Man cut off wife’s lips and ate them
A prominent researcher at Sweden's Karolinska Instiutet is in custody for having cut off his wife's lips with a knife and then eating them.
Day: May 30, 2012
Germany
What’s on in Germany: May 31 – June 6
This Week's Highlights: Football photography in Berlin, Japan Day in Düsseldorf, and English theatre in Munich.
Sweden
Swedish army to jobless immigrants: we want you
The Swedish Armed Forces is hoping the prospect of free food and lodging will help entice young, unemployed immigrants to join the military as part of an effort to increase diversity.
Sweden
‘Facerape’ charges for posting nude pics of ex
A 30-year-old Swedish man has been charged in an alleged "facerape" for posting nude pictures of his ex-girlfriend on her Facebook page and conducting sex-themed chats with other users.
Sweden
Ryanair tops Swedes’ airline ‘complaint list’
Budget airline Ryanair has been found at fault in consumer disputes with Swedes more times than any other airline, according to a new report.
Sweden
Let convicted HIV doc keep working: hospital
A Swedish doctor with HIV who was convicted for having unprotected sex should be allowed to keep practicing, hospital management has argued, prompting a group of employees to slam the move as "unethical".
Switzerland
‘I’m a whore and proud of it’
Madame Lisa, the manager of the biggest brothel in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, has spoken out about the joy she derives from her profession in her newly published memoirs.
Germany
Bayern’s Alaba brushes off English insult
A black Bayern Munich player who was born in Vienna and is a regular in the Austrian national team managed to keep his cool when a politician assumed he was not a German-speaker and spoke to him in English.
Sweden
Euphoric fans welcome Loreen back to Sweden
Sweden’s 2012 Eurovision Song Contest winner Loreen was welcomed home by thousands of enthusiastic fans who filled a square in central Stockholm on Tuesday night for a performance by the country's new pop music sensation.
Germany
I’ve been to the future and it really aches
A Berlin hospital has found a novel way to give medical students a taste of life at 75. A suit which stiffens the joints, distorts the vision and makes everything difficult to do. James Gheerbrant climbed inside it to seek the wisdom of ages.
Norway
Eager Bieber fans set to flock to free gig
Norwegian fans of teen superstar Justin Bieber saw their dreams come true on Wednesday as police confirmed that the 18-year-old Canadian would play a free concert in the city later in the day.
Sweden
Live grenade detonated in central Malmö
Emergency services and bomb technicians were called to an address in central Malmö after a live grenade was found in a courtyard by a school and apartment block.
Norway
Woman jailed after four decades of spouse abuse
A 72-year-old woman has been sentenced to three years in jail after a court found that she had made her husband’s life a living hell for at least 41 years.
Sweden
Accusers ‘relieved’ by Assange verdict: lawyer
The lawyer for the women who accused Julian Assange of sex crimes welcomed Wednesday's ruling which paves the way for the WikiLeaks founder's extradition, while a legal expert explained there is a chance the case against Assange may not proceed to trial in Sweden.
Germany
Germany – no talk of military action in Syria
Germany sees no grounds to speculate on military options in Syria a foreign ministry spokesman said Wednesday, a day after France's president said he would not rule out the use of force.
Germany
Newly discovered frog turns fingers yellow
Scientists from Frankfurt have discovered a new species of frog which leaves anyone who touches it with yellow fingers.
Norway
Breivik’s terror network doesn’t exist: police
Norwegian police said Wednesday they had ruled out that Anders Behring Breivik had accomplices when he killed 77 people last year, rejecting his claim to be part of a network prepared to strike again.
Sweden
Is Loreen a worthy Eurovision winner?
Love it or hate it, Eurovision is going to be hard to avoid in Sweden for the next year. But why does Sweden get so wrapped up in the event, and was Sweden’s entry the deserving winner? The Local’s Oliver Gee looks deeper.
Switzerland
Swiss pastor follows in hermit’s footsteps
A young pastor from St. Gallen in Eastern Switzerland has decided to spend three months living in the woods like the hermit Gallus did 1,400 years before.
Germany
Hospitals ‘operating too often to make a profit’
People in Germany are having medical operations they don’t need – as hospitals perform expensive interventions to boost their incomes, health insurers say.
