Merkel: EU must not dictate ECB action
European Union governments must not be allowed to decide European Central Bank (ECB) action at Wednesday’s summit on the eurozone debt crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Tuesday.
Day: October 25, 2011
Germany
Sweden
Hot guy ‘stalker’ site divides Stockholmers
A new website featuring attractive Swedish men in the Stockholm metro system allows people to share snapshots of those they think deserve extra attention.
Germany
Court tells Google how to avoid liability for blog posts
Germany’s highest civil court has set out a process by which web hosts can avoid liability for libellous blog posts, in a decision which Google described as striking a blow for freedom of expression and information in the internet.
Sweden
Expert: build Nordic union ‘if the euro falls’
As the eurozone crisis continues to dominate European political business, Gunnar Wetterberg, an analyst at white collar union Saco, has stated the case for a Nordic Union and currency, to counter the threat of a euro collapse.
France
No reprisals for Frenchman who burned Koran
An appeals court on Tuesday confirmed the acquittal of a Frenchman accused of inciting racial hatred after posting an internet video of himself burning a Koran and then urinating on it.
Sweden
Chinese firms stand by Saab bail-out deal
The two Chinese companies pledged to bail out cash-strapped carmaker Saab said on Tuesday that they are still onboard, despite the announcement by owner Swedish Automobile that the deal was off.
Germany
Russian spies suspected of stealing car secrets
The two alleged Russian spies arrested last week are suspected of stealing secrets from German car manufacturers, after it emerged one of them worked in the auto industry for the past 20 years.
France
Fashion legend Lagerfeld relaunches brand with two lines
Fashion legend Karl Lagerfeld is to relaunch his own brand after a year-long break, unveiling two new lines and a direct sales website.
France
Lawyers blast ‘frivolous’ DSK immunity bid
Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn's claims of immunity from a civil lawsuit are "utterly meritless," lawyers for the hotel maid seeking damages for an alleged sexual assault said on Monday.
France
Air France strike threat hangs over holiday weekend
A planned strike by cabin crew at Air France-KLM over the long holiday weekend is still in place, threatening the plans of thousands of people eager to make the most of a four-day holiday.
Sweden
Sweden ups cash offer to attract egg donors
Swedish couples, waiting for eggs from donors, currently have to wait for several years. To try to entice more donors, several county councils are now planning to pay three times as much as the current rate.
Switzerland
Divers find Swiss plane 33 years after crash
Two Portuguese divers have found the wreckage of an outbound charter flight from Geneva that sank near Porto Novo on the Portuguese island of Madeira.
Switzerland
Quadriplegic child case reopened after 7 years
The parents of a 16-year-old boy who became blind and severely disabled during a mysterious attack in February 2002 are continuing to search for the cause of their son's condition in an emotive case being monitored closely by the Swiss media.
Germany
Stone Age leftovers show a gradual move from fish to milk diets
Stone Age cooking pots found in the Baltic Sea show that people only gradually changed their diet as the first farm animals were kept and milk started to become available as well as oils from marine animals.
Germany
Football referees protest surging violence
German referees are protesting what they say is an increase in violence and threats directed against them at lower division football matches. The situation has deteriorated to the point that some officials are boycotting specific teams.
Sweden
Top Sweden Democrats accused of spying
Sweden Democrats' (SD) leader Jimmie Åkesson and party secretary Björn Söder have been accused of hacking into the email accounts of Swedish journalists and political opponents by someone purporting to be former party member William Petzäll.
Germany
Deutsche Bank sees drop in profit, not confidence
Germany's top lender Deutsche Bank announced Tuesday a 37-percent drop in third quarter profits due to the financial downturn but said it was confident it could face the economic crisis without public capital.
Sweden
Volvo Trucks slashes 450 jobs
Volvo, the world's second-largest truck maker, reported Tuesday a lower-than-expected third quarter profit and forecast a shrinking market in Europe next year but growth in North America.
Switzerland
Novartis announces 2,000 job losses
Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis announced 2,000 job losses on Tuesday, mostly in Switzerland and the United States, while reporting net profits of $3.53 billion for the third quarter.
