Some degrees less ‘profitable’: study
For a teacher, a librarian or a dental hygienist an academic degree may turn out be less profitable than having started working straight out of school, according to a new trade union study.
Day: June 8, 2011
Sweden
France
China refuses to commit to Lagarde
China said on Wednesday the race to lead the IMF was "open", echoing a noncommittal stance by India towards French front-runner Christine Lagarde as she pursued a tour of the emerging Asian giants.
France
France slams Iran nuclear plans
France denounced on Wednesday Iran's announcement that it plans to triple its capacity for enriching uranium as a "provocation", accusing Tehran of repeated violations of international law.
Germany
Eminem sues Audi for plagiarizing song for ad
American rapper Eminem is suing German carmaker Audi for allegedly copying his song “Lose Yourself” for a commercial without permission, daily Süddeutsche Zeitung reported on Wednesday.
France
Syrian envoy: TV resignation was hoax
Syria's ambassador to France denied on Wednesday she was resigning in protest at her government's crackdown on dissent, saying a broadcast of the announcement by a woman claiming to be her was a hoax.
Switzerland
Swiss MPs examine nuclear shutdown
The Swiss parliament began Wednesday to examine a government proposal to phase out the country's nuclear plants by 2034.
Sweden
Gothenburg cancer scandal grows
At least 24 more cases of missed cancer diagnoses from a doctor employed at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg in western Sweden have been discovered.
Germany
Ex-President Köhler settles score over shock resignation
Former German President Horst Köhler, who resigned last year after he was criticized for suggesting the war in Afghanistan had partly economic motives, has slammed the “outrageous” attacks on him and accused politicians of exploiting the issue.
Sweden
Swedes launch ‘condom app’ to promote safe sex
A new smart phone app showing the closest place to purchase condoms has been launched in a new campaign to promote condom use among Sweden’s young people.
Switzerland
Swatch faces competition probe
Switzerland's anti-trust commission said Wednesday it had opened a probe into Swatch for suspected abuse of its dominant position, after the group decided to stop supplying components to other watch-makers.
Switzerland
Swiss claw back Qaddafi payment
Switzerland said on Wednesday it had recovered a $1.8 million compensation payment that it transferred last year to the Libyan regime after a bitter standoff involving one of Muammar Qaddafi's sons.
Switzerland
Secretive power group gathers in St Moritz
The Bilderberg Group of some 100 political and economic leaders, as well as aristocrats, will meet from Thursday in the chic Swiss ski station of St Moritz.
Sweden
Opposition more popular than government: poll
Sweden's centre-left opposition political parties have more support among voters than the governing centre-right Alliance, according to a poll by Statistics Sweden (SCB).
France
DSK ‘victims’ asked to step forward
The lawyer of the New York maid has asked other women who claim to have been assaulted by Dominique Strauss-Kahn to step forward.
Germany
Media roundup: Barack gives Angie a push
Barack Obama’s enthusiastic reception of Angela Merkel in Washington wasn't just politeness. As commentators in The Local's media roundup on Wednesday agree, the US was making clear it expects more from Germany.
Germany
Schäuble pushes for Greek debt restructuring
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble wants holders of Greek debt to extend their credits by seven years, according to a letter he sent to eurozone partners seen by the media on Wednesday.
Sweden
Chinese IT firm ‘bullies’ Swedish workers: report
Employees at the Swedish branch of Chinese electronics giant Huawei have been subjected to threats, harassment and public punishment from senior staff, according to a report from Sveriges Radio (SR).
Switzerland
Swiss allowed to choose family name
The Council of States has approved a new law allowing Swiss couples to have a free choice as to which of their surnames to adopt as a family name.
Germany
E. coli panic hits Lübeck hard
Germany's killer bacteria outbreak has people running scared in the northern city of Lübeck, where restaurants are empty and vegetables, blamed for the contamination, are withering away at market stalls.
Sweden
Stephen Lynch – laughing in the face of the inferno
American funnyman Stephen Lynch, the self-professed "musician trapped in the body of a comedian", is all revved to bring his "Beefy Burrito" back to Sweden, The Local's Geoff Mortimore discovers.
Switzerland
Asylum requests up 51 percent – in a month
New figures show the number of asylum requests to Switzerland has increased by 51 percent in the last month
Switzerland
Sex box row: minister won’t get involved
A Swiss minister has declined to take a firm position in a recent row over a new sex education program in Basel's schools that uses wooden penises and fabric vaginas.
Germany
Germany has too many housewives, EU warns
To avoid a looming labour shortage, Germany should follow the example of Scandinavian countries and dismantle barriers to women entering the workforce, according to the European Commission.
Sweden
Manpower shortage leads to work permit delays
Many Swedish companies are in need of foreign workers and the interest in working in Sweden is great, but the agency that deal with issuing their work permits, the Migration Board (Migrationsverket), has been struggling to keep up with the demand.
France
Chirac criticises Sarkozy in his memoirs
In a break with French political tradition, Chirac has criticised his successor in his new memoirs.
France
MP gives the finger in Parliament
A French MP let his emotions take over yesterday when he gave the finger to Prime Minister François Fillon.
Germany
Greens gain support even after Merkel’s nuclear exit
Angela Merkel's exit from nuclear power has done nothing to stem the tide of support for the environmentalist Greens, who are just three points behind the Chancellor's conservatives, a Wednesday poll showed.
France
Facebook banished from French airwaves
TV and radio presenters in France will no longer be able to invite their audiences to follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
Sweden
Sweden reaches new deal on Libya mission
The Swedish government has reached an agreement with the Social Democrats and the Green Party to extend the country's military mission in Libya.
France
French monthly trade deficit hits record
The French trade balance showed a record deficit in April of 7.14 billion euros ($10.46 billion), a jump from 5.91 billion euros in March, according to new figures.
France
Renault makes ‘fresh start’ in India
After a false start, French carmaker Renault is making an ambitious re-entry into India's fast-growing auto market where it plans to introduce a slew of new models and rapidly scale up sales.
Sweden
Swedes set to reap billions in tax refunds ahead of Midsummer
More than 20 billion kronor ($3.25 billion) in tax refunds are set to rain down on close to 3 million Swedes ahead of the Midsummer holiday, marking a new record due in large part to the popularity of filing tax forms electronically.
Germany
Authorities expect more E. coli deaths
German Health Minister Daniel Bahr said on Wednesday the nation's authorities expected more deaths from E. coli bacteria, but there were signs the virulent outbreak was peaking. The EU has called for Germany to accept outside help.
Sweden
Fewer Swedish teen girls getting abortions
Young women and girls in Sweden are getting fewer abortions, according to new figures, which also reveal a slight increase in controversial later-term abortions.
Sweden
Zlatan hat trick helps Sweden thrash Finland
Swedish captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic came off the bench to score three goals as the national side cruised to a 5-0 victory in their Euro 2012 qualifier against visiting Finland on Tuesday night.
Germany
Merkel and Obama talk debt crisis, Libya
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday warned Europe's debt crisis must not destabilize the global economy, as he laid on a effusive White House welcome for German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Germany
Big win against Azerbaijan in Euro football qualifying
Germany went ten-points clear at the top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group on Tuesday as stars Mario Gomez and Mesut Özil scored in a 3-1 win over minnows Azerbaijan.