Global Meat Industry Cries Fowl!; More Voting on Immigration; Federer Featured at Swiss Indoors; Basel Land and Stadt Make Nice

'Eat less meat' is the message coming from the Geneva based World Health Organization or W.H.O.  In a survey of 800 studies concluded recently and whose results were published yesterday, the NGO reported its finding that eating processed red meat is probably carcinogenic.  Specifically, the report concluded that eating 50 grams of processed meat per day (the equivalent of 2 slices of ham) increased the chance of colorectal and colon cancer by 18%. The authors of the report cautioned that they still view meat as an important nutritional resource for the planet's populations, but that government policy should weigh this against the risks.  The report was roundly condemned by global meat producers and butchers for being biased and misleading.  In America, Shalene McNeill, an executive director at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association says her advice as a dietician and a parent hasn't changed: meat is an important aspect of a balanced, healthful diet.  In Switzerland, Marcel Portmann of Pro Viande, a Swiss meat industry association, questioned the conclusions of the report saying Swiss people in general eat much less meat per day than those studied, and probably half what Americans eat.   ****************************************   The political hand-wringing over immigration into Switzerland continues.  Yet another referendum has been approved to decide if the previously approved immigration curbs from 2014's referendum should be implemented.  This resulting from a petition sponsored by the swiss organization RASA (whose name translates as Get Out of Deadlock) which managed to gather over 110,000 signatures.  The name of the organization refers to the deadlock which has been created requiring Bern to implement laws and rules that would contravene its commitments to the EU to ensure it's citizens freedom of movement across borders.  The organizers of RASA hope that by forcing yet another referendum on the issue, the outcome would be different from the last, and allow the country to honor its existing commitments to its European neighbors.  The SVP, or Swiss People's Party, primary supporter of last year's referendum that required changes to immigration rules by 2017 argues that Switzerland needs to have complete control over immigration, as opposed to adopting pan-European rules, and that Bern can maintain its bilateral economic, social and political agreements with Brussels through negotiations.

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Basel will be hosting the 2015 Swiss Indoors Tennis Tournament starting this upcoming Monday.  The featured player at the tournament will be, of course, the hometown favorite, Roger Federer who will start playing on Tuesday agains the Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin.  Federer is chasing after his seventh ATP title, coming off of an unexpected loss last week in Shanghai's stop of the ATP tour.  Also featured in the tournament will be fellow Swiss Stan Warinka, seeded second, and third seed Rafael Nadal.

***************************   Apparently the news about the relationship between Baselland and Baselstadt is not always bad.  In an agreement announced last Friday, the two cantons announced their continued commitment to support University and cultural institutions despite the financial strains currently experienced by Baselland.  The two governments were ultimately agreed that the affected institutions should be spared the uncertainty over budgets and funding which has been an issue since the Baselbeiter government passed austerity measures in July that defunded their commitment.  As part of the agreement, BaselStadt will provide Baselland contribution relief for the annual 20 million Swiss Franc shortfall (meaning they'll contribute that portion of the budget) for the years 2016-2019.  In return, Baselland won't terminate its real-estate contracts with the University of Basel and other cultural centers.  In addition, the agreement will require both parties to participate in expedited discussions to determine the fate of the economically strained hospital system in Baselland.