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Articles: Politics

Swiss Up! The correlation between the Nobel prize & chocolate

Swiss Up!

When was the most recent Nobel prize awarded to a Swiss person and what for? Figure it all out in today's episode of Swiss Up! with Dario

Swiss Up! - Verdingkinder; child labour in Switzerland

Swiss Up!

Discover Switzerland's dark history of child labourers and the efforts that are being undertaken to repair the harm that was done - in today's episode of Swiss Up! with Dario.

Swiss Up! - The Swiss surveillance state

Swiss Up!

In 1989 it was uncovered that the Swiss citizens were living under a secret surveillance apparatus that no one knew about! How many people were observed? And for what reasons? Figure it all out ...

Swiss Up! - Charlie Chaplin

Swiss Up!

Charlie Chaplin spent the last 25 years of his life on the Swiss Riviera close to Vevey. What brought him to Switzerland? Why did he stay? And what does a certain Mr Meyer have to do with it? ...

What's on at the UN? Democratic Republic of Congo is Ebola free

UN Roundup

United Nations Correspondent Daniel Johnson gives us a recap of last week's International Nelson Mandela Day celebrations in Geneva on the centenary of Mandela's birth. Also, great news ...

What's on at the UN? - Nelson Mandela International Day

Mid Morning Mix

Nelson Mandela Day this year falls on Mandela's 100th birthday and is being celebrated over lunchtime at the UN, Geneva. Katt interviews Daniel Johnson about the events happening today and the ...

Swiss Up! - The Pizza Connection Mafia Trial

Swiss Up!

Money has long been laundered through Swiss banks under the cover of the Swiss banking secret. One spectacular case was uncovered in the early 80s and involved the Italian Mafia, a Turkish arms dea...

Swiss Up! - WWII bombings in Schaffhausen

Swiss Up!

During World War II Switzerland was a neutral country. This protected it from most harm but not all of it: Many times it fell victim to bombings by the allied forces, most famously in Sch...

Swiss Up! - Canton Uri - Birthplace of Switzerland

Swiss Up!

Uri is a canton at the heart of Switzerland. Geographically as the link between the north of the alps and the south and historically as one of the first cantons of the early Swiss confederation. Bu...

Whats on at the UN? A giant teepee & a colouring competition

UN Roundup

This week Daniel Johnson from the UN takes us through some of the resolutions passed on the last Human Rights Council, which ended on Friday. Also, keep the kids busy with a colouring competitio...

Swiss Up! - Carla del Ponte, the fearless prosecutor

Swiss Up!

Carla del Ponte is one of the most famous Swiss people - if you are a war criminal. In her career as a prosecutor in Switzerland and internationally she fearlessly took on the powerful; the Ital...

Swiss Up! - A nation of renters not buyers

Swiss Up!

Less then half of people in Switzerland own their home. Most people are renters. There is no other European country with such a low rate of home owners. Why is this so? And why do most people...

Swiss Up! - The yodelling Swiss Amish

Swiss Up!

The Amish are a very particular religious community in the United States. They refuse the use modern technology and dress very traditionally. Interestingly a large minority of them have Swiss origi...

What's on at the UN? Child soldiers in the Kamuina Nsapu militia

UN Roundup

Image: UN peacekeepers patrolling Tshimbulu, Kasaï-Central on 20 February 2017 to promote dialogue in the region. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KamwinaNsapurebellion]

Swiss Up! - Military service

Swiss Up!

Switzerland still has general conscription. In principle all young men have to do military service. How long does it take, what are the alternatives and are dual citizens also drafted? ...

Swiss Up! - Drug policy

Swiss Up!

For a while in the early 90s Switzerland was looked up to by other countries for is progressive drug policy. What was it all about, what's left of it and what will happen if you get caught with...

Whats on at the UN? Extreme poverty in US and Ghana

UN Roundup

This week at the UN, Syria Constitutional Committee talks and the Human Rights Council resume for their second weeks.

McKay Interview: Former US Ambassador Hon. Charles C. Adams, jr(25 June 2018)

The McKay Interview

Michael McKay speaks to Charles Adams who served as a member of the National Finance Committee of the 2008 and 2012 Barack Obama presidential campaigns and was the US Ambassador to Finland. He'...

Swiss Up! - The Swiss neutrality

Swiss Up!

Switzerland is neutral. That is quite well known. But why is that so? What does it really mean? What historical events influenced it's neutrality, what are the pros and cons of it and what a...

Swiss Up! - Sects and Cults

Swiss Up!

Today Dario takes a look at the sects and cults in Switzerland. There are thought to be around 1000 different cults in the country, around 200 of which are thought to be problematic in some way. ...

Swiss Up! - How to become Swiss

Swiss Up!

How does one become Swiss? What agony and pain does one have to go through and what can you expect at the ceremony of naturalisation? Figure it all out in today's edition of Swiss Up!

What's on at the UN? Luminarium for Girls Education

UN Roundup

High Commissioner for the Human Rights Council Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein delivered a hard-hitting speech this morning. Rheal leBlanc explains what he said at the opening of this Human Rights Counci...

Swiss Up! - Gay rights in Switzerland

Swiss Up!

Currently ranking at number 22 out of 49 European countries, you'd think that Switzerland is fairly forward in terms of gay rights, but there's still a long way to go for equality. Did y...

Swiss Up! - Hidden giants of the Swiss economy

Swiss Up!

Every one knows Nestle and Swatch, but there are many Swiss companies that nobody knows and that are huge players in their niche. One of them is involved every time you get a Latte at a Starbuck...