Bern - Philipp Hildebrand will replace Jean-Pierre Roth at the helm of the Swiss National Bank starting at the beginning of next year, the Federal Council announced Wednesday.

Roth announced in January his plans to retire as chairman of the governing board of the SNB, a post he has held since 2001.

The council, the executive branch of government, also promoted Thomas Jordan from being a member of the board to replacing Hildebrand as vice chairman responsible for financial systems.

Bern - The Swiss Federal Council, the government's executive branch, announced Wednesday it supported giving 10 billion dollars to the International Monetary Fund to boost its lending capacity.

The final decision to dole out the money lays with parliament.

The G20, at its London summit, called for states to raise the funds available to the IMF to 750 billion dollars, an increase of 500 billion, so it could lend to states hit particularly hard by the financial crisis.

Aurobindo Pharma, one of the largest API manufacturers in Asia, on Wednesday received its first approval from Swissmedic, Government of Switzerland for the license of Finasteride APL Tablets 5mg.

The drug is generic equivalent of MERCK & CO., Inc's Proscar Tablet.

Finasteride APL Tablet 5mg is used alone or in combination with another medication to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH, enlargement of the prostate gland). The drug is seen very effective in symptoms of BPH such as frequent and difficult urination. In addition, it also may decrease the chance of needing prostate surgery.

Geneva - The International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) warned Wednesday that polio is spreading again in 14 countries across Africa, including in areas where the disease had once been eradicated.

"We have clear indications that polio is spreading again, including in countries such as Uganda, which had been polio-free for more than a decade," Tammam Aloudat, an IFRC expert on emergencies.

The IFRC comprises all national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies.

Geneva  - The World Health Organization said Tuesday that developed nations should not be lax in taking steps to make sure their hospitals are safe in times of emergencies, particularly in light of the earthquake in Italy.

United Nations agencies noted that a hospital in the medieval town of L'Aquila had to be evacuated owing to severe structural damage caused by the quake.

"If we are prepared, we certainly can save an untold number of lives," said Fadela Chiab, WHO spokeswoman in Geneva.

Nyon, Switzerland - Cre