This site is so often so funny ( not what we expect from Swedes--- honesty in govt., maybe, but not funny stuff)

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 » Italy police bust Eritrean people trafficking ring Italian police said on Wednesday they had busted an Eritrean trafficking ring accused of smuggling migrants into Europe on perilous Mediterranean boat crossings, including one in which 244 people died. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Spain » At last: royal portrait unveiled 20 years late A highly anticipated portrait of Spain's royals has finally been unveiled a full two decades after it was first commissioned in 1994. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in France » Miss France: Why do the French love it so much? The annual Miss France contest takes place on Saturday in front of an expected TV audience of millions. The Local's Simone Flückiger looks at why the beauty contest is still so popular in a country where "egalité" is meant to be a fundamental principle.READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Germany » Police seek owner of bagged rabbit Officers in Bad Säckingen were unprepared for what they found when a bank employee called to report a suspicious package on Tuesday. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Sweden » Sweden's Prime Minister calls fresh election Sweden's coalition government has failed to get its budget through parliament amid a political crisis. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has announced fresh elections, just three months after voters last went to the polls. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Norway » Chelsea not interested in Ødegaard: Mourinho Chelsea manager José Mourinho has admitted he is curious about where Norwegian soccer sensation Martin Ødegaard will be playing in the future, but denied Chelsea will become the 15-year-old's next club. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Switzerland » MPs end 'happy hours' tippling in Vaud bars “Happy Hours” are becoming a thing of the past at bars in the canton of Vaud after MPs from the cantonal government voted on Wednesday to ban “two-for-one specials” and other cut-price deals on alcoholic drinks in bars and nightclubs. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Austria » UN Vienna warns staffers of 'trickery crime' A warning was issued today by the UN Security and Safety Service in Vienna, after UN delegates had been the target of confidence tricksters masquerading as undercover police to steal money and valuables. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Denmark » 500-year-old skeletons unearthed in Denmark Fifteen skeletons uncovered this week in Aalborg are assumed to be the remains of 15 soldiers who died fighting in a Danish civil war nearly 500 years ago. READ »

Latest chat from: Toytown Germany » 01:34Slow German internet 23:26Registering with the Künstlersozialkasse 22:23British Cheese in Germany 22:22TT noisy Christmas Party 2014 - Munich 22:11Where to buy Cheddar cheese		Latest chat from: English Forum Switzerland » 01:59Swiss German Vs High German 01:57Any English Speaking jobs in Commercial Law in Switzerland 01:54Ricardo - Buyer protection 01:51Leaving Switzerland-storage solution before shipping? 00:38Kale - easy to find?