Swiss Politics

Wreckage confirmed as belonging to missing jet

This content was published on Jun 3, 2009 Air France flight 447 left Brazil on Sunday and lost contact with air traffic controllers during a severe storm. Swiss Transport Minister Moritz Leuenberger has sent a letter of condolence to his counterparts in France and Brazil. Brazilian navy divers were headed on Wednesday to a 5km strip of water strewn with aeroplane seats, an…

Swiss Politics

Cabinet delays aid commitment, blames economy

This content was published on Jun 2, 2009 Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey confirmed the decision on Tuesday during parliament’s question time. Alliance Sud, an umbrella organisation of charities, said the government was “torpedoing” development aid. Calmy-Rey said there would be “active communication” but no immediate decision. Last year both chambers of parliament agreed in principle to increase the percentage of GNI going to…

Swiss Politics

ICRC alarmed about Pakistan’s Swat valley

This content was published on May 31, 2009 The Swiss-run organisation said in a statement on Sunday that there should be a “prompt and comprehensive” humanitarian response for people caught in the fighting between Pakistani troops and Taliban rebel forces. A team of ICRC delegates that visited the area on Saturday said they were alarmed by what they had seen. “People have been…

Swiss Politics

Immigrants bring spice to Californian life

This content was published on May 31, 2009 But how is the issue dealt with in classic immigration countries, such as the United States? California is, for example, a magnet for Latin Americans, and once attracted many Swiss émigrés. As part of its special on the historic waves of emigrations of Swiss-Italians, swissinfo.ch spoke to Tomás Jiménez, an immigration and minorities expert at…

Swiss Politics

UN under fire over Sri Lanka response

This content was published on May 30, 2009 The UN European headquarters in Geneva on Friday denied there had been a cover-up. Le Monde newspaper accused the UN of covering up the “severity of the massacres” in Sri Lanka for fear of compromising its humanitarian operations and of being expelled from the island. The French newspaper cited UN figures putting the death toll…

Swiss Politics

Calmy-Rey visits detainees in Libya

This content was published on May 29, 2009 The pair have been held as a retaliatory response to the arrest in July last year of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi’s son Hannibal in Geneva. Calmy-Rey, who wanted to check on the physical and mental health of the two Swiss herself, was accompanied by the detainees’ wives and a doctor. “Significant progress” had been made,…

Swiss Politics

New blow to rejected Tamil asylum seekers

This content was published on May 28, 2009 The House agreed with the Senate, which voted on the issue earlier this week. Both have followed the view of Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf that halting repatriation would send the wrong signal. The 26-year conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers rebel group seeking independence for the north came to an end…

Swiss Politics

Speak the language, then get Swiss passport

This content was published on May 28, 2009 The House of Representatives on Thursday approved a motion demanding applicants for citizenship speak German, French, Italian or Romansh fluently. Speakers said it was key for integration into society for foreigners to be fluent in a national idiom. The proposal, which still has to be discussed by the Senate, stops short of supporting a call…

Swiss Politics

Cuba thwarts human rights debate on Sri Lanka

This content was published on May 27, 2009 At the United Nations in Geneva on Wednesday, Cuba blocked any debate on amendments put forward by Germany on a text submitted by the Sri Lankan government on the situation in the country. The Cuban representative accused the Europeans of “arrogance and intransigence”, saying the proposed amendments would completely “rewrite” the Sri Lankan text. Switzerland’s…

Swiss Politics

Switzerland joins renewable energy body

This content was published on May 27, 2009 Irena includes a group of 83 countries interested in working together to promote alternative power. The stated goal of the international organisation is to become “the main driving force for promoting a rapid transition towards the widespread and sustainable use of renewable energy on a global scale”. The Swiss government agreed to join the body…

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Wreckage confirmed as belonging to missing jet

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Cabinet delays aid commitment, blames economy

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ICRC alarmed about Pakistan’s Swat valley

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Immigrants bring spice to Californian life

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UN under fire over Sri Lanka response

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Calmy-Rey visits detainees in Libya

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New blow to rejected Tamil asylum seekers

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Speak the language, then get Swiss passport

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Cuba thwarts human rights debate on Sri Lanka

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Switzerland joins renewable energy body

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