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UBS ‘now out of the woods’

This content was published on Feb 4, 2014 The bank appears finally to have shrugged off the turbulent past six years, which featured massive losses during the financial crisis, an embarrassing state bailout, a crippling tax evasion crackdown in the United States and a string of fines for market malpractice. UBS responded to the crisis by offloading risky deals, slashing its investment banking…

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Swiss reject new probe of Angola-Russia deal

This content was published on Feb 4, 2014 According to a 2013 report by Corruption Watch UK and an Angolan association of human rights lawyers, the missing money was supposed to go towards repaying a $1.5 billion debt to Russia for help in Angola’s 27-year civil war. The report said Angola paid with promissory notes on future oil shipments, but they went through…

Documenting the sectarian violence

This content was published on Feb 4, 2014 Their ten-month reign was marked by widespread human rights abuses and deepening divisions between the country’s Muslim minority and Christian majority. Bitter hatred over their rule has led to mobs carrying out public killings and lynchings of anyone perceived as being part of Séléka. Almost one million people, or a quarter of the population, have…

UBS reports CHF3 billion profit in 2013

This content was published on Feb 4, 2014 The figure is a stark contrast to last year, when UBS lost CHF1.9 billion in the final quarter of 2012. That loss was due to litigation and restructuring costs. In a statement on Tuesday, the bank said that its pre-tax operating profit in the October-December period was CHF449 million. Its full-year net profit for 2013…

Baer suffers from bullish acquisition

This content was published on Feb 3, 2014 The Zurich-based private bank, the country’s third largest, posted a lower-than-expected 19% rise in full-year earnings, reflecting legal fees relating to the United States probe of financial institutions which allegedly helped rich Americans dodge taxes. Baer said it would hit the lower end of its target for the transfer of assets invested by former clients…

Will new research rules improve transparency?

This content was published on Feb 3, 2014 Governments around the world are stockpiling billions of dollars’ worth of Roche’s antiviral drug Tamiflu to fight a potential influenza epidemic. But doctors cannot be sure that the therapy works to prevent outbreaks because the company has for years refused to disclose study data. The common industry tactic of sweeping undesirable results under the carpet…

Youth ski decline threatens future of sector

This content was published on Feb 2, 2014 “You’ve got to be 100% on duty from 6am to 11pm, ensure discipline and be there for children who are ill or homesick.” Primary school teacher Urs Weibel runs ski camps for children at his school but, as he tells swissinfo.ch, it is a struggle. On top of looking after the children, “you have to…

Protest vote could be decisive at ballot box

This content was published on Jan 29, 2014 Supporters of the initiative, “against mass immigration”, by the rightwing Swiss People’s Party have increased their share by 6% since the end of December to 43%. At the same time opponents lost 5% and now have 50%. (For details see graphic below) “Parties to the right have succeeded in particular in mobilising their grassroots across the…

EU migrants seen as social system freeloaders

This content was published on Jan 29, 2014 “Free movement of workers was devised to allow European citizens to come and work in Switzerland. Today, however, there is an increasing number of people who, driven by the crisis, arrive in our country without a contract or remain after losing their jobs. This is at the expense of the social welfare system,” says People’s…

Novartis sustains growth as patents expire

This content was published on Jan 29, 2014 Chief executive Joseph Jimenez said on Wednesday that Novartis delivered a strong performance in 2013, with net sales and core operating income in constant currencies increasing while absorbing patent expirations. Jimenez earned CHF13.23 million for running the company last year. Between them, the 11 members of Novartis’ executive committee received remuneration packages totalling CHF67.7 million…

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Internal: Archive

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UBS ‘now out of the woods’

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Swiss reject new probe of Angola-Russia deal

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Documenting the sectarian violence

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UBS reports CHF3 billion profit in 2013

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Baer suffers from bullish acquisition

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Will new research rules improve transparency?

More

Youth ski decline threatens future of sector

More

Protest vote could be decisive at ballot box

More

EU migrants seen as social system freeloaders

More

Novartis sustains growth as patents expire

Popular Stories

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