Andrea Otto on Basel's Neighborhood Flea Markets

Sustainability, Community, and a 10-Year Expansion Andrea Otto, a Basel local and owner of the sustainable clothing store Riviera, discusses Quartier Flohmarkt Basel, a neighborhood-based flea market concept held on private property in backyards. Inspired by Munich, she and her colleagues launched it in Kleinbasel and Wettstein, and it grew over 10 years to 17 neighbourhoods across Basel, running April to October on most weekends. Otto emphasizes the project's social value, individuality, "treasure hunt" appeal, and sustainability through reuse rather than disposal. She explains how to participate via quartierflohmarkt.ch, using maps or balloon markers to find stands, and notes extras like the free "Bring und Nimm" tent for donating unsold items. After a decade and growing personal commitments, the three-person core team is handing over leadership, with strong interest from new volunteers to continue.

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About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Basel, Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

International Women's Day and Women's History Month Special

Anna Svea Grafström Burkhardt and Emélie Dunn unknowingly made history by being one of the first two women to be admitted to the historically male-only Kleinbasler Ehrengesellschaften (3E) or Klein Basel Honor Societies.

Every March, the Women's History Month celebrates the historical and contemporary contributions of women to society. Listen to Anna's and Emélie's journey, their dramatically different paths in life that led them to the identical, proverbial, doorstep of this historic moment. While Anna comes from Sweden, Emélie was born and raised in Basel. We talk about what it means to them to be part of this legacy, how they have processed this media attention, their love for Basel and it's culture, and how they became unlikely trailblazers and pioneers. A lesson or two about how to feel belonged, tips and tricks on taking that first step into unknown territory to feel at home.

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About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

The Climate Fund Initiative calls for the federal government to allocate significantly more funds to combating climate change and its consequences. To this end, it should set up a fund and pay in an annual amount equivalent to between 0.5 and 1 per cent of Switzerland's economic output. This corresponds to approximately CHF 4 to 8 billion. The fund is intended to enable the federal government to support the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, economical and efficient energy consumption, and the expansion of renewable energies. It is also intended to promote CO2 capture and storage and biodiversity. Training and further education for the skilled workers needed to implement the measures would also be supported. The initiative demands that financing and implementation be socially equitable. To understand this initiative, that the Swiss will vote on, on 8th March 2026, we speak with Ms Leoni Bolz who is a Swiss politician and secondary school teacher currently serving as a member of the Grand Council of Basel City.

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

Currently, married couples in Switzerland are taxed jointly and unmarried couples are taxed individually. In addition, different tax rates apply. This means that married couples and unmarried couples pay different levels of tax. This unequal treatment is to be abolished. Parliament has therefore passed the Federal Act on Individual Taxation. As a referendum has been called on this bill, it will be put to a vote. Under the bill, married couples will also be taxed individually in future. Each person will pay tax on their own income and assets, and the same tax rate will apply to everyone. This means that married couples and comparable unmarried couples will pay the same amount of tax in future. Many couples benefit from this, but some have to pay more. To ensure that couples with children and single parents are not burdened too heavily, the child deduction for direct federal tax will be increased. The bill will reduce the tax burden on taxpayers by an estimated total of CHF 630 million per year in direct federal tax. The cantons will also have to introduce individual taxation. However, each canton will continue to set its own tax rates and child deductions. The bill is an indirect counter-proposal to the Federal Popular Initiative 'For individual taxation regardless of civil status (Fair Taxation Initiative)'. To understand this better, we speak with Claudine Esseiva, a prominent Swiss politician representing the FDP, The Liberals, and an entrepreneur based in Bern.

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

Matthias Zehnder on Switzerland's '200 Is Enough' Referendum and the Future of Public Broadcasting

The episode features Dr. Matthias Zehnder, Publisher of Edito since 2023 and Board Member of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation's Basel region, discussing Switzerland's March 8 referendum to cut the household public broadcasting fee from 335 to 200 francs and exempt businesses. Zehnder explains the European public broadcasting model, Switzerland's multilingual funding structure, and the role of SRF as an independent organization financed by fees and advertising. He argues the cut would roughly halve SRF's budget, remove about 750 million francs from the media market, threaten jobs, weaken regional and language coverage, increase reliance on foreign media, and potentially force SRF into insolvency due to contract timelines. He says Swiss publishers' main threat is big tech's advertising dominance, and stresses journalism's importance in an AI era, advocating transparency and trusted human voices as key anchors.

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Basel, Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

Switzerland Federal Referendum Special - March 8, 2026

Neighbourhood News speaks with Young Liberals President, Cyril Bleisch in a noisy cafe at The Rhine, discussing Switzerland's "200 Sind Genug" or 200 is Enough Initiative.

In the interview with Neighborhood News, Cyril Bleisch, president of the Young Liberals Baselland, explains the "200 Sind Genug" initiative to cut Switzerland's mandatory SRG household fee from 335 to 200 Swiss francs and criticizes the additional enterprise levy based on revenue, even when firms make losses. He argues SRG should focus on its constitutional mission of informing the public rather than spending on entertainment such as movies, series, sports, and numerous social media channels. Bleisch disapproves with the earlier held "No Billag Initiative", citing it as too radical, saying regional and local paper funding would remain, acknowledging potential job cuts, and contends private media could expand as SRG's budget shrinks. He notes the Federal Council's plan to reduce the fee to 300 by 2029 but says deeper reform must happen now.

