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Tracing an ancient trade route in the Sahara

This content was published on Jan 1, 2006 The North Africa expedition coincides with the beginning of the International Year of Deserts and Desertification and is aimed at furthering understanding between Europe and Africa. Vogel is planning to set off on New Year’s Day from Timbuktu in Mali, following three years of preparation. His tour is supported by the Swiss branch of the…

Swiss settles dispute with pilots

This content was published on Dec 31, 2005 Members of the Swiss Pilots union had been warned they would lose their jobs unless they signed new labour contracts by December 31. Swiss and the pilots’ union announced on Friday evening that they had agreed a deal after marathon talks. “Following intensive discussions, the two parties today reached agreement on a memorandum of understanding…

Workers suffer year of discontent

This content was published on Dec 30, 2005 The latest figures show that some 38,915 working days were lost to strikes in 2004 – the highest number since 1984 – as unhappy employees vented their anger over unsatisfactory pay and conditions. Both the public and private sectors were affected this year. At the beginning of December, 2,500 civil servants vented their fury by…

Swiss endure coldest night of the winter

This content was published on Dec 30, 2005 Thursday night was the coldest yet this winter: in La Brévine, known as the “Siberia of Switzerland”, the quicksilver dropped to –35 degrees Celsius. Temperatures below -30 were also recorded in parts of canton Graubünden, such as Samedan and Buffalora. But more unusual, according to the Swiss weather service, were the icy temperatures at lower…

Swiss help Sumatra’s widows

This content was published on Dec 30, 2005 The giant waves unleashed by the seaquake destroyed everything in their path. The houses and infrastructure in the Calang sub-district of Aceh province were completely obliterated. Before last December’s tsunami, you could drive from the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, to Calang in three to four hours. Now it takes at least 12 hours, as the…

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New laws for the New Year

This content was published on Dec 29, 2005 They are among nearly 300 changes to federal laws being introduced in 2006. Residents who have moved into a higher tax bracket thanks to inflation-linked pay rises will not have to hand over more to the taxman next year. The cabinet was obliged to adjust the tax brackets for Federal Direct Tax since the consumer…

Cantons prepare for new round of tax cuts

This content was published on Dec 29, 2005 Switzerland’s taxes are among the lowest in the world, thanks largely to its system of direct democracy, which allows voters to decide what they pay. Obwalden’s decision reflects a growing trend among cantons of slashing tax rates to attract big companies and the wealthy. St Gallen University economist Christoph Schaltegger told swissinfo that such intense…

Charity warns of rising poverty

This content was published on Dec 28, 2005 In its “Social Almanac 2006”, Caritas called for an improved social insurance system at the national level to provide for those who had fallen through the safety net. The charity said the number of people excluded from the job market was much higher than the 146,000 people officially listed as unemployed in November. It said…

Swiss struggle with the demands of adulthood

This content was published on Dec 28, 2005 The country’s debt advisory bureau says one of the biggest challenges for young people is managing their own money. The umbrella organisation said youth had great difficulty dealing with credit cards, car leasing contracts and filing their own tax returns. Studies in recent of years have found that two in three young people between 18…

One man’s journey from tourist to aid worker

This content was published on Dec 28, 2005 Since he ran for his life from the tsunami one year ago, Kräuchi has helped more than 200 victims of the disaster get back on their feet through his charity work. Kräuchi and his wife first starting going to Thailand on holiday 11 years ago, returning every year to Phuket and making many friends on…

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Tracing an ancient trade route in the Sahara

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Swiss settles dispute with pilots

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Workers suffer year of discontent

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Swiss endure coldest night of the winter

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Swiss help Sumatra’s widows

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New laws for the New Year

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Cantons prepare for new round of tax cuts

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Charity warns of rising poverty

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Swiss struggle with the demands of adulthood

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One man’s journey from tourist to aid worker

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