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 French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Andorra to "move forwards" on decriminalising abortion during a visit to the principality, which maintains one of Europe's last total bans on abortion. https://www.thelocal.com/20260428/macron-urges-andorra-to-move-forwards-on-decriminalising-abortion Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:49:08 +0200 macron-urges-andorra-to-move-forwards-on-decriminalising-abortion Spain's euthanasia legislation has been controversial since it was first introduced, with legal challenges and opposition in medical circles. How it actually works involves a long, structured and purposefully drawn out process. https://www.thelocal.com/20230925/how-euthanasia-works-in-spain Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:09:14 +0200 how-euthanasia-works-in-spain Most visitors to Paris like to see famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower - but there's a new travel trend among tourists, a trip to the pharmacy. https://www.thelocal.com/20230816/french-pharmacies-become-new-must-see-travel-tip-for-american-tourists Wed, 16 Aug 2023 16:04:06 +0200 french-pharmacies-become-new-must-see-travel-tip-for-american-tourists Life expectancy data reveals that people are living longer in Europe on average, but major differences in gender and geography remain. https://www.thelocal.com/20260315/where-in-europe-are-people-likely-to-live-longer Sun, 15 Mar 2026 15:20:07 +0100 where-in-europe-are-people-likely-to-live-longer 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 Two men have died in Vienna after exposure to freezing temperatures. Caritas says the cases show why using Austria’s winter cold lines can be crucial. https://www.thelocal.com/20260115/what-is-the-cold-line-in-austria-and-how-can-it-save-lives Thu, 15 Jan 2026 16:12:53 +0100 what-is-the-cold-line-in-austria-and-how-can-it-save-lives French food giant Danone recalled batches of infant formula in Britain, Spain, Croatia and Slovenia over the possible presence of a toxin, food safety authorities said on Friday, expanding the measure across Europe. https://www.thelocal.com/20260206/danone-recalls-baby-formula-in-several-european-countries Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:48:47 +0100 danone-recalls-baby-formula-in-several-european-countries Bomb disposal experts had to be called to a hospital in south-west France on Sunday after a patient arrived with a WWI shell lodged in his rectum. https://www.thelocal.com/20260202/french-hospital-treats-man-with-wwi-shell-up-his-rectum Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:40:47 +0100 french-hospital-treats-man-with-wwi-shell-up-his-rectum Five years on from the end of the Brexit transition period and hundreds of UK-trained doctors are still "in limbo", waiting for their professional qualifications to be recognised, the French parliament has heard. https://www.thelocal.com/20260127/french-parliament-considering-bill-to-allow-uk-trained-doctors-to-practice-in-france Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:58:02 +0100 french-parliament-considering-bill-to-allow-uk-trained-doctors-to-practice-in-france Swiss food giant Nestlé has announced a recall of batches of infant formula in several European countries, notably France, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Sweden, as a precautionary measure. https://www.thelocal.com/20260106/nestle-recalls-infant-formula-in-several-european-countries Tue, 06 Jan 2026 08:35:35 +0100 nestle-recalls-infant-formula-in-several-european-countries One leading drugstore chain in Germany entered the online pharmacy market on Tuesday, with more set to follow. While the move promises more choice and convenience for consumers, it also brings challenges. https://www.thelocal.com/20251028/why-consumers-in-germany-will-soon-have-more-ways-to-buy-medicine Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:56:01 +0100 why-consumers-in-germany-will-soon-have-more-ways-to-buy-medicine The European Court of Human Rights on Thursday ordered France to pay a former military chief of the ETA militant group €10,000 in compensation for failing to give adequate medical treatment. https://www.thelocal.com/20251204/europe-rights-court-orders-france-to-pay-basque-separatist-over-medical-care Thu, 04 Dec 2025 13:06:23 +0100 europe-rights-court-orders-france-to-pay-basque-separatist-over-medical-care Spain was scrambling on Saturday to limit the economic impact from an outbreak of African swine fever, a day after announcing its first cases in three decades in the Catalonia region. https://www.thelocal.com/20251129/spain-scrambles-to-limit-damage-from-african-swine-fever Sat, 29 Nov 2025 16:04:10 +0100 spain-scrambles-to-limit-damage-from-african-swine-fever Germans take more sick leave than most of their European neighbours. As businesses grapple with the economic strain of absences, we explore the different reasons behind Germany's high rate of sick days. https://www.thelocal.com/20251125/why-do-people-in-germany-take-so-many-sick-days Tue, 25 Nov 2025 15:13:48 +0100 why-do-people-in-germany-take-so-many-sick-days As Germany sees pro-life protests, and a decade's old debate, reignited, we look at what you should know about the debate on reproductive rights in Germany. https://www.thelocal.com/20241205/six-things-to-know-about-abortion-in-germany Thu, 05 Dec 2024 12:25:55 +0100 six-things-to-know-about-abortion-in-germany As more fast-food chains pop up in Switzerland, government officials and doctors have sounded the alarm about the eating habits and health of the population. https://www.thelocal.com/20250908/alarm-grows-in-switzerland-over-influx-of-fast-food-chains Mon, 08 Sep 2025 17:44:34 +0200 alarm-grows-in-switzerland-over-influx-of-fast-food-chains New rules on the products used in nail salons came into effect across the EU on September 1st - here's what that means for manicure fans in Europe. https://www.thelocal.com/20250902/mythbuster-has-the-eu-really-banned-gel-manicures Tue, 02 Sep 2025 18:15:58 +0200 mythbuster-has-the-eu-really-banned-gel-manicures Due to the spread of tiger mosquitoes, France is now reporting rising numbers of cases of what were previously considered to be 'tropical' diseases such as chikungunya, Zika, dengue fever and West Nile virus. https://www.thelocal.com/20250820/maps-where-in-france-are-there-cases-of-chikungunya-dengue-and-west-nile-fever Wed, 20 Aug 2025 14:28:41 +0200 maps-where-in-france-are-there-cases-of-chikungunya-dengue-and-west-nile-fever A major French train station has opened a 'quiet space' for passengers who are sensitive to noise or light, in a pilot project for better provision for autistic people. https://www.thelocal.com/20250811/france-opens-quiet-space-in-major-train-station-as-part-of-autism-project Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:16:22 +0200 france-opens-quiet-space-in-major-train-station-as-part-of-autism-project An outbreak of the cattle virus Lumpy Skin Disease in France has led to cheese import restrictions and quarantine zones in the Alps. https://www.thelocal.com/20250731/whats-going-on-with-frances-lumpy-skin-disease-outbreak Thu, 31 Jul 2025 18:25:44 +0200 whats-going-on-with-frances-lumpy-skin-disease-outbreak