Clamping down on tobacco advertising
Swiss voters will decide on February 13 on a wide ban on tobacco advertising, aimed at protecting young people. Switzerland, home to the world’s largest cigarette companies, has some of the weakest laws against tobacco advertising in Europe. About a quarter of the population are smokers, including around 100,000 aged 15 to 19. Under the people’s initiative, launched in 2018, only tobacco advertising directly targeting adults would be allowed. Behind the campaign is an alliance health groups, sports organisations, doctors and teachers.
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January 26, 2022
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All you need is a laptop and a backpack
Maik Disch works from the most beautiful beaches in Thailand for clients in Switzerland. He sees himself as a typical digital nomad: constantly on the lookout for the next dream destination. Disch's salary is lower than that of colleagues in Switzerland. On the other hand, the cost of living on the island of Ko Phangan is low and the warm, tropical climate allows him to work outdoors. Fast internet also helps.
Disch's video portrait is the second in the “Digital offensive” series by Swiss public television SRF. It looks at the work of five young people trying to make a difference in the digital world. (SRF/swissinfo.ch).
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January 19, 2022
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Internet campaigner fights for more data awareness
Nikki Böhler is a young Swiss internet campaigner who is part of a growing community seeking to shape the digital transformation of society. The 29-year-old wants people to become more aware of the importance of their personal online data and of the traces they leave behind on the internet. But she also wants to improve data transparency so that existing, anonymised data can be used for the common good.
Her video portrait is the first in the “Digital offensive” series by Swiss public television SRF. It looks at the work of five young people trying to make a difference in the digital world. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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January 11, 2022
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Swiss ski manufacturer facing global supply chain disruption
The pandemic disrupted global supply chains, causing delayed deliveries for raw materials and crucial components. Those affected had to scramble to keep their production chain going. We visited Swiss ski manufacturer Stöckli in Lucerne to see how they adapted to the new situation.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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December 20, 2021
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The James Webb Space Telescope prepares to launch
The James Webb Space Telescope, the biggest, most powerful space telescope in history, is set to launch into space this Christmas.
It has been developed by NASA together with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). Swiss scientists have been closely involved in the project and some Swiss technology is on board.
The orbiting infrared observatory is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. With a much bigger primary mirror, the Webb, as it is known, is 100 times more sensitive than the Hubble and can look greater distances and farther back into time. The 5-10 year mission aims to gather information on the universe's earliest stages, star formation, and whether planets beyond our solar system may be suitable for life, among other issues.
The Webb has been delayed many times but is due to blast off on an Ariane 5 rocket from a site in French Guiana “no earlier than December 24” NASA announced last week. It was previously due to leave on December 22.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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December 21, 2021
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Balancing sports and studies in Switzerland: Alina Meier explains
Swiss Alina Meier is a 25-year-old cross-country skier, born and raised in canton Graubünden. The three-time Swiss champion decided to start studying in 2020, thanks to the move many universities made towards virtual learning.
Even so, the dual career of a top-level athlete and student is particularly challenging for her because her sport has a seasonal focus. The coming semesters will be particularly intense for her, because in addition to her academic tasks, she still has one big goal: participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Watch the interview to hear what advice she gives to young athletes on balancing sports and studies.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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October 01, 2021
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Underwater archaeology reveals buried secrets of a Swiss lake
The prehistoric past of the city of Lucerne is still largely unknown. However, the lake that surrounds it could yet harbour some clues.
Archaeologists have long suspected that pile dwelling settlements existed around the lake by the city, but it was only during construction work in March 2020 that remains of a settlement were dug up from the bottom for the first time.
This autumn, in view of the possible construction of an underground railway station in Lucerne, the cantonal archaeology department examined the bottom of the lake basin. The goal was to locate the prehistoric settlements underpinning the present city. Since the specialists planned to scan a large area of the lake floor, they needed an alternative to scuba divers. They also expected most remnants to be covered by sediment, and thus hidden from the human eye.
The solution was to examine the lake bottom acoustically, using sonar technology. For this special mission, the cantonal archaeology department of Lucerne was joined by experts from Zurich’s underwater archaeology department and from the University of Copenhagen. The discoveries they went on to make coincide with the tenth anniversary of the ‘Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps’ as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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November 26, 2021
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Swiss politicians join calls for Beijing Olympic Games boycott
Swiss politicians are among those calling for a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in China in February 2022, to protest China’s campaign of repression against Uyghurs and other minority groups, as well as its crackdown on Hong Kong.
