World Radio Switzerland

Takasa's out...but so is the sun in Eurovision's Malmö!

Alex Helmick — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:01 UT

The Eurovision Song Contest’s big finale is this weekend and perhaps no huge surprise—Switzerland did not make the cut. But there were some surprises, including no former-Yugoslav nation making it to the final—and they are usually a mainstay. Perhaps it was the new voting system. WRS’s Dave Goodman reports:

More public say in police entries

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:36:20 UT

President Maurer scoops ITU award

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:21:26 UT

Brain Freeze: Footballer David Beckham has announced he’s retiring from the game. Can you name one of the teams he played for in his 20-year career?

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:56:39 UT

Giant festival in Bern goes ahead

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:44:16 UT

Swiss don't strike Eurovision chord

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:35:31 UT

Midwives call for control of delivery rooms

Pete Forster — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:36:40 UT

Midwives should be put in control of the delivery room. That’s the call coming from the Swiss midwifery Association Congress in Thun. They believe too much money is being wasted on unnecessary caesarian sections and other medical procedures. They’ve launched a petition to gauge support for a change in the practice of delivering babies. One of those attending the conference was midwife Sue Brailey who worked in Switzerland for many years and also lectured at the University of Applied Science on Midwifery. WRS’s Pete Forster spoke to her at the Congress and began by asking about the evidence that current obstetric practice is over-medicalized:

For students, 'coming out...very difficult'

Pete Forster — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:29:31 UT

Today, May 17, is International Day Against Homophobia. To mark the event the cantons of Geneva and Vaud tonight intend to honour, amongst others, a number of student organisations that have formed to raise awareness about homophobia and make their colleges a more welcome place for gay and lesbian youth. WRS’s Pete Forster spoke to two students involved in programmes in their respective colleges—Kimberley Berney of Collège de Saussure and Ambre Jeanneret of Collège Claparède. He began by asking Kimberley if at her school she’d seen incidences of homophobia:

Sadness, outrage at teen's murder

Lucas Chambers — Fri, 17 May 2013 06:02:18 UT

Where did it all go so wrong? A man referred to in the press as Claude D was released on parole seven years before the end of his 20-year sentence. Showing signs he might rape and kill again, he was ordered back to jail but won his appeal. On Monday, he struck again, and before daybreak on Wednesday, he led police to his new victim: 19-year old Marie. People are outraged and both judges and leaders in the canton of Vaud are at pains to justify a series of bad calls made along the way. WRS’s Lucas Chambers has this story:

What health journalists are doing wrong

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:00:03 UT

The World Health Assembly is the World Health Organization’s annual top decision-making forum. Delegations from the WHO member states will decide the direction of the organization for the next 12 months. No doubt the international press will be covering the event but will they get it right. One group who believes the press does not do a good job on covering health issues is the WTY initiative who plan to run a parallel event starting Sunday to highlight poor health literacy. Chitra Duella is an organizer of the event and she told WRS’s Pete Forster what she saw as the major problems with the way journalists cover health issues:

Getting men to help women advance

Alex Helmick — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:00:03 UT

How can women continue to advance in boardrooms? One group says engage more men in the process. The Zug-based non-profit Catalyst aims to expand opportunities for women in business. It says attitudes need to change. WRS’s Alex Helmick talks to the group’s director Sandra Ondraschek-Norris:

ILO welcomes accord for textile safety

Thu, 16 May 2013 15:45:01 UT

The deadline to sign up to a union-sponsored accord to improve safety for clothing workers in Bangladesh passed this morning with Gap and Walmart still refusing to sign.The Geneva-based International Labour Organization supports the agreement but wants to keep their involvement focused on a practical outcome for all sides. Deputy Director-general at the ILO, Gilbert Houngbo spoke to WRS’s Jo Fahy:

New initiative to address poverty

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:53:07 UT

Possible layoffs at Swiss

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:51:38 UT

Bern says no serious housing shortage

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:49:48 UT