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Swiss Politics

Armed security guards to police Swiss trains?

This content was published on Sep 23, 2008 The Senate on Monday followed the House of Representatives in giving the green light in principle to the proposal, voting to allow the government to set the conditions under which personnel could be armed. Parliament left it up to the cabinet to decide whether private police can carry guns, not just batons and irritant sprays.…

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Swiss ranked among least corrupt countries

This content was published on Sep 23, 2008 In the Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International, Switzerland ranks in joint fifth position with Finland. It moved up two places from its position last year but with the same score of nine out of a possible ten. Denmark, Sweden, New Zealand and Singapore top the index, which rates 180 countries on a scale from…

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Swiss Politics

Red Cross goals campaign scores a hit

This content was published on Sep 22, 2008 The Swiss-run International Committee of the Red Cross and Europe’s football governing body, Uefa, announced on Monday that the “Goals for the Red Cross” campaign had raised about SFr800,000 ($723,000). Uefa donated SFr4,000 for every goal scored in the tournament, while fans had been able to buy “virtual goals” for their teams. The money will…

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Central banks free up more money for markets

This content was published on Sep 22, 2008 The institution allotted $10 billion (SFr10.94 billion) at an average rate of 2.72 per cent, while the European Central Bank put up $40 billion and the Bank of England $26 billion. Japan has also pledged to offer about $30 billion later this week. The United States government sketched out plans over the weekend to buy…

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Swiss Politics

Cabinet announces reorganisation

This content was published on Sep 22, 2008 A permanent solution, including a resignation or a cabinet reshuffle, has to be found within three months according to law. Merz suffered a heart attack on Saturday in his hometown of Herisau in eastern Switzerland and lost consciousness. He was flown on Sunday to Bern University Hospital where he underwent a multiple bypass operation. “It…

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Swiss Politics

Widmer-Schlumpf steps in for Merz

This content was published on Sep 22, 2008 Merz is in stable condition at Bern University hospital following a quintuple bypass operation on Sunday evening. President Pascal Couchepin made the announcement about Merz’s replacement after an extraordinary meeting of the cabinet on Monday morning. Widmer-Schlumpf, who was responsible for the finance portfolio of canton Graubünden before she was elected to the government last…

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Finance Minister Merz stable following surgery

This content was published on Sep 22, 2008 Heart specialist Thierry Carrel told a news conference at Bern University hospital on Sunday evening that the quintuple bypass operation had gone well but it was too early to say whether Merz’s brain would be affected. Carrel described the two-and-a-half hour operation as routine and noted that the attack had not been severe. Merz, aged…

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Swiss Politics

Electricity boss reveals shock price increases

This content was published on Sep 21, 2008 Hans Schweickardt, who is chief executive of the EOS electricity company in western Switzerland, told the Sonntag newspaper that prices would increase again after 2014 when households were free to choose their electricity supplier. Schweickardt blamed administrative costs in a liberalised Swiss electricity market for the increases. The market is due to be opened for…

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Swiss Politics

Aid groups hail boost for development funds

This content was published on Sep 18, 2008 A coalition of aid agencies and church groups, which had campaigned for the United Nations Millennium goal of 0.7 per cent, welcomed the decision. It is confident that the other parliamentary chamber, the House of Representatives will follow suit. It took the Senate more than one session this week to discuss the government’s development budget.…

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Refugee apprenticeship programme successful

This content was published on Sep 18, 2008 The programme, which involved language acquisition, education and networking in the labour market, had benefitted more than 50 people since it began in 2006. Participants worked at sites in the hotel and catering sectors, in the logistics industry, in construction and in sales. The Migration Office said it was satisfied with the programme’s 50 per…

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