Swiss Identity

Enterprising Germans make Switzerland home

This content was published on Mar 1, 2006 Figures for 2005 show that the number of Germans coming to Switzerland grew by 12,716 and that they now account for 11.3 per cent of all foreign workers. Germans have had a long relationship with Switzerland. In the 19th century Switzerland regularly relied on neighbouring Germany to provide university teachers, engineers, doctors and skilled workers.…

Demographics

Day of reckoning looms for global vaccine fund

This content was published on Feb 28, 2006 But does this represent a breakthrough in combating killer diseases which claim millions of lives each year? swissinfo polled Swiss pharmaceutical firms and development organisations. The idea seems so simple, it is a wonder no one thought of it before. Take long-term, legally binding aid commitments from public/private donors and borrow against them by issuing…

Demographics

Swiss brace for more cases of bird flu

This content was published on Feb 27, 2006 The federal veterinary and health offices say they are working closely with other European countries to try and prevent a possible outbreak of the deadly H5N1 strain among poultry. Laboratory tests over the weekend confirmed that the duck found in Geneva was infected with a H5N virus. Further analysis is being carried to determine whether…

Demographics

“Bird flu is here – don’t panic!”

This content was published on Feb 27, 2006 The common view is that “the situation is serious but there’s currently no reason to panic”, as the Tages-Anzeiger in Zurich put it. “The virus has arrived,” announced Der Bund in the Swiss capital, Bern, portraying the virus as a military threat “invading from the west and the north at the same time”. It said…

Demographics

Turin Games end on high note

This content was published on Feb 26, 2006 Led by the Olympic women’s skeleton champion Maya Pedersen, the 130 Swiss athletes left the Games with an outstanding haul of 14 medals, including five gold. Five champions could have carried the Swiss flag at the closing ceremony but it was the first gold medal winner for Switzerland, Pedersen, who led the delegation at the…

Bird flu arrives in Switzerland

This content was published on Feb 26, 2006 The federal authorities believe a dead duck found in Geneva was likely infected with deadly H5N1 strain, but have called for calm. Cantonal authorities in Geneva, Schaffhausen and Thurgau have ordered a three-kilometre protection zone and an observation zone of 10km. “We are contemplating the worst case,” commented Hans Wyss, director of the Federal Veterinary…

Culture

Schaffhausen keeps French in primary schools

This content was published on Feb 26, 2006 It was the first time that a canton had made a decision on an education issue that has caused widespread controversy. The initiative was rejected by 51.32 per cent of voters, or 14,222 votes against 13, 492. Voter turnout was 64.2 per cent. The result means that there is now nothing in the way of…

Culture

Division reigns over language teaching

This content was published on Feb 26, 2006 Recommendations from cantonal education heads that children start learning two further languages in primary school have met with opposition from some teachers. Those against teaching pupils a second language in year three and another in year five say it will prove too difficult for many children and would overstretch teaching resources and budgets. Opponents believe…

Demographics

Pioneering the art of virtual autopsies

This content was published on Feb 26, 2006 Virtopsy, its brainchild, allows a virtual examination to take place without wielding a knife, through a combination of digital scanning and imaging techniques. Virtual autopsy as created by Michael Thali’s team at Bern University has three aspects: multi-slice computer tomography (MSCT), magnetic resonance imagery (MRI) and 3-D surface-scanning technology. The information collected from all three…

Demographics

Four-man bob team win bronze

This content was published on Feb 25, 2006 Germany’s Andre Lange won his second gold medal of the games by holding on to his lead after the first two heats on day one of the event. Alexandre Zoubkov and his Russia I bob took silver. The 32-year-old Lange, who also won gold in the two-man event, became the first driver to take both…

Swiss Identity

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Swiss Identity

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Enterprising Germans make Switzerland home

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Day of reckoning looms for global vaccine fund

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Swiss brace for more cases of bird flu

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“Bird flu is here – don’t panic!”

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Turin Games end on high note

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Bird flu arrives in Switzerland

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Schaffhausen keeps French in primary schools

More

Division reigns over language teaching

More

Pioneering the art of virtual autopsies

More

Four-man bob team win bronze

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