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 » 16 year sentence for Costa Concordia captain UPDATED: An Italian court on Wednesday sentenced Costa Concordia captain Francesco Schettino to 16 years and one month in prison for causing the 2012 cruise ship disaster which claimed 32 lives. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Spain » Morocco crackdown continues at Melilla Morocco on Wednesday vowed further crackdowns on illegal migrants after rounding up hundreds of foreigners close to the Spanish enclave of Melilla, in a move criticised by local rights groups. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in France » Gun ads see French cops compared to Dirty Harry A far-right French mayor has stoked a new row thanks to his new poster campaign which tells the locals that police in his town of Beziers have a new “friend” – namely their 7.65 calibre pistols. Some say the campaign is more suited to the Wild West. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Germany » Dating sites to find just the right Valentine If you don't have a special someone to treat come February 14th, don't despair: the internet is here to help with more options than you can shake a box of chocolates at. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Sweden » Swedish PM hits out at Russia over Ukraine Sweden's Prime Minister Stefan Löfven criticized Russia's involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine ahead of an informal EU summit on the crisis and vowed to pay a visit to Ukraine in the near future. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Norway » Stoltenberg 'everything we asked for': US enjoy The United States has praised Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg as “everything we asked for” in a ringing endorsement of the former Norwegian Prime Minister’s first four months in the post. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Switzerland » Swiss cabinet unveils EU immigration quotas bill The Swiss government has presented a bill for new quotas on immigration from the European Union, a year after voters narrowly approved such curbs and put the country on a collision course with Brussels. READ »		Latest news from: The Local in Austria » Would you buy this bank for a dollar? According to a report from Reuters, a consortium including U.S. investor Excellere Capital Group is seeking to acquire the 'bad bank' formed as part of the process of disposing of the assets of the failed Austrian bank, Hypo Alpe Adria. READ »

Latest news from: The Local in Denmark » Sperm whale washes up on Danish island Residents of Fanø were treated to an usual sight on Wednesday: the partially rotting corpse of a 12-metre sperm whale. READ »

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