Coop and Migros become more expensive, tests for travelers to China hit ‘0 sense’

SP and Greens largely agree

The Greens and SP similarly voted in 94 percent of the vote in the National Council last year. The “SonntagsZeitung” took into account nearly a thousand council decisions in its evaluation, it wrote in its current issue. Viewed as a party, the left would be only slightly larger than the SVP and would therefore only be entitled to two seats in the Bundesrat. The SVP and FDP were less united: they voted similarly last year with 58 percent of the vote in the National Council. The center received the most votes last year, followed by the FDP and the Green Liberals. The last was the SVP.

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Infectiologist: Tests for people entering China make no sense

Health politicians from all parties of the Federal Council have called for Covid testing for people entering Switzerland from China. The conference of health directors called for coordinated regulation with European states, as President Lukas Engelberger (center) told the “NZZ am Sonntag”. For infectiologist Huldrych Günthard of the University Hospital Zurich, tests make “zero sense”, he told “SonntagsBlick”. Günthard previously advocated compulsory vaccination for travelers from China. Virologist Manuel Schibler of Geneva University Hospital agreed. The data from the virus genome sequencing and wastewater analyzes would be enough for an overview of the situation, he told “Le Matin Dimanche”. The Federal Office of Public Health did not see an increased risk to the Swiss health system from the corona wave in China.

Sanctions Russia: the Confederation intervened abroad in favor of Swiss companies

As for the sanctions against Russia, the federal government has intervened abroad in the interest of the Swiss economy. This should lessen the effects of the sanctions on Swiss-based companies, as “SonntagsBlick” wrote. This is evident from publicly disclosed documents of a meeting between the head of the State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (Seco) Helene Budliger Artieda, Minister of Economic Affairs Guy Parmelin and members of the government of the canton of Zug. The Zug canton government had requested a debate because it was not satisfied with the implementation of the sanctions. Intervening abroad and protecting the local economy is common practice, the Seco said. Seco did not answer which interests it pursued and which companies Switzerland supported. The meeting had convinced Zug’s government at the time.

Accusations of anti-Russianism in Switzerland “has a system”

According to the Federal Intelligence Service (NDB), the Russian accusation of anti-Russian hostility in Switzerland is systematic. Russia wants to cast doubt on Swiss neutrality, according to an analysis by the FIS. Russia wants to make Switzerland jointly responsible for the fact that no peace talks can take place in Switzerland, writes the “NZZ am Sonntag”. The latest accusation of Russophobia came from the Russian ambassador to Switzerland, Sergei Garmonin. Residents of the Russian embassy in Bern had complained about the careless driving behavior of Russian staff. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis then made protests to the ambassador. None of the Russian diplomats have ever been fined for speeding, Garmonin said.

EDA questions Swiss development aid for Afghanistan

The State Department has questioned Swiss funds for humanitarian aid in Afghanistan. It is unclear whether the important emergency and survival assistance can continue under the current circumstances, a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs (EDA) told “SonntagsBlick”. Switzerland is in close consultation with donor countries, the UN and local partners on how to proceed. How much money will be used for projects in Afghanistan in the future depends on how aid organizations in the country continue their work. Since the Taliban regime banned women from working in non-governmental organizations, the country’s first aid organizations have stopped working.

Coop and Migros will become more expensive in 2023

The two major Swiss retailers Coop and Migros have announced further price increases for 2023. Rising energy prices are the cause of this, a spokesman for Migros told the “SonntagsZeitung”. However, Migros also wants to continue to waive margins and not fully pass on the increased costs to customers. A spokesman for Coop said that the cost of packaging materials had also risen. Various dairy products are also more expensive in the Coop and Migros due to the milk price increase. Kiosk owner Valora raised the prices at the K kiosks at the beginning of this year. Shopping in Avec stores and Press&Books stores has also become more expensive since January 1.

Reservations from the medical industry at Migros subsidiary Medbase

Industry experts have expressed their reservations about the firm acquisitions of Migros subsidiary Medbase. They fear, among other things, that with Medbase a large part of the Swiss general practitioner infrastructure will become an investment object that must yield a return, the “NZZ am Sonntag” wrote. According to an insider, the Migros company has not yet made a profit. At best, the company would be operationally in the red, the newspapers summarize various opinions from the industry. Despite growth and investment, the company has consistently turned a profit every year, Medbase told the paper. The retailer does not publish key figures in significant form, the “NZZ am Sonntag” continued.

Swiss data centers need more electricity than agriculture

Swiss data centers recently consumed four percent of the country’s electricity consumption. That is 2.3 percentage points more than agriculture and horticulture. According to the “SonntagsZeitung”, 800 megawatts of additional capacity will be installed nationwide in two years. This corresponds to more than the capacity of the Beznau I and II nuclear power plants. To date, there are 86 data centers in operation in Switzerland. One of the three high-performance data centers in Dielsdorf, Zurich, was recently commissioned. The three centers cost half a billion francs and have a capacity of 50 megawatts.

The University of Geneva is investigating measures following an attempted cake attack on SVP politicians

The University of Geneva has announced it will investigate disciplinary and criminal action following the attempted cake attack on SVP National Councilor Céline Amaudruz. The rectorate will meet on Monday to organize the event, Geneva’s education minister Anne Emery-Torracinta told the French-language Swiss newspaper “Le Matin Dimanche”. During the meeting, it is discussed how to proceed after the incident. At a Geneva debate club event in late December, a dozen masked people attempted to throw a cake and liquid at Amaudruz. The Genevan SVP politician subsequently filed a complaint.

Unia did not pay for copyrights on Mason manga

The Unia Vaud union did not pay for the copyright of the hero of a Japanese manga she used. The union needed the figure for its campaign for the new collective labor agreement for bricklayers, writes the French-language Swiss newspaper Le Matin Dimanche. The character on a large banner in front of the regional headquarters in Lausanne is the main character from “Dragon Ball”. Unia invoked the right to parody a protected work. “There is no commercial or marketing intent behind the use of this figure,” a spokesperson added. (sda)