Hurry

▷ Porsche resists the Covid-19 crisis and increases its market share in Switzerland

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13.01.2021 – 07:00

Porsche Switzerland AG

Porsche resists Covid-19 crisis and increases market share in Switzerland

A document

Red Cross (ots)

In a sharply declining Swiss automotive market (minus 24%), Porsche managed to hold its own last year by making 3,510 customer deliveries through its official dealer network, a decrease of 5.7% compared to to the previous year. Porsche has therefore significantly increased its relative market share across the market. Porsche particularly impressed with its new Macan GTS and 911 Turbo S models, its new plug-in hybrid Cayenne and Panamera models and its first pure-electric Taycan sports car. Once again, it was mainly the top models of the sports car brand that were in demand in the Swiss market.

Visuals available in the Porsche Newsroom (newsroom.porsche.de) and in the press database (presse.porsche.ch).

Contact:

Porsche Switzerland AG
Press & Publications Manager
Inga Konen
Phone: +41 (0)41 487-914-3
Email: inga.konen@porsche.ch

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▷ Porsche honors the 1993 “Boxster” concept / New anniversary model in …

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13.01.2021 – 06:00

Porsche Switzerland AG

Porsche honors the concept & quot; Boxster & quot; from 1993 / New anniversary model in limited edition: the Boxster 25 Years Edition

A document

Stuttgart (ots)

Porsche is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its roadster family with the launch of a special anniversary model: the Boxster 25 Years Edition. Limited to 1,250 copies worldwide, this edition is based on the 294 kW (400 hp) GTS 4.0 model with a four-liter six-cylinder Boxer engine. It incorporates many features of the “Boxster” concept which, at the Detroit Motor Show in 1993, initiated the success of the two-seater convertible. The virtually unchanged production version was launched in 1996 and, after more than 357,000 units produced, it is now entering its fourth generation.

The new Boxster 25 Year Edition can be ordered now and will be available at Swiss Porsche Centers from the end of March 2021. In Switzerland, prices start at CHF 118,800 – VAT and country specific equipment included.

Find further information as well as films and photos in the Porsche press database at presse.porsche.ch or in the Porsche Newsroom (newsroom.porsche.de). Historical photos: media.porsche.com/mediakit/boxster-25years

Contact:

Porsche Switzerland AG
Press & Publications Manager
Inga Konen
Phone: +41 (0)41 487-914-3
Email: inga.konen@porsche.ch

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the international press is outraged after the invasion of the Capitol

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“Democracy under siege”, “The madness coup”, “Trump sets Washington on fire” : the « chaos » provoked on Capitol Hill by supporters of Donald Trump made the headlines of the international press, which blamed the outgoing president, accused of having encouraged the violence of his supporters.

→ REPORT. United States: Washington in shock after attack on Capitol Hill

« INSURRECTION », alarms, in capital letters, the San Francisco Chronicle. This Wednesday January 6 was “The day when American democracy was on the brink” notes on its front page Washington Post which title: “Trump’s gang storms the Capitol.”

The New York Times also accuses Donald Trump of having fanned his troops and sees in the attack on the Capitol by Trumpist supporters the “Inevitable end of the Trump era”. “Unfortunately, it was not a surprise”, lamented with sadness Jimmy Fallon, the presenter of Tonight Show de NBC.

“The biggest challenge to the American democratic system since the Civil War”

The European press remains on the same tone. “Capitol Under Siege – Trump supporters invade the heart of American democracy”, title The Times of London, which tells how the elected Democrats and Republicans, gathered in session to confirm the election of Democrat Joe Biden, “Put on gas masks and took shelter under the desks” while the staff “Hid in the offices”.

For the Guardian, this violence constitutes “The biggest challenge to the American democratic system since the Civil War”.

For the great Spanish daily El Pais, “Donald Trump yesterday encouraged the chaos that occurred in Washington as Congress prepared to confirm Joe Biden as the next President of the United States”.

