Geneva - Banking giant Credit Suisse Group reported Thursday a net profit of 2 billion Swiss francs (1.71 billion dollars) in the first quarter of 2009, in part owing to a recovery of its trading unit.

Last year's first quarter saw the bank lose 2.15 billion francs.

The investment banking segment reported income before taxes of 2.41 billion in the first quarter of 2009, compared with a 3.42 billion loss last year.

Geneva - Two European Jewish student groups have been "particularly" disruptive during the Durban Review Conference on racism in Geneva, a United Nations official said Wednesday.

Rupert Colville from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that so far 46 people have had their accreditation revoked since the start of the conference on Monday, mostly from non-governmental organizations and one from the media.

Geneva - The United Nations Durban Review Conference on racism entered its third day Wednesday with delegates having already adopted by consensus the outcome document which calls upon all states to fight racism, intolerance and discrimination.

The declaration was adopted Tuesday afternoon after no state attending the conference in Geneva voiced objection to the text, which was drafted over several months and included compromises to satisfy as many governments as possible.

Geneva - Nestle Group announced Tuesday its first quarter sales dropped 2.1 per cent from the same period last year to 25.2 billion Swiss francs (21.56 billion dollars).

The company said it achieved organic growth of 3.8 per cent in the quarter and was on track to meet its goals of "at least" 5 per cent organic growth this year.

Organic growth, which does not take into account currency effects and acquisitions, was nearly 10 per cent in the first quarter of last year.

Nyon, Switzerland - Europe's governing football body UEFA on Tuesday called for tough action against racism in football stadiums and said they would not rule out abandoning matches.

"It is our wish that matches are interrupted for ten minutes if there are racist chants in a stadium. There should also be stadium announcements. If the chants continue the game should be abandoned," UEFA President Michel Platini said.

"We need to be brave when there is racism on the terraces. That is UEFA's brief."

Givrins, Switzerland - Former Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher has called off a planned start this weekend in the German superbike series, saying he was still feeling the effects of a crash two months ago.

The record seven-time F1 champion was due to compete in the first race of the German IDM series at the Lausitzring in eastern Germany.

"Unfortunately I have had to call it off because I am not yet ready," he told German Press Agency dpa in Givrins, Switzerland.