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Swiss still far from closing the gender gap

This content was published on Nov 26, 2006 The World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index ranked Switzerland 25th out of 115 countries, saying there was a lack of female participation in the economy and in politics. South Africa was ranked 18th and Jamaica 24th in the report, which was released earlier this week by the Geneva-based WEF. According to the organisation, Switzerland was…

Climate reality check for Swiss president

This content was published on Nov 25, 2006 “As a politician I mostly have to deal with abstract ideas, but here I can see the concrete dangers of climate change,” he told the highland farmers who depend on rainfall captured by Kenya’s second largest mountain. Leuenberger was in Kenya last week not only to take part in the Nairobi post-Kyoto climate talks, but…

Bourse turns its back on merger mania

This content was published on Nov 24, 2006 Chairman Peter Gomez says the SWX will remain independent to preserve its status as a self-regulatory body and safeguard the tradition of banking secrecy. Friday’s publication of the review findings comes against the backdrop of increasingly frenetic merger and takeover speculation among the world’s leading exchanges. The London Stock Exchange has repeatedly rebuffed takeover bids…

Saffron is mountain village’s spice of life

This content was published on Nov 24, 2006 This bucolic village lying at 1,200 metres above sea level is the only place north of the Alps where the precious spice flourishes. The high peaks surrounding the village of Mund are covered in a fresh blanket of snow. Yet despite the drop in temperature, the saffron flowers have pushed through the sandy soil overnight,…

More money won’t always make a big difference

This content was published on Nov 23, 2006 swissinfo spoke to the mother of eight children between the ages of six and 24 about whether the SFr200 ($160) per child benefit would actually make a difference to her family’s financial situation. “I wash around 70 pairs of socks a week,” says Susanne D. describing a small, but revealing detail of family life. Besides…

Investor confidence not yet recovered

This content was published on Nov 23, 2006 It found that 20 per cent of people now had shares compared with a third of the population six years ago. According to the report, issued by Zurich University’s Swiss Banking Institute, trust in the markets has not yet returned. This is despite the market index being at a high. The percentage of people with…

Think tank urges radical agriculture reform

This content was published on Nov 23, 2006 The study by Avenir Suisse comes ahead of a debate in parliament next month on the country’s agricultural policy. The report published on Thursday says trade barriers and financial measures by the state to support the country’s farmers should be dropped within 15 years. It calls for farmers to develop more entrepreneurial initiative while the…

Rising football violence causes concern

This content was published on Nov 23, 2006 Several instances of players attacking the opposition or referees in recent weeks appear to show that the problem is escalating. The SFA is particularly concerned that some offenders are as young as 13. The situation comes against the backdrop of crowd violence that blighted the reputation of football at the end of last season. The…

Animal welfare on the EU menu

This content was published on Nov 23, 2006 Hans Wyss says agreement on minimum standards of animal care will be a target at the two-day meeting, which begins in Strasbourg on Thursday. Organised by the Council of Europe’s animal welfare unit and the European Union, with the support of the World Organisation for Animal Health, the workshop is examining how current laws and…

Union man appointed to top employment post

This content was published on Nov 22, 2006 But Gaillard’s nomination has received mixed reactions, in particular from employers, who are urging him to distance himself from the unions. The government announced on Wednesday that Gaillard would take over at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (Seco) on February 1, 2007. Gaillard, 51, has been a member of the Federation of Trade Unions…

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