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Valentine’s Day stirs affections of lovers and florists alike

This content was published on Feb 14, 2001 “Valentine’s Day has become the most important day for the flower business in Switzerland,” says Res Lehnherr, boss of Fleurop-Interflora Switzerland. “Last year was the first time that turnover was bigger than on Mother’s Day.” Fleurop-Interflora chalked up sales of close to SFr80 million ($48 million) from February 12 to 14 last year. Lehnherr says…

Claudia Cardinale presents Farinet award in vineyard

This content was published on Feb 13, 2001 In several respects, the award – worth SFr20,000 ($12,000) – is an unusual one. Presented every year to worthy causes, it is named after a Swiss folk hero and maker of counterfeit money who was shot dead by police in still controversial circumstances in 1880. Farinet, often compared with Robin Hood, distributed his ill-gotten gains…

SAirGroup warns of major shake-up ahead

This content was published on Feb 13, 2001 The warning of a “huge challenge” for all staff as the company redefines its corporate strategy was made by the SAirGroup’s chief personnel officer, Matthias Mölleney. Writing in this month’s SAirGroup staff newspaper, Mölleney was reacting to the departure of group chief executive Philippe Bruggisser on January 23. A statement issued at the time said…

OECD appoints Swiss to key position

This content was published on Feb 13, 2001 The Economics ministry said on Tuesday that 55-year-old Luzius Wasescha would replace the Swede, Arne Rodin. It’s the second time a Swiss has held the post. The committee is concerned with the coordination of OECD members’ trading policies and meets three to four times a year. Top of the OECD agenda at the moment is…

Explosion at Novartis evokes memories of Schweizerhalle disaster

This content was published on Feb 13, 2001 Nobody was injured in the blast, which caused severe damage to the building in Schweizerhalle in canton Basel Country, blowing out windows and scattering glass over a radius of 50 metres. Police said some 200 fire fighters were needed to bring the resulting blaze under control, and reinforcements were brought in from the nearby towns…

Sika Finanz boosts sales

This content was published on Feb 13, 2001 In a statement on Tuesday, the construction chemicals specialist also confirmed forecasts that its net profit would rise to around SFr100 million from SFr93 million in 1999. It said it is planning to raise its dividend to SFr2.3 per share from SFr2.1. Sales of construction chemicals rose 16.8 per cent to SFr1.47 billion, while turnover…

Switzerland in the grip of carnival fever

This content was published on Feb 13, 2001 Carnival in Lucerne gets off to a loud start at five in the morning on “Fat Thursday” (February 22), with the “big bang”. The gun salute kicks off five days of round the clock partying in the normally sedate town. The event ends on the following Tuesday with a “monster concert” by about 100 groups…

Foreign minister says international support is key to African stability

This content was published on Feb 12, 2001 Speaking in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, at a conference of Swiss ambassadors in Africa, Deiss said poverty was the root cause of conflict in certain countries. He added that conflict had led to the displacement of millions of people and the disruption of economies. The foreign minister said Switzerland was ready to assume its responsibilities…

Swiss scientists help to open the book of life

This content was published on Feb 12, 2001 The most startling discovery of the mapping of the human genome is just how few genes are needed to “describe” a human being – around 30,000, as opposed to the 140,000 scientists had predicted. The genome reveals how closely related we are to other species. We share about half our genes with the fruit fly,…

More Swiss choose higher excess to cut health insurance premiums

This content was published on Feb 12, 2001 According to the Department for Social Security, half of all Swiss residents now pay lower health insurance premiums because they have upped their excess – or the amount they must pay each year before insurers are obliged to foot the bill. The trend is nationwide but most marked in French-speaking western Switzerland and Italian-speaking canton…

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