Video: A-ha’s ‘Take on Me’ gets North Korean treatment

Five North Korean accordion players have breathed new life into A-ha’s classic 1980’s hit ‘Take On Me’ with a video version recorded just two days after they heard the song for the first time.

Bestiality brothels spur call for animal sex ban

Animal sex abuse is on the rise in Germany, with bestiality brothels being set up across the country, according to a state animal protection officer demanding stronger laws to protect mankind's furry and feathered friends.

‘Sjöstedt-effect’ boosts Left Party figures

Sweden’s Left Party has already seen a dramatic rise in popularity since new leader Jonas Sjöstedt took over the reins a month ago. The first poll taken since Sjöstedt took over shows that his party has risen to 9.3 percent in the opinion polls, bringing its best result since 2004.

Norway wants migrants to carry fingerprint ID

Norway’s government has said it wants non-European immigrants to carry residency cards equipped with data chips bearing their fingerprints.

Löfven won’t block profits in care sector

New Social Democrat leader Stefan Löfven has ruled out the possibility of forbidding companies from making profits in the care sector.

Hamburg sues over pricey, late concert hall

Hamburg city is suing the firm building its landmark new concert hall for going tens of millions of euros over-budget and being at least four years late.

Europe’s German agenda

As Europe continues to fumble its way through its debt crisis, can Germany’s reforms from a decade ago really serve as an example for the rest of the Continent? The Local’s Marc Young looks back to see an agenda for the future.

Five Swedish songs that never made Eurovision

As Sweden is gearing up for the fest that is the Melodifestivalen, Swedish living rooms are being prepared for Sweden’s greatest television event invading the country for six weeks every year.

New bidder in the Saab saga shows its hand

Less than 24 hours after Chinese firm Youngman reportedly placed a bid for Saab, another interested party has apparently joined the race to snap up the bankrupt carmaker.

Teen girls bullied over nude pics

Pictures of 14-year-old Hamar girls posing naked or topless have begun circulating on the internet after the school-goers sent the compromising images to local boys, sparking concern among residents in the eastern Norwegian town.

China doesn’t want to ‘buy Europe’

As German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrapped up her visit to China on Friday, the Asian giant’s leaders promised they had no intention to "buy Europe," amid concerns over growing Chinese investment in debt-stricken eurozone economies.

Police close entrance to Malmö hospital

Police in Malmö have taken the unusual decision to cordon off the entrance to the accident and emergency department at the Skåne University Hospital following the latest in a rising number of fatal shooting incidents.

Rough weather causes train chaos in Stockholm

Train chaos swept railways south of central Stockholm on Friday morning, after an overhead line fell onto the tracks between Stockholm and the country’s south.

Hit-and-run suspect admits driving killer van

A 39-year-old man who turned himself in to police in Ullensaker on Thursday in connection with the hit-and-run killing of 54-year-old Jeff Mwangi Kwirikia has admitted driving his vehicle at the time of the crash.

Nurse rapped for posting X-ray on Facebook

A nurse in south west Sweden has been reprimanded for putting up an X-ray photo of someone's skull on his Facebook page.

Volvo group announces record sales for 2011

Volvo Group, the world's second-largest truck maker, announced Friday a 63-percent jump in its 2011 net profit boosted by record sales and margins, and a 43-percent hike in the fourth quarter.

Germany not responsible for Nazi-era crimes

The United Nations’ highest court declared Friday that modern day Germany isn’t responsible for Nazi war crimes in Italy, saying Rome breached international laws when its courts allowed compensation claims to be made.

Stolen art found in van outside police station

Fifty valuable works of art have been discovered right under the noses of police, in the back of a van parked outside a police station.

Mayor in court for slapping insolent youth

A mayor of a small northern town appeared in court on Friday for slapping a 15-year-old boy who allegedly insulted and threatened to kill him.

Temperature sinks to new winter low

The coldest weather of the winter so far was recorded on Friday in Folldal, eastern Norway, where temperatures dropped to a brisk -37.2 degrees Celsius.