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Basel, Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

Inside Cavalluna: Neighborhood News interviews Iris Heider about Cavalluna, a family entertainment production that combines horses and riding styles from across Europe with dance, acrobatics, lighting and special effects, music, costumes, and elaborate stage design, presented as a theater-style magical story rather than a horse-only show. Heider explains the show's evolution over two decades into an annual eight-month European tour visiting 30–35 cities, traveling with 55–60 horses (plus ponies and donkeys), around 35 riders, and about 100 touring team members (with additional office staff). The current tour, "Gate to the Other World," has a mystical Nordic fantasy theme. She discusses her own riding background and tips for beginners and outlines the creative process led by Creative Director who composes and produces most music on a computer and develops themes about 1.5 years in advance, supported by a small creative team including a horse choreographer, two dance choreographers, and a producer; rehearsals intensify with stable visits across Europe and culminate with full production assembly in Germany three weeks before premiere. The interview also touches on rider and horse age ranges and continuous training needs, and previews next year's theme, "The Colors of Life," an emotional, colorful story about a boy in the mountains of India on a mission to help humanity rediscover what matters in life.

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Basel, Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

Baseldytschibihni and the Basel Dialect: Theater, Translation, and Swiss Multilingualism

The episode marks International Mother Language Day (February 21) by exploring multilingualism in Switzerland and the cultural role of Swiss German dialects, focusing on Basel's dialect theater company Baseldytschi Bihni. We interview Board Member and long-time actress Silvia Gallacchi in English and discusse dialect expressions, the company's origins in 1892, its evolution from German-language recitations to Basel dialect productions, and its volunteer-driven model. Silvia explains the impact of receiving the 53rd Prix Schappo in late 2024, which brought increased visibility and new passive members rather than prize money. She describes how the theater finances productions through voluntary collections, annual passive memberships, and notes the member magazine "Dr Lalli," published four times a year. The conversation covers the rehearsal and performance schedule (around 50 shows annually), the focus on comedies over crime themes, the troupe's "big family" culture, and the process of adapting plays by translating German versions of works from international authors into Baseldytschi, including challenges when direct translations don't exist and the need to modernize outdated portrayals. Silvia also discusses linguistic features and influences on the Basel dialect, how dialect changes across generations, and the broader presence of amateur dialect theater across Switzerland, with her advice that learning a foreign language is key for integration even if one doesn't learn dialect.

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a bi-weekly, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Basel, Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

Basel-Stadt and Aargau Launch "Food Health" Partnership to Build a Cross-Cantonal Innovation Ecosystem

Government Counselor Dieter Egli (Canton of Aargau) and Kaspar Sutter (Basel City) discuss a new cantonal partnership between Basel-Stadt and Aargau built around the "Food Health" initiative, described as a first concrete cross-canton project of its kind. They explain the goal of working together in Switzerland's many small (and half) cantons to strengthen innovation amid global uncertainty and protectionism. The program focuses on the full food value chain "from soil to gut" and is organized around three pillars: Planet Health, Human Health, and Regenerative Food Systems. Partners include Regio Basiliensis (coordination), Basel Area Business and Innovation Hub (startup support/accelerator), the University of Basel (innovation office and ecosystem building), and the High-Tech Center Aargau (connecting research institutions with existing companies to develop marketable products).

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly English language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal

In this Audio Story we speak with Tim Cuénod, President of the Parliamentarian Control and Audit Commission, discussion the impact of the findings of the Schefer Report, touching on critical issues like understaffing, cultural change, and necessary reforms. The interview addresses the subsequent follow-up report by the Business Audit Commission in 2026 and outlines recommendations for meaningful reform, emphasizing the need for a cultural shift, better working conditions, and stronger recruitment practices.

Subscribe to Audio Story With Ajita: Podcast ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )

About Audio Story With Ajita:

Audio Story With Ajita is a daily, English-language, podcast that delivers daily news from Basel, Switzerland. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, arts, culture, mobility, health, travel, and more. The daily Audio Story aims to provide listeners with news that impacts their daily lives.

Beyond news delivery, The Glocal also functions as a news network and content creation media house. Its weekly english language newsletter 'Neighbourhood News' collaborates with local publications, print neighborhood newspapers and magazines, and websites to bring its readers verified and authentic news. The newsletter is designed to be quick and easy to read, allowing readers to catch up on the week that was and plan for the week ahead. Every Thursday at 10 a.m., Neighbourhood News is delivered straight to your inbox, providing you with the news you need to stay informed and make informed decisions for the week ahead.

The Glocal's mission is to eliminate language barriers and facilitate connections between readers-listeners as human beings, coexisting in Switzerland. It aspires to be a bridge between so many beautiful metaphorical islands that exist in the country, bringing people, cultures, and stories closer than before.

Stay updated with more conversations from in and around Switzerland.

• Follow 'Audio Story With Ajita' wherever you get your podcast: ( Spotify | YouTube | Apple )
• Subscribe to Neighbourhood News
• Visit The Glocal