Swiss Identity

New association to improve safety in adventure sports

This content was published on Feb 9, 2000 A new association has been formed in Lucerne to represent groups involved in adventure sports, such as canyoning and rafting. The Swiss Outdoor Association will be made up of thirteen organisations and companies. Amongst them is Adventure World, the firm which organised last year’s tragic canyoning expedition near Interlaken. 21 people died during the descent…

Education

Swiss line up new bids to host Olympics

This content was published on Feb 8, 2000 The Swiss Olympic Association says several Swiss venues are lining up bids to host future Olympic games, despite the failure of a bid by the town of Sion to host the 2006 winter games. At a news conference in Berne, the Olympic Association said Canton Graubünden in south-eastern Switzerland and the city of Montreux in…

Demographics

Competition Commission too weak to fight cartels

This content was published on Feb 8, 2000 The Federal Competition Commission says prices are too high in Switzerland, and that its own powers of punishment are too weak. The Commission’s president, Roland von Büren (pictured), insisted that more must be done to end Switzerland’s image as a “cartel paradise”. In its annual report presented in Berne, the Commission said it had increased…

Culture

Stolen Picasso works found after six years

This content was published on Feb 8, 2000 Paintings by Picasso which were stolen nearly six years ago from a Zurich art gallery, owned by Max G. Bollag (pictured), have reappeared and been handed back. An anonymous mediator who organised the handover was rewarded with two of the recovered pictures. The seven works were stolen from the Art Gallery Max G.Bollag in 1994.…

Demographics

Green code for off-piste sports

This content was published on Feb 8, 2000 The Swiss Alpine Club has launched a new set of guidelines on environmental protection for off-piste skiers, snowboarders and hikers. The move is aimed at pre-empting possible bans on off-piste activities by the authorities. Around 30 companies working closely with nature protection groups and tourism organisations launched the new code of conduct, following fears that…

History

Foreign ministry holds talks with Taleban

This content was published on Feb 7, 2000 Switzerland’s foreign ministry has held informal talks with Afghanistan’s ruling Taleban movement, which is seeking to end years of diplomatic isolation from western countries. A ministry spokesman said that the Swiss delegation, led by the ambassador, Christian Blickenstorfer (pictured), met the Taleban representatives on Thursday. The ministry added that the meeting had allowed both sides…

Demographics

Grindelwald celebrates its unique velogemel

This content was published on Feb 7, 2000 The Swiss Alpine resort of Grindelwald has just held the annual celebration of its unique form of transport: the velogemel. More than 160 people, young and old, took part in the fifth Velogemel world championships – nothing more than an excuse for Grindelwald to tell the world about this curiosity. This wooden snow bike may…

Culture

Artists and their works go on show in Geneva

This content was published on Feb 7, 2000 Photographs of leading 20th century artists at work in their studios are on show in Switzerland, alongside some of their paintings. “The Artist’s Eye” opened in the exhibition centre of Sotheby’s in Zurich and has now been transferred to Geneva, where it can be seen at the Banque Edouard Constant. The centrepiece of the exhibition…

Demographics

Australian victory pushes Switzerland out of Davis Cup

This content was published on Feb 6, 2000 Switzerland is out of the Davis Cup tie in Zurich, after George Bastl and Roger Federer lost their singles matches on Sunday. Australia narrowly squeezed into the second round with a 3-2 win, following strong performances by Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis. Bastl staged an impressive performance against Philippoussis on Sunday, winning the first set…

Demographics

Suspected restaurant gunmen arrested

This content was published on Feb 6, 2000 Police in canton Solothurn say two men have been arrested in connection with an armed attack in a restaurant in Dulliken, in which two people died. Both suspects originate from the former Yugoslavia. One was arrested in canton Ticino as he attempted to escape to Italy, while the other gave himself up. Two women, thought…

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