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Banks keep tight rein on credit for firms

This content was published on Jul 23, 2004 For the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), securing a credit line for innovative projects has become more difficult. SMEs constitute 99.7 per cent of all Swiss companies and employ two thirds of the workforce. They were also the beneficiaries of 85 per cent of all loans in April, worth SFr252 billion ($202.2 billion). Although…

Giant salt cellar rises by the Rhine

This content was published on Jul 23, 2004 The so-called “Saldome” on the River Rhine near Basel will house up to 80,000 tons of mined salt – more than doubling the country’s existing storage capacity. It is being constructed by Schweizerhalle-based United Swiss Saltworks, which is responsible for 90 per cent of salt production in Switzerland. Destined for completion in mid-2005, the central…

Warning sounded on internet drugs

This content was published on Jul 22, 2004 The agency warned that drugs purchased on the internet were often counterfeit and contained the wrong dosage. Up to 40,000 packages of medicine ordered online arrive in Switzerland every year, according to Swissmedic’s head of medical products, Paul Dietschy. He said that many contain sleeping pills and anti-depressants. “We are [also] warning people about information…

Authorities crack down on drugs at the wheel

This content was published on Jul 22, 2004 Saliva tests are also being introduced in a bid to crack down on drivers found to have taken drugs. The number of drivers who have lost their licence as a result of drug abuse has risen steadily over the past few years. But the figures jumped by a third in 2003, when more than 670…

Diplomacy is key ingredient in business success

This content was published on Jul 22, 2004 But in today’s globalised world, the ability to steer clear of cultural faux pas is also becoming an essential requirement for business and aid workers. “In Korea you have to be able to hold your drink, in Italy being late is considered normal, and the Americans want to get to the point very quickly,” says…

Roche beats expectations by doubling profit

This content was published on Jul 21, 2004 Its strong performance matched that of cross-town rival, Novartis, which reported equally healthy results on Tuesday. Roche, the world’s largest maker of cancer drugs and diagnostics tests, said profit was boosted by one-off financial gains and a 15 per cent rise in prescription drug sales. “For full-year 2004 Roche expects both its pharmaceuticals and its…

Expert reveals engineering secrets of railway

This content was published on Jul 21, 2004 swissinfo spoke to Tom F Peters, author of works on historical building technology. The Swiss-American expert, who is director of the Building and Architectural Technology Institute at Lehigh University in the United States, divides his time between the US and Poschiavo, which is located on the Bernina line. Peters is leading efforts to organise special…

Toxic trouser trouble for Zurich prison officers

This content was published on Jul 21, 2004 The toxic substance was only found when an employee at one of the canton’s prisons complained of a severe leg rash after trying on the garment. Around 3,200 new pairs of trousers were recently issued to prison officers in Zurich as part of a revamp of their regulation uniform. Red-faced officials at the Swiss textile…

Scientists raise health fears over sun cream

This content was published on Jul 20, 2004 They say certain substances are thought to act like female sexual hormones and that they could be absorbed into the body. But despite the findings, both the scientists and the Swiss Cancer League are urging people to continue using sun cream to protect against the sun’s harmful rays. The research, which was carried out by…

Green groups want 4x4s off the road

This content was published on Jul 20, 2004 But a new association of vehicle users says it will fight attempts to drive the cars off the road. Four-wheel drives account for nearly one in five new vehicles sold in Switzerland, but according to motoring organisations the vast majority are used for journeys in and around towns and cities. Motoring expert Michel Busset estimates…

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Banks keep tight rein on credit for firms

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Giant salt cellar rises by the Rhine

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Warning sounded on internet drugs

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Authorities crack down on drugs at the wheel

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Diplomacy is key ingredient in business success

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Roche beats expectations by doubling profit

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Expert reveals engineering secrets of railway

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Toxic trouser trouble for Zurich prison officers

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Scientists raise health fears over sun cream

More

Green groups want 4x4s off the road

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