Beat Stauffer News Today

Swiss authorities are reporting a sharp rise in crimes attributed to North African asylum seekers and undocumented immigrants. A closer look at these cases reveals a vicious circle of hopelessness and petty crime.

The death toll in the Moroccan quake has passed 2,800 people as several foreign aid and rescue teams joined the search for survivors.

The face veil stirs up many controversies – not only in Europe, but also within the Islamic world. For Mohamed El-Moctar, an Islamic scholar and religious historian, however, it's a practice that has nothing much to do with Islam. Stephanie Doetzer met him in Doha

In view of Tunisia's persistent economic crisis and high jobless rate, also in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution, many young Tunisians are tempted to turn their backs on their homeland and seek their fortunes in Europe. This gives greater weight to projects aimed at improving prospects for the younger generation and persuading them to abandon plans to cross the Mediterranean.