Oscar frontrunner in French sexism row

Hollywood's new darling Jean Dujardin was in trouble back in France on Thursday after the Oscar frontrunner's face appeared on the streets of Paris between a woman's legs in a poster denounced as sexist.

Cake in the face for ‘Baron Cut-and-Paste’

Critics of disgraced former German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg hit him in the face with a big cake on Thursday night, while he was meeting a Pirate Party politician in a Berlin café.

Islamist hate video suspects released

Two men were released from custody on Friday following their arrests in connection with a hateful video posted on YouTube calling for Allah to destroy members of the Norwegian government and royal family.

Ice build-up freezes Swiss construction

The freezing weather has brought a halt to construction all over Switzerland.

UBS and Credit Suisse in cartel probe

Swiss authorities said on Friday they have opened an investigation into suspected manipulation of interbank lending rates, following similar actions in other countries.

Swedes’ snap wins ‘most awkward ever’ family pic

The first prize in a worldwide competition to find the most awkward family photos, recently awarded by a British newspaper, went to a Swedish couple in northern Sweden, whose take on a pregnancy snap has raised a few eyebrows.

Swiss to crack down on hooliganism

Swiss officials are hoping to crack down on hooliganism by requiring the organizers of major football and hockey matches to apply for permits.

Most Germans want president to resign

Most Germans now want President Christian Wulff to resign, as the flow of allegations over his behaviour and investigations into his relationships with businesses continues to damage his credibility.

Snow and cold wreak havoc over Sweden

The extreme weather of the last few days is continuing to cause trouble all across Sweden with traffic accidents, heavy snowfall and the coldest temperatures of the year measured countrywide.

Suspect ‘doesn’t recall’ driving hit-and-run van

A 39-year-old man who turned himself in to police in Ullensaker on Thursday in connection with the hit-and-run killing of 54-year-old Jeff Mwangi Kwirikia said he has no recollection of driving his vehicle at the time of the crash.

Thousands of US troops leaving Bavaria

The American military will close two military bases in the German state of Bavaria by 2015 as part of a planned drawdown of forces stationed in Europe.

Strong franc slowed Swiss trade in 2011

Switzerland's trade performance was muted in 2011 as the strong Swiss franc and gloomy global economic outlook took their toll, official figures showed on Thursday.

Judge jails wrong-way crash driver indefinitely

Thai van driver held after Swedish death crash

The driver of the van that crashed into a minibus, killing four young Swedish holidaymakers on Wednesday, has been arrested in Phuket after being on the run for two days.

Public transport fare dodging an ‘epidemic’

An alliance of public transportation providers in Germany has called fare dodging a national epidemic and is demanding higher fines up to €120 for repeat offenders.

Stealthy snake hid inside hotel trouser press

A woman staying at a hotel in Örnsköldsvik, northern Sweden, was recently shocked to see a snake staring back at her from inside the hotel trouser press.

TeliaSonera reports profit drop for 2011

Nordic telecoms giant TeliaSonera on Thursday reported a 14-percent drop in net profit for 2011 but forecast a slight rise in sales for the current year.

Should fines rise for fare dodgers?

Germany’s public transportation largely operates on the honour system, which makes fare dodging easy. Should fines be raised for freeloaders riding without a valid ticket? Have your say.

Ex-L’Oréal chief tries to shut chip stand

The former head of cosmetics giant L'Oréal, Lindsay Owen-Jones, has asked a court in France to shut down a chip stand near his apartment in the ski resort of Val d'Isère.

Air France strike likely from Monday

Unions at Air France have followed up on their threat to take action over new laws by confirming plans to strike from Monday.

Scientology fraud conviction upheld

A Paris appeal court on Thursday upheld a fraud conviction and a fine of hundreds of thousands of euros against the Church of Scientology for fleecing vulnerable followers.

Elle denies Obama fashion piece ‘racist’

French fashion bible Elle has denied charges of racism after unleashing a storm by suggesting that a black American elite, inspired by the Obama couple, was finally embracing "white" fashion.