Swiss Politics

New development aid chief appointed

This content was published on Apr 2, 2008 The 53-year-old Dahinden replaces Walter Fust, who retires at the end of the month after 15 years in the job. The foreign ministry said Dahinden was an experienced manager with responsibility for the network of Swiss embassies and consulates, and the former head of the Geneva-based International Centre for Humanitarian Demining. Dahinden told a news…

Swiss Politics

Justice minister said to be under threat

This content was published on Apr 1, 2008 She decided to withdraw after the body which invited her received “serious threats”. According to Felix Müller, head of the Fluntern guild, some threats had been such as to put the minister’s “physical safety” in danger. Widmer-Schlumpf took her decision after consulting the federal police, which is responsible for the security of Swiss cabinet ministers…

Swiss Politics

Remapping sex genes of the past

This content was published on Apr 1, 2008 Lausanne University’s Centre for Integrated Genomics dates the creation of the sex determining chromosomes to 180 million years ago, in findings published in the Public Library of Science (PLoS) general biology journal on Tuesday. Co-author Nicolas Vinckenbosch told swissinfo: “Before this, we thought that our sex chromosomes evolved through the common ancestry of all mammals…

Swiss Politics

United States seeks copy of Iran gas contract

This content was published on Mar 30, 2008 After the contract was signed in Tehran on March 17, the US embassy in Bern officially requested a copy. The embassy originally asked for a copy of the contract in June 2007, according to information published on its website. “As of now, we have not received a response to our request for a copy of…

Swiss Politics

Passport-free air travel extends to 24 countries

This content was published on Mar 30, 2008 Switzerland was due to join the Schengen zone in November this year, but the move is likely to be delayed as ratification of the treaty in several European Union member nations is still pending. The abolition of controls for air traffic completes the latest enlargement of the Schengen zone to include nine new member states…

Swiss Politics

New initiative against fighter jets

This content was published on Mar 30, 2008 The pacifist organisation, Group for Switzerland without an Army, says it plans to collect the necessary signatures to force a nationwide vote on defence spending. The people’s initiative calls for a ten-year arms moratorium on the purchase of fighter jets. The group which has 18 months to collect the at least 100,000 signatures, said it…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey visits troops in Kosovo

This content was published on Mar 29, 2008 Speaking at Camp Casablanca at Suva Reka on the second day of her official visit to the newly-independent country, Calmy-Rey said no other European country had more interest than Switzerland in securing a peaceful Kosovo with prospects for the future. Calmy-Rey said the Swiss troops stationed in Kosovo were an important part of Swiss foreign…

Swiss Politics

Bhutan takes first step towards democracy

This content was published on Mar 29, 2008 The move is part of the democratic transition taking place in Bhutan, which is about the same size as Switzerland. “If there is a country in the region that can introduce and live democracy, it’s Bhutan,” Werner Kuelling, local head of Swiss aid organisation Helvetas, said after the elections which ended a century of absolute…

Swiss Politics

Swiss embassy opens in Kosovo

This content was published on Mar 28, 2008 “Only an independent Kosovo can develop economically and politically, and Switzerland is contributing to the stability of the region by helping the construction of this state,” she said. As a state, Kosovo could be a “true partner” with whom Bern could negotiate agreements. There are about 60 bilateral accords that were made with the former…

Swiss Politics

Measles outbreak prompts shots for all

This content was published on Mar 28, 2008 The epidemic has reached all parts of the country, with 2,000 cases in the past 16 months and 133 sufferers treated in hospital, the Federal Health Office said on Friday. Half of those affected were aged between five and 15. A total of 98 per cent of patients had either received just one of two…

Swiss Politics

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Swiss Politics

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New development aid chief appointed

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Justice minister said to be under threat

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Remapping sex genes of the past

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United States seeks copy of Iran gas contract

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Passport-free air travel extends to 24 countries

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New initiative against fighter jets

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Calmy-Rey visits troops in Kosovo

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Bhutan takes first step towards democracy

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Swiss embassy opens in Kosovo

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Measles outbreak prompts shots for all

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