With independent, daily reporting from around Europe, The Local is a window on life in other cultures.

We capture the essence of nations by finding the stories that tell us who we are (and who those other people over there are), breaking down barriers and bringing us closer together. We are the largest English-language news network in Europe with more than 4.5 million readers every month, plus many more on our partner sites. Our entertaining blend of daily news, business and features has made the site essential reading for foreign professionals in Europe.

Latest news from: The Local in Italy » Italians upbeat about health in 2014 Italians are feeling upbeat about their health and can expect to live a long life despite their economic worries, according to the latest government statistics released on Tuesday. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Spain » Spanish soprano avoids jail for tax fraud Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé, famous for her 'Barcelona' duet with Freddy Mercury, later used as the official anthem of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, will escape prison after coming to an agreement with Spain’s public prosecutor over tax fraud charges. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in France » Inside Houellebecq's Muslim-ruled France Polygamy, Islamic state schools, and a Muslim president - this is the vision of France in 2022 laid out by the country's most notorious author Michel Houellebecq in his new novel. The Local is the first to bring you details of a book set to cause a storm when it's published next month. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Germany » German president urges refugee compassion Germany's president appealed in a Christmas message for compassion and openness towards refugees coming to the country, which is grappling with a growing anti-Islam movement. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Sweden » Sweden's legal elite take ice bucket challenge A group of some of Sweden's top prosecutors, police officers and legal powerbrokers have joined the legions of people worldwide and subjected themselves to an icy shower to promote awareness of ALS. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Norway » Hearty Norwegians hit the gym at Christmas Norwegians have a reputation for being fitness freaks - and many plan to keep up their good habits over Christmas, a new survey shows, with one in five planning to hit the gym. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Switzerland » Swiss head to shops rather than slopes The lack of snow in many Swiss ski resorts has had a beneficial effect on the shops, with many people shopping rather than skiing on the Sundays leading up to Christmas. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Austria » Gorgonzola recall due to Listeria contamination According to a report in the news daily Heute, a batch of Gorgonzola DOP cheese from Italian manufacturer CasArrigoni has been recalled due to infection with the deadly Listeria bacterium. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Denmark » A holiday message from The Local Denmark With the holidays here and The Local Denmark celebrating its first six months of existence, editor Justin Cremer takes a moment to evaluate the site's start and thank those who have helped it along the way – particularly you, the reader. READ »

Latest chat from: Toytown Germany » 01:35Kinder Surprise eggs seized at US border 23:56Merry Christmas to all on TT 23:55Purchase account with cash card 22:52Cross-country skiing tours - Nordic ski trips 22:06Installing a dimmer light switch		Latest chat from: English Forum Switzerland » 05:57Driving in the UK whilst visiting family. 05:52Homeless in Bern - where are they? 02:33People in Switzerland give priority to the Bilaterals 23:48Great Genuine Take Away Indian Food At Last Zurich 23:47Question: Tax bill from the Gemeinde for 2014 "Provisorisch" tax