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 » 'I will not be here in ten years': Pope Francis Pope Francis on Friday said he will not still be in the Vatican in ten years time, during a meeting with athletes and officials from the Italian National Olympic Committee. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Spain » Attack on ruling party HQ targeted 'all politicians' Updated: The man who rammed a car loaded with gas bottles into the headquarters of Spain's ruling Popular Party in Madrid on Friday morning has said any party could have been the target of the attack as "all politicians are the same". READ »

Latest news from: The Local in France » French ex-airline boss: ‘Missing MH370 covered up’ A former airline boss is making waves in France after he claimed that the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in March had been covered up, and that the aircraft was likely hijacked by a hacker and possibly shot down by the US. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Germany » Ethics Council rejects assisted suicide law The German Ethics Council said the law should not be changed to permit assisted suicide in a paper published on Friday. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Sweden » Sweden seeks ban on foreign booze advertising Two powerful Swedish lobby groups have turned to the European Commission to try and get a complete ban on alcohol advertising on television, after it emerged some channels were dodging the ban by being registered abroad. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Norway » Housemaid jailed for killing boss over will A Norwegian housemaid who was set to inherit a fortune from her millionaire employer has lost her appeal against her conviction for his murder. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Switzerland » Ex-banker admits lying over French tax fraud A man who acknowledged lying when he served as a key witness in a major French tax fraud investigation was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term in the Swiss canton of Ticino on Friday. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Austria » 'Girl power' for Austria's Eurovision The 2015 Eurovision Song Contest - to be hosted by Austria in May - will be presented by three women, with this year’s winner Conchita Wurst in the Green Room. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Denmark » Eritreans protest against disputed Danish report Eritrean refugees and asylum seekers march through Copenhagen to denounce the results of Denmark's controversial fact-finding mission to the east African country. READ »

Latest chat from: Toytown Germany » 00:34Das Perfekte Dinner: German TV show about cooking 23:11Looking for a reliable satellite install in Munich 23:06Using a USB drive attached to Fritzbox as NAS 22:44RIP Mandy Rice-Davies 22:41Translators for linguistic research project		Latest chat from: English Forum Switzerland » 02:37Alternatives to swisscom 02:16Taliban kill over 120 in Pakistan 01:37Buying oncological medicine with prescription from abroad 00:54Duration of RAV payments 00:52How long before the flight do you arrive in the airport?