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 » Three pensioners die in Italy snow Three elderly people died while shovelling snow in northern Italy, as bad weather cuts off one coastal town and causes transport to come to a halt in parts of the country. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Spain » Minted! King Felipe is on the money It´s a face we all know already, but from this week expect to see it a lot more as the new coins bearing his image are brought into circulation. King Felipe VI is our Face of The Week. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in France » Ten ideas Paris should pinch from the world As the Paris Town Hall mulls the introduction of outdoor urinals for women, we wonder how else the French capital could learn from the world's innovations. Here are the top ten ways Paris could improve. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Germany » Man loses driving license over passive pot Judges in Gelsenkirchen have decided that police were right to confiscate a man's driving license when he was found driving under the influence of cannabis, even though he claimed he hadn't been smoking himself. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Sweden » Swedish seal culls hit by new EU trading rules The rules for selling seal products have been tightened. An exemption allowing the trade of products made from seals culled as part of wildlife management has been revoked by the EU, which could affect seal trade in Sweden. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Norway » Statoil slashes $2bn in spending as oil slumps Norwegian national oil company Statoil has pledged to slash $2bn from this year’s planned investments and dramatically step up cost-cutting as it prepares for a sustained period of low oil prices. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Switzerland » Aussie seeks record at Swiss cycling venue Australian cyclist Rohan Dennis will make an assault on the world one hour record at the Granges velodrome in the canton of Fribourg on Sunday. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Austria » Pegida plans march in Linz on Sunday After the less-than-stellar showing on Monday in Vienna, with at least five times the number of counter demonstrators, the German anti-Islamization movement is taking to the streets in Linz on Sunday. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Denmark » Interest rate cuts lead to new Danish 'super loans' As a knock-on effect of the Danish central bank’s repeated interest cuts defending the krone’s link to the euro, Danish homeowners are now being offered historically low mortgage loans. READ »

Latest chat from: Toytown Germany » 01:56Cross-country ski tour for beginners/intermediates 00:53Berlin ranks 6th among top cities in the world 23:44Mini job questions 23:28Change tax class 23:26Slow German internet		Latest chat from: English Forum Switzerland » 01:40Bmw oil change for chf1,000 ?! - advice please 01:31Best pizzerias greater Zurich area 01:22Software Engineer 7+ years xp 01:20Federer's new mansion in Wollerau 01:07Tram 8 and GA