AN EYE ON... sexual deviation

Moscow: psychologists, lawmakers and political activists have joined forces to launch a campaign against sex education in Russian schools. They fear that increased knowledge: "will lead not only to sexual looseness and sexual excesses, but it will also lead to a tremendous growth of psychological pathologies and spur drug addiction and alcoholism".

Spain: the country's first matchmaking service for pets has opened in the city of Girona. The "Happy Animals" agency promises to help owners and breeders find the perfect mates for their pets, for reproduction or just companionship. The agency plans to work initially with dogs, cats and birds but may branch out later to accept snakes and other reptiles.

Geneva: more than 250 erotic timepieces and other precious objects were sold at an auction in Geneva last weekend, ranging from a half-dressed lady engraved on a cigarette case to a gold watch, circa 1900, with a hidden compartment featuring a semi-naked monk making love to a nun. The total proceeds amounted to $2m.