” Shame “ and « chaos » are the words that recur in the main German newspapers. “Day of shame for American democracy”, title The world. “America had its first violent coup attempt”, and “The president, his lies and an invertebrate Republican party are politically responsible”, writes Clemens Wergin in an online editorial.

→ FIND OUT. The hour-by-hour tale of an evening of chaos in the heart of Washington

The great Italian daily The Republic draws a parallel with the coming to power of Mussolini in the 1920s: “America, the whole of America, lived with horror live on television the equivalent of a march on Rome in Washington, the invasion of the Capitol, the attack on the very sacredness of its democracy”, writes his correspondent Mario Platero.

The Corriere della Serrcame back to the profile of the Proud boys, “Right-wing extremists but also women and young people. Called directly by Trump. Who then tries on television to lower the pressure: “We are the party of law and order”. But too late. “

“Donald Trump abuses the institutions”

“Trump: the strategy of chaos”, headline in the French daily Release, which drives the point home on the inside pages under the title “Trump sets Washington on fire”. “Donald Trump’s assault on American democracy took a turn on Wednesday as concrete as it was symbolic, when some of his supporters, white-hot by his speech, managed to force their way into the Capitol. “

In the Figaro, columnist Philippe Gélie points out that “Donald Trump could have emerged from the top, as a“ people’s president ”with a contested but not insignificant record. Instead, his narcissism having overcome all dignity, he abuses institutions, tramples democracy, divides his camp and ends his presidency in the ditch. “

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▷ Amazfit presents the ultra-modern smartwatches Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e with the most modern …

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11.01.2021 – 19:36

Amazfit

Las Vegas (ots/PRNewswire)

These must-have all-in-one smartwatches are the marriage of style and health

Amazfit, a global brand in the wearables market, presented the smartwatches Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e at this year’s fully digital CES. With the latest in fitness tracking features and an ultra-thin and stylish design, the two newest members of the Amazfit GTS 2 and GTR 2 family of smartwatches represent the perfect blend of style and health for today’s active consumer while offering an extra long battery life and uncompromising elegance.

See the Amazfit line of products during the fully digital CES January 11-14 at amazfit.com.

Rimless[1], Edge-to-Edge Design

The exquisite craftsmanship is evident in a design without a frame, which uses curved glass to create an impressive and unique visual experience. The smartwatches Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e have an aluminum alloy housing and with their dynamic curves convey a comfortable and light wearing experience, while a vacuum coating ensures a scratch-resistant and wear-resistant screen.

Rotatable screen with brilliant color and clarity

The GTS 2e has a rotatable 1.65-inch HD AMOLED screen, which is comparable in terms of its sharpness to the latest smartphones. The pixel density of 341 pixels per inch guarantees a clear, exquisite and lifelike display with vivid colors that ensure perfect legibility.

For its part, the GTR 2e has a rotatable, 1.39-inch, high-resolution AMOLED screen with a pixel density of 326 pixels per inch for a clear and lively display.

Comprehensive health protection[2]

Equipped with the latest BioTrackerTM 2 PPG high-precision optical sensor, the Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e enable real all-round health protection. The watches can perform 24-hour heart rate monitoring and even issue warnings if your resting heart rate is abnormally high.

Measurement of oxygen saturation in the blood

With sustained physical activity, such as For example, when running a marathon or doing vigorous outdoor exercise, you can measure your SpO2 level the moment your energy levels are decreasing.

PAI (TM) Health Assessment System.

PAI (TM) (Personal Activity Intelligence) is a health assessment system that uses algorithms to convert complex data such as heart rate, activity duration and other health data into a single, intuitive metric that makes it easy for users to understand their physical condition.

Monitoring sleep quality for optimal performance

The smartwatches Amazfit GTR 2e and GTS 2e support in-depth sleep monitoring by precisely determining sleep stages, tracking the state of sleep breathing and providing quality analyzes and suggestions for improvement. The clocks also recognize naps over 20 minutes[3]to record more complete sleep information.

Monitoring the stress level

With our new smartwatches you can check during the day where your personal stress level is – whether relaxed, normal, medium or high.

