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 With the rising cost of petrol and flight tickets, many people in Germany are opting to travel by train for a summer 'staycation'. Here are five destinations you should visit. https://www.thelocal.com/20260527/five-summer-holiday-destinations-in-germany-you-can-reach-by-train Wed, 27 May 2026 16:34:23 +0200 five-summer-holiday-destinations-in-germany-you-can-reach-by-train A Swedish court has delayed a ruling on a 61-year-old man accused of exploiting his "vulnerable" wife to have sex with scores of men for payment. https://www.thelocal.com/20260610/swedish-court-delays-verdict-for-man-accused-of-pressing-wife-into-mass-prostitution Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:13:39 +0200 swedish-court-delays-verdict-for-man-accused-of-pressing-wife-into-mass-prostitution The Swedish economy grew by 0.5 percent in April compared to the previous month, according to the monthly GDP indicator from Statistics Sweden. https://www.thelocal.com/20260610/swedish-economy-beats-expectations-with-0-5-percent-growth-in-april Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:43:48 +0200 swedish-economy-beats-expectations-with-0-5-percent-growth-in-april Only three countries have passed into national legislation new EU pay transparency rules by the June 7th deadline, MEPs and trade unions have denounced. https://www.thelocal.com/20260610/only-3-countries-met-deadline-for-new-eu-pay-transparency-rules Wed, 10 Jun 2026 11:12:09 +0200 only-3-countries-met-deadline-for-new-eu-pay-transparency-rules Jordan Bardella has stumbled upon reality - writes John Lichfield. A dangerous thing for a populist politician. https://www.thelocal.com/20260610/opinion-the-french-pension-crisis-could-be-a-landmine-for-jordan-bardella Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:24:38 +0200 opinion-the-french-pension-crisis-could-be-a-landmine-for-jordan-bardella Swedes' support for adopting the euro is falling, according to the latest survey by Statistics Sweden. https://www.thelocal.com/20260610/swedish-support-for-adopting-the-euro-drops-as-krona-rebounds Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:08:13 +0200 swedish-support-for-adopting-the-euro-drops-as-krona-rebounds Growing numbers of Europeans no longer see the US as an ally, with a significant minority viewing the superpower as an adversary, a new survey has revealed. https://www.thelocal.com/20260610/a-new-low-europeans-no-longer-see-the-us-as-an-ally-and-blame-trump Wed, 10 Jun 2026 09:00:30 +0200 a-new-low-europeans-no-longer-see-the-us-as-an-ally-and-blame-trump European ferry ports have sounded the alarm about the impact of the EU's new EES checks this summer at the same time as global tourism chiefs say travellers from around the world are being put off by the prospect of long border delays in Europe. https://www.thelocal.com/20260609/tourism-chiefs-and-european-ferry-ports-sound-alarm-over-summer-border-chaos Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:24:20 +0200 tourism-chiefs-and-european-ferry-ports-sound-alarm-over-summer-border-chaos The Swedish parliament voted through a bill to abolish permanent residency for many future applicants – but some groups, including work permit holders, will still be able to receive permanent residency. https://www.thelocal.com/20260609/swedish-parliament-to-vote-on-bill-to-abolish-future-permanent-residency-for-refugees Tue, 09 Jun 2026 11:02:26 +0200 swedish-parliament-to-vote-on-bill-to-abolish-future-permanent-residency-for-refugees After the success of the swimming spots in the River Seine last year, Paris authorities have confirmed that the open-water swimming areas will return in the summer of 2026, starting July 4th. https://www.thelocal.com/20260511/seine-swimming-to-return-to-paris-this-summer Mon, 11 May 2026 09:46:37 +0200 seine-swimming-to-return-to-paris-this-summer The incomes of men and women are not expected to level out in Sweden until 2063, but some regions may have to wait longer – 131 years in the most extreme case. https://www.thelocal.com/20260608/women-in-sweden-face-a-37-year-wait-for-equal-income-as-progress-stalls Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:32:58 +0200 women-in-sweden-face-a-37-year-wait-for-equal-income-as-progress-stalls Swedish voters will go to the polls on September 13th to cast their vote in three elections: national, regional and local. But who's eligible to vote? https://www.thelocal.com/20260608/who-can-vote-in-the-2026-swedish-election Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:49:44 +0200 who-can-vote-in-the-2026-swedish-election If you've ever fancied owning your own island, one is now on the market - a private island off the coast of Brittany is for sale for €2.5 million. https://www.thelocal.com/20260608/private-island-for-sale-off-coast-of-france Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:16:17 +0200 private-island-for-sale-off-coast-of-france The Champions League win of Paris Saint-Germain football club was followed by widespread rioting with almost 900 people arrested and three deaths. John Lichfield looks at how a French football victory leads to these kind of scenes. https://www.thelocal.com/20260603/opinion-why-french-football-victories-lead-to-riots Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:10:16 +0200 opinion-why-french-football-victories-lead-to-riots Bernadette Chirac, who has died aged 93, stood by her late husband and French president Jacques Chirac through thick and thin during 12 years as first lady, but also forged her own, more discreet, political career. https://www.thelocal.com/20260606/bernadette-chirac-frances-dedicated-and-discreet-first-lady Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:03:34 +0200 bernadette-chirac-frances-dedicated-and-discreet-first-lady From football-mad Germany getting ready for the World Cup to traditional Fronleichnam processions and exploring why foreign residents want to leave, here's what we are talking about this week at The Local. https://www.thelocal.com/20260606/inside-germany-getting-ready-for-the-world-cup-and-the-foreigners-choosing-to-leave Sat, 06 Jun 2026 09:45:13 +0200 inside-germany-getting-ready-for-the-world-cup-and-the-foreigners-choosing-to-leave The Talking France podcast is back, discussing how France deals with sexism, how the country is coming to terms with its involvement in the slave trade and why French football victories always seems to lead to violence. https://www.thelocal.com/20260604/podcast-will-france-pay-for-its-role-in-slavery-and-why-the-violence-after-psgs-triumph Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:51:26 +0200 podcast-will-france-pay-for-its-role-in-slavery-and-why-the-violence-after-psgs-triumph France has opened an investigation into an alleged "war crime" and "torture" over Israel's treatment of French activists who took part in a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, a prosecutor's office said on Friday. https://www.thelocal.com/20260605/france-opens-war-crime-probe-over-israel-treatment-of-flotilla-activists Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:22:38 +0200 france-opens-war-crime-probe-over-israel-treatment-of-flotilla-activists Concerns are mounting at a controversial revision of Europe's air passenger rights, as crunch talks between European Parliament and Council negotiators are expected to continue next week ahead of a June 15th deadline. https://www.thelocal.com/20260605/concerns-raised-over-air-passenger-rights-in-europe-as-crunch-talks-continue Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:20:57 +0200 concerns-raised-over-air-passenger-rights-in-europe-as-crunch-talks-continue A German serial killer already in prison for the murders of three children was found guilty by a French court on Thursday for the abduction and killing of a 10-year-old boy during a school trip in 2004. https://www.thelocal.com/20260605/german-serial-killer-found-guilty-of-murder-of-french-schoolboy Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:51:23 +0200 german-serial-killer-found-guilty-of-murder-of-french-schoolboy