Category Archive: 3.) Swissinfo Business and Economy

Inside Geneva: UN Correspondents assess 2023

In this episode Imogen Foulkes is joined by New York Times contributor Nick Cumming-Bruce, Emma Farge of Reuters, and Dorian Burkhalter of Swissinfo, to look back at 2023 and the stories that made the news.

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Inside Geneva talks to Navi Pillay: from the apartheid regime to the UN

On Inside Geneva: part four of our series marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Imogen Foulkes talks to Navi Pillay, who served as UN Human Rights Commissioner from 2008 to 2014.

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Palliative care without the hospital vibe

Many people who are terminally ill would prefer to spend their last days at home. However, this is often not possible. "La Maison de Tara" in Geneva offers a cosy alternative to hospital. Round-the-clock care by volunteers, home cooked food and medical assistance on tap are all part of its charm. The volunteers say "it's not a house of death but a house of love". swissinfo.ch visited the home to find out why. --- swissinfo.ch...

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Exploring Science in Davos: EP6 Lab 42 AI lab decoding the human brain

Artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT generate remarkably human-like results. But how intelligent is it really? SWI swissinfo.ch visits Lab42, a new AI lab in Davos, which is deploying playful techniques to better understand the fundamentals of human intelligence. In addition to the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) gathering, Davos is home to several leading research institutes. The newest is Lab 42, which opened its doors in July 2022,...

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Exploring Science in Davos: EP5 Snow and avalanche research in Davos

When and where the next avalanche will happen is hard to predict. In a special cold laboratory in Davos, researchers simulate the effects of wind on fresh snow to better understand the mechanisms that trigger avalanches. For centuries, avalanches have posed a threat to mountain farmers and their livestock. With the development of winter tourism, roads, railways and hydropower plants, the interest in avalanche research and protective measures has...

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Exploring Science in Davos: EP3 Why house dust mites, pollen and food additives cause allergies?

The small city of Davos in southeastern Switzerland, located at an altitude of 1,560m above sea level in the Swiss Alps, attracted tuberculosis patients back in the 1800s and 1900s after scientists discovered that clean mountain air had a positive effect on their health. However, with the development of antibiotics, the sanatoriums eventually lost their purpose. Today that same clean Davos air, marked by the absence of tree pollen, such as birch,...

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Exploring Science in Davos: EP2 Studying bones at the AO Research Institute Davos

Before 1960, broken bones were treated simply by using plaster casts or traction. Then 13 Swiss surgeons began rethinking fracture treatment: they standardised instruments, screws and nails, scientifically evaluated every operation, and started training surgeons. On their tour of Davos’s scientific communities, Sara and Michele go behind the scenes to see what new technologies are currently being developed. The AO Foundation in Davos has been a...

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Exploring Science in Davos: EP1 Orthopaedics gathering at the AO Davos Courses 2022

The Swiss town of Davos is famous for mountain slopes, winter sports and the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. But did you know that it also attracts scientists and doctors from all over the world? In this six-part video series, SWI swissinfo.ch journalists Sara Ibrahim and Michele Andina take you on a journey to discover five of Davos’s research institutes. In this first episode, they take you to the AO Davos Courses, a two-week...

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Using sound to find prehistoric ruins under Lake Lucerne

Construction workers got a surprise recently while laying a pipeline underneath Lake Lucerne in central Switzerland. On the lake floor they found the traces of a prehistoric village! This finally confirmed a long-standing theory among archaeologists, who believed that people had lived in the area thousands of years ago. But why were the traces of their home so deep within the lake? Across Switzerland there are about 500 pile dwelling sites, but...

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Why these Japanese patients wanted to die in Switzerland

In this second part of our two-part series on assisted suicide, SWI reporter Kaoru Uda tells host Susan Misicka what it was like to accompany two Japanese patients who came to Switzerland to die. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes independent news and information in 10 languages about Switzerland for a global audience.

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Why this Swiss doctor supports assisted suicide

Every year, over 1,000 seriously ill people end their lives in Switzerland with the help of suicide assistants.     Assisted suicide is legal in several countries, including Switzerland, Canada and the Netherlands. A handful of other countries – like Germany and Colombia – are working out the legal and practical details. Some people even travel great distances to die in Switzerland because assisted suicide is illegal where they live. For example,...

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Meet couples saying ‘I do’ to gay marriage

Now that Switzerland has approved marriage for all, host Susan Misicka talks with some couples who explain why it's important to them. We also hear from opponents of Swiss legislation granting same-sex couples the right to marry. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes independent news and information in 10 languages about Switzerland...

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Why we still need pens and pencils

In this encore episode of The Swiss Connection, we visit Swiss century-old pen and pencil maker Caran d'Ache. Podcast host Susan Misicka takes a tour of the factory and feels a bit silly when Caran d’Ache President Carole Hubscher sees her hasty choice of writing instrument. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes independent news and...

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Typeface designer is in love with letters

Swiss designers gave us the big-name Helvetica and Frutiger typefaces in the 20th century. Now a modern-day designer from Basel is collaborating on a new font that we might soon be seeing a lot more of.  Nina Stoessinger of Frere-Jones Type in Brooklyn talks about inspiration and challenges. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes...

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Decrypting cryptocurrency and blockchain

How soon will we start buying our groceries with Bitcoin? What kind of scams do we need to be aware of? And why is Switzerland so sweet on cryptocurrencies and blockchain? SWI finance correspondent Matt Allen gives host Susan Misicka an overview of what he's learned while covering this scene over the past several years. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern...

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Why people love the Locarno Film Festival

A gorgeous location for a film festival: Locarno in southern Switzerland. The international event features about 200 films in 10 days. But what makes the Locarno Film Festival so special? In this episode, SWI culture editor Eduardo Simantob tells podcast host Susan Misicka why he loves it.  Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes...

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Meet the Swiss woman bringing open water swimming to Boston

Swiss architect Renata von Tscharner has devoted over two decades to improving the public spaces along the Charles River in Massachusetts. She even hopes to get people swimming in Boston's so-called "dirty water" on a regular basis. We met her at the Rhine River in her native Basel. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes...

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Are nuclear weapons really banned?

In this episode host Susan Misicka introduces our sister podcast, Inside Geneva. Nuclear weapons were banned by international treaty at the start of 2021. But the treaty doesn’t apply to any of the nuclear powers, since none of them signed it. So are nukes really banned? Inside Geneva host Imogen Foulkes talks to Cordula Droege, Chief Legal Officer of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Beatrice Fihn of the International Campaign to Ban...

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Should kids be sweating for our chocolate cravings?

The success of Swiss chocolate depends on cocoa beans harvested far away, often with the help of minors. In this episode we discuss whether it's OK for children to work, and how to figure out if kids helped make your candy bar. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes independent news and information in 10 languages about Switzerland...

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What soil sounds like and why it matters

What does soil sound like, and what do those sounds mean? We find out from the world’s first scientist to use acoustics to research the soil and underground biodiversity. Also, we explore some of Zurich's greenspaces with a conservation biologist. Please sign up for our Free newsletter on Swiss Democracy.   SWI swissinfo.ch is a public service media company based in Bern Switzerland. It publishes independent news and information in 10 languages...

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