Norway
Bolivia ‘fugitive’ safe in Norway
A Norwegian girl on the run from Bolivian justice for smuggling 22.4 kilograms of cocaine is back in Norway and reunited with her family.
France
Drivers in Grenoble welcome latest strike
A strike by traffic wardens in Grenoble has been welcomed by drivers who can park without restriction in the south west city.
France
Headscarf ban ruled out for school mums
After months of discussion, the government has opted to give "guidelines" rather than implement a full ban on the wearing of headscarves by Muslim mothers when they are on school property.
Sweden
Teaching the ‘wild man’ of Swedish rock how to speak English
When Irishman Morty McCarthy came to Sweden for love a decade ago, he had no idea he'd end up teaching English to folically flamboyant Swedish rock n'roller Magnus Uggla live on national radio, The Local's Geoff Mortimore explains.
France
Sarkozy attacks British and angers Italians
President Sarkozy let rip at the British prime minister, David Cameron, in an argument at the EU summit to solve the euro crisis, according to reports.
Norway
Anger in Tromsø as Oslo takes up Olympic torch
There was bitterness in Tromsø on Tuesday after rival Oslo's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics was endorsed by the country's sports federations.
Sweden
Sweden to pensioners: ‘prove you’re alive’
Swedish pensioners living abroad will soon be receiving a letter from the Swedish Pensions Agency (Pensionsmyndigheten) asking them to fill in a form and report in to the nearest embassy. The reason – to prove they're alive.
Germany
Smart posters offer speedy shopping while waiting for a train
German commuters are being confronted with the first smart-poster shops in Europe – which have a scan-and-go procedure for smartphones allowing purchases to be made while waiting for a train.
Switzerland
UBS rallies after rogue trade losses
Swiss banking giant UBS said Tuesday that its third-quarter net profit reached 1.018 billion francs ($1.16 billion) even though it had to take a 1.849 billion franc charge due to a rogue trading scandal.
Germany
Calls grow for national design museum
Despite the worldwide acclaim German-designed products receive, there's no national museum for design. But that could soon change.
Germany
US airman: I saw hate in Frankfurt shooter’s eyes
A US airman told a court he saw “hatred” in the eyes of Arid Uka as the 21-year-old tried to shoot him in the face after killing two American military personnel during a rampage at Frankfurt Airport.
Norway
Norway’s homes worth more than ‘Oil Fund’
The value of all homes in Norway is 3.6 trillion kroner ($651 billion), according to new numbers that also show home sellers are getting more than they asked for.
Sweden
Half of young Swedish mums want to be housewives: study
Nearly every other Swedish mother wants to be a housewife, according to a new survey, a finding that doesn't surprise some gender researchers.
Sweden
New tick-borne disease discovered in Sweden
Swedish researchers have discovered a new tick-borne illness that can cause blood clots in the legs and lungs, with three cases having been reported in Sweden.
Germany
Corruption probe into Rolls Royce and Daimler’s newest subsidiary
Prosecutors are investigating corruption allegations at Daimler and Rolls Royce's newest subsidiary, German specialist engine manufacturer Tognum.
Sweden
‘Svennis’ sacked by Leicester City
Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson has left his position as Leicester City manager by "mutual agreement", the Championship club confirmed in a statement on their website on Monday.
Germany
Casino to return famed painting stolen by Nazis
A German casino on Tuesday will return a 300-year-old Dutch painting stolen by the Nazis from German-Jewish art dealer Max Stern's estate, one of his beneficiaries announced.
France
Football star arrested for attempted murder
Former France international footballer Tony Vairelles has been arrested, along with three others, on suspicion of attempted murder following a shooting in a nightclub in the early hours of Sunday morning, police sources said on Monday.
Norway
Insomnia linked to higher heart attack risk
As if you didn't have enough to worry about during those sleepless nights, a Norwegian study out on Monday suggests that people with insomnia face a 27 to 45 percent higher risk of heart attack.