Bitesize News
The news stories here are written for radio and designed to be read in under a minute.
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Patek bomber wants money
The individuals behind a bombing campaign against the watch company Patek Philippe say they only want the ransom money – they don’t have any other motive.
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Two women shot dead in Zurich
Two women, aged 68 and 49, were shot dead in their house in Zurich yesterday morning.
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Geneva wins federal case against elderly taxi driver
The Federal Court has backed canton Geneva when it told an 82-year-old taxi driver that he’s too old.
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Massive illegal fireworks at football match
Football authorities are discussing what to do with Zurich Football Club after fans set off so many fireworks during an away game at Sion over the weekend it was likened to a New Year’s show.
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Tree planting operation in Paquis
The City of Geneva is planning to plant trees around the Paquis neighbourhood.
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Zoo to house orphaned lynxes
The zoo, La Garenne in Vaud, is due to take in some orphaned lynxes – but the public will never see them.
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Anger at Swiss president reaction to VPs speech
A reaction to the speech by US Vice-President, JD Vance, is putting the Swiss president, Karin Keller Sutter, under pressure.
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Passengers evacuated in Gotthard Tunnel
A train breakdown in the Gotthard Base Tunnel meant passengers had to be led to safety through an emergency link between the two bores.
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Govt open to more lanes on autoroutes
Following the rejection of large scale autoroute widening by voters, the government says it’s open to the idea of using more emergency lanes to alleviate bottle necks at peak times.
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Possible new dam on the Rhone
There could be a new dam built on the Rhône.
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Restaurants should display health test results
A national parliamentarian is calling for a change in the health laws that means restaurants and shops which fail a health test are made public.
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Geneva asks parents about school holidays
Canton Geneva has issued a questionnaire to parents about their attitude to the current school holidays.
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China spying on minorities in Switzerland
A report suggests Tibetans and Uygurs living in Switzerland are under surveillance by China or being encouraged to spy on their community.
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Some Galaxus customers asked for more money
Some Digitec Galaxus customers are complaining the firm is asking for more money for goods after they’ve been delivered.
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Zweifel boycot strengthens
In Zurich a boycott against the Swiss chip maker Zweifel is gathering pace as restaurant chains say they’ll no longer stock them.
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Lake kitesurfers want clearer rules
Kitesurfers want to be free to use Lake Geneva for their sport – but there are several restrictions.
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Alpaca takes train
Commuters in canton Thurgau reacted with surprise after an alpaca took a train.
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Geneva proposes CHF 10m emergency fund for NGOs
Canton Geneva is proposing an emergency fund of CHF 10m to help protect international Geneva from the cuts announced by the US government.
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Electricity prices to fall in 2026
Electricity prices will come down next year after the government agreed to a new method on how much the grid can charge producers for transmission.
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Man on trial for spending fake notes
A man is on trial for distributing counterfeit EUR 100 notes, which authorities describe as ‘extremely high quality’.
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Firecracker injures 24 kids
A group of school children in Chur in canton Graubünden were injured due to a pyrotechnic device yesterday morning – thought to be a firecracker.
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France warns of strong Swiss CBD
Authorities in the French department of Haute Savoie are warning their residents to be careful when buying CBD products in Switzerland.
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Unstaffed shop experiment seems to fail
Unstaffed convenience shops – which opened to grand fanfare around two years ago, are closing – or putting in staff once again.
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Top Chinese artist denied entry at Zurich airport
China’s best known modern artists and frequent critic of Beijing, Ai Weiwei, was denied entry into Switzerland on Monday and had to return to London.
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Doctor accused of writing fake sick note
A Geneva doctor says he was conned by his patient into writing a sick note which covered up the fact the patient was actually in prison.
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Crackdown on online puppy sales
The government wants to crack down on buying puppies online.
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Top hotel holds ultimate garage sale
It could be classed as the ultimate garage sale.
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Vaud police close traffic short-cuts
Vaud police closed several villages to traffic in the Chablais region over the weekend in an effort to stem those drivers trying to skip jams on the A9 heading from the slopes.
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Switzerland is smartest country in the world
Switzerland has been voted as the e smartest country in the world.
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Party wants Switzerland to leave Paris treaty
The right-wing Swiss People’s Party says it wants Switzerland to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement.
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Swiss man killed in Ireland
Two communities – one in canton Vaud and the other in Ireland – are in shock after a 62 year old man was murdered.
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Another new Geneva law creates havoc
Yet another ill-thought-out new Geneva law is causing panic and confusion.
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Electric car prices should fall this year
Motoring analysts expect the price of electric cars to fall in Switzerland over the course of the year.
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'On' accused of 'greenwashing'
The Swiss sneaker brand, On, is being accused of ‘greenwashing’ and deceptive practices.
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School defaced by graffiti penises
Returning students and staff at the Collège Rousseau in Geneva were shocked yesterday to find the walls and floors adorned by spraypainted penises.
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Environmental initiative thrown out
The federal initiative for Environmental Responsibility has been roundly rejected by voters – as expected.
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Lucerne says no to 16 year old votes
Canton Lucerne has rejected lowering the voting age to 16.
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SBC cuts dig deeper
The public broadcaster, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, is preparing for another wave of painful cuts.
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Crashed car closed autoroute access
The autoroute access ramp off the Route de Meyrin to head to Lausanne was closed for most of yesterday morning after a car drifted off, hit the crash barrier and rolled over.
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'Gold Coast' loses most expensive crown
Traditionally, the most expensive place to live in Switzerland has been Zurich’s so called ‘Gold Coast’ – that’s around Küsnacht and Zollikon.
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FM radio signals disappear in tunnels
The demise of FM radio continues in Switzerland.
