Swiss Politics

Parliament calls for immigration limits

This content was published on Apr 14, 2011 The House of Representatives on Wednesday followed the Senate in approving a motion urging cabinet to present plans to ensure “a more orderly immigration”. A majority of centre-right and rightwing parliamentarians criticised that immigration has remained high despite an economic crisis. The centre-left voted against the motion. Justice Minister Simonetta Sommaruga argued there was no…

Swiss Politics

Syrian protests gather pace

This content was published on Apr 13, 2011 Despite bloody crackdowns, pledges of reform and attempts to appease minority Kurds and conservative Sunnis, calls for more freedoms have yet to abate. Indeed, protests are taking place across the entire country, according to a Swiss-based Syrian. On Wednesday thousands of women and children holding white flags and olive branches blocked a main southern coastal…

Bid to give voters more say in foreign policy

This content was published on Apr 13, 2011 However, a more far-reaching initiative by a conservative group failed to win a majority in the House on Wednesday. The other parliamentary chamber, the Senate is still to discuss the proposal before it goes to a nationwide vote at a later date. The Campaign for an Independent and Neutral Switzerland (Cins) wants voters to have…

Swiss Politics

Swiss switch on to more electricity

This content was published on Apr 13, 2011 “The main overall drivers of electricity consumption are economic growth and population development,” it said in a statement on Wednesday. Domestic power plants generated 66.3 billion kWh, or 0.4% less electricity than in 2009, with nuclear power stations producing 3.5 per cent less power than in 2009, despite a record year at the Mühleberg plant.…

Swiss Politics

Ouattara faces tough “new era of hope”

This content was published on Apr 12, 2011 But he faces a huge task in reuniting a country which has been shattered by civil war and where the humanitarian situation remains critical, especially in western regions and the commercial capital Abidjan. Gbagbo, who had refused to step down after ten years in power, was detained on Monday in Abidjan by pro-Ouattara forces, backed…

Swiss Politics

Asylum claims on the rise

This content was published on Apr 12, 2011 From January through to the end of March, 4,371 people lodged claims for asylum in Switzerland. In March alone 1,874 claims were lodged – 612 more claims than in March 2010, the FMO said in a statement on Tuesday. The FMO said the fine weather in March and events in North Africa were responsible for…

Swiss call for restraint in Ivory Coast

This content was published on Apr 12, 2011 In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry called for restraint from all sides involved in recent fighting in Ivory Coast. It said the civilian population must be protected and human rights and international law must be respected. In response to the arrest of former leader Laurent Gbagbo in Abidjan on Monday, the ministry said Switzerland…

Swiss Politics

Koran and Bible-burning trio acquitted

This content was published on Apr 12, 2011 The book burnings never took place but the three, two Indians and a Swiss, were charged with violating laws on freedom of faith and religious practice. The judge ruled that the men could not be prosecuted for simply announcing their intention to burn the religious texts. However the three were asked to pay half of…

Swiss Politics

Court urged to order new vote on tax breaks

This content was published on Apr 12, 2011 Margret Kiener Nellen, a parliamentarian of the centre-left Social Democratic Party, filed a complaint with the supreme court arguing the vote was irregular as the authorities gave incomplete and misleading information on the expected shortfall in revenue and the main beneficiaries of the reform. She said two cantons had also called on the government to…

Swiss Politics

ICRC to open an office in Tripoli

This content was published on Apr 11, 2011 The ICRC is already present in the east of the war-stricken country which is controlled by anti-government forces. A spokesman for the ICRC said the organisation planned to send a team to besieged Misrata as soon as possible. “The prime minister (of Libya) has agreed that the ICRC open an office in Tripoli,” the spokesman…

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Parliament calls for immigration limits

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Syrian protests gather pace

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Bid to give voters more say in foreign policy

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Swiss switch on to more electricity

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Ouattara faces tough “new era of hope”

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Asylum claims on the rise

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Swiss call for restraint in Ivory Coast

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Koran and Bible-burning trio acquitted

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Court urged to order new vote on tax breaks

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ICRC to open an office in Tripoli

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