Siobhán Dowling

Articles by this author

LGBT

Politician compares gay couples to cocaine

<p>As Switzerland debates allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt, a leading politician has caused consternation by comparing homosexuality to drug use.</p>

Education

Top court rules against schooling via webcam

<p class="MsoNormal">Swiss parents are not allowed to school their children at home via webcam. The Federal Supreme Court ruled that children’s social skills were not sufficiently nurtured by such an arrangement.</p>

Crime

Bern top Swiss city for bike theft

<p>Cyclists in the Swiss capital would be well advised to invest in a sturdy lock after a study found that Bern is the second worst city in German-speaking countries for bike theft.</p>

Military

Arms exports to Arab nations criticized

<p>Activists have criticized the fact that Switzerland is increasing its arms exports to Arab regimes at a time of unrest in the Middle East.</p>

offbeat

Half of Swiss men share 'pharaoh gene'

<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">Every second Swiss male is related to the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, according to researchers in Zurich.</p>

banks

Surging franc pushes SNB into the red

<p>The Swiss National Bank has announced a consolidated loss of Sfr.10.8 billion for the first half of 2011 largely as a result of the surging value of the Swiss franc.</p>