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Swiss economy “most liberal” in Europe

This content was published on Jan 13, 2011 Switzerland scored a total of 81.9 points out of a possible 100 in the Index of Economic Freedom and took top spot away from Ireland. The Swiss result was 0.8 of a point better than the previous year, while Ireland lost two places as a result of the financial crisis. Worldwide, Hong Kong was ranked…

“Zero-risk society doesn’t exist for floods”

This content was published on Jan 13, 2011 Paolo Burlando, a professor of hydrology and water resource management at the Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, says there will always be some flooding risk but mitigation and prevention measures are possible. Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has said that the Australian state has witnessed the worst natural disaster in its history and that rebuilding would…

WHO launches plan to protect malaria therapies

This content was published on Jan 13, 2011 The initiative, announced in Geneva, follows reports in Southeast Asia of the first signs of resistance to artemisinin, the key component of malaria treatments for millions of patients, posing a serious threat to global control efforts. An artemisinin-resistant parasite emerged in areas along the Cambodia-Thailand border in mid 2000, and is suspected of having spread…

Eurogroup president says Europe has debt crisis

This content was published on Jan 13, 2011 Juncker, who was speaking at an event in Zurich on Wednesday evening, said: “We do not have a euro crisis. We have a debt crisis.” He added that it was no catastrophe that the euro had fallen by about 15 per cent against the Swiss franc. “The euro will be around for longer than me,”…

Of bones, dinosaurs and DNA

This content was published on Jan 12, 2011 The historian of science is being presented with the prestigious award in Bern on January 13 for her work on how the natural sciences explain the history of humankind. Sommer is Swiss National Science Foundation professor at the Centre for Social and Economic History at Zurich University. The SFr100,000 ($103,000) prize is given annually to…

Passenger numbers at airports take off

This content was published on Jan 12, 2011 Nearly 12 million people used Geneva airport last year, an increase of 4.9 per cent compared to 2009. The rise was surprising since the airport was shut for several days, first in April due to the cloud of ash from an Icelandic volcano that grounded aircraft across Europe and then in December because of snowfall.…

Trade with Canada gets a boost

This content was published on Jan 12, 2011 The goal of the centre is to support entrance into the Canadian market of small and medium sized companies from Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The new Canadian hub will have satellite offices in Vancouver and Montreal. The SBH Canada is the 18th set up by Osec around the world in partnership with the Swiss foreign ministry.…

Strong Swiss franc gives Switzerland the jitters

This content was published on Jan 11, 2011 The value of the Swiss currency, most notably against the euro, is causing alarm among Swiss exporters, particularly those who sell in the eurozone. Their products are becoming increasingly expensive. Europe, and in particular Germany, are Switzerland’s largest export markets. Invited to the meeting, which is being organised by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs…

Switzerland may contribute more to the IMF

This content was published on Jan 11, 2011 This finding, announced on Tuesday, endorses the views of the Swiss cabinet and Senate. The House’s foreign affairs committee voted 14 to 9 with one abstention in favour of Switzerland supporting the revised New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB) scheme. The aim is to help the IMF cope better with countries which run into problems on…

Swiss banks confident about future

This content was published on Jan 11, 2011 More than half of the 60 survey respondents said they had come out of the financial crisis in better shape. Two thirds forecast positive developments in the global financial markets in 2011. The Bank Barometer 2011, produced on Tuesday by consultancy firm Ernst & Young, tested the expectations and fears of the Swiss banking community…

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