World Radio Switzerland

Defense department decides to leave old munitions at bottom of lakes

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:15:00 UT

Switzerland’s lakes attract tourists with their pristine image, but up until the 1960s the army was using them as a dumping site. Over 8,000 tons of munitions lay below the surface and today the department of defense announced that they will stay there for good. WRS’s Jordan Davis is at the Federal Palace in Bern:

Documentary explores how Nelson Mendela reconciled an entire nation

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:00:01 UT

Reconciliation is perhaps both a noble and foreign concept to many. How do you forgive those who have been so violent and unfair towards you? Documentary filmmaker Michael Henry Wilson looks at how an entire nation was made to forgive each other in his latest documentary Reconciliation: Mandela’s Miracle. The director interviews victims of apartheid in South Africa and follows how Nelson Mendela united his country through the difficult process of reconciliation. His film is now open in French-speaking Switzerland. WRS’s Alex Helmick speaks to Wilson:

Why Geneva has higher rents than Zurich

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:13:00 UT

For many people living in Switzerland, the idea of a housing crisis is nothing new. But how do rents in Zurich compare to those in Geneva, Bern or in smaller towns in less populated cantons? According to comparis.ch, the winner of the most expensive average rent is Geneva. A Geneva flat advertised with four and a half rooms comes with an average monthly rent of 3,900 francs. That even beats Zurich by almost 1,000 francs. WRS’s Dave Goodman talks to a specialist in real estate economics, professor Philippe Thalmann from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne:

more WRS coverage on real estate

Sparks fly over proposed tax break for home buyers

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 07:50:52 UT

This year voters may experience déjà vu. Twice in a just a matter of months they’ll be asked about tax incentives for people saving to buy a house. The first nationwide vote comes March 11. Supporters of the initiative say they want more Swiss people to be able to buy houses. But opponents call it a giveaway for the rich. WRS’s Jordan Davis reports:

more WRS coverage on real estate

Could emerging economies solve the EU debt crisis?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:15:01 UT

With the eurozone riddled by a debt crisis and EU countries unable to come up with a viable action plan, Switzerland’s export industry, which is heavily reliant on its neighbors Germany, France and Italy, is getting worried. Where can a solution be found? Many ideas are floating around out there and one of them involves help from the developing world, the emerging economies. WRS’s Alex Helmick asks 2001 Nobel Prize winner in Economics Michael Spence, an expert in the field of developing economies, whether this might work:

Trying to unlock the Swiss-EU roadblock

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:02:06 UT

The Federal Council says it wants to break the deadlock in Swiss-EU relations. Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter says he’s sending a letter to Brussels with a roadmap for future negotiations. The government wants to link talks on new bilateral accords with negotiations on tax affairs, and a contribution to future EU enlargement. But will Brussels accept the road map? WRS’s Jordan Davis was at the Federal Palace yesterday… and we asked him what’s new in this “road map”

Dancers prepping for Prix de Lausanne

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:46:41 UT

The stage is set for one of the world’s most prestigious dance competitions this weekend in Lausanne. Seventy-nine young people aged between 15 and 18 from all over the world were selected by a DVD audition to take part in the Prix de Lausanne competition. For the winners a professional dance career awaits. WRS’s Helena Humphrey reports:

Town known as 'Swiss Siberia' revels in the cold tonight

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 07:30:47 UT

The Siberian cold may not be familiar to you if you live in plateau regions, but for residents of one valley in the canton of Neuchâtel, called La Brévine, it’s part of everyday life. The area’s long been nicknamed “the Siberia of Switzerland.” Twenty-five years ago, in 1987, La Brévine reported the country’s lowest temperature in recorded history at -41.8 degrees. And a new committee set up there to mark the anniversary says it will hold a party every year around this time. To find out more, WRS’s Catherine Allen spoke to committee member Jean-Daniel Oppliger. WRS’s Dave Goodman also talks to a special guest who’ll be going to La Brévine tonight—Swiss Television’s weatherman, Thomas Bucheli:

Federal Council considers limiting immigration from EU

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:30:02 UT

The Federal Council this week broke its silence on Europe. Today, it talked about trying to restart talks with the EU and move negotiations on new accords forward. However, Switzerland is also facing the question of whether or not to limit immigration from Eastern Europe. A spike in permit B requests from former Eastern bloc countries in the EU means that the Federal Council is looking at invoking what is known as the safeguard clause within the free movement of people accord. WRS’s Jordan Davis reports from the Federal Palace in Bern:

more WRS coverage on EU

Watch your step as temperatures drop, says chief medical officer

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:15:02 UT

With the Siberian weather front expected to hit tonight, temperatures could drop drastically to as low as -20°C in the lowlands. How dangerous is it for daily life and who is most at risk? And is it a good idea to go skiing this weekend? WRS’s Alex Helmick puts these questions to Jacques-André Romand, Geneva’s cantonal chief medical officer, who advises you to go skiing but wear layers and beware of slippery sidewalks:

Questions surround planned 'Alzheimer's village'

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:56:54 UT

Imagine a care home complex for Alzheimer’s patients where everything looks just like home, but back in the 1950s. There are houses, shops, a café and even a theatre. And the nursing staff act out the roles of gardeners and shopkeepers to make everything look as normal as possible. This is what’s being planned for the Swiss village of Wiedlisbach in the canton of Bern. The idea is based on an existing Dutch care facility just outside Amsterdam. Reporter Cintia Taylor reports on how the village works. But is the idea of a make-believe village really a good solution for people suffering from Alzheimer’s? WRS’s Adam Beaumont puts that question to the executive director of the Swiss Alzheimer’s Association, Birgitta Martensson:

Should the term 'Mademoiselle' be outlawed?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:02:48 UT

Is the term Mademoiselle offensive and should it be outlawed completely? A French town recently decided to abolish the use of Mademoiselle in all its correspondence on the grounds that women should not be defined by their marital status. Switzerland banished the term “Miss” in official documents nearly 40 years ago but it’s still used conversationally—so will it ever truly disappear? WRS’s Dave Goodman spoke to Ettienette Verrey, president of the federal commission for women’s issues who said, for once, Switzerland was ahead of the curve:

Authorities discover toxins in half of tattoo inks

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:49:00 UT

If you’re thinking of getting a tattoo, you might want to think again or at least ask your tattoo artist a few pointed questions beforehand. Swiss authorities have discovered that about half the inks used in tattoo parlors don’t conform to health and safety standards. Some tattoo artists are surprised by the findings and say the authorities have been slow to react. WRS’s Lucas Chambers has the story:

Motorists beware, dangerous road conditions to continue

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:00:06 UT

This latest snowstorm has hit most of the country, making some roads slushy while others are packed down ice. With temperatures set to drop drastically, WRS’s Alex Helmick speaks with Diego Tomasini, director of test and training for the Touring Club Suisse, experts on all things automotive, to find out what motorists can do to stay safe:

Siberian winds bringing deep freeze

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:54:16 UT

If you think the weather is bad now, brace yourself: A Siberian weather front will hit Switzerland over the next few days, dropping temperatures on the plateau to lows of -10 to -20°C. The big chill will hit all the major cities—Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich, Bern and Basel. More snow is expected as well. Temperatures will also drop in Ticino, though not as drastically. WRS’s Alex Helmick calls on Meteoswiss forecaster Dean Gill to find out more about the cold front that’s about to hit us: