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Swiss Politics

ICRC condemns leak of US torture report

This content was published on Apr 8, 2009 The 40-page confidential report, drawn up for the US authorities in 2007, appeared on the website of the New York Review of Books, accompanied by a lengthy commentary. The report accuses the US of practising torture at the prison, and condemns the presence of medical personnel during torture sessions, whose job was to say whether…

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OECD defends its position in tax dispute

This content was published on Apr 8, 2009 It is in Paris, the headquarters of the OECD, that the future of Switzerland as a financial centre will be decided over the coming months. The OECD will take a close look at Switzerland’s position on fiscal cooperation and decide whether the country will remain on the so-called “grey list” of countries considered to only…

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Swiss Politics

Secret US-Iran meetings held in Geneva

This content was published on Apr 7, 2009 Switzerland’s Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said she was aware of the ongoing contacts over the past few years but had not played an active role. “The talks are on a purely informal level and the foreign ministry is not involved,” Calmy-Rey said on Tuesday. The meetings – known as the Track II process – involving…

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Farm incomes on the rise

This content was published on Apr 7, 2009 Income per worker rose to SFr43,400 ($38,416) in 2008 from SFr39,500 in 2007, according to provisional data from the Agroscope research institute. Agricultural income per farm stood at SFr67,200 compared with SFr61,000 the year before. Incomes rose on higher prices for commodities including pork and milk. Milk production remained stable, Agroscope said. The cost of…

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Swiss Politics

Political spat threatens German trade boom

This content was published on Apr 7, 2009 The two countries enjoyed a bumper year of trade in 2008, but the economic recession coupled with an escalating row over tax evasion has already put a brake on soaring exports and imports. Last year, Germany underlined its status as Switzerland’s most important trading partner by sending 4.3 per cent more goods and services across…

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Swiss Politics

Egg production reaches record levels

This content was published on Apr 7, 2009 The egg producers’ umbrella organisation, Gallosuisse, says its members have stepped up production to cope with extra seasonal demand, after there was a shortage last year. Gallosuisse says it expects production to total 58 million eggs in March and 56 million in April. This represents a monthly increase of five million eggs compared with last…

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Swiss Politics

Majority of pension funds run into the red

This content was published on Apr 6, 2009 Close to 57 per cent of funds were unable to meet their obligations at the end of March, authorities said. Of those, two-thirds were capitalised between 90 and 100 per cent. The rest were capitalised below 90 per cent. Some 43 per cent of a total of 1,900 funds nationwide were in sound financial shape.…

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Swiss Politics

Cantons to adopt common education rules

This content was published on Apr 6, 2009 The HarmoS agreement can become law across the ten cantons after receiving backing from canton Ticino, said Gabriele Gendotti, vice-president of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Directors of Education. It follows a failed referendum attempt there by the youth chapter of the rightwing Swiss People’s Party. Gendotti said on Monday that he believed those cantons…

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Swiss Politics

Unlocking the potential of the world’s poor

This content was published on Apr 6, 2009 Opprecht is founder and president of a Bern-based non-profit foundation, Business Professional Network (BPN), which is trying to help such enterprises forge a better future by trying to reduce poverty. Founded in the late 1998, BPN started its mission in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan. It has since grown to include projects in the…

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Swiss Politics

Major transport accord signed for Lake Geneva

This content was published on Apr 6, 2009 They hope the financing of work on a high-speed rail link between Lausanne and Geneva – worth SFr300 million ($263 million) – will speed up efforts to unclog the region’s saturated rail and motorway network. Experts say the move is highly symbolic. The Lake Geneva region is undergoing an unprecedented business boom. Over the past…

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