Cluster: Archive

National Bank upbeat about economy

This content was published on Apr 28, 2000 The president of the National Bank, Hans Meyer (pictured), has given an upbeat assessment of the Swiss economy. However, he also expressed concerns about the integrity of Swiss banks. Meyer told the bank’s annual general meeting on Friday that the economy was stronger, but warned that there were growing risks to economic stability. “We are…

Swiss scientists hold biotech open house

This content was published on Apr 28, 2000 Swiss Scientists involved in bioengineering research have held an open house day in Berne in an effort to gain public confidence in their work. “There is nothing to fear from bioengineering and gene technology, and we have to make up for a lot of lost time in explaining our work to the general public”. This…

Swisscom employees stage protest action

This content was published on Apr 27, 2000 Around 600 Swisscom employees staged a brief protest action on Thursday during their lunch breaks in French-speaking Switzerland. They were protesting against plans to cut 3,000 jobs. Trade unions which had organised the protest are concerned that Swisscom’s management has not yet revealed which branches of the communications giant are affected by the cuts. Swisscom…

New high-tech storage depot opened for nuclear waste

This content was published on Apr 27, 2000 Switzerland’s nuclear power industry has opened a hi-tech storage site for radioactive waste from the country’s five commercial reactors. The SFr500 million storage depot, at Würenlingen, canton Aargau, is adjacent to a government-run dump for low-level radioactive waste. The new depot will take in highly radioactive waste, mostly spent rods, which have beenreprocessed in plants…

Swiss National Bank leaves interest rates unchanged

This content was published on Apr 27, 2000 The Swiss National Bank has left interest rates unchanged in the wake of the European Central Bank’s announcement that its key rate is rising by 25 basis points to 3.75 per cent. The SNB’s target range for LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate) remains 2.5 to 3.5 per cent. Neither decision came as any surprise. The…

Hope is in sight for insomniacs

This content was published on Apr 27, 2000 A team of scientists from the University of Geneva has identified the neurones (pictured) which send us to sleep and keep us awake. It is hoped that the discovery, revealed in the latest edition of the science journal Nature, will lead to a better understanding of sleeping disorders and produce more effective treatments that are…

New price war in store as mobile phone competition hots up

This content was published on Apr 27, 2000 Competition in Switzerland’s mobile telecommunications sector is hotting up with two new service providers due to enter the fray. Neither Sunrise nor Tele 2 have their own mobile networks but they’ve struck deals with Swisscom and Orange to offer their customers pre-paid mobile services. From next month, Tele 2 mobile customers will be able to…

UN report says problems of ageing population exaggerated

This content was published on Apr 27, 2000 The Geneva-based United Nations labour agency has published a book detailing the state of the world’s social security and pensions systems. It outlines how western countries should deal with their ageing populations, although its authors suggests the problem is exaggerated. The timing of the report, ‘Social Security Pensions – Development and Reform’, is important, coming…

Negative trade balance due to high oil prices

This content was published on Apr 27, 2000 Switzerland’s trade balance with the rest of the world showed a deficit of SFr333 million for March, reflecting higher oil prices and the purchase of new aircraft for Crossair. The figures more than wiped out February’s surplus of Sfr76 million. The total deficit for the first quarter of the year stands at SFr386 million compared…

Mixed results in survey of Alpine tunnel safety

This content was published on Apr 26, 2000 A survey of tunnel safety in eight European countries, including Switzerland, has just been published in the wake of last year’s disastrous fires in the Mont Blanc tunnel, linking France and Italy, and Austria’s Tauern tunnel which killed a total of 51 people. The results, published in Brussels, show a definite need for improvements. Of…

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National Bank upbeat about economy

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Swiss scientists hold biotech open house

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Swisscom employees stage protest action

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New high-tech storage depot opened for nuclear waste

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Swiss National Bank leaves interest rates unchanged

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Hope is in sight for insomniacs

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New price war in store as mobile phone competition hots up

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UN report says problems of ageing population exaggerated

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Negative trade balance due to high oil prices

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Mixed results in survey of Alpine tunnel safety

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