleum processing drives Q2 business trends

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Progress on children’s rights reviewed

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Blatter “dances for joy” in South Africa

More

Ikea builds solid growth

More

Tiny US village celebrates its Swiss roots

More

Girls to be vaccinated in fight against cancer

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