Swiss Politics

Napoleon III

This content was published on Apr 18, 2008 Emperor Napoleon III of France was born 200 years ago, on April 20 1808. He spent his formative years in the area of Lake Constance, border hopping between Switzerland and Germany. A double Swiss-German exhibition commemorates his life and times.

Sharing confiscated Yakuza funds

This content was published on Apr 18, 2008 About SFr58.4 million ($57 million) was seized in Zurich five years ago during an international investigation into Japan’s biggest yakuza crime syndicate. Susumu Kajiyama, a leading member of the Goryôkai organisation, was convicted of money laundering and extortion by a court in Japan in 2005. Switzerland provided legal assistance in the case against Kajiyama, who…

Swiss Politics

Official blames food crisis on export subsidies

This content was published on Apr 17, 2008 Walter Fust said as well as providing emergency food aid, people had to tackle urgently the underlying causes of the crisis, such as agricultural subsidies, the growth in crops used for ethanol production, global warming and poor infrastructure. Addressing foreign journalists in Geneva on Thursday, Fust said he feared that in many of the worst-affected…

Swiss Politics

Making biofuels could lower food production

This content was published on Apr 17, 2008 A report by researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich says that such a situation could happen if the price of diesel were more than SFr2.30 ($2.30) per litre and petrol more than SFr2.70. In their study, published on Thursday by the Federal Agriculture Office, they explain that in such a situation the…

Swiss Politics

Organ-harvesting claims spark controversy

This content was published on Apr 17, 2008 In her new book, Del Ponte claims – based on what she describes as credible and eyewitness reports – that Kosovar Albanian guerrillas transported 300 Serbian prisoners to Albania where they were killed and their organs removed and trafficked. Serbia and Russia are demanding a war crimes investigation into the accusations. The Kosovar government, now…

Swiss Politics

Expert urges caution over anti-Chinese protests

This content was published on Apr 16, 2008 Nicolas Zufferey, head of Chinese studies at Geneva University, told swissinfo that the Chinese government is not as strong as it appears and western protests could well jeopardise earlier signs of openness. On Wednesday the Olympic torch will be paraded in Pakistan after brief and uninterrupted stopovers in Latin America, Africa and the Middle East…

Swiss Politics

Survey favours links to new EU states

This content was published on Apr 16, 2008 A survey by the Swiss Business Federation, economiesuisse, showed overwhelming support for extending the EU bilateral agreements. But opponents are expected to challenge such a move by referendum. Some 97 per cent of business enterprises and associations surveyed by economiesuisse said they supported free movement of workers with Romania and Bulgaria. And 83 per cent…

Swiss Politics

Calls for turning around agricultural policy

This content was published on Apr 15, 2008 An international study, published on Tuesday, shows that efforts to increase food production come at the expense on the world’s poor and damage the environment. “We can’t go on as we are,” said Hans Rudolf Herren, head of the Swiss non-governmental organisation BioVision, which promotes sustainable agriculture in developing countries. Along with Kenyan colleague Judi…

Swiss Politics

Problem bear killed by authorities

This content was published on Apr 15, 2008 The bear, known as JJ3, was killed on Monday after attempts to frighten it away failed in recent weeks, the environment ministry announced. The bear did not show any fear and had become a danger to the population, a spokesman added. JJ3 caused problems last year, destroying rubbish bins around the Lenzerheide resort and in…

Swiss Politics

Swiss media see no change for Italy

This content was published on Apr 15, 2008 They point out that the billionaire businessman, who easily defeated the centre-left led by Walter Veltroni, has already had two opportunities to reform Italy’s political system – opportunities that he failed to grasp. The Tribune de Genève called Berlusconi’s win a chance to avenge his defeat at the hands of Romano Prodi in 2006. It…

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Swiss Politics

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Napoleon III

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Sharing confiscated Yakuza funds

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Official blames food crisis on export subsidies

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Making biofuels could lower food production

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Organ-harvesting claims spark controversy

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Expert urges caution over anti-Chinese protests

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Survey favours links to new EU states

More

Calls for turning around agricultural policy

More

Problem bear killed by authorities

More

Swiss media see no change for Italy

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