Tag Archive: Politics

Reality check: The “miracle recovery” narrative

2021-04-16

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2021-04-16

Over the last few weeks, we’ve been constantly bombarded by news reports and “expert” analyses celebrating an incredible global economic recovery. They’re not even presented as projections or expectations anymore, but as a fact, as though the return to vibrant growth is already underway.

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Precious metals are and always have been the ultimate insurance

2021-04-08

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2021-04-08

As we enter the second quarter of 2021, the year during which so many mainstream analysts and politicians have predicted we’ll see a miraculous recovery from the covid crisis, it is becoming increasingly clear that the damage inflicted by the lockdowns and the shutdowns is really very extensive an persistent. Of course, I’m referring to the damage to the real economy, that is, to actual businesses, households and the countless citizens that were...

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Switzerland asks EU for exception to vaccine export rules

2021-04-05

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2021-04-05

As of this week, Switzerland can no longer import Covid vaccines from the European Union (EU) without a special license. Officials in Bern have asked to be granted an exception to the stricter conditions.

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Swiss upper house votes to raise pension age for women

2021-03-21

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2021-03-21

As Switzerland’s population ages the number of people paid state pension is rising relative to the number of workers funding it. Since 2014, more has been paid out than has been paid in. The most effective way to fix this imbalance is to raise the pension age. If the average life expectancy of a retiree is 15 years, then raising the pension age by one year will cut the cost by nearly 7%.

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Former Swiss central banker throws in towel to lead OECD

2021-02-27

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2021-02-27

Former Swiss National Bank (SNB) chairman, Philipp Hildebrand, has pulled out of the race to become the next secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

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The United Nations in Geneva – before and during the pandemic

2021-02-18

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2021-02-18

With the exception of a few organisations and institutions that continue to operate in person, such as the UN Human Rights Council, which is currently conducting its Universal Periodic Review process, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the WHO and some permanent missions to the United Nations, most day-to-day business and multilateral activities are conducted online.

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“Self-control and self-respect have become undervalued”

2021-02-17

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2021-02-17

After a year of lockdowns, social isolation, financial uncertainty and extreme political polarization, a lot of people are finding it very difficult to remain optimistic and to see a way back to some kind of normalcy. While the economic, social and political impact of the covid crisis can be easily identified and frequently discussed, the unseen, psychological pressures that millions of people are struggling with often go undiscussed.

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‘Looking after citizens’ ID data is a sovereign task’

2021-02-10

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2021-02-10

Lawyer and parliamentarian Sibel Arslan explains why she is against the proposed new law on digital identity (eID) and why rejecting it would be an opportunity for digitisation. 

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“The bank and the government have essentially blended into one entity”

2021-02-02

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2021-02-02

A lot has been said and written about the impact of the Covid crisis on the global economy and on the prospects of a strong recovery in 2021. Especially since the start of the year, there seems to be a consensus among government officials, institutional leaders and mainstream market analysts and pundits, pointing to an extremely positive outlook.

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Indonesia’s palm oil angers Swiss anti-globalisation activists

2021-01-31

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2021-01-31

A free trade agreement between Switzerland and Indonesia has been challenged to a nationwide vote. The controversy focuses on the production and imports of palm oil.

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Deal or no Deal: How five non-member states handle EU relations

2021-01-30

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2021-01-30

With Brexit done, Switzerland is hoping it can restart negotiations on its framework agreement with the European Union. The experience of other non-member states offers some valuable lessons on how it can engage with Brussels, though no blueprint exists.  SWI swissinfo.ch looks at how five other non-member states have negotiated with the EU.

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Why does Davos Man get it so wrong?

2021-01-22

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2021-01-22

The World Economic Forum should put global leaders in the audience to listen to social workers, virologists and reporters, argues Simon Kuper.

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WEF warns of ‘increasing disparities’ due to Covid-19 pandemic

2021-01-19

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2021-01-19

Infectious diseases, extreme weather events and cybersecurity problems pose key threats to society in the next two years, the World Economic Forum (WEF) warns. The Covid-19 pandemic looks set to have a lasting impact in the next ten years.

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Politics Get Weird, Markets Don’t Care

2021-01-19

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2021-01-19

US Personal Income data by YCharts
A mob, led by a shirtless man wearing a Viking helmet, stormed the Capitol building a couple of weeks ago and five people died before order was restored. A man from upstate New York sat in a Senator’s office and smoked a joint. Another roamed the halls of Congress with a Confederate flag.

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Covid: tension rises between Switzerland’s scientists and politicians

2021-01-15

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2021-01-15

Petr Pohudka
Tension between Switzerland’s scientists and politicians is rising, according to RTS. On Saturday, Christian Althaus, an epidemiologist working for the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force, Switzerland’s scientific Covid advisory team, announced his resignation and voiced his frustration on Twitter.

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FX Daily, January 12: Markets Catch Collective Breath

2021-01-12

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2021-01-12

Overview:  The capital markets were stabilizing today after dramatic moves yesterday. Equity markets are recovering, and the dollar is paring yesterday's gains.  Most equity markets in the Asia Pacific region rose, though Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia were notable exceptions. 

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FX Daily, January 6: High Drama Weighs on the Greenback and Lifts Yields

2021-01-06

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2021-01-06

Overview:  One of the two Georgia Senate contests remains too close to call, but the market appears to be pricing in a Democrat sweep.  The 10-year yield has punched above 1% but has offered the greenback little support.  Yesterday, the dollar-bloc currencies rose to highs since early Q2 2018 and are extending those gains today. 

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Errors made managing pandemic, admits new Swiss president

2021-01-05

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2021-01-05

According to RTS, Guy Parmelin, Switzerland’s president since 1 January 2021, told the newspaper SonntagsBlick, that between July and September the government underestimated the pandemic.

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OECD should focus on climate crisis and inequality, says Hildebrand

2021-01-04

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2021-01-04

Former Swiss National Bank Chairman Philipp Hildebrand
Former Swiss National Bank Chairman Philipp Hildebrand has been nominated by Switzerland to lead the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), whose Secretary General Angel Gurria is leaving in May 2021.

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Swiss direct democracy in action

2020-12-12

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2020-12-12

On the last Sunday of November the Swiss citizens once again rejected efforts staged by left-leaning groups and NGOs to chip away at the nation’s long tradition of free enterprise, respect for private property and financial freedom. Two important proposals were brought before the Swiss people in a set of referendums, both targeting private companies and attempting to place unprecedented burdens, threatening their ability to operate freely and...

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