Swiss Identity

Summer festivals fast selling out

This content was published on Jul 20, 2002 Paléo, the country’s largest open-air festival, which opens on Tuesday in Nyon, has already announced that it will be forced to turn away ticketless music fans. More than two million music punters have attended the Paleo festival since its inaugural bash in 1972. This year’s line-up features top-drawer acts such as James Brown, the Pet…

Demographics

Binladin fashion label torn up by Swiss

This content was published on Jul 20, 2002 The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property, which granted Yeslam Binladin permission to use the trademark in August last year, said such a move would be “morally offensive” in the wake of last year’s terrorist attacks in the United States. “The trademark ‘Bin Ladin’ is a reminder of the events of September 11, 2001, and…

Culture

Musical oasis woos rock fans

This content was published on Jul 20, 2002 This summer’s Gurten Festival promises to offer a more eclectic mix of sounds than ever to the 15,000 fans expected to make their way up the eponymous mountain on the outskirts of Bern. “Foreign bands who come here for the first time can never get their head around the fact that the festival is held…

Swiss railways draw line under crime

This content was published on Jul 19, 2002 The debate over how to make the country’s railways safer has been re-ignited following the rape of a 16-year-old girl on a train near Zurich. Last year more than 200 verbal or physical attacks on staff were recorded by the Swiss Transport Union, which believes the figure to be just the “tip of the iceberg”.…

Demographics

More Swiss struck by CJD

This content was published on Jul 17, 2002 Figures show that the number of people with the degenerative brain condition doubled in 2001 and that the trend has continued in the first half of this year. The disease, caused by defective proteins known as prions, is the human version of BSE or mad cow disease. “We are obviously concerned about this rise,” said…

Parliament building celebrates centenary

This content was published on Jul 17, 2002 In March 1893, members of the Swiss parliament voted overwhelmingly to finance the construction of a new parliament building. In 1902, nine years after the vote, the new building was inaugurated. The rest, as they say, is history. The exhibition, which runs until the end of August, is designed to shed light on the architecture…

Culture

Brazilians storm Montreux Jazz Festival

This content was published on Jul 17, 2002 Brazilian night attracted hundreds of native South Americans plus a good number of music lovers from around the world, eager to dip into the musical melting pot of big names and lesser-known bands. What better way to ride the samba wave than on the Brazil Pirate Boat, which plied Lake Geneva on Saturday afternoon, offering…

Demographics

Luxembourg ambassador admits to falsifying documents

This content was published on Jul 17, 2002 The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said Peter Friederich made the admission after being arrested in Switzerland last week. The Office added, however, that he was continuing to deny allegations of money laundering. Friederich was taken into custody by Swiss police after they received a tip-off from Luxembourg that he was involved in laundering money. The Swiss…

Demographics

Foreign climbers risk all for once in a lifetime holiday

This content was published on Jul 16, 2002 Following the death last Friday of a 22-year-old mountaineer from Slovakia, Hans Jaggi of the Swiss Alpine Club’s rescue service told swissinfo that many climbers from eastern Europe put their lives at risk by taking to the mountains without the proper preparation. “They often do not have the appropriate equipment,” he said. “They try to…

Demographics

Surprise departure for Centerpulse CEO

This content was published on Jul 16, 2002 Erwin Schärer, a Centrepulse spokesman said differences of opinion about company strategy were behind Rietiker’s surprise departure after less than one year in the job. The medical device manufacturer announced on Tuesday a management reorganisation, with the chairman of the board, Max Link, taking over as CEO. The firm, whose headquarters are in Zurich, will…

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