https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed More than one-in-five people in Germany live by themselves, a rate which has surged in the past twenty years, according to new figures. https://www.thelocal.com/20250717/number-of-people-living-alone-in-germany-surges Thu, 17 Jul 2025 12:17:20 +0200 number-of-people-living-alone-in-germany-surges We asked The Local's readers to tell us about something good that happened to them in Sweden last year. From new babies to residence permits, here are the stories they shared. https://www.thelocal.com/20250109/i-met-the-girl-of-my-dreams-nice-things-that-happened-to-foreigners-in-sweden-in-2024 Thu, 09 Jan 2025 11:24:23 +0100 i-met-the-girl-of-my-dreams-nice-things-that-happened-to-foreigners-in-sweden-in-2024 August and September in Sweden mean it's time for traditional crayfish parties. The Local explores the origins of the 'kräftskiva' and explains the ingredients for a perfect feast. https://www.thelocal.com/20140807/swedish-crayfish-party Thu, 07 Aug 2014 18:46:00 +0200 swedish-crayfish-party Hundreds of thousands of people in Sweden don't have a close friend, a new survey by national number crunchers Statistics Sweden shows. https://www.thelocal.com/20240423/more-than-one-in-ten-foreigners-in-sweden-dont-have-a-close-friend Tue, 23 Apr 2024 13:05:57 +0200 more-than-one-in-ten-foreigners-in-sweden-dont-have-a-close-friend The city authorities in Luleå in the far north of Sweden have launched a campaign to encourage its famously reserved citizens to say hello to one another a little more often. https://www.thelocal.com/20231107/swedish-city-launches-campaign-to-get-locals-to-say-hi Tue, 07 Nov 2023 15:52:32 +0100 swedish-city-launches-campaign-to-get-locals-to-say-hi From The Local's archive: Oliver Gee simply can't come to grips with Swedes and their fascination with hugging. And he's not alone. https://www.thelocal.com/20140325/i-cant-embrace-swedes-obsession-with-the-hug Tue, 25 Mar 2014 16:39:00 +0100 i-cant-embrace-swedes-obsession-with-the-hug