Swiss Identity

ICRC visits new Guantanamo detainees

This content was published on Oct 13, 2006 The Swiss-run humanitarian body said that it had seen 454 prisoners from some 40 countries during its latest three-week visit to the United States’ detention facility in Cuba. This number included 14 men previously held by the CIA and recently transferred, according to ICRC spokesman Vincent Lusser. Among the 14 detainees are the suspected mastermind…

Culture

Construction

This content was published on Oct 13, 2006 It is astonishing: although the alphorn’s use changed several times between the 16th and the 20th centuries, this instrument’s basic shape didn’t change. The alphorn today is still a long conical tube, bent at the end like a knee. Until the 1930s, a young pine tree, which had grown curved on a hillside, was felled…

swissinfo trumpets alpine music website

This content was published on Oct 13, 2006 “Swiss Alpine Music, alphorn and yodel in Switzerland” features a wide range of the country’s folk music and includes popular favourites as well as more contemporary artists. www.swissalpinemusic.chExternal link is available in English as well as in German, French, Italian, Japanese and Chinese. Apart from offering comprehensive information on alphorn music and yodelling, and on…

Demographics

NGOs attack Novartis over drug access

This content was published on Oct 12, 2006 They say that if the Basel-based company is successful it could have serious implications for future access to essential drugs around the world. Novartis says it is simply defending its intellectual property rights and has no intention of backing down. It has launched separate legal proceedings in India over the past two months. One concerns…

Demographics

Murder often takes place in the family

This content was published on Oct 12, 2006 On average 28 women die a year in domestic killings compared with just 13 men. Of the women, three-quarters were killed by a partner or ex-partner. Presenting its report on murder rates in Switzerland, the Statistics Office said that between 2000 and 2004 there were around 213 victims of murder or attempted murder each year.…

Demographics

Girls committing more crime in Switzerland

This content was published on Oct 12, 2006 Experts say the figure reflects a growing tendency among girls towards more aggressive behaviour against property and people, something traditionally seen as a male preserve. Figures released by the Federal Statistics Office on Wednesday show that the number of convicted girls aged up to 18 rose from 2,710 to 2,917. They accounted for just over…

Demographics

Swiss privacy regime “too lax” for Schengen

This content was published on Oct 11, 2006 Other European countries have far stricter safeguards against possible violations by the Schengen Information System (SIS), according to the Swiss Data Protection Commission. The Swiss voted for a closer cooperation with the European Union over security and asylum by approving the Schengen and Dublin accords in July last year. Part of this commitment is that…

Culture

Switzerland restores Afghan heritage

This content was published on Oct 11, 2006 The Museum of Afghanistan in Exile, which has been safeguarding the items for six years, is to be closed down after Unesco gave the green light for the collection’s return. The move marks the end of an era for the museum said to be the only one in Europe devoted to an Islamic country. Housed…

Culture

Natural yodelling

This content was published on Oct 11, 2006 Yodeling is a form of singing that involves singing an extended note which rapidly and repeatedly changes in pitch from the vocal chest register (or “chest voice”) to the head register (or “head voice”), making a high-low-high-low sound. This vocal technique is found in many cultures throughout the world. In Swiss folk music, it was…

Alphorn and entertainment backup

This content was published on Oct 11, 2006 There is a young woman among the most famous Swiss alphorn players: Eliana Burki. The daughter of a physician at Feldbrunnen (Canton Solothurn) wanted to take alphorn lessons when she was six years old. She was lucky with her teacher, Hans-Jörg Sommer, one of the most talented traditional blowers.But Eliana, who charmed her public as…

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ICRC visits new Guantanamo detainees

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Construction

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swissinfo trumpets alpine music website

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NGOs attack Novartis over drug access

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Murder often takes place in the family

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Girls committing more crime in Switzerland

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Swiss privacy regime “too lax” for Schengen

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Switzerland restores Afghan heritage

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Natural yodelling

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Alphorn and entertainment backup

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