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 France will tighten its borders with Spain, the country's interior minister said on Friday, after thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Spain's north African Ceuta enclave. https://www.thelocal.com/20260731/france-to-step-up-controls-at-spanish-border Fri, 31 Jul 2026 11:26:47 +0200 france-to-step-up-controls-at-spanish-border Swedes' interest in travelling to Southern Europe does not seem to be decreasing despite the major fires in France and Spain, according to airlines and travel agencies. https://www.thelocal.com/20260731/swedes-still-booking-holidays-in-southern-europe-despite-fires Fri, 31 Jul 2026 10:36:40 +0200 swedes-still-booking-holidays-in-southern-europe-despite-fires A young girl and a woman, who had been missing after a collision between a pleasure boat and a merchant ship off the coast of Tjörn, have been found dead. The captain of a Norwegian merchant ship has been held as part of the investigation. https://www.thelocal.com/20260731/woman-and-child-found-dead-after-boat-collision-off-swedish-coast-merchant-ship-captain-suspected Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:42:15 +0200 woman-and-child-found-dead-after-boat-collision-off-swedish-coast-merchant-ship-captain-suspected Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni called on Thursday for Spain's suspension from the EU's visa-free Schengen travel zone after thousands of migrants entered the Spanish exclave of Ceuta adjoining Morocco. https://www.thelocal.com/20260731/italy-says-spain-should-be-suspended-from-schengen-zone Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:31:12 +0200 italy-says-spain-should-be-suspended-from-schengen-zone Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Friday planned to head to the country's north African enclave of Ceuta after thousands of Moroccan migrants crossed the border. https://www.thelocal.com/20260731/spains-pm-heads-to-border-enclave-over-mass-migrant-crossing Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:15:47 +0200 spains-pm-heads-to-border-enclave-over-mass-migrant-crossing As firefighters struggle to contain some of the worst European wildfires in living memory with reduced numbers of aerial water bombers, production of the iconic aircraft creaks along half a world away in a Canadian factory. https://www.thelocal.com/20260730/why-europe-wont-get-any-new-canadair-water-bombers-any-time-soon Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:23:51 +0200 why-europe-wont-get-any-new-canadair-water-bombers-any-time-soon The Talking France podcast interrupts its summer break with a special episode on the wildfires raging across the country - why is this fire season so severe, how is it affecting daily life and travel, and are France's political leaders finally waking up to the worsening climate crisis? https://www.thelocal.com/20260729/podcast-france-ravaged-by-climate-crisis-as-wildfires-and-drought-blight-summer Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:39:00 +0200 podcast-france-ravaged-by-climate-crisis-as-wildfires-and-drought-blight-summer "I have no money, no documents, no home," said 74-year-old pensioner José Fernández, one victim of the wildfires that burned his town, Pelayos de la Presa, and numerous others west of Madrid. https://www.thelocal.com/20260729/no-home-spanish-pensioner-returns-to-charred-ruins-after-wildfire Wed, 29 Jul 2026 13:08:03 +0200 no-home-spanish-pensioner-returns-to-charred-ruins-after-wildfire Twenty Ethiopians from a youth team playing at a football tournament in Gothenburg disappeared on the day of the final in what police suspect is a voluntary case of illegal migration. https://www.thelocal.com/20260729/entire-ethiopian-football-team-disappears-after-gothenburg-tournament Wed, 29 Jul 2026 10:24:31 +0200 entire-ethiopian-football-team-disappears-after-gothenburg-tournament A woman and a child are still missing after a recreational boat is suspected of colliding with a cargo ship off Tjörn on Tuesday evening. The search resumed at 7am on Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.com/20260729/woman-and-child-still-missing-after-boat-accident-off-swedish-coast Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:41:46 +0200 woman-and-child-still-missing-after-boat-accident-off-swedish-coast Firefighters battling the giant wildfires in south-west France have reported a 'calmer night', but Wednesday brings a return of scorching temperatures to the region. https://www.thelocal.com/20260727/latest-bordeaux-wildfire-evacuation-plans-and-travel-warnings Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:07:15 +0200 latest-bordeaux-wildfire-evacuation-plans-and-travel-warnings Mass evacuations and lockdowns began to be lifted gradually across wildfire-hit areas of Spain on Tuesday, allowing thousands of people to return home and assess the damage done to their homes and territories. https://www.thelocal.com/20260728/spain-eases-wildfire-evacuation-areas-in-madrid-avila-and-castellon Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:39:58 +0200 spain-eases-wildfire-evacuation-areas-in-madrid-avila-and-castellon Germany is reeling after Berlin's largest Pride event, Christopher Street Day, was targeted in a terror attack that left one person dead and dozens injured. The Local spoke to Berliners and visitors to see how the city is coping in the aftermath. https://www.thelocal.com/20260727/the-fight-continues-how-berlin-is-reacting-to-the-deadly-pride-attack Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:08:59 +0200 the-fight-continues-how-berlin-is-reacting-to-the-deadly-pride-attack AI watermarking and deepfake labelling will soon be required by law in the EU as the transparency part of the bloc’s sweeping AI Act comes into force on August 2nd. https://www.thelocal.com/20260727/explained-eus-new-rules-on-ai-deepfakes-and-chatbots Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:38:09 +0200 explained-eus-new-rules-on-ai-deepfakes-and-chatbots The photo has gone around the world as the defining image of French wildfires, and of the climate crisis - but who took it, where is it and what does it actually show? https://www.thelocal.com/20260727/the-story-behind-the-viral-photo-of-french-wildfires Mon, 27 Jul 2026 11:04:07 +0200 the-story-behind-the-viral-photo-of-french-wildfires Shelters in France and Spain on Monday overflowed with exhausted locals and holidaymakers forced to flee blazes so massive some were forming their own mini weather systems, as authorities warned a new heatwave was set to descend on parts of the region. https://www.thelocal.com/20260723/deadly-wildfires-force-thousands-from-homes-in-europe Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:40:41 +0200 deadly-wildfires-force-thousands-from-homes-in-europe European holidaymakers worn down by recurrent heatwaves are currently snubbing Mediterranean destinations for northern climes in hopes of cooler temperatures, but it remains to be seen whether it is just a fad or a durable shift in the tourism market. https://www.thelocal.com/20260726/will-heatwaves-push-european-holidaymakers-to-coolcations Sun, 26 Jul 2026 14:18:09 +0200 will-heatwaves-push-european-holidaymakers-to-coolcations What dangers does smoke from wildfires pose? Who is most at risk? Here are some answers to health questions often asked, especially now with large wildfires raging in France and Spain. https://www.thelocal.com/20260726/as-wildfires-grip-france-and-spain-what-are-the-health-risks-from-smoke Sun, 26 Jul 2026 09:31:39 +0200 as-wildfires-grip-france-and-spain-what-are-the-health-risks-from-smoke Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Saturday firefighters were working to "save lives" in the blazes raging west of Madrid, as authorities said a separate fire near Valencia killed one person. https://www.thelocal.com/20260724/spain-declares-national-emergency-over-wildfires-in-madrid-and-avila Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:15:32 +0200 spain-declares-national-emergency-over-wildfires-in-madrid-and-avila Germany is set to allow bakeries and public libraries to extend their Sunday opening hours from next year. Now, many business leaders want to see the rules lifted for the entire retail sector. Here's what readers of The Local think. https://www.thelocal.com/20260723/your-views-is-germanys-sunday-shopping-ban-an-outdated-tradition-or-a-chance-for-calm Thu, 23 Jul 2026 11:50:43 +0200 your-views-is-germanys-sunday-shopping-ban-an-outdated-tradition-or-a-chance-for-calm