Sweden
Wreck of jewel-laden ship ‘found’ near Stockholm
Divers working in the Stockholm archipelago believe they have discovered the wreck of the legendary Swedish royal ship the “Resande Man” which famously disappeared carrying the crown jewels en route to Poland in 1660.
Germany
Tracking tags mooted for football hooligans
Germany’s interior minister provoked fury by calling on Wednesday for notorious football hooligans to be forced to wear electronic ankle tags so police can keep track of them and stop them going to matches.
Norway
Statoil sells stake in Iraqi oil field to Lukoil
Norwegian oil group Statoil has sold its stake in the massive West Qurna 2 field in south Iraq to Russia's Lukoil, the Norwegian company announced on Wednesday.
Switzerland
Switzerland bans import of dolphins
The National Council decided finally on Tuesday to ban the importation of dolphins or whales to Switzerland.
Sweden
Assange loses Sweden extradition appeal
Julian Assange lost his last ditch legal effort to avoid extradition to Sweden to face sex crimes accusations as the UK Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal by the WikiLeaks founder of a lower court ruling.
Norway
Strike set to hit Oslo schools
Pre-schools, schools and nursing homes in Oslo are set to be hit by strike action after two of the four trade unions representing workers employed by the city pulled out of wage talks on Wednesday morning.
Sweden
Sweden set for Assange- inspired hacker attacks
Swedish police are on high alert for possible hacker attacks ahead of Wednesday's ruling on an appeal by WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange to avoid extradition to Sweden.
Germany
Online retailer: If the shoe fits, please keep it
German-based online retailer Zalando is dealing with a huge number of returned goods, with four out of five shoe sales being sent back – and 65 percent of women’s jeans rejected – putting stress on the company’s bottom line.
Germany
Berlin bans Hells Angels, raid details leaked
More than 500 police officers raided the Berlin city’s Hells Angels chapter early on Wednesday morning – in a hurried operation after police sources tipped off the gang.
France
Feisty jewellery shop owner overpowers robber
A Parisian jewellery shop proprietor was not in the mood for any nonsense on Tuesday when a robber wielding a Taser gun burst into her upmarket store.
France
Last French producer of berets saved
The last remaining manufacturer of the staple of French headwear, the beret, has been saved.
France
Creche dramas: one baby locked in while another toddler escapes
Procedures at two French child care centres are being investigated after a baby was locked inside one while a toddler was able to escape onto a busy road at another.
Switzerland
Swiss declare Syrian envoy ‘persona non grata’
Switzerland on Tuesday declared its Syrian ambassador 'persona non grata' amid international outrage over the Houla massacre.
Sweden
Assault victim finds attacker on Facebook
A man was formally charged with assault in northern Sweden on Tuesday after the victim of a brutal bashing used Facebook to ascertain his attacker's identity.
France
Murder trial of Briton in Dordogne opens
A 33-year-old British man hired as gardener by a rich Briton living in the south-west French region of Dordogne went on trial here on Tuesday accused of killing his employer.
France
Luxury brands fight back against fakes
French luxury brands from Chanel to Vuitton will launch a campaign on Wednesday with several European countries to fight back against the increasingly lucrative and damaging flood of counterfeit goods.
France
Hollande criticises IMF chief’s attacks on Greece
President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday that he wanted Greek voters to "choose Europe" in upcoming polls and branded remarks by the IMF chief that Greeks dodged taxes as disrespectful.
Germany
Neo-Nazi supporter suspects released
Germany's federal prosecutor on Tuesday said it had released two suspects arrested in connection with a string of immigrant murders blamed on a neo-Nazi gang.
Sweden
Assange’s mother fearful of Swedish prison
The mother of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange says she is fearful a British court will allow his extradition to Sweden, claiming "the biggest governments in the world are gunning for him".
Sweden
‘Driverless’ Volvos hit streets in ‘world first’
A convoy of self-driving cars has taken to a public motorway in Spain in normal traffic, a world first, according to Swedish car maker Volvo.
Germany
Wannabe serial killer attacked men ‘for kicks’
Berlin police say they have caught a wannabe serial killer who drugged and robbed men for kicks – leaving one strangled to death in the sex-room of a gay bar.