Sunday, November 19, 2023
Published: Sunday, Nov 19th 2023, 04:50
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SNB to give up fracking investments, anxious wait for the Pisa study and controversial IV experts allowed to continue working: This and more can be found in the Sunday papers. The headlines in unverified reports:
"Le Matin Dimanche":
The Swiss National Bank (SNB) is said to be responsible for greenhouse gas emissions from fracking amounting to around seven million tons of CO2 equivalent. At the end of 2022, the SNB held assets in 69 companies that used this technology, according to a report by the SNB coalition that Le Matin Dimanche was able to view. The total value of the investments amounts to nine billion US dollars. The SNB Coalition, an offshoot of the Climate Alliance, which comprises 140 Swiss NGOs, is calling on the SNB to correct its course. It recalled that 14 cantons have positioned themselves against fracking, which is frowned upon due to its harmful effects on the environment.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
Linguists are eagerly awaiting the new Pisa study, which will be published at the beginning of December. In the last survey, the proportion of the weakest readers had risen to 25 percent, which, according to experts, means that half of 15-year-olds in Switzerland can only just cope with everyday life. Afra Sturm, who heads the Reading Center at the University of Teacher Education of the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, is concerned about the new Pisa study, as she told the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper. "If the proportion of very poor readers rises again, we will have to fundamentally question the way we teach pupils to read." The debate on this topic is already underway in neighboring countries. They were startled by the latest Iglu study, which looks at the performance of primary school pupils. Switzerland does not take part in the survey and is therefore in the dark when it comes to performance in middle school.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
A large rally for peace in the Middle East is to take place in Bern at the beginning of December. It is to be a large supra-regional rally. Participants are allowed to bring candles and peace flags, but posters are not permitted, as the NZZ am Sonntag writes. However, it is still unclear whether the event will be approved. Since Friday, large rallies and parades have been banned in Bern's city center. One of the arguments put forward by the city government is the large number of events that take place in Bern during the winter months. The organizers of the rally, the Group for a Switzerland without an Army (GSoA) and the Jewish Voice for Democracy and Justice in Israel/Palestine, are not prepared to accept this. They will submit an application to the City of Bern on Monday.
"SonntagsBlick":
PMEDA AG is no longer allowed to carry out medical assessments for the cantonal IV offices - due to "serious deficiencies" in the reports. This was decided by the Federal Social Insurance Office (FSIO) in October. However, the doctors who are responsible for the deficiencies as case-leading experts may continue to work for the IV, as SonntagsBlick writes. The current list of two-person teams of experts who are randomly appointed for IV assessments includes several doctors who have worked for PMEDA for many years. They even include a doctor who sat on PMEDA's Board of Directors until a few weeks ago. The FSIO sees no problem with this. However, those responsible at the Federal Commission for Quality Assurance in Medical Assessment (EKQMB), on whose recommendation the PMEDA withdrawal came about, now want to review this.
"SonntagsBlick": Storms are more severe than before. Hail in particular is causing more concern. This was the result of a survey conducted by "SonntagsBlick" among the largest Swiss property insurers. They reported more extreme gusts of wind, more frequent heavy rain and unusually large hailstones. AXA said: "We have noticed that storms now occur at shorter notice than in the past and their intensity has increased." This brings with it new dangers. In the last ten years, the insurance company has recorded claims expenditure of between 53 million (2016) and almost 300 million (2021) per year. Hail events are primarily responsible for the increase in storm damage over the last three years. The absolute cantonal leader in terms of storm damage over the last ten years is Ticino.
"NZZ am Sonntag" / "Le Matin Dimanche":
The majority of Swiss companies already use IT programs to monitor and manage their staff - and the trend is rising rapidly. And all this without most of us being aware of the increasing external control, as the "NZZ am Sonntag" writes. The non-governmental organization Algorithm Watch Switzerland and the trade union Syndicom are now calling for a change of direction and more co-determination rights for employees. They should be able to defend themselves against the use of AI by their employers in the event of excesses. They are basing this on a legal opinion from the University of St. Gallen, which also identifies legal loopholes. SP National Councillor Barbara Gysi wants to bring the issue to parliament with a motion in the winter session. Le Matin Dimanche" also reported on the issue.
"NZZ am Sonntag":
Deaths shake Switzerland's alternative medicine stronghold: in Appenzell Ausserrhoden, several women have died following treatment in a luxury alternative medicine clinic. The public prosecutor's office is investigating negligent homicide, as the "NZZ am Sonntag" writes. It concerns two deaths that occurred within three weeks at the Biomed Center Sonnenberg in Schwellbrunn AR. The accused deny all allegations and criticize the expert reports. The case is extremely sensitive for Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Alternative medicine is an important social and economic factor in the canton. The cantonal health department left the Sonnenberg case to "informal investigations" and did not take any action.
"SonntagsBlick":
Swiss has been outsourcing flights to the Latvian Air Baltic since summer 2022 - originally due to staff shortages. This already led to conflicts last year. Because Air Baltic staff earn up to four times less than Swiss employees, the unions accused Swiss of wage dumping. Swiss disagreed and maintained the cooperation. Now research by "SonntagsBlick" shows that the Swiss practice of wet leasing may not be legally compliant after all. The State Secretariat for Economic Affairs already came to the conclusion in March 2023 that Swiss wages had to be paid. The responsible Zurich Labor Office (AWA) is aware of the assessment, but has so far remained inactive. This is incomprehensible to the trade unions.
"SonntagsBlick":
The head of the country's largest animal welfare organization, STS, wants to remain in office despite criticism. According to "SonntagsBlick", 22 sections are now calling for an extraordinary delegates' meeting to vote on her dismissal. This comes after the president, who critics say runs the association in an authoritarian and non-transparent manner, unceremoniously canceled an ordinary delegates' meeting planned for 4 November. This angered many sections, including Aargau, Graubünden, Locarno, Valais, Vaud, Olten, Schwyz and Winterthur.
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