Internal: Archive

ABB wins huge China power orders

This content was published on Dec 18, 2007 The 2,000-kilometre power line will cross the country from western China to the highly industrialised coastal area in the east, said ABB. The company said the line would have the capacity to meet the needs of about 31 million people based on per-head consumption. The link, ordered by China’s State Grid Corporation, is scheduled for…

Gay fruit flies provide courtship clues

This content was published on Dec 17, 2007 While the evolutionary basis for homosexuality remains a mystery, researchers have succeeded in using genetic manipulation or drugs to rapidly turn the flies’ homosexual behaviour on and off. “We discovered that by manipulating a gene we called genderblind, even in the adult flies we were able to modify their courtship towards other males,” said Yaël…

KOF raises economic growth forecasts

This content was published on Dec 17, 2007 It had previously predicted rates of 2.8 per cent and 1.9 per cent for this and next year. In its quarterly assessment, the institute said that private consumption would remain pillar of support for the Swiss economy and should offset any potential export weakness issues from the subprime crisis in the United States. But it…

Good economy doesn’t stop Swiss from worrying

This content was published on Dec 17, 2007 The annual “worry barometer”, published by the Credit Suisse bank, shows that people are, however, more relaxed about the prospect of unemployment than before. Foreigners and personal safety are now seen as major issues. The survey, which has been carried out for 30 years, put unemployment – in a country where the jobless rate is…

Credit crisis not over warns banking watchdog

This content was published on Dec 17, 2007 The warning comes a week after Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS, announced a further $10 billion (SFr11.3 billion) writedown due to the ongoing deterioration of the US mortgage market. Daniel Zuberbühler, head of the Federal Banking Commission, said in an interview with the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper that the danger to financial institutions was far from…

Obwalden votes for flat rate tax

This content was published on Dec 16, 2007 The decision, announced by the authorities after a vote on Sunday, comes after a court ruled the canton’s previous degressive tax model unfair. From next January Obwalden will impose a rate of 1.8 per cent on all categories. The new model also exempts the first SFr10,000 ($8,700) of income from taxation, a measure designed to…

Obwalden accepts flat rate tax

This content was published on Dec 16, 2007 The decision, announced by the Obwalden authorities after a vote on Sunday, comes after a court ruled the canton’s previous degressive tax model unfair. In January 2006, Obwalden slashed its corporate levy and introduced an income tax scheme that set lower rates for the rich than people on lower incomes. A communist politician took the…

Arctic weather makes an appearance

This content was published on Dec 16, 2007 The minus 25 degrees was measured on the Ofenpass in the eastern canton Graubünden on Saturday night. Valais, in the French-speaking part of the country was not too far behind with minus 22 degrees at Obergoms. Even Italian-speaking Ticino, normally the warmest and sunniest part of Switzerland, was not spared. Temperatures fell to minus seven…

Tax paradise to vote on fairer system

This content was published on Dec 15, 2007 Cantons compete with each other to set the lowest tax rates to attract wealthy individuals and companies, a policy that has attracted criticism both within Switzerland and outside its borders. In January 2006, Obwalden slashed its corporate levy and introduced an income tax scheme that set lower rates for the rich than people on lower…

Dog owners to face tougher rules

This content was published on Dec 14, 2007 Under a draft law, to be discussed by parliament at a later stage, dog owners would also have to take out mandatory insurance. The justice ministry said the aim was to ensure that victims of dog bites – an estimated 300 people a year – receive financial compensation . Dog owners currently are not responsible…

Internal: Archive

Popular Stories

Most Discussed

Internal: Archive

More

ABB wins huge China power orders

More

Gay fruit flies provide courtship clues

More

KOF raises economic growth forecasts

More

Good economy doesn’t stop Swiss from worrying

More

Credit crisis not over warns banking watchdog

More

Obwalden votes for flat rate tax

More

Obwalden accepts flat rate tax

More

Arctic weather makes an appearance

More

Tax paradise to vote on fairer system

More

Dog owners to face tougher rules

Popular Stories

Most Discussed