90 built-in sport modes

The new Amazfit smartwatches have 90 built-in sports modes that cover the needs of most sports lovers. With an intelligent sport detection function[4] automatically activate the appropriate sport mode as soon as you start moving your body.

Intelligent voice assistant[5]

Perform voice operations on your watch without internet access using the offline voice assistant feature – including turning on sport modes or opening the heart rate monitor feature.

Extended battery life

With a deeply optimized, high-performance battery management system that, with typical use, promises a battery life of up to 24 days for the GTR 2e and 14 days for the GTS 2e[6], smartwatches are always ready to follow your progress – without worrying about taking a charger with you wherever you go.

Compatible with the Zepp app. For an optimized management of health data

Our new watches are connected to the newly updated Zepp app, which performs a comprehensive analysis of various data sources. This allows body data to be managed around the clock and the user can check his or her physical condition at any time.

Prices and availability

In North America, the Amazfit GTR 2e and Amazfit GTS 2e will be available from January 11th on both the official Amazfit website and Amazon (specific links included). Both are priced at $ 139.99.

In the UK, the Amazfit GTR 2e and Amazfit GTS 2e will be available from Argos starting January 11 at a price of £ 119 and will be available on both the Amazfit official website and Amazon at a later date to be confirmed.

[1] The Amazfit GTR 2e and the GTS 2e have a new design concept. The products do not have an obvious border on the front, resulting in a “borderless” visual experience.

[2] These products are not medical devices. The measurement data is for reference only and cannot be used for professional diagnosis or monitoring of diseases. In addition, tattoos, pigmented or darkened skin, hair, exercise and sweat while exercising, etc. will affect the accuracy of the data.

[3] If it determines that the wearer sleeps between midnight and 6 a.m., the sleep time between 6 p.m. of the previous day and 11 a.m. can be recorded as night sleep time; sleep between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. lasting more than 20 minutes is recorded as a nap. Sleep that lasts less than 20 minutes is not recorded.

[4] Smart detection of sport modes includes outdoor running, treadmill, walking, outdoor biking, pool swimming, and elliptical machines.

[5] The offline voice assistant only supports English voice commands.

[6] Battery life may vary depending on settings, operating conditions, and other factors. The actual result can therefore differ from the laboratory data. The Amazfit GTR 2e lasts up to 24 days with typical use. Typical application scenario: the heart rate is always switched on, sleep monitoring is activated; 150 push messages per day illuminate the screen display, the wrist is lifted 30 times to see the time, bright screen operation for 5 minutes; Exercise 3 times a week, GPS run for 30 minutes.

The Amazfit GTS 2e lasts up to 14 days with typical use. Typical usage scenario: the heart rate is always switched on, sleep monitoring is activated; 150 push messages per day illuminate the screen display, the wrist is lifted 30 times to see the time, bright screen operation for 5 minutes; Exercise 3 times a week, GPS run for 30 minutes.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1396871/Amazfit_Smartwatches.jpg

Press contact:

Yunya Liu
+86-15999658480

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▷ Stem cells in the intestine: New discoveries could help treat numerous …

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11.01.2021 – 10:06

Helmholtz Centre Munich

Stem cells in the intestine: new findings could pave the way for the treatment of numerous diseases

The intestine is one of the most important players in the human metabolism. Numerous common diseases such as obesity, diabetes, colitis and colon cancer are associated with impaired function of the intestine. Researchers are therefore pursuing the approach of counteracting intestinal dysfunction, for example by forming specific intestinal cells from stem cells. This could be a promising regenerative therapy for diseases like diabetes. To do this, however, science needs a deep understanding of how stem cells develop in the intestine, which cell hierarchies prevail and which signals regulate the formation of certain cell types – a task for basic research.

Heiko Lickert and his research group rose to this challenge. Lickert is director of the Institute for Diabetes and Regeneration Research at the Helmholtz Zentrum München, Professor of Beta Cell Biology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and a member of the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD). In the following, he and first author Anika Böttcher talk about their latest research on the basic mechanisms of the functioning of intestinal stem cells, which in Nature Cell Biology has been published.

