Helvetistan is an informal name that refers to a group of countries whose voice Switzerland represents at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), two of the world’s main multilateral financial institutions.

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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

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On Inside Geneva, we look at weapons contamination and the harm it causes.

“We have at least one casualty every single day in Afghanistan – someone killed or injured –and it is most likely a child,” says Nick Pond, from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan. 

From old conflicts to new.

“Ukraine is the breadbasket of Europe and billions of square metres of land are suspected to be contaminated, which means they can’t be farmed,” says Paul Heslop, from the UN Mine Action, Ukraine. 

And from old weapons to new.

“This is proliferating well beyond Ukraine. Ukraine and Russia are the two leaders in drone technology, but the level of proliferation is scary,” says Sean Moorhouse, from Mine Action, UN Development

On our Inside Geneva podcast this week, we mark Press Freedom Day. Is there anything to celebrate?

Increasingly, journalists are being attacked for reporting the facts. What does press freedom and freedom of expression mean?

Listen here, or wherever you get your podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eqBi54QH
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

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On Inside Geneva this week, we mark Press Freedom Day. Is there anything to celebrate?

Irene Khan, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression: “The role of journalists has never been under such pressure, and the sector itself is suffering. So these are very, very important times to take a deep breath and make sure that freedom of expression, and media freedom as part of that, is protected, because it is an extremely important pillar of democracy.”

Increasingly, journalists are being attacked simply for reporting the facts.

Antoine Bernard, Reporters Without Borders: “We are in times where facts have become a target; hence, journalists have become more of a target, and this means that they are the ones who are

What defines a democracy in practice, not just on paper? Globally, the gap between formal institutions and lived experience is raising questions about how democratic some systems really are.

Determining whether a country is democratic can seem straightforward. Are there elections? Are the results respected? Do independent courts guarantee fair and impartial trials? Can people speak freely without fear?

In reality, the picture is less clear. Some countries hold elections but shape the system to limit genuine competition. Others enshrine freedoms – of speech, the press and protest – in their constitutions, yet fail to uphold them in practice.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a

Here are the three news stories from Switzerland you shouldn’t have missed this week.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

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When spring is just around the corner, winter is driven away in many places around the world. In northwestern Switzerland a special custom is practised: the Eierläset. Eggs take centre stage, but every village celebrates this ancient fertility custom a little differently: from sporty to very boisterous.

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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

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A Swiss woman was hit with a five-day suspended prison sentence for importing a pink water pistol to go with her intended carnival outfit.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

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On Inside Geneva this week, we ask: in a world of violent conflict, is the UN – which was founded to keep the peace – doing its job?

“On many fronts the UN is doing indispensable work every day, bringing food to hungry people and ensuring practical standards for how we cooperate on the planet. Most countries follow the UN’s rules and principles on an everyday basis, so not too bad. [Former UN Secretary-General] Dag Hammarskjöld said that the UN was not made to take us to heaven, but to prevent us from going to hell, and that’s still true: after 1945 there have been no new world wars,” says Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. 

But with the big powers causing conflict, does the UN need a different structure?

A Swiss firm is constructing what it claims is the world’s most powerful redox‑flow battery, designed to store vast amounts of renewable energy and help stabilise both the Swiss and European power grids.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

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On Inside Geneva this week: who are the peacemakers?

“Women are completely absent in high-level politics and from high-level peacemaking at the moment. However, this is only the visible part. Our focus has been so much on US President Donald Trump,” says Sara Hellmüller, professor of International Relations at the Geneva Graduate Institute. 

Two peace experts, both women, give us their take.

“Traditionally, we have seen a low representation of women as mediators. There is a systemic issue inherent in how we understand peace processes, in which women are excluded,” says Hiba Qasas, executive director of the Principles for Peace organisation. 

Can a few men in suits create real sustainable peace? Is there a role

Since early 2021, the Swiss organisation Brücke Le Pont has been working with local partners in northern Benin to support 3,600 women in building up their shea butter businesses. ⁠
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Visit Swissinfo to find out how producing shea butter is helping to strengthen communities and resist terrorism in the region.⁠
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#switzerland #swiss #benin #women #sheabutter
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

After the Swiss parliament cut funding for a Basel to Malmö night train, Swissinfo journalist Kristian Brandt tried a similar route with his daughter. What followed was a day-long journey that shows the pluses, minuses and new opportunities for this alternative to flying.

Visit Swissinfo to read more.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

A black bin bag can tell you a lot about a country. We follow the trail from Swiss kitchen cupboards to national targets and discover why one of Europe’s wealthiest nations still throws away so much edible food, and what it will actually take to change that. ⁠
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With fresh data, on‑the‑ground audits and candid insights from practitioners, we unpack the gap between lofty climate goals and everyday habits. We also explain why households remain the biggest lever for meaningful climate impact.⁠
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Search for The Swiss Connection wherever you get your podcasts. ⁠
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos

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A black bin bag can tell you a lot about a country. We follow the trail from Swiss kitchen cupboards to national targets and discover why one of Europe’s wealthiest nations still throws away so much edible food—and what it will actually take to change that. With fresh data, on‑the‑ground auditing, and candid insights from practitioners, we break down the gap between lofty goals and everyday habits, and why households remain the biggest lever for climate impact.

If you would like to see a video and read about the topic of the food waste in Switzerland (https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/climate-adaptation/why-the-swiss-waste-more-food-than-they-think/90658815) and read the collection on climate solutions

It might sound like an April Fool’s gag, but a Swiss company is very serious about its e-skis – the world’s first battery-powered skis.

