https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Switzerland in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed In an early test for Geneva's controversial new secularism law, a Muslim councillor on Tuesday chose to sit in the public gallery during a recent council meeting rather than obey the new legislation by removing her headscarf so that she could take part in the session. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190313/geneva-muslim-councillor-forced-to-sit-out-council-meeting-because-of-headscarf-secularism-law Wed, 13 Mar 2019 20:54:08 +0100 geneva-muslim-councillor-forced-to-sit-out-council-meeting-because-of-headscarf-secularism-law A Zurich appeals court has upheld a fine for a Muslim man who chose not to send his three sons to a rehearsal for a Christmas concert. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190307/zurich-muslim-father-fined-after-kids-fail-to-attend-christmas-concert-rehearsal Thu, 07 Mar 2019 20:41:55 +0100 zurich-muslim-father-fined-after-kids-fail-to-attend-christmas-concert-rehearsal The Swiss government said this week it would not lend its support to plans to strike a 'blasphemy' clause from the country’s penal code despite similar moves in other countries in recent times. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190222/swiss-government-snubs-move-to-scrap-blasphemy-law Fri, 22 Feb 2019 12:22:54 +0100 swiss-government-snubs-move-to-scrap-blasphemy-law Geneva residents on Sunday voted for a controversial new "secularism law", which will among other things ban elected officials and public employees from wearing visible religious symbols. https://www.thelocal.ch/20190211/geneva-votes-to-ban-religious-symbols-on-public-employees Mon, 11 Feb 2019 10:02:52 +0100 geneva-votes-to-ban-religious-symbols-on-public-employees