Why is the intestine so important for health research?

Heiko Lickert: The intestine is both the digestive system and the largest hormonal system in humans. It is responsible for regulating the energy balance and the blood sugar level. The functions of the intestine are carried out by specialized cells. These are formed from intestinal stem cells and renew themselves every three to four days in humans. So-called enteroendocrine cells produce more than 20 different types of hormones that send signals to the brain and pancreas to regulate, for example, appetite, food intake, gastric emptying and insulin release from the pancreatic beta cells. Another important function is carried out by so-called Paneth cells, which produce antimicrobial substances and thus ward off pathogens. Not surprisingly, bowel dysfunction is linked to many different diseases that affect millions of people around the world – from chronic inflammation and colon cancer to diabetes.

What were the key findings from your recent research on intestinal stem cells?

Anika Böttcher: We now have a better understanding of how exactly intestinal stem cells renew themselves continuously and form specialized cell types. We have observed this with unprecedented resolution at the single cell level. We are now in a position to determine potential precursor populations for each intestinal cell. We were able to show that intestinal stem cells form unipotent progenitor cells for each lineage. In addition – and this is particularly important – we have identified a new signaling pathway in the stem cell niche of the intestine (in technical jargon: Wnt / planar cell polarity pathway). This regulates the self-renewal of intestinal stem cells and their developmental decisions. This discovery is important because we know that intestinal stem cells can renew themselves indefinitely, thus maintaining intestinal function and the tissue barrier. We are talking about 6 meters of epithelial tissue and more than 100 million cells that are newly created in humans every day! In addition, these cells can develop into any cell type. The risk that a failure in the self-renewal or cell differentiation process will lead to chronic disease is therefore quite high.

To put it more technically: We have managed to describe a detailed lineage tree for all cell types in the intestine and have identified a new signaling pathway that regulates the developmental decisions of stem cells. For this breakthrough, we used various reporter mouse lines that mark rare intestinal cell types and enable a time resolution of the differentiation processes, combined with genome-wide and targeted single-cell gene expression analyzes. This enabled us to decipher the development decisions of stem cells in the intestine. Together with Fabian Theis and his group at the Institute for Computational Biology at Helmholtz Munich and TUM, we characterized 60,000 intestinal cells. To analyze this data set, we used newly developed machine learning techniques and were able to automatically identify branching lines and key factors in the area of ​​gene expression. Our findings are applicable to many diseases: cancer, inflammation and colitis as well as obesity and diabetes.

How does this new knowledge make it into practice?

Heiko Lickert: Our study questions previous paradigms by expanding our knowledge of the self-renewal of intestinal stem cells, their heterogeneity and the formation of the various cell types of the intestine from stem cells. We can use this new basic knowledge to better understand how the self-renewal and differentiation of intestinal stem cells changes in chronic diseases. The knowledge gained from this could in turn help us to develop targeted therapies for these diseases. In this way, we could find ways to target the precursors of the cell types in the intestine – for example, to restore the formation of specific cells that have been disrupted due to disease, or to identify and specifically switch off colon cancer stem cells. At our institute we will use the new findings for diabetes research.

Originalpublikation

Böttcher et al., 2021: Non-canonical Wnt/PCP signalling regulates intestinal stem cell lineage priming towards enteroendocrine and Paneth cell fates. Nature Cell Biology, DOI: 10.1038/s41556-020-00617-2

Helmholtz Centre Munich

As a research center, the Helmholtz Zentrum München pursues the mission of developing personalized medical solutions for the prevention and therapy of environmentally-related diseases for a healthier society in a rapidly changing world. It researches the development of common diseases in the context of environmental factors, lifestyle and individual genetic disposition. The center places a special focus on research into diabetes mellitus, allergies and chronic lung diseases. The headquarters of the center is in Neuherberg in the north of Munich. Helmholtz Zentrum München employs around 2,500 people and is a member of the Helmholtz Association, the largest scientific organization in Germany with more than 40,000 employees in 19 research centers. 

