Superbrains, franc shock and surveillance
Here are the stories we’re following the week of January 11:
24-hour air police
On Tuesday we will have a video report on how the Swiss air force is gradually ramping up its surveillance of the skies from this year onwards. Until recently the policing service had only been operational during office hours. Two fighter jets will be on call 24/7 from 2020, in a project that is costing CHF30 million ($30 million). But not everyone is happy about it.
Zurich, a city of geniuses?
Albert Einstein is one, Kurt Wüthrich is another – Nobel Prizes winners who have spent time in Zurich for work. Indeed, one source puts the number of Nobel laureates with connections to Zurich at 63. On Wednesday swissinfo.ch takes a look at why the city has attracted so many geniuses, and asks Wüthrich (Nobel for Chemistry, 2002) for his opinion as well.
Counting the cost of ‘Frankenshock’
It was exactly one year ago on Friday that Switzerland’s central bank abruptly pulled the plug on its franc-euro exchange rate peg of CHF1.20. The move caused shockwaves both in Switzerland and abroad. We look at the economic and political cost of the Swiss National Bank’s (SNB) decision.
Insurers and the climate deal
One month after the Paris climate accord, the insurance business is expected to play an increasing role in dealing with the effects of global warming. Most of the loss burden from natural catastrophes is not insured, with developing countries particularly hard hit. Find out more in our article published on Friday.
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