Bitesize News
The news stories here are written for radio and designed to be read in under a minute.
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Russian voters in Switzerland fail to back Putin
Unofficial exit polls taken in Geneva and Bern show the Russian president Vladimir Putin lost heavily.
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Driver's actions 'shocking'
Police and the motoring organisation the TCS are united when they described a driver’s actions on the A1 as shocking.
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Geneva drone show wins major prize in LA
The drone show which amazed spectators at last year’s Feu Ô Lac festival over Lake Geneva has won a major international award.
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AI breakthrough in Geneva
Researchers in Geneva say they’ve achieved a historic breakthrough in artificial intelligence – they managed to get two robots to talk to each other and pass on a set of instructions.
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Plan to close French army loophole
Some politicians want to closed a loophole that allows dual French/Swiss nationals to escape national service in Switzerland.
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Thousands march in Geneva
Two and a half thousand marched in Geneva on Saturday, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to the occupation.
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Geneva café shot up with machine gun
A Geneva café was damaged by machine gun fire in the early hours of Sunday morning. The café was closed and no one was inside.
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EU/Swiss talks set to resume after 3 year break
Switzerland and the EU are set to relaunch talks after the collapse of negotiations in 2021.
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Far right activist banned from Aargau
The Austrian Far Right activist Martin Sellner was escorted out of canton Aargau on Saturday night and ordered not to return for two months.
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Thousands charged twice
A computer error meant that thousands of people may have had a purchase debited twice on their cards.
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Search for sixth victim called off
The search for the sixth victim from the doomed ski trip last weekend has been suspended.
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Parliament fails to support Geneva bid for COP
There seems to be little appetite in Bern for Geneva to host an annual COP climate event.
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Geneva insists on reusable tablewear
The City of Geneva has made further moves to cut waste created by the fast-food industry.
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Schoolboy fails exams and loses court case
A schoolboy who failed his federal maturité exam has now also failed to get his grades changed by a court.
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UN workers to move to new buildings
UN workers at the Palais de Nations will be working closer together as older buildings are to be closed and staff will be moved into newly renovated spaces.
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'Monster Trucks' on Swiss roads?
Could so called ‘monster trucks’ be coming to Swiss roads?
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Middle classes are feeling the pinch
The middle class in Switzerland is feeling the financial pinch.
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Federal Court backs assisted suicide of healthy woman
The Federal Court has acquitted the vice-president of the assisted suicide group Exit after it helped a healthy 86-year-old woman to end her life.
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E-car sales stall
Electric car sales are slowing and now many doubt Switzerland will hit the target of having 50% of cars on the road either fully electric or hybrid by 2035.
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Habitat Suisse fails
The furniture and home retailer, Habitat has fallen into bankruptcy and there are fears that some customers who had placed orders may not get their goods.
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Ski resorts will have to close by the end of the century
Skiers across the world are going to have fewer days to enjoy the snow by the end of the century.
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Sixth hiker still missing
Rescuers are still hunting for the sixth hiker who remains missing after the group she was with were caught up in bad weather over the weekend and perished near the Tête-Blanche in canton Valais.
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Boy in coma after being attacked
A 12-year-old boy is in a coma after being attacked in Zurich.
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Geneva police check suspicious package
Police used a robot to check a suspicious package near the Plainpalais.
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Massive cannabis haul
French police discovered a massive haul of cannabis resin in a van on the A40 autoroute, close to the Geneva border.
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Faulty parachute caused crash
Air crash investigators have published their preliminary findings on why a plane carrying skydivers crashed in canton Soloturn in February.
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Paléo lacks major international star
The line-up for this year’s Paleo festival has been unveiled and the focus seems to be on rap – and local commentators are pointing out Switzerland’s largest music festival is lacking a major international star.
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Why did doomed ski trip leave?
Questions are being asked why a ski-touring party left on its ill-fated trip over the weekend.
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Firms optimistic for 2024
Many Swiss companies are optimistic about the future – with the Lake Geneva region one of the most positive.
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Calls to make new train line urgently
Parliament in Bern has backed a motion which calls for an acceleration of the building of a new train line between Geneva and Lausanne, going against the recommendations of the federal council.
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Switzerland may need new partner in Korea
The Swedish entry into NATO may have an impact on its monitoring role in Korea which it shares with Switzerland.
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More ask for delays in paying tax
The cost-of-living crisis means more and more are unable to pay their tax bills, and are asking for a deferment.
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Naked man tasered in Zurich
Zurich police had to use a taser on a knife wielding naked man in Wollishofen on Saturday. They say he appeared to be under the influence of drugs.
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Could antisemitic attack have been stopped?
Questions are being asked why security services couldn’t stop the recent attack on an Orthodox Jew in Zurich.
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Joint Jewish and Muslim gathering in Zurich
Hundreds gathered in Zurich yesterday to rally against hatred and violence following the knife attack on a Jewish victim last weekend.
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Man arrested after US tourist raped in Geneva
A man has been arrested after an American tourist was raped and beaten in the middle of Geneva.
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Extreme weekend weather
The centre of Geneva was hit by a flash hailstorm yesterday afternoon.
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Calls for tax rises for the army
The leader of the Centre party is calling for an emergency and temporary rise in federal tax or VAT.
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Dogs suspected of killing cats
Pet owners in the Geneva commune of Cartigny are on alert after at least two cats were killed by dogs.
