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 An inferno on a Swiss bus that killed six people was seemingly started by a "disturbed" man on board who set himself alight, the investigating prosecutor said Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.com/20260310/several-dead-and-injured-in-bus-fire-in-switzerland Tue, 10 Mar 2026 22:23:22 +0100 several-dead-and-injured-in-bus-fire-in-switzerland Just over two weeks before a new Paris-Berlin overnight rail service starts, operators have confirmed the service’s route and three new stops. https://www.thelocal.com/20260311/three-extra-stops-on-new-paris-berlin-night-train Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:26:16 +0100 three-extra-stops-on-new-paris-berlin-night-train Deutsche Bahn is growing its cross-border services to the west, with extra high speed rail links to Belgium this summer, as well as new connections later in the year from Cologne to Brussels Airport and the North Sea coast. https://www.thelocal.com/20260311/deutsche-bahn-expands-high-speed-train-services-between-cologne-and-brussels Wed, 11 Mar 2026 12:45:08 +0100 deutsche-bahn-expands-high-speed-train-services-between-cologne-and-brussels As France prepares for key local elections, John Lichfield looks at what the results can tell us about the strength of the 'republican front', the pact that voters can make to keep out the far right. https://www.thelocal.com/20260311/opinion-local-elections-will-show-if-france-still-has-the-will-to-resist-the-far-right Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:52:31 +0100 opinion-local-elections-will-show-if-france-still-has-the-will-to-resist-the-far-right The Talking France podcast is back after a two-week break looking at everything surrounding the upcoming French local elections, the rising petrol prices in the country, and why so many Americans are moving to Montpellier. https://www.thelocal.com/20260310/podcast-why-french-local-elections-really-matter-and-macron-walks-middle-east-tightrope Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:53:43 +0100 podcast-why-french-local-elections-really-matter-and-macron-walks-middle-east-tightrope EU's energy chief Dan Jorgensen called on member states to help consumers and businesses by lowering taxes on energy where possible, as war in the Middle East saw oil and gas prices surge. https://www.thelocal.com/20260310/eu-countries-urged-to-lower-energy-taxes-to-reduce-consumer-bills Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:18:48 +0100 eu-countries-urged-to-lower-energy-taxes-to-reduce-consumer-bills Felicia, the pop star who will represent Sweden in Eurovision in Vienna in May, is in hot water after saying that she didn't think Israel should be in the competition. https://www.thelocal.com/20260310/swedens-eurovision-entry-in-hot-water-after-israel-comments Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:35:11 +0100 swedens-eurovision-entry-in-hot-water-after-israel-comments In Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe, it is known as a ‘budget’ or ‘low-cost’ airline, but travellers booking tickets on easyJet out of Basel’s EuroAirport for April and May are paying exorbitantly high prices. https://www.thelocal.com/20260310/why-are-easyjet-flights-from-basel-up-to-1682-percent-more-expensive Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:13:55 +0100 why-are-easyjet-flights-from-basel-up-to-1682-percent-more-expensive Volkswagen said Tuesday that it would cut 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 as its profit slid to its lowest level since 2016. https://www.thelocal.com/20260310/volkswagen-to-cut-50000-jobs-in-germany-by-2030 Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:03:59 +0100 volkswagen-to-cut-50000-jobs-in-germany-by-2030 Both Swedish citizens and registered foreign residents of Sweden will be eligible for the planned government-issued electronic identification and verification service, which is currently being developed by the Swedish Police Agency. https://www.thelocal.com/20260309/sweden-developing-state-issued-alternative-to-bankid Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:03:48 +0100 sweden-developing-state-issued-alternative-to-bankid An explosion that rocked the US embassy in Oslo in the early hours of Sunday may have been an act of terror, local police said, while stressing that they were also investigating other possible causes. https://www.thelocal.com/20260308/no-injuries-reported-after-explosion-hits-us-embassy-in-oslo Sun, 08 Mar 2026 07:47:49 +0100 no-injuries-reported-after-explosion-hits-us-embassy-in-oslo In this week's edition we look at how recent articles in the British press claiming Spain is directly targeting UK retirees and dashing their hopes of owning a Spanish holiday home have failed to focus on the elephant in the room. https://www.thelocal.com/20260307/inside-spain-sanchez-didnt-kill-the-british-expat-dream-brexit-did Sat, 07 Mar 2026 11:18:56 +0100 inside-spain-sanchez-didnt-kill-the-british-expat-dream-brexit-did Certain countries across Europe demand foreign citizens pass a language test to qualify for certain residency permits. But how does each country compare and what level of language do they require? https://www.thelocal.com/20260307/which-countries-in-europe-impose-language-tests-for-residency-permits Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:36:10 +0100 which-countries-in-europe-impose-language-tests-for-residency-permits From the ghost of Jacques Chirac to the local election hustings, via a bit of Communist history and some cross-Channel banter, Inside France is our weekly look at the latest news and talking points from France. https://www.thelocal.com/20260307/inside-france-middle-east-municipal-elections-and-cross-channel-sporting-banter Sat, 07 Mar 2026 10:03:54 +0100 inside-france-middle-east-municipal-elections-and-cross-channel-sporting-banter Conservative lawmakers in Germany have had their sights set on tightening the country's citizenship law since it was reformed in 2024. Here's how the party wants to make it harder for foreign residents to get a German passport this year. https://www.thelocal.com/20260227/how-the-cdu-aims-to-tighten-germanys-citizenship-rules-in-2026 Fri, 27 Feb 2026 15:13:54 +0100 how-the-cdu-aims-to-tighten-germanys-citizenship-rules-in-2026 The EU's new Entry & Exit System of border control started on October 12th - but a phased introduction means that not everyone travelling to and from France is affected by the new system. https://www.thelocal.com/20250930/ees-calendar-when-will-new-border-checks-be-enforced-between-france-and-uk Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:37:06 +0200 ees-calendar-when-will-new-border-checks-be-enforced-between-france-and-uk As the US launches strikes against Iran, Emmanuel Macron's reaction has been very different to his predecessor Jacques Chirac, who refused to join the British and American invasion of Iraq in 2003 - John Lichfield examines why. https://www.thelocal.com/20260304/opinion-why-macron-will-not-do-a-chirac-over-this-gulf-war Wed, 04 Mar 2026 09:23:15 +0100 opinion-why-macron-will-not-do-a-chirac-over-this-gulf-war The French cybercrime authorities are investigating after the website of a Paris mayoral election candidate was spoofed, and false claims published that he intended to turn the Pompidou Centre into 'housing for migrants'. https://www.thelocal.com/20260306/no-the-pompidou-centre-isnt-being-turned-into-migrant-housing Fri, 06 Mar 2026 15:23:57 +0100 no-the-pompidou-centre-isnt-being-turned-into-migrant-housing Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson has called for the country’s controversial ‘teen deportations’ to be suspended with immediate effect until a solution has been found. https://www.thelocal.com/20260305/sweden-democrat-leader-calls-for-freeze-on-teen-deportations Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:10:52 +0100 sweden-democrat-leader-calls-for-freeze-on-teen-deportations Environmental pollution is linked to several mental health disorders in Europe, the European Environment Agency (EEA) has warned, arguing that enforcing legislation would result in Europeans being both less depressed and less anxious. https://www.thelocal.com/20260305/pollution-exposure-in-europe-linked-to-mental-health-problems Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:10:55 +0100 pollution-exposure-in-europe-linked-to-mental-health-problems