cafebabel.com

Olivia Pedroli: 'Icelanders are lucky to come from a country so far from everything'

('Naomi R',) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:00:00 -0000

From her beginnings in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, Olivia’s talent led her to Reykjavik where she has bloomed under the mentorship of Bjôrk’s producer. Coming out of her trance, Olivia guides us through the mélange of folk, classical and experimental influences that make up her new album 'The Den'. Will you come in?

Aids: the HIV carrier criminals in Europe

('Hayley Worsley-Carter',) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:00:00 -0000

In Scotland and Guyana Mark Devereaux and Alain Prosper respectively get ten years imprisonment. In France another man gets a five-year sentence, spending at least eighteen months behind bars. What do these criminals have in common?

Why the Swiss call Italian workers ‘baliaratt’

('Helen Dray',) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 18:00:00 -0000

What’s the problem when three rats devour a Swiss cheese? Nothing, except when the rats represent the 45,000 Italian workers ‘stealing jobs’ in an Italian canton of Switzerland. That's according to 60 billboards splattered over the mainly Italian-speaking canton of Tessin or Ticino. Term of the week

'Shooting galleries' in Europe: political jab or social cure-all?

('ruth gray',) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:45:00 -0000

Supervising the use of hard drugs or not is an issue that's cropping up across Europe, with some countries tackling it with a different intensity than others; the UK has three injecting clinics. While eight progressive governments have already established the centres, others wish to silence such crazy calls for change. All in the name of morality. Obviously...

Swiss singer Sophie Hunger: former jazz 'fascist'

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 11:30:00 -0000

It's promo promo promo in Paris for the folk singer-songwriter, who's finishing up a tour of Europe via Glastonbury to shows in the Czech Republic and Austria. The mellow 27-year-old from Zurich is on the French festival circuit to continue the escape from the 'sad' studio

Cornershop: 'musicians might as well hand their credit cards over to the man on the street'

('Tim Mac an Airchinnigh',) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Northern English indie band Cornershop give us a talking to about Swiss minarets, metal music and releasing their comeback album - it's been seven years! - cheaply via their website

In a country of 400, 000 muslims, the Swiss vote to ban minarets

('euro topics',) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:40:42 -0000

On 29 November, the people of Switzerland voted to ban the construction of new minarets. The referendum initiated by the Swiss people's party and the conservative federal democratic union has dealt a severe blow to religious peace in the country, write the Estonian, Swiss, Portuguese and Austrian press

Western states boycott UN anti-racism conference in Geneva

('euro topics',) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:51:59 -0000

Durban II began on 20 April with a boycott. For fear of an anti-Israel mood and anti-semitic incidents the US, Israel and other states including Italy, Germany and the Netherlands have cancelled their attendance at the so-called Durban II conference. Press reactions from Switzerland, Germany, Italy and Belgium

Music in March: Killed by 9V Batteries and Extraperlo

('Andrew Christie',) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Paris-Berlin machine rock, continental breakfast from Barcelona and Austrian pot-washers –spring is blossoming in many ways on the music scene! Café Babel’s music diary for March

Third day of violence in Athens after 15-year-old rioter dies

('euro topics',) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:45:57 -0000

Alexandros Grigoropoulos was allegedly hurling stones at a police car when officials shot him on 6 December. The incident has sparked riots, with protests held in Corfu and Germany. Ahead of a strike on 10 December, Greek, Italian, Swiss and German newspapers analyse the causes and the consequences for the government

Italy favourites to win Euro 2008

('Andrew Burgess',) — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:00:00 -0000

FIFA class the current world champions as favourites in the 2008 instalment of the European football championships. Some predictions on the first round challengers

Liechtenstein: a paradise’s light is dimming

('Erin Woycik',) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Liechtenstein, the geographical heart of the EU, has 35,000 inhabitants, 70,000 foundations and 110,000 million euros deposited in bank accounts whose owners are anonymous. All this leaves a bad taste in the European mouth

Gesundheit

('Sarah Gray',) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0000

Exhibition brings Israel and Palestine 'face to face'

('John Smith',) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:58:00 -0000

Face2Face is a unique and edgy photography show by French and Swiss friends JR and Marco, They stick the Israeli-Palestinian conflict right under European noses

Switzerland and Europe: the story of an old couple

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 12:43:00 -0000

1 August is the Swiss national holiday – an occasion to reflect back on Swiss moves towards joining the EU

'It is our right to organise our fiscal system as we please'

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Switzerland’s stubborn neutrality and the fact that the country is considered a tax haven by many, these are the issues we want to discuss with the Swiss ambassador to the EU

'Switzerland copies and pastes EU legislation’

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0000

In Switzerland, some are urging accession to the EU to recuperate the country’s sovereignty.We talked to the General Secretary of the New European Movement Switzerland (NEMS)

The satellite country

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0000

Switzerland cultivates the myth of a paradisiacal country that neutrality will protect from all the worlds torments

Interrail for the future

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 12:23:00 -0000

Spanning north to south, stretching east to west: travelling in Europe as of 2020 will be easier and faster thanks to the upcoming Trans-European Transport Network (TEN)