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Geneva paper backs plan to free up housing
Charge rents according to number of occupants.
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Prison worker sacked for drug use
A worker at Geneva’s Champ-Dollon prison has been sacked after cocaine was found in his home.
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Teen steals car and crashes
A teenager stole a car from a car park on Wednesday and then crashed it into a house in Winterthur.
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Axe head reappears 40 years later
An axe head that’s over 5,000 years old has reappeared after being stolen over 40 years ago.
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Space station heads for Switzerland
Is the International Space Station set to crash into Switzerland?
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4,000 new homes in Geneva
Geneva built nearly 4,000 new homes last year – but it’s still not enough.
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Bern backs Ukraine mine clearing
The government has backed a parliamentary demand to do more to help with mine clearing in Ukraine.
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Teen attacker could have passport revoked
The teenager who stabbed and seriously injured an Orthodox Jew last week risks having his Swiss passport revoked and deported.
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30 kph zones need federal limits
There are too many 30 kph zones being created around the country, and they need to have federal control.
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Carouge pool will stay open this summer
The Fontenette swimming pool in Carouge will be open this summer.
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Lottery tax loophole will close
Parliament is going to close the loophole that could allow a lottery winner to avoid millions of francs in tax.
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Two arrested in France after Geneva attack
French police have arrested two men just outside Paris suspected of being involved in a robbery and kidnapping in Geneva over the weekend.
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Swiss arms sales fall dramatically
Despite a war being fought in Europe, Swiss sales of ammunition and weaponry is down a quarter last year compared to 2022.
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Pedestrian killed by tram in Zurich
A pedestrian was killed by a tram in Zurich last night.
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TPG new app gets complaints
Public transport users are complaining the new updated TPG app is worse than the much-maligned previous version.
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BCGE reports record profits
The Banque Cantonale de Genève released its latest figures showing a healthy profit and said last year was an ‘almost perfect’ financial year.
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Geneva boat owners fight berth system
Geneva boat owners are calling for a return to the old system of allocating berths, saying it's now almost impossible to sell a boat.
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Video emerges of alleged 15 year old stabber
A video has emerged of the 15-year-old boy accused of stabbing an orthodox Jew in Zurich.
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Car falls 20 metres off road
Two women had a narrow escape after their car fell 20 meters down a valley.
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Geneva backs abandonment of autoroute junction
Members of the Geneva Grand Council have backed a petition which calls on French authorities to abandon plans for a new autoroute junction at Viry, just a stone’s throw from the Swiss border.
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US voters can take part in Democrat primary in Geneva today
US citizens will be able to vote in the Democratic Primaries this week.
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Three Swiss hospitals in world top 15.
An international study says Switzerland has some of the best hospitals in the world.
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Motorshow will be back in 2025
The scaled back Geneva International Motor Show has come to an end and organisers say they’re very happy and there will be a show next year.
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Yes to a 13th month AVS and no to higher retirement
Voters have agreed to a 13th month pension payment - and said no to raising the retirement age.
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Geneva vote results
In Geneva, the issues were enough to get the vote out – turnout was over 50%, that’s historically high.
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Zurich airport will get longer runways
In Zurich, voters cleared plans to lengthen the airport runways.
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Jewish man stabbed in Zurich
The Jewish community in Zurich is on alert after a 50 year-old Orthodox Jew was severely injured by a 15 year old Muslim.
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Push for GVA-LDN train
Two elected politicians – one in canton Vaud and another in Geneva are calling on Swiss Federal Railways to support a direct train service from Geneva to London.
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A problem you hadn't thought of
There’s a problem in the cemeteries in Geneva. We’re burying bodies too deep.
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Major traffic disruption expected tomorrow
Geneva police are expecting major disruption tomorrow in the city.
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Student claims she contracted AIDS in lab
The University of Geneva has reached an agreement with an Italian exchange student 10 years after she claimed she contracted AIDS while working in a laboratory.
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Bus station renovation starts Monday
Work on the renovation of the Geneva bus station will start next week.
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Petition to re-grass Plainpalais
A petition has been launched to returf the area of the Plain de Plainpalais which is currently covered by ochre coloured gravel.
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Campaign to keep train ticket stamping machines
Transport campaigners are calling on Swiss Federal Railways not to get rid of the ticket validation machines.
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Bern couple claimed millions in benefits
A couple in the city of Bern are facing charges for allegedly defrauding the benefits system, despite being millionaires.
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Geneva Lake Parade will be back
The Lake Parade will be back this summer. Geneva authorities have issued a permit for July 20th.
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Children injured by fireworks
At least 5 children were injured while handling fireworks in canton Basel-City.
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Geneva underselling advertising
The City of Geneva has been ripping itself off by undercharging for advertising.
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It just gets bigger
It’s getting bigger. No one has won the lottery yet and the jackpot is now a record-breaking CHF 65m.
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February set to break records
This month will be the hottest February since 1864.
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Elderly man held up at gun point
An elderly man was held up at gun point in the Geneva commune of Meiner and a man who came to his rescue was severely beaten.
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Half of child car seats used incorrectly
A survey by the Accident Prevention Office and the motorist organisation, the TCS, shows that half of children in a car seat are being placed incorrectly – which could lead to serious injury.
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Mont-Blanc footbridge could face referendum
The plan to build a new footbridge next to the Mont-Blanc bridge could be scuppered by a referendum.
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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