Swiss Identity

English seen as “most useful” foreign language

This content was published on Mar 3, 2008 A National Science Foundation study also shows the Swiss have good multilingual skills, although the people of Luxembourg and the Dutch show more talent for speaking languages other than their own. In Luxembourg, people speak three foreign languages, while in the Netherlands this figure is 2.2 and in Switzerland two. The European Union average before…

Demographics

“I have confidence in Swiss voters”

This content was published on Mar 2, 2008 After one year in the job, the Austrian – whose official title is European Commission head of delegation to Switzerland – gives swissinfo his views on the ongoing tax dispute and the free movement of people, and outlines what he still wants to achieve. swissinfo: Could you take off your diplomat’s hat for once and…

Demographics

Cuche stays on track

This content was published on Mar 2, 2008 Cuche came third in in the Super-G in Kvitfjell in Norway on Sunday, 12 hundredths of a second behind Miller. The winner was Austrian Georg Streitberger. Two other Swiss arrived in the top ten: Ambrosi Hoffmann was joint fourth and Didier Défago, came seventh. Tobias Grünenfelder was 25th. Cuche now has a lead of 89…

Day of the Sick marked

This content was published on Mar 2, 2008 “Our society is afraid of suffering… But suffering is part of reality, and we must all learn to live with it. People who are suffering often have a lot to teach us about it,” said Swiss President Pascal Couchepin in a broadcast address to mark the occasion. People who are ill, and particularly those suffering…

Swiss with “wide open heart” is new saint

This content was published on Mar 1, 2008 Maria Bernarda Bütler (1848-1924) was a nun who left her native Switzerland to work among the poor and disadvantaged in Latin America, setting up her own order in Ecuador and later in Colombia. She will be canonised in Rome on October 12. Although better known for her social work, Sister Maria Bernarda had to be…

Demographics

Bad news and good for Didier Cuche

This content was published on Mar 1, 2008 Cuche finished second in Kvitfjell in Norway, four tenths of a second behind the winner, American Bode Miller. Miller now trails Cuche – the defending champion – by only five points in the discipline. Miller’s win has also increased his lead in the overall world cup, 165 points ahead of Cuche. However, the Austrian Benjamin…

Demographics

Government “deeply concerned” at Gaza violence

This content was published on Feb 29, 2008 In a statement released on Friday, Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said Switzerland condemned repeated Palestinian rocket fire on Israel localities and was also worried by Israeli military reprisals. The foreign ministry called for restraint and for both parties to abandon their “logic of reprisals”. Switzerland especially deplored civilian victims, including children, that arose on both…

Culture

quick poll kiddies and language

This content was published on Feb 29, 2008

Culture

Glaciers seen through the eyes of Old Masters

This content was published on Feb 29, 2008 More than two hundred years later a young Swiss geographer, armed with Turner’s drawing, searches the glacial terrain to find the same place where the artist once stood and takes out his camera. By comparing Turner’s landscape with the present day view, Samuel Nussbaumer has been able to determine quite accurately the position of the…

Culture

Sina: In Wolkä fische

This content was published on Feb 29, 2008

Swiss Identity

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