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Online shopping hits local traders
The rise in online shopping is having a negative impact on local retailers.
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Drunk driver jailed
A drunk driver who killed a student on the Collex Bossey road in Geneva has been convicted of murder and will serve 6 and a half years in jail.
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TPG inspectors swarm trams
Public transport users in Geneva are asking themselves if the TPG is adopting a new tactic to catch those travelling without a ticket.
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Health insurers push back against high clinic fees
The battle between health insurers and private clinics around the Lake Geneva region is hotting up.
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New operating theatres for HUG
After ten years of work, the Geneva University Hospital now has 29 state of the art operating theatres.
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Idea to pedestrianize Place de Neuve
The Socialist Party in the City of Geneva is putting forward a plan to pedestrianize the Place de Neuve.
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Watch maker gets new ransome demand
The watch maker, Patek Philippe, has received a new ransom demand.
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New initiative to block frontaliers from state jobs
The right-wing Geneva Citizen’s Movement is launching an initiative to ban cross border workers from senior positions within the cantonal administration.
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WHO set to lose another member
Argentina looks set to be the next country to pull out of the Geneva based World Health Organisation., on the heels of the US.
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Zurich issues measles alert
Canton Zurich has issued an alert as measles cases are increasing.
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Yet more money for the govt's new jet
The Federal Council has been criticised for buying a new executive jet for over a hundred million francs.
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Successful siren test
Yesterday’s siren test was successful.
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SGS leaves Geneva
It’s being described as an ‘earthquake’ in Geneva business circles.
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Heavy traffic alert - school holidays
Be ready for heavy traffic – heavier than the normally heavy traffic.
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Siren test - don't panic!
It’s the annual siren test today.
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Geneva police spokesman aims high
Could a political outsider from Geneva take the vacant place on the Federal Council?
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Warm, but not sunny last year
Geneva was mainly overcast last year. Cantonal figures show there were 1,693 hours of sunlight in 2024 – the lowest amount for thirty years.
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Audrey Hepburn's villa for sale
One of Switzerland’s most exclusive properties is up for sale.
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Flu continues its rampage
Switzerland remains in the grip of a flu epidemic.
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Women more likely to die from heart attack
Women have a greater risk of dying from a heart attack than men.
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UBS branches hit with graffiti
A series of UBS branches in Geneva were attacked by vandals in the early hours of Sunday morning.
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Property prices up in Switzerland - down in France
Property prices rose on average by around 1.7% last year in Switzerland.
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Drink driver faces possible murder charge
A man is facing murder charges after hitting and killing a cyclist on the Collex-Bossy Road in Geneva while driving drunk.
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Court aquits Geneva climate protestors
A court has acquitted three climate activists who threw paint at a UBS branch in Geneva three years ago.
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Banking workers fear for their jobs
Those working in the banking sector will watching the results due this week with trepidation.
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Officers who lost guns face no legal action
Geneva prosecutors have decided that no further action will be taken against two police officers who had two machine guns stolen from their car when it was parked in a car park.
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More school phone bans
More schools are banning phones during the day.
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Referendum against Geneva spending laws
Left wing parties in Geneva are launching a referendum against the so called ‘corset’ laws, which are designed to restrict spending.
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Serbia uses Swiss supplied surveillance
It’s been revealed Switzerland sold mobile phone surveillance equipment to the pro-Russian government in Serbia.
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Egg donations should be legalized
Egg donations should be legalized in Switzerland – and donations should be open to the married and unmarried alike.
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Shocking closed door trial in Vaud
An extremely rare trial is taking place in canton Vaud.
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Post office worker stole 3 phones a day
A woman who worked for the post office for over 30 years has been sentenced to a suspended jail term after admitting to stealing electronic items in the mail.
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We watched more TV last year
Despite the rise of the streamers – we watched more linear television last year than in 2023.
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Pollution sticker essential for neighbouring France
From January this year, it’s been compulsory to have a pollution sticker on your car if you want to drive in certain French towns. Including many bordering Geneva – such as Annemasse, Ville-la-Grand and Gaillard.
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Zug school kids will have to switch off phones
School children in the City of Zug will have to keep their smartphones switched off during the day from the next academic year.
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Govt outlines tax rises and cuts
The government has outlined how it will raise additional revenue and cut spending.
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Hotel des Bergues damaged by fire
The luxury Hotel des Bergues in Geneva has been damaged after a fire broke out last night.
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Govt set to ban international adoptions
The federal government looks set to ban international adoptions as it says the risk of abuse is too great.
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Environmental vote set to fail
The upcoming vote on environmental responsibility looks set to fail – badly.
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Restaurant owner accused of arson
A restaurant owner in Vaud has been arrested for arson after it burnt down.
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Zurich sends old garbage trucks to Kosovo
After a heated debate, Zurich City has agreed to send its old garbage collection trucks to Kosovo. The city is changing to emissions free vehicles.
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More calls from those attracted to children
More people are calling for help, saying they’re sexually attracted to children.
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20 year transport plan planned
After the voters’ rejection of the autoroute expansion, the Federal Councillor Albert Rösti is proposing the government come up with a comprehensive transport plan for the next 20 years.
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Twint refuses to reimburse woman
A Geneva woman who claims her Twint account was hacked is not being reimbursed by Twint or her bank as they claim she must have passed on her personal information.
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Rockfall alert could last for weeks
Residents in the threatened village of Brienz in Graubünden were allowed to visit their homes briefly yesterday.
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Win a weekend away in Interlaken
Courtesy of the Interlaken tourist office, you can win 2 nights for two people at the Hotel Metropole in Interlaken with fantastic views of the Jungfrau.
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Merry Christmas - we're taking a break
WRS normal programming back in January