Helmholtz Zentrum München
Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)
Ingolstädter Landstraße 1
D-85764 Neuherberg
Telefon: +49 89 3187-0
Internet: www.helmholtz-muenchen.de
E-Mail: presse@helmholtz-muenchen.de  
Geschäftsführung: Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Matthias H. Tschöp, Kerstin Günther
Registergericht: Amtsgericht München HRB 6466
Umsatzsteueridentifikationsnummer: DE 129521671
Aufsichtsratsvorsitzende: MinDir’in Prof. Dr. Veronika von Messling

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▷ More flexibility thanks to the SARON lilac mortgage

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11.01.2021 – 08:02

Valiant Holding AG

More flexibility with the SARON lilac mortgage

From 2021, Valiant will launch the new SARON lilac mortgage. Customers will benefit from attractive interest rates and a short notice period.

Valiant will introduce the SARON lilac mortgage on January 18, 2021. The money market mortgage with a variable interest rate has no fixed term. Clients will benefit from attractive market rates, especially in a market environment with falling interest rates. They thus gain in flexibility. Customers can cancel the mortgage at the end of the quarter and switch to another product once the three-month cancellation period has elapsed. Thus, for example, it is possible to convert the SARON lilac mortgage into a mortgage with a term of two to ten years and with a fixed rate. With this new mortgage, Valiant replaces the current Flex mortgage, which refers to the base rate LIBOR. The Flex mortgage is no longer offered.

A more transparent rate

SARON has existed since 2009. It is a reference interest rate, also used since 2019 by the Swiss National Bank as the base rate. The SARON rate is an average daily rate, which banks use to borrow money. This rate is available to the public. It is published daily after the conclusion of transactions by SIX, which also operates the corresponding trading platform. SARON is thus more transparent than LIBOR, which is mainly based on expert estimates and not on transactions concluded on the money market.

The SARON rate varies daily and is determined a posteriori. However, clients who choose the SARON lilac mortgage do not have to pay interest daily, but quarterly. For this purpose, Valiant retroactively calculates the average rate for a period of three months. 

Contact pour les journalistes
Simon Bickel, responsable communication d’entreprise, 031 320 96 18, simon.bickel@valiant.ch 
À propos de Valiant 
Valiant est un prestataire financier suisse indépendant. Valiant est exclusivement présente en Suisse et propose à la clientèle privée et aux PME une offre complète, simple et compréhensible dans tous les domaines financiers. Valiant est implantée localement dans treize cantons, avec 97 sites : Argovie, Bâle-Campagne, Bâle-Ville, Berne, Fribourg, Jura, Lucerne, Neuchâtel, Soleure, Saint-Gall, Vaud, Zoug et Zurich. En outre, elle est présente dans toute la Suisse grâce à ses prestations innovantes et numériques. Valiant affiche un total du bilan de 33,6 milliards de francs et emploie plus de 1000 collaboratrices et collaborateurs, dont 80 personnes en formation.

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▷ Allianz begins eight-year partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Movement

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11.01.2021 – 08:00

Allianz Switzerland

Wallisellen (ots)

-  Lancement officiel du partenariat mondial avec le Mouvement olympique et paralympique 
-  Développement du programme pilote Allianz pour promouvoir et rassembler les athlètes, les équipes, les bénévoles et les supporters dans plus de 200 pays 
-  Produits et services pour soutenir le Mouvement olympique et paralympique

On January 1, Allianz officially launched its eight-year global partnership with the Olympic and Paralympic Movement. Its partnership with the Paralympic Movement has existed since 2006.

