swissjourno

The Swiss U-20 rugby team dreamt of making it to the A group. They fell short of realising this dream, but rugby in general is gaining popularity in Switzerland. It's still a gentlemen's' sport, and many young players are fascinated by the strong team spirit. (Raffaella Rossello, swissinfo.ch, 20.11.2009)

In Switzerland the vaccination campaign has started later than in other countries, but it's now underway, with small children at the front of the queue. The federal health authorities recommend they should get it as a priority, along with pregnant women, at-risk patients and hospital personnel. (swissinfo/TSR,17.11.2009)

Since December 2008 Switzerland is part of Europe's Schengen Area, which allows people to move freely from one member state to another. To meet the demands of the new regulations, Zurich airport is currently dismantling Dock B in order to build a new one. The project is a perfect example of how old building material is reused today. (SF/swissinfo.ch)

Martin Dahanukar, internationally acclaimed trumpet player and jazz composer, plays with his quartet against the backdrop of Peter Zumthor's architecture. A midnight concert within the magical atmosphere of the thermal baths. (Raffaella Rossello, swissinfo.ch, 14.11.2009)

A poster featuring a Muslim woman in a burka surrounded by minaret towers that resemble missiles is causing outrage in Switzerland, ahead of a vote on whether to ban the building of any new minarets. The campaign is backed by the conservative Swiss People's Party. swissinfo.ch went to find out what the public had to say about the posters. (Julie Hunt, swissinfo.ch 12.11.2009)

The virtual autopsy system developed at Bern University's Institute of Forensic Medicine is a scalpel-free procedure that uses medical imaging technology to provide a complete three-dimensional view of inside and outside the body. The US forces have installed Virtopsy at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to assess the cause of death of soldiers sent back from Iraq and Afghanistan.(swissinfo.ch/TSR 4.11.2009)

What is there for a group of Thai ladyboys to do in Degersheim, a Swiss village with a population of 4,000? For weeks the dancers rehearsed a choreographed show and mingled with the locals. Their Swiss manager hopes to tour with them across Europe. (SF/swissinfo)

Chocolate is said to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as making you feel happier by releasing the hormone Serotonin. The problem is that chocolate is very fattening and contributes to obesity in western societies. Researchers at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETHZ) now have the answer: lower fat chocolate that tastes better than ever. (swissinfo.ch/SF 2.11.2009)

Respected American photographer, Julia Calfee, has spent a few months near a glacier in southeastern Switzerland to record the sound of melting ice, as part of her latest multimedia project on global warming. (SF/swissinfo, 04.11.2009)

Footbagging is a young sport. Competitors juggle a tangerine-sized sack (the hacky sack) with their feet and do "tricks" with it. Tina Aeberli is the best in the world in her category, freestyling. She's also a candidate for next year's city council elections in Zurich. (Raffaella Rossello, swissinfo.ch)

While strong-tasting sauerkraut is still popular with the older generation, young people tend to go for lighter foods. Now the industry is brainstorming on how to make sauerkraut fit with today's eating habits. (SF/swissinfo.ch)