The seven best destinations for scoffing chocolate in Europe
From Switzerland to Sicily, Europe is full of beautiful cities in which to indulge your addiction to chocolate. Here are seven must-visit places for every chocoholic.
Day: November 11, 2011
Switzerland
Germany
Deutsche boosts Russian asset management
Germany's biggest bank Deutsche Bank said Friday it is strengthening its asset management business in Russia by raising its stake in one of the leading players in the sector there.
Germany
Neo-Nazi robbers linked to kebab shop killings
German detectives investigating the neo-Nazi bomb-making bank robbers thought to have killed a policewoman, have found a gun used in a series of nine notorious snack shop killings in the suspects’ blown-up flat.
Switzerland
Liz Taylor jewellery on display in Geneva
A collection of jewellery belonging to the late Holywood icon Elizabeth Taylor was put on display in Geneva on Friday ahead of its auction in New York in late December.
Switzerland
Young performers can get boost from Zurich course
Learning to act, dance and sing are among the most rewarding things a young person can do. Now, students in Zurich can learn these skills from English-speaking actors, choreographers and other theatre professionals.
Switzerland
Swiss journalists receive death threats
Death threats have been sent to five journalists from Swiss tabloid newspaper Blick who have written about the growing violence in Swiss football stadia the paper's publisher said Friday.
Germany
Foodwatch says cholesterol-reducing margarine needs pharmacist approval
The German consumer protection group Foodwatch has called for margarine which promises to reduce blood cholesterol levels to be only sold in pharmacies, calling it a “pill to spread on your bread.”
Norway
Norway: Hard at work or hardly working?
Norwegians study longer, work fewer hours and enjoy more holiday than people in other comparable countries. As one of the world's richest countries, does this mean Norwegians are hard workers or are getting away with hardly working?
Germany
Google-backed internet institute raises eyebrows
While Google fights a sceptical public and officials in Germany, it is simultaneously funding a new internet research institute in Berlin. What is the US web giant hoping to accomplish? Moises Mendoza investigates.
Sweden
Jobless Swede offers salary as finder’s fee
After being out of work for eleven months, economist Michael Sundblad from Lund, in southern Sweden, decided to try a new approach and is now offering his first month's pay in finder's fee to whomever gets him hired.
Sweden
Anti-Semitic crimes on the rise in Malmö
Jews in Malmö in southern Sweden have been the victims of an increased number of hate-crimes in 2011, according to local police.
France
EU slams S&P for France credit ‘downgrade’
Standard and Poor's erroneous downgrade of France on Thursday which caused turmoil in the money markets has been criticised as 'grave' by the EU's Internal Markets Commissioner, Michel Barnier.
Switzerland
Swiss men in line for paternity leave boost
The Federal Commission for Women's Issues (CFQF) has asked the government to change the law and grant parents a minimum of 24 weeks of paid leave to be divided equally between mother and father after their child is born.
Switzerland
One in three Swiss helps out for free: study
One in every three Swiss does some kind of volunteer work, spending an average of half a day per week.
Sweden
Swedish reality TV show brings Swedish-Americans back ‘home’
A new reality television show offering Swedish-Americans the chance to meet their long-lost Swedish relatives has some critics crying foul, but has been described by participants as the chance of a lifetime, The Local's Joel Linde explains.
Germany
Tomato juice tastes ‘plane’ better at high altitude says scientist
Nearly a quarter of people who drink tomato juice while flying say they only like it while sitting in a plane. Why? A German scientist has discovered the red stuff actually does taste different at high altitudes.
Sweden
Blackberry looks to crack Swedish smartphone market
Canadian telecom giant RIM is trying to break into the Scandinavian market and make consumers choose the Blackberry instead of the highly popular iPhone.
Norway
Fashion guru: Versace ‘too much’ for Norway
Clothing retailer H&M’s alliance with Versace designers will not be a hit with Norwegian girls, a high-profile Norwegian fashion guru has warned.
Germany
Eurozone crisis fund ready to help Italy
The eurozone's crisis fund is ready to help Italy if requested, but this week's market volatility is an obstacle to increasing its firepower, the German head of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) said on Friday.
Germany
Karneval season kicks off at 11:11am
Who let the fools out? Each year at 11:11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Germany marks the beginning of the traditional ‘Fifth Season’ ahead of Karneval celebrations.
Sweden
Swedish chef in ‘freak’ saucepan accident
A trainee chef from Sweden was recently awarded damages from the state after a freak accident in the kitchen left him injured for life.
Switzerland
Richemont profits up on China revenue
Swiss luxury group Richemont said on Friday that it expects to post "significantly higher" operating profits in 2011, as strong demand in China appeared to defy the current gloomy global economic climate.
France
France denies Russian extradition request
A Russian request for the extradition of a businessman who fled Saint Petersburg while under investigation for fraud was rejected by France on Thursday.
Sweden
Eleven ‘eleventh-hour’ nuptials on 11-11-11
Eleven Swedish couples are set to be married in a church in Gothenburg at 11.11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 2011.
Norway
Supply and demand hit Norway sex trade
Weakening demand and an influx of hard up prostitutes from across Europe has impacted prices and job prospects for the increasingly idle sex workers plying their trade in Norway.
Sweden
Celebrating St. Martin: blood soup, anyone?
St. Martin's Day, November 11th, might not be the most important event in the Christian calendar, but some Swedes – particularly in Skåne – celebrate the day with gusto. Usually by drinking blood.
France
Are politicians’ secrets no longer safe in France?
The DSK affair and recent furore over the comments by presidents Sarkozy and Obama about Israel's prime minister, raises the question of whether the culture of discretion regarding the privacy of politicians in France is being eroded.
Germany
Afghanistan to see German troop drawdown
The German government plans to reduce the number of Bundeswehr soldiers deployed in Afghanistan by 1,000 in the coming year, according to a letter sent to Bundestag parliamentarians by the Foreign and Defence ministries.
Sweden
Cuba follows Sweden to combat prostitution
Cuba is considering implementing the Swedish example in fighting prostitution by penalizing the clients rather than the sex workers, Cuban sexologist Mariela Castro said Thursday.
Sweden
Care home staff weigh diapers to save money
Employees at the scandal-stricken care provider Carema's nursing homes in Sweden are instructed to weigh old age pensioners' diapers to assess if they are full or could be used longer, according to staff.
Germany
US terror charges for man held in Germany
A man held in German custody could be jailed for life if convicted by an American court on charges that he conspired to provide Al-Qaida with explosives and training, prosecutors in the United States said on Thursday.
Germany
The ins and outs of health insurance
Having health insurance is obligatory in Germany, but there are considerable differences between private and public coverage. Joe Morgan explores the healthy options for your wallet.
Sweden
Swedish sperm donors ‘well-adjusted’: study
Swedish sperm donors are more stable, mature and have better social skills than the average Swedish man, according to a new study.
Germany
Chilly but dry weather ahead this weekend
The swirling high pressure system over Germany seems to be showing no signs of moving, as the country will remain cool and dry, with just patches of cloud and fog over the weekend, according to the German Weather Service.