By Alessandro RAIMONDI
LUGANO, April 4 (THE GLOBE)
�Trusting is fine, not to trust is safer�, seems to be the philosophy adopted recently by the Swiss Federal Council on the issue of foreign radio communications.
In fact, a relevant expenditure of �several million Swiss francs� � the exact figure has not been disclosed � has just been approved in order �to recuperate a certain delay that the Confederation has developed in the international evolution on the information war via ether�, as put by Peter Regli, head of the Army Information Service Group.
Such money will be used to build some nine new dish type aerials to be deployed in the Cantons of Bern and Valais as an attempt to better fight organized crime and international terrorism.
The Swisscom site of Leuk in Canton Valais will host two 18 m. diameter aerials, while 7 further such units, ranging from 4 to 13 m. diameter, will be installed in the military site of Heimenschwand in Canton Bern.
So equipped the two recepting sites will be able to gather �significant� information for Switzerland�s security by picking up radio emissions of foreign telecommunication systems.
The program of strengthening the Helvetic Confederation intelligence apparatus will take place over a period of 5 years, and its financing will occur out of the yearly �ordinary armament budget�. No extra personnel is envisaged being employed at the nine new parabolic aerials due to detect satellite communications.
According to Peter Regli cellular phones communications within Swiss borders will not be checked so that privacy will not be outraged.
The unanimous decision taken by the Federal Council of equipping the country with such sophisticated devices denotes how sensitive the issue and the relevant measure were considered by the government.
06/04/1836 � Nikolay Sklifosovskiy was born (surgeon).
06/04/1896 - The first modern Olympic Games began in Athens, Greece on this day.
06/04/1909 - Commodore Robert Peary and Matthew Alexander Henson became the first explorers to reach the North Pole today � not counting Santa Claus, of course. Because Henson was an African-American, and a hired man, his presence at this historic moment was not recognized until 1945 when he received a medal for outstanding service in the field of science from the U.S. government. Some reports indicate that Henson actually arrived at the Pole 45 minutes before Peary.
06/04/1892 - Lowell Thomas was born (reporter and radio newscaster: said to be the first to broadcast from a ship, an airplane, a submarine and a coal mine: �So long until tomorrow�).
06/04/1945 Bob Marley was born (singer from Jamaica who made music style Reggae popular.
06/04/1956 Igor Saruhanov was born (Russian singer and compositor).
06/04/1971 - Rolling Stone Records was formed to promote the hits of The Rolling Stones. The famous Stones trademark: the lips logo - became widely used.
07/04/1939 - Francis Ford Coppola was born (Academy Award-winning director: The Godfather Part II [1974], The Godfather, The Godfather Part III, Apocalypse Now, Finian�s Rainbow, Peggy Sue Got Married).
07/04/1948 - The World Health Organization was founded.
07/04/1954 - Jackie Chan was born (actor).
08/04/1968 - Patricia Arquette was born (actress: �True Romance�).
April, 7
AKBK Palace of Culture. �Jiselle� ballet by A. Adan. 6.00 p.m.
From 4 th of March
Gallery of Modern Art �Orkhon�. Bouquet of Flowers Exhibition.
From 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
From 25st of March to 14 of April
The Kosteyev State National Museum. �Modern drawing of 80th�. Rhine artists.
The Kosteyev State National Museum. Exhibition of the works of S. Kalmykov, I. Itkind, V. Eifert, and Rudolf Nuriev�s painting.
From 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Closed on Monday.
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