Cluster: Archive

Banks’ green pledge earns mixed response

This content was published on Jun 10, 2003 However, they fear the so-called “Equator Principles”, which apply to the funding of future development projects, may never be put into practice. Caroline Morel, executive director of the Bern-based non-governmental organisation, Swissaid, conceded that the guidelines were a step in the right direction. But she cast doubt on whether they were as big a breakthrough…

Supply chain automation is a giant opportunity for Swiss RFID sector

This content was published on Jun 10, 2003 Companies as diverse as Infineon, Volkswagen and Manor AG are now using RFID for improving supply chain automation. Intellion AG is a spin off of the University of St Gallen and MLab, the Swiss research institute that sets standards for RFID along with MIT. It was founded to deal specifically with the demand for RFID’s…

Swiss astronaut looks back on star-studded career

This content was published on Jun 10, 2003 To mark the occasion, swissinfo interviewed Swiss space veteran and ESA member, Claude Nicollier, about life as an astronaut, his space walk and his fascination for space. Nicollier – Switzerland’s only astronaut – has taken part in four space flights and has logged more than 1,000 hours in space, including an eight-hour long space walk…

Floral paradise blossoms on Brissago islands

This content was published on Jun 10, 2003 The two islands are home to the country’s most southerly botanical gardens with 1,600 different plant species from five continents. They benefit from ideal growing conditions, thanks to a Mediterranean microclimate which prevails over Lake Maggiore. “The Alps to the north protect the islands from cold northern air,” head gardener Fiorenzo Risi says. “And so…

Leica Geosystems sizes up Madame Liberty

This content was published on Jun 9, 2003 Leica Geosystems has provided laser scanners and sophisticated software to provide historic documentation of the Statue of Liberty. The finished result will be complete architectural drawings of the New York statue’s exterior, accurate to ¼ inch. The scaled drawings will be used to monitor and maintain the statue and could be used to reconstruct an…

Nicollier defends the International Space Station

This content was published on Jun 8, 2003 They claim it is well over budget and behind schedule and would be better off being scrapped entirely. It was conceived as a an international project, led by the United States and includes Russia, the European Space Agency (ESA) – of which Switzerland is a member – Canada, Brazil and Japan. Its purpose is to…

Swiss astronaut looks back on star-studded career

This content was published on Jun 8, 2003 To mark the occasion, swissinfo interviewed Swiss space veteran and ESA member, Claude Nicollier, about life as an astronaut, his space walk and his fascination for space. Nicollier – Switzerland’s only astronaut – has taken part in four space flights and has logged more than 1,000 hours in space, including an eight-hour long space walk…

Swiss banks reaffirm anti-money laundering pledge

This content was published on Jun 6, 2003 But Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS, said the country could not shoulder all the responsibility for tracking illegal funds. “There turned out to be very little of [Joseph] Mobutu’s money in Switzerland after his death,” said Hanspeter Bauer, head of compliance at UBS. “But nobody investigated neighbouring countries, where he had residences and who were the…

Swiss deflation fears intensify

This content was published on Jun 6, 2003 Although opinions are divided about whether Switzerland will fall into a deflationary spiral, most agree that a sustained period of falling prices would be traumatic. “Whether from an external shock or from deterioration in the domestic economy, Switzerland is facing a fairly substantial risk of deflation,” analyst Jean-Claude Manini said in a recent report on…

Festival in Le Bouveret picks up steam

This content was published on Jun 6, 2003 The festival kicks off with a reception for steam engine fans at 9am. Among the special events is an international toy market with more than 100 exhibitors on the second day of the festival, an evening barbecue and the handing out of commemorative plaques on June 21. The park covers 17,000 square metres on the…

Cluster: Archive

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