Swiss Identity

Swiss women celebrate their belated emancipation

This content was published on Jun 14, 2001 Now Swiss women are looking back over the past three decades, and reflecting on what has been achieved, and what remains to be done. Patrizia Schultz, director of the Federal Office for Equal Opportunity, says there are a number of successes to celebrate. “First and foremost, we got the right to vote,” says Schultz. “And…

Demographics

Head of crime fighting unit throws in the towel

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 The finance ministry said on Wednesday that Huber, 39, would be stepping down with immediate effect. His interim replacement has been named as Armand Meyer, 62, the former president of the Zurich’s commercial court. Insiders said Huber’s straight-talking style had ruffled feathers at the finance ministry. He was also said to be taking too long…

Demographics

Swiss researchers develop early detection method for BSE

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 “This is a major scientific breakthrough and has potential applications in improving tests for prion diseases,” said Silvano Fumero, senior vice president of research and pharmaceutical development at Geneva-based Serono. Abnormal brain proteins or prions cause mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), as well as its human equivalent, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Prion diseases…

Demographics

More headaches for Hlasek

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 Hlasek, who was sacked one month ago as captain of the men’s Davis Cup team, is having to prepare for the second round tie without Switzerland’s top players. World number one Martina Hingis and Swiss number two Patty Schnyder have already pulled out of the tie. The long distance involved in travelling to the tournament…

Blatter staves off no-confidence vote

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 After facing questions over the collapse of marketing partner ISMM/ISL at an emergency FIFA meeting in Zurich, Blatter said he was confident of remaining in office. “There was no mention of a vote of no-confidence,” Blatter told journalists after Wednesday’s meeting. “I am very confident I will be president at the extraordinary congress (in Buenos…

Culture

Multilingual Switzerland hopes to help Belgium heal language divide

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 Lili Nabholz is presenting the Swiss model of linguistic harmony to the Belgian government in a bid to quell friction between the country’s two linguistic groups. She will have to tread carefully, though. Her predecessor, the Canton Graubünden parliamentarian, Dumeni Columberg, tried to convince the Belgians to follow the Swiss model during a similar trip…

Culture

Basel plays host to the art world

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 But not all of the more than 50,000 visitors expected at Art Basel go there just to admire the broad canvas, which ranges from classic modernism to the cutting edge of contemporary art. Before the fair closes on June 18, many will have paid large sums of money for works by artists such as Degas,…

Demographics

Senate fears joining Schengen will compromise banking secrecy

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 The debate was the first time the government has defended its plans in parliament about negotiating a new set of bilateral agreements with the EU. No vote was taken on the bilateral accords but parliamentarians entered into a heated debate, which focused on one of the issues – the possibility of Switzerland joining the Schengen…

Demographics

Geneva judge seeks fraudsters who pocketed SFr100 million

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 The two men, a Frenchman identified as Patrick B. and a Swiss called Dominique T., have fled with the proceeds of their confidence trick. Pretending to be the representatives in Geneva of Stockton Trust and using the company’s headed notepaper, they persuaded small investors from Switzerland, France, Britain, Germany and Holland to part with their…

Culture

English to benefit after cantons fail to agree language policy

This content was published on Jun 13, 2001 The failure to reach a decision means that it remains up to the 26 individual cantons to choose whether English or a second national language should be given priority. The debate is part of efforts to boost foreign languages and introduce them at an early stage in state-run schools. The proposal foresaw a regional solution…

Swiss Identity

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