Visit Swissinfo to find out exactly how these e-skis work and what critics have to say.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch
Channel: http://www.youtube.com/swissinfovideos
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Visit Swissinfo to read more about the four votes.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Swiss voters have clearly rejected a reduction in radio and TV licence fees to 200 francs.

What do opponents and supporters of the initiative say about the result?

We gathered their reactions.

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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

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In August 2021, the Taliban took back control in Afghanistan. Women face unprecedented repression. 

They can’t go to school or work; public parks are banned to them; they are not allowed to speak or sing too loudly. Are we turning away?

“This is the time for the international community and for other countries, especially the EU, to step in and to make sure they respond to the crisis in Afghanistan and stand with the women of Afghanistan and to do everything they can to protect their rights,” says Fereshta Abbasi, from Human Rights Watch.

Diplomats in Geneva have backed a powerful UN fact-finding mission for Afghanistan.

“As an ambassador, and as a woman, [I know that] women have fought for decades if not

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What does a good life look like when you cap your energy use at 2,000 watts? We take you inside Zurich’s "Hunziker Areal", a car‑free, cooperative neighbourhood turning a bold climate target into liveable daily routines. From shared workshops and tool libraries to efficient buildings and smart mobility, we unpack how design and community can shrink environmental impact while expanding comfort, connection, and choice.

If you would like to see the a video of the Hunziker Areal (https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/klimaanpassung/wie-sieht-das-leben-im-2000-watt-experiment-aus-einblicke-in-das-hunziker-areal-in-z%C3%BCrich/90383911) and read the collection on climate solutions

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We follow the 2,800-meter Antarctic ice core from Little Dome C to a -50°C lab in University of Bern, tracing how scientists extract ancient air to probe the Mid-Pleistocene transition and the limits of abrupt climate change. The story links field grit, laser sublimation, and CO2 records to the risks facing modern societies.

If you would like to see the Antarctic ice in a video (https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/glaciers-permafrost/frozen-clues-how-antarctic-ice-reveals-our-climate-past/90072703) and read the collection on this topic (https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/glaciers-permafrost/predicting-the-climate-of-the-future-with-1-2-million-year-old-ice/88702396) , and more stories, please visit Swissinfo Science

On March 8, the Swiss will vote on an initiative that wants to almost halve the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)’s television and radio licence fee for households and exempt companies from paying it.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Join host, Jo Fahy, and pharmaceuticals and healthcare reporter, Jessica Davis Pluss, to weigh up the forces shaping pharma in 2026. From AI’s real gains in clinics and labs, to the case for inclusive data, we also discuss the politics of who funds innovation, and why rare diseases and antibiotics deserve our focus. 

SWI swissinfo.ch (https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/) is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

Here are three stories from Switzerland this week.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch
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Nearly 600 years old…and still playable! 🎶
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Built in the 1430s, the organ in Sion is considered the oldest functioning organ in the world. Thanks to careful preservation and modern protection techniques, it has survived over the centuries and continues to draw visitors from around the globe to canton Valais. ⁠
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Visit Swissinfo to read more about the history of this unique instrument.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

In a special bonus episode of our podcast The Swiss Connection, our host, Jo Fahy, is joined in the studio by pharmaceuticals and healthcare reporter Jessica Davis Pluss.

We trace how Switzerland was uniquely positioned to become a global hub for healthier ageing. We also compare lifespan and health span, examine why access to clinics is so tightly guarded, and discuss why the pharmaceutical industry is moving cautiously in this growing field.

Search for The Swiss Connection wherever you get your podcasts.
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube

Send us a text (https://www.buzzsprout.com/twilio/text_messages/910414/open_sms)

How did longevity go from a social media trend to a focus of serious science?
In this special bonus episode our host, Jo Fahy, is joined in the studio by pharmaceuticals and healthcare reporter, Jessica Davis Pluss. We trace how Switzerland was uniquely positioned to become a global hub for healthier ageing. We also compare lifespan and health span, examine why access to clinics is so tightly guarded, and discuss why the pharmaceutical industry is moving cautiously in this growing field.

SWI swissinfo.ch (https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/) is a public service media company based in Bern, Switzerland.

Swiss research institutes may tighten the screening of foreign academics as the current patchwork system of controls contends with growing threats of spying by China, Russia and others targeting commercial and military capabilities.

Visit Swissinfo to read more about how Switzerland is navigating the delicate balance between attracting global talent and mitigating the risk of spying.

#Switzerland #espionage #security #Iran #China #Russia
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swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

Website: http://www.swissinfo.ch
Channel:

Despite years of awareness campaigns and a national drive to cut waste, large amounts of edible food in Switzerland are still ending up in the bin.⁠
⁠
🔗Visit Swissinfo to find out why Switzerland is falling far short of its targets to reduce the amount of edible food being thrown away.⁠
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#foodwaste #zerowaste #Switzerland #swiss
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Swissinfo.ch is the international branch of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC). Its role is to report on Switzerland and to provide a Swiss perspective on international events.

For more articles, interviews and videos visit swissinfo.ch or subscribe to our YouTube channel:

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On Inside Geneva this week: world leaders are gathering in the Swiss mountain resort of Davos, but do they have any answers?

“I think we are at an amazing moment in history. We have in our hands the opportunity to do well, to save our own environment, the planet, to take the right decisions to bring humanity onto a good path,” says Marilyne Andersen, Director General of the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA).

But will they take that path? Technology is racing ahead.

“Human rights, like every other field, are very much under the influence now of what’s happening in technology and science. It’s one of the destabilising factors right now,” says Jürg Lauber, Swiss ambassador to the United