Archive for Wed, 28 Mar 2012 - The Local - Europe's news in English

Germany

Fake fancy phone buyer set for compensation

A man who bought a fake luxury mobile phone via Ebay for €782 stands to get €23,000 in damages after the German Supreme Court ruled that the €1 price was no indication that it was not a real one.

France

Free chicks for French village people

A village in northwestern France has come up with an innovative way to cut back on local rubbish production – offering each home two free chickens to consume organic waste.

Germany

Women push politician to take parental leave

A top German politician has reacted angrily to an open letter from a group of women asking whether as a new father he will be able to do his job properly, and how soon after the birth of his child he will return to work.

Sweden

Bigamist Swede prompts jealous wife drama

A woman from southern Sweden has been arrested on suspicion of preparation of murder after being apprehended by officers on the way to her bigamist husband’s first wife, armed with a knife.

Sweden

‘Getting sexy’ survey: Swedes don’t come first

While Swedes' supposed penchant for sex is a recurring theme in popular culture, a recent survey calls into question just how eager Swedes may be to get it on when the lights go off.

Switzerland

How foodies felt their way to Swiss blind dining

Total darkness can serve to enhance a top-notch gourmet experience, as Catherine McLean discovered on a recent visit to a trailblazing restaurant where the lights are off and the food's out of sight.

Sweden

‘Gay-bashing’ reggae star’s gig put off again

Jamaican reggae singer Sizzla, who had been given the green light to perform on Wednesday night in Stockholm despite an initial cancellation, has been put off again after show promoters gave in to the backlash from the gay community.

Germany

Fuming fans show team where goal is

Fans of Magdeburg football club, languishing at the bottom of the fourth tier of Germany's league, came up with an innovative way to try and turn the team's fortunes – big, multi-coloured arrows to help misfiring strikers locate the goal.

Switzerland

Swiss solar plane will try 48-hour flight to Morocco

The Swiss sun-powered aircraft Solar Impulse will attempt to fly from Switzerland to Morocco in coming weeks, in its longest flight to date, organisers said on Wednesday.

Sweden

Allsvenskan football 2012: a season preview

This Saturday the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s premier football league, starts a new season. Contributor Nic Townsend takes a look at each team and their prospects for 2012.

Sweden

‘Gay-bashing’ reggae star gets his Swedish gig

Jamaican reggae singer Sizzla will perform in Stockholm on Wednesday night despite strong protests against his "anti-gay" lyrics, even though the show had initially been cancelled by promoters.

Norway

Irate Norwegian reports Stockholm over ‘capital of Scandinavia’ claim

A Norwegian man has reported Stockholm to the Swedish consumer ombudsman claiming that the slogan "Stockholm – the Capital of Scandinavia" is "misleading".

Norway

Sunbed woman shocked as men crash through ceiling

While catching some rays at a tanning salon in western Norway, a 59-year-old woman was roused from her sunny slumber recently by two unknown intruders who came crashing through the ceiling.

Germany

Should cops target black people for ID checks?

A German court ruled this week that police are allowed to use skin colour as a reason for spot-checks when looking for people breaking immigration laws. Is that justified? Have your say.

Germany

Victim slams court’s racial spot-check ruling

The young black German whose refusal to show police his ID led to a court ruling that cops could use skin colour as a criteria for spot-checks, says he will fight the case all the way.

Sweden

‘Sweden needs laws against politicians’ reckless spending’

In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, Sweden needs to change its constitution to ensure that spendthrift politicians' failure to curb public spending doesn't leave the economy in ruins, argues Jacob Lundberg of the Moderate party's youth wing.

Sweden

Stockholm ‘no better than Oslo’: Norwegian

A Norwegian man has reported Stockholm to the Swedish consumer ombudsman (Konsumentombudsmannen – KO) claiming that the slogan "Stockholm – the Capital of Scandinavia" is "misleading".

Sweden

Judge: ‘I understand why jealous hubby hit wife’

A Swedish court judge has been slammed for a recent ruling in which he wrote it was "quite understandable" that a man hit his wife after she refused to tell him where she had been.

Germany

Sex toy survey: Germans come first

Germans top the unofficial kinky league table, a new survey on between-the-sheets behaviour revealed Tuesday. It demonstrated that nearly half of Germans like "tools and gadgets" - more than any other country.

Switzerland

Catastrophes cost $370 billion in 2011: Swiss Re

Catastrophes and man-made disasters cost the world economy a record $370 billion in 2011, reinsurer giant Swiss Re said on Wednesday, raising an estimate it issued in December.

France

French reveal loathing for ‘violent’ suburban youth

Nearly 60 percent of the French say they distrust youth from the 'banlieues', France's impoverished, immigrant-dominated suburbs, according to a new survey that has laid bare the country's divisions.

Sweden

Proof of Saudi meeting ‘lost’ to protect minister

An official with Sweden's Defence Research Agency (Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut, FOI) requested that documents related at a secret Swedish-Saudi weapons deal not be recorded in order to “protect” defence minister Sten Tolgfors, according to a new report.

Switzerland