Swiss Press Mix - February 17, 2012

United States in the Swiss Press
Capitol Hill
James Clapper, Director of National Intelligence, shows concern about Al-Qaida's " infiltration" of Syria
US-Geheimdienst: Al-Qaida infiltriert syrischen Widerstand
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/amerika/USGeheimdienst-AlQaida-infiltriert-syrischen-Widerstand/story/29388887

Obama congratulated both parties on uniting on tax dispute and putting the economy and families first
Obama begrüsst Einigung im Steuerstreit
http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/international/obama_begruesst_einigung_im_steuerstreit_1.15105739.html

Department of Justice
Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, sentenced to life for trying to bomb up a U.S. airliner in 2009
Nigerian "underwear" bomber gets life in prison in U.S.
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Nigerian_underwear_bomber_gets_life_in_prison_in_U.S..html?cid=32139232

Private Industry
Aviation
Boeing: A Boeing 787 Dreamliner, on a test flight from Oregon to Washington D.C, drew 787 plus the logo of the airline in the sky  
Un Boeing «dessine» le logo du constructeur dans le ciel
http://www.tdg.ch/monde/faits-divers/boeing-dessine-logo-constructeur-ciel/story/11501479

Food
Mars: Candy bar producer, Mars, plans to reduce fat content and bar size of Twix, Snickers and Bounty   
Mars-Schokoriegel weniger fett
http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/wirtschaft/aktuell/mars-schokoriegel_weniger_fett_1.15107406.html


Women's Conference 2012 in Bern in the Swiss Press
Obama's councilor, Melody Barnes, will attend Women's Conference in Bern
Beraterin von Barack Obama kommt zu Frauenkonferenz nach Bern
http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/wirtschaft/unternehmen-und-konjunktur/Beraterin-von-Barack-Obama-kommt-zu-Frauenkonferenz-nach-Bern/story/13273499


International Issues
Afghanistan
Hamid Karzai confirmed peace talks with Taliban and U.S. government
Erste Gespräche an einem «dritten Ort»
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/asien-und-ozeanien/Erste-Gespraeche-an-einem-dritten-Ort/story/24661563

France
French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, visiting Annecy, 35 kilometres from Geneva, said he does not want to have a fall out with Switzerland over tax issues, adding for good measure that he “adores Roger Federer”.
Sarkozy denies tax haven slur
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Sarkozy_denies_tax_haven_slur.html?cid=32138890

Germany
German Department of Justice, is prepared to investigate German Federal President, Christian Wulff  
Das Schlossgespenst im Berliner Bellevue
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/europa/Das-Schlossgespenst-im-Berliner-Bellevue/story/20232529

Iran
EU's Minister for Foreign Affairs received a letter from Iranian chief negotiator, Saeed Jalili
Iran offers "new initiatives" for talks with powers
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/Iran_offers_new_initiatives_for_talks_with_powers.html?cid=32128758

Tehran denied stopping oil deliveries to six EU countries and celebrated the opening of three nuclear plants for uranium enrichment
Verwirrung um Irans Öl-Stopp
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/ausland/asien-und-ozeanien/Verwirrung-um-Irans-OelStopp/story/29138306

A third Iranian arrested in Malaysia after Bangkok bombing
Un 3e Iranien arrêté après les attentats de Bangkok
http://www.tdg.ch/monde/asie-oceanie/deux-iraniens-inculpes-explosions-bangkok/story/11394343

U.N.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, said that the General Assembly send a clear message to Syria
U.N. assembly adopts resolution condemning Syria
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news/international/U.N._assembly_adopts_resolution_condemning_Syria.html?cid=32065726


Swiss Bilateral Issue
U.S.
Banking - Martin Naville, chief of Swiss-American Chamer of Commerce, points out the difference in bank accounts  
Swiss expats caught in middle of US tax conflict
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/specials/expat_woes/Swiss_expats_caught_in_middle_of_US_tax_conflict.html?cid=32137500



Swiss Domestic Issue
Politics
Cabinet
Interior Minister Alain Berset, in charge of the health sector, hailed the proposal to increase state supervision of health insurance companies to smooth out regional differences in premium payments.
Health insurers to face closer scrutiny
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/politics/Health_insurers_to_face_closer_scrutiny.html?cid=32135330
 
Extended deadline to countries revising their existing offers on fighter jets for Swiss Air Force
Leuthard öffnet eine Hintertüre für neue Kampfjet-Offerten
http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/politik/schweiz/leuthard_oeffnet_eine_hintertuere_fuer_neue_kampfjet-offerten_1.15096950.html

Aviation - Jean-Dominique Mercher analyzes three fighter jets     
Gripen, Rafale et Eurofighter à l’épreuve du feu en Libye
http://www.tdg.ch/suisse/Gripen-Rafale-et-Eurofighter-a-l-epreuve-du-feu-en-Libye/story/17904363


Business
Health and Science
Lausanne University Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine: According to Swiss and Italian researchers, deaths from breast cancer continue to fall in Europe.
Breast cancer rates continue to fall
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/science_technology/Breast_cancer_rates_continue_to_fall.html?cid=32137594

Telecommunication
Weko: The Swiss Commission for fair competition agreed on British Apax buying Swiss mobile phone company Orange from France Télécom
Weko genehmigt Verkauf von Orange Schweiz an Apax
http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/wirtschaft/aktuell/weko_genehmigt_verkauf_von_orange_schweiz_an_apax_1.15107184.html

Transportation
Astag: The President of Swiss Association for Transport Vehicles, Adrian Amstutz, said, if Switzerland would limit truck traffic through the alps to rails, it will not be able to meet national demand.    
Eine Million Lastwagen sollen durch die Alpen rollen
http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/schweiz/standard/Eine-Million-Lastwagen-sollen-durch-die-Alpen-rollen/story/15156433

Private Industry
Insurance
Insurance giant Zurich Financial Services reported a 10% rise in net profit in 2011 despite responding to a series of natural disasters.
Zurich makes a profit despite difficult 2011
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/Zurich_makes_a_profit_despite_difficult_2011.html?cid=32133770