“Allianz is proud to support the Olympic and Paralympic Movement around the world as “, declared Oliver Bäte, Chairman of the Management Board of Allianz SE:” By supporting the sports ecosystem, inspired by the common values ​​of excellence, friendship, inclusion and respect, Allianz and its 148,000 employees and 100,000 field service employees are delighted to promote athletes and their families in achieving their goals. “

Since the announcement of the partnership in September 2018, the insurer has supported supporters, athletes, teams and employees in the four pilot markets of Australia, China, France and Spain through activities aimed at promoting health. Allianz presented the Australian Olympic Committee’s “Wellbeing Week” to highlight ways to improve mental health. Allianz also worked with the Organizing Committee for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to encourage its employees, customers and partners to walk or run for the “Club Paris 2024”, an initiative to encourage physical activity that will allow participate in the Olympic and Paralympic adventure.

Allianz will strengthen its local initiatives to bring together athletes and supporters around the world. The global insurer will offer consumers and employees the opportunity to participate in the 2022 Olympic Torch Relay in Beijing. In addition, young people will be encouraged to discover the spirit and values ​​of the Olympic and Paralympic Movement through Allianz sports camps, where they can try out various sports, make friends and learn from athletes. Allianz will also support the Olympic and Paralympic Movement with tailor-made insurance solutions and benefits. And these are just a few examples.

“Since the announcement of this new agreement in 2018, our teams have already worked together in key pilot markets to support athletes and the Olympic Movement,” said International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach. “Now that we enter the Olympic year, we look forward to kicking off our global collaboration with Allianz.”

“Allianz provides global visibility to the athletes and values ​​of the Paralympic Movement and we look forward to the next phase of our collaboration,” added International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons.

“As a former Olympic athlete, I am of course very enthusiastic about the idea of ​​this multi-year partnership. It will significantly strengthen our notoriety in Switzerland too, thanks to the significant influence and media presence of sporting events. I hope that the next Olympic Games can take place in Tokyo and I keep my fingers crossed that Swiss athletes qualify and obtain good results, “said Severin Moser, CEO of Allianz Suisse.

The partnership will last from 2021 to 2028. You can find detailed information at https://www.allianz.com/de/about-us/sports-culture.html

Contact:

Aurika von Nauman
Winter. 044 847 3800 1605, e-mail: aurika.von-nauman@allianz.com

Bernd de Wall
Winter: 058 358 84 14; e-mail: bernd.dewall@allianz.ch

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▷ Lidl Switzerland informs of a product recall of “chef select & you Salade …

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07.01.2021 – 15:59

LIDL Switzerland

WeinfeldenWeinfelden (ots)

In the context of preventive consumer protection, Lidl Switzerland is recalling the product “chef select & you mixed salad, 320g” with the expiration date of 06.01.2021, 08.01.2021 and 09.01.2021 as well as the product “Fresh salad El Toro, 300g ”with expiration date of 06.01.2021 from the manufacturer Josef Müller Gemüse AG.

It cannot be excluded that the two products mentioned above are contaminated by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria monocytogenes can trigger serious illnesses affecting the stomach / intestine (listeriosis) and cause symptoms similar to those of a flu infection. Certain groups of people (pregnant women, young children, the elderly and the immunocompromised) may be prone to complications. Because of this health risk, it is essential that consumers take this product recall into account.

The products concerned “chef select & you Mixed salad, 320g” with the expiration date of 06.01.2021, 08.01.2021 and 09.01.2021 as well as “El Toro fresh salad, 300g” with the expiration date of 06.01. 2021 were marketed by Lidl Switzerland. For reasons of preventive consumer protection, Lidl Switzerland reacted immediately and withdrew the affected products from sale. Items can be brought back to any Lidl branch. The purchase price will of course be refunded to you, even in the event of non-presentation of the receipt.

The product recall concerns only the product “chef select & you Mixed salad, 320g” with the expiration date of 06.01.2021, 08.01.2021 and 09.01.2021 as well as the product “El Toro fresh salad, 300g” with expiry date 06.01.2021 from

manufacturer Josef Müller Gemüse AG. All other products sold by Lidl Switzerland are not affected by this recall.

Lidl Switzerland apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.