The alleged abuses against the mainly Muslim minority in Xinjiang include mass detention and torture. The US State Department and several European legislatures have classified the human rights abuses as genocide and several US lawmakers have urged America to pull out of the winter Olympics. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi advocates not sending an official delegation, while still allowing athletes to compete.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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November 17, 2021
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A just democracy is a robust democracy
Polarisation, social divisions, distrust and inequality: How can people in democracies push back against the negative dynamics emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic?
At the International Forum Zofingen, SWI swissinfo.ch asked international and Swiss democracy experts for some answers to some fundamental challenges facing today's democracies. This includes perspectives from Matt Qvortrup, Coventry University/UK, Estefania Cuero, diversity advisor/Switzerland, Yascha Mounk, Harvard University/US, Sanija Ameti, Operation Libero/Switzerland and Zoltán Tibor Pállinger, Swiss Director of Andrassy University Budapest/Hungary.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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November 24, 2021
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Improving conditions for Swiss nurses
Swiss nurses are calling for better working conditions in an initiative being put to the vote on November 28. It was launched by the Alliance of Healthcare Professions, grouping more than 10 professional and trade union organisations. The Alliance wants the government and the cantons to beef up nurse training and guarantee certain working conditions and salary rates. The government says the initiative goes too far.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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November 09, 2021
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Covid certificate - keep it or ditch it?
Is the Covid certificate worth keeping? A vote on 28 November 2021 will decide. The Swiss will be asked whether they accept laws passed earlier this year that paved the way for the introduction of the certificate. The system provides proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative test.
It’s the second time a vote has been organised to challenge the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In summer, voters were given a chance to reverse the first batch of Swiss Covid laws. The majority supported the government.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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November 09, 2021
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Researching the origins of life
Two leading Swiss astronomers are collaborating on the setting up of a new centre in Zurich that will examine fundamental questions of life.
Didier Queloz was jointly awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in furthering our understanding of the universe. Queloz and his doctoral advisor, Michel Mayor, discovered an exoplanet orbiting a sun-like star. Queloz has been bombarded with questions about life in the universe ever since.
He soon realised that these questions can't be answered by astronomy alone. So he got earth scientists, biologists, chemists and physicists on board to establish the new 'Center for the Origin and Prevalence of Life' at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich. Astrophysicist Sascha Quanz, a professor at the ETH, is also on board.
In this video, Queloz and Quanz explain why the time is right to bring different fields of science together and to find answers to the big questions concerning the origins of life.
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October 07, 2021
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How Switzerland is trying to combat climate change
The climate strike wave that Greta Thunberg started also swept through Switzerland. While young people from all over the country participate in Fridays for Future events, dozens of start-ups are developing technologies to combat climate change. Part two of our explainer video looks into how the country goes about reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.
In the 2019 parliamentary elections, the green parties promising climate action made historic gains. A broader climate movement has sparked research into new technologies. Projects range from carbon-neutral fuels made from sunlight and air to technologies that capture carbon dioxide out of the air and store them in concrete.
But the climate movement experienced a setback in June 2021, when a narrow majority of voters rejected a new CO2 law intended to help the government meet its net zero targets. What measures can help Switzerland cut its emissions? And how does the country plan to adapt, in case global warming can't be stopped? Find out in this video.
To see how climate change is affecting Switzerland, watch part 1 of this series, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFpZGWPhIt8
At the United Nations climate change conference (COP26), Switzerland will push for all countries to commit to limit global warming to 1.5°Celsius. But after voters rejected a new CO2 law, can Switzerland credibly ask others to do more? Read our stories: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-co2-emissions--small-country--big-footprint/45810036?utm_content=o&utm_campaign=own-posts&utm_medium=display&utm_source=swissinfoch
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October 28, 2021
deq9jXSNwsQ
The reality of climate change in Switzerland
In landlocked Switzerland temperatures are rising faster than in regions that benefit from the ocean's cooling effect. The first explainer video of our two-part series shows how climate change is affecting the Swiss landscape, the economy and its people.
While global average temperatures are 0.85 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, Switzerland has seen an increase of two degrees over the same period. Since 1850, its glaciers have lost 60% of their volume. The country risks losing an important water reservoir as the glaciers continue to melt, affecting farming, hydropower production and transport on Europe’s main waterways.
