Utopia, Brexit, and a 360° rickshaw ride
Here are the stories we’ll be watching in the week of May 9:
Monday
On Monday, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) will release another treasure trove of data, following up their publication of the Panama Papers leak. We’ll be following the story to see how this new information could impact Switzerland.
Tuesday
On June 5 the Swiss will vote on whether all citizens should receive a universal basic income, regardless of employment status. It may sound like a wild notion, but the idea has been around for 500 years, since Thomas More first proposed it in his book Utopia, as a possible remedy for thievery. On Tuesday we’ll take a look at how the idea of a universal basic income has evolved since 1516.
Wednesday
How much does the average Swiss parliamentarian earn, and how does this compare with counterparts across Europe? Which country has the most transparent system, allowing its citizens to keep tabs on the amount their elected officials are paid and reimbursed? We’ll investigate these questions on Wednesday.
Thursday
The political and economic spheres are in an uproar over Brexit – the upcoming vote on whether the United Kingdom should leave the European Union. What would such a move mean for science? On Thursday we’ll take a look at how Switzerland’s experience with EU relations could provide insights into the potential impact of Brexit on UK research and higher education.
Friday
Hop on up for a tour of Bern, seen through the eyes of e-rickshaw driver Sohan Lal, who came to Switzerland from India ten years ago to start a new life. In addition to reading how Lal moved to the Swiss capital with only a suitcase and CHF300 to be with the girl of his dreams, you can see his daily rickshaw route firsthand with the help of a 360° video.
What you may have missed:
More
Campaigning for cow horns
In compliance with the JTI standards
More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.