Contact:

Media office
Dunantstrasse 15
8570 Weinfelden
Tel.: +41 (0)71 627 82 00
Email: media@lidl.ch

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article 24 is “an attack on freedom of expression”, according to the Council of Europe

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Article 24 of the draft law on global security, very controversial in France, is also challenged by the Council of Europe. In a letter, dated December 15, addressed to the senators, the Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, considers that it carries “ attack on freedom of expression And asks the Senate to amend it.

→ EXPLANATION. Global security, the Senate wants to “bring order” to the text

« The text of this article as it is submitted for your consideration remains, in my opinion, unsatisfactory from the point of view of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. », Written by Dunja Mijatović.

“I consider that the prohibition erected by article 24 (…) constitutes an infringement of the right to freedom of expression, which includes the freedom to inform, and that the compatibility of such an interference with article 10 of the (European Convention on Human Rights), which guarantees this right, appears doubtful to say the least ”, she adds. Adopted by the deputies at the end of November, this bill has for weeks aroused sharp criticism from the left, journalists and NGOs defending freedoms. This includes article 24, which prohibits and penalizes the malicious dissemination of images of the police.

“Remove the ban”

Faced with the outcry provoked by this article, the government finally left it to Parliament to find a new wording when the text is due to go before the Senate in January.

“This ban (…) is likely to worsen the crisis of confidence between part of the population and part of the police, which cannot contribute to the protection of the latter”, still considers the Commissioner.

→ ANALYSIS. Security, Emmanuel Macron’s new horizon

“At this stage of the procedure” parliamentary, “It is up to you to ensure the compatibility of this text with the standards relating to human rights”, lance encore Dunja Mijatovic, qui “Urge” the senators “To remove this ban”.

→ PODCAST. “Police violence: I listened to the secrets of the police”

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The ransom demand is said to have been received by Funke-Mediengruppe

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Headquarters of the Funke media group in Essen

The media group fell victim to a hacker attack. After almost a week, it continues.

(Photo: imago / epd)

Essen, Düsseldorf The hacking attack on the Funke media group continues – and employs numerous cybercrime investigators. Specialists from the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) are investigating the case with a special organizational structure (BAO) of the Essen police.

Andreas Tyrock, editor-in-chief of the “Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung” (WAZ) belonging to the Funke group, wrote in an editorial on Monday that last week’s attack on an “enormous scale” is currently “undiminished hard”. Several systems are still not ready for use nationwide. “To prevent further damage to the technology, all IT systems were shut down,” writes Tyrock.

The perpetrators broke into the IT systems of the Funke media group last Tuesday and encrypted them. So far it was unclear whether it was an attempt at blackmail.

In fact, according to WDR information, there should now be a ransom demand in the form of the digital currency Bitcoin. The Funke media group and the Cybercrime Central and Contact Point (ZAC) at the public prosecutor’s office do not want to comment on this. The fact that a ransom had allegedly already been paid to unblock the system was also not wanted to comment on Funke, reports Die Welt.

All major Funke media group locations across Germany are affected by the attacks, for example in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Berlin. The Funke media group includes twelve regional newspapers, including the “WAZ”, the “Berliner Morgenpost”, the “Thüringer Allgemeine” and the “Hamburger Abendblatt”.

The newspapers are currently “built by hand”, writes WAZ editor-in-chief Tyrock, who thanked his employees for their commitment over the holidays. “All texts and headings are coordinated word for word in telephone calls between the media designers and the editorial team, and photos are incorporated in a very complex process.”

Phones and PCs are paralyzed by the attack

The editors-in-chief of other Funke titles have also addressed the readers directly: For example, Jörg Riebartsch, editor-in-chief of the “Ostthüringer Zeitung” (OTZ), reports on the massive difficulties in newspaper production: “We cannot use our own telephone system to make phone calls, no emails received and put only a few current local texts in the output. ”

He has never experienced such a disaster in the decades of his professional life. According to Riebartsch, it will “take some time before we can return to normal conditions”.

Since the newspapers only appear in a significantly reduced, but again steadily increasing, volume, the Funke media group has currently made all paid content freely available on its website in order to inform readers.

With agency material.

More: How companies should proceed now to limit the damage caused by cyber attacks

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