The Swiss travel lots by train, and Swiss trains run on hydroelectric power. But high levels of convenience and consumption of imported goods jack up the national carbon footprint. How does it compare to other countries? Find out in this video.
To see what Switzerland is doing to fight climate change, also watch part two of this series, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=deq9jXSNwsQ
At the United Nations climate change conference (COP26), Switzerland will push for all countries to commit to limit global warming to 1.5°Celsius. But after voters rejected a new CO2 law, can Switzerland credibly ask others to do more? Read our stories: https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-co2-emissions--small-country--big-footprint/45810036?utm_content=o&utm_campaign=own-posts&utm_medium=display&utm_source=swissinfoch
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.
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October 28, 2021
OFpZGWPhIt8
Carbon offsetting explained in 2 minutes
Countries lower their carbon footprint and become climate neutral by limiting the amount of greenhouse gases they produce and by compensating the emissions that can't be cut.
The carbon offsetting market has become increasingly attractive for countries, companies and individuals, who finance projects that will either suck CO2 out of the atmosphere, or reduce the CO2 release. This is done by buying carbon offsets.
Carbon offsetting will be a major point of tension at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Here's how it works and who can be involved in it.
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October 22, 2021
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A Swiss film on why it's hard to help people
The documentary "That Girl" by Swiss director Cornelia Gantner shows how laborious development aid can be, even for locals. Gladys Shonga-Furrer grew up in rural Zambia. She dropped out of school because her parents ran out of money. Gladys refused to be married off and instead went to a town to work and finance her own education. Later, she and her Swiss husband Thomas provided development aid in a remote Zambian village. But even as a local, Gladys faced considerable challenges. Rich Swiss philanthropist Cornelia Gantner not only supported the project financially, but also made a film about it.
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September 29, 2021
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Living in Switzerland as a Muslim
The Swiss population has voted in favour of banning face coverings, in a vote known as the 'burka ban', in March 2021. They had already voted in favour of banning the construction of minarets in November 2009. What is it like to grow up, and live, as a Muslim in Switzerland?
Muslims are the third largest religious community in the small Alpine nation. Despite this, its members say they still face discriminations because they believe in Islam. We met Maymunah in Bern: the young Muslim arrived in Switzerland at age 2, with her parents fleeing as refugees.
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September 27, 2021
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Simona Aebersold, on being a world orienteering championships medallist and student
Simona Aebersold is 23 but has been running through forests and fields since she was a kid - her mom and dad are former top athletes and got her into orienteering very young.
A 7-times world championship medallist, Simona is also a student at the University of Bern, where she's getting a degree in Sports science and Psychology. We met her in her garden, and she told us how she manages to balance her training sessions, competitions and exams.
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September 23, 2021
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Swiss watchmakers' efforts to become more sustainable
The Swiss watchmaking industry is one of Europe's hungriest consumers of stainless steel: it uses up to 120,000 tonnes of it per year. The sector is facing increased pressure to reduce its environmental impact and local entrepreneurs are presenting solutions.
A waste management centre in canton Bern has established a recycling chain to enable valuable raw material to be re-used. They collect unsold watches and defective watch parts from some 20 brands in the region. The different materials are separated and recycled, so that they can be re-used by watchmakers.
The first batch of eco-recyclable steel has been produced in 2020 and part of those bars are coming back to the recycling centre to be smolded once more.
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September 22, 2021
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From Beethoven, with help from algorithms
Beethoven died in 1827 without having been able to finish his 10th Symphony. Nearly two centuries later, the work of the famous composer has been completed in Switzerland using artificial intelligence.
In early September, the Nexus Orchestra of Western Switzerland presented Beethoven's 10th Symphony to audiences in Lausanne and Geneva – an unprecedented creation generated by artificial intelligence. The project was launched by the conductor Guillaume Berney and artificial intelligence engineer Florian Colombo. The seven-minute piece was “created” on the morning of the concert by a computer programme that got to know the composer by “digesting” Beethoven's 16 string quartets. The sketches of the 10th Symphony left behind when Beethoven died have been added to the computer which, via algorithms, generated a new score.
The idea of training AI to compose music is not new. Similar projects have been launched in recent years. The Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, for instance, presented a completed version of Schubert's unfinished symphony in 2019. (RTS/swissinfo.ch/ma)
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September 15, 2021
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