https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Small and medium-sized businesses as well as the self-employed in Germany can now apply for new 'bridging aid' to help them stay afloat through the coronavirus pandemic. Here's how it works and when the deadline is. https://www.thelocal.de/20200714/explained-what-you-need-to-know-about-germanys-new-coronavirus-aid-for-small-and-medium-businesses Tue, 14 Jul 2020 14:29:14 +0200 explained-what-you-need-to-know-about-germanys-new-coronavirus-aid-for-small-and-medium-businesses January can be a difficult month to get through. But internationals in Germany can learn some tips from the locals to help beat the winter blues. https://www.thelocal.de/20200110/nine-ways-to-get-through-winter-the-german-way Fri, 10 Jan 2020 16:51:18 +0100 nine-ways-to-get-through-winter-the-german-way Germany is grappling with a ticking demographic time bomb. The Local spoke with FDP politician Christian Dürr who says immigration is the key to the country's future. https://www.thelocal.de/20200107/germany-needs-500000-new-immigrants-every-year Tue, 07 Jan 2020 17:39:21 +0100 germany-needs-500000-new-immigrants-every-year From pricey tickets to delays and overcrowding. Here's the verdict on what's good and what's bad about travelling by train in Germany after #GretaGate. https://www.thelocal.de/20191217/sometimes-flying-is-cheaper-the-problems-and-the-positives-of-train-travel-in-germany Tue, 17 Dec 2019 17:47:31 +0100 sometimes-flying-is-cheaper-the-problems-and-the-positives-of-train-travel-in-germany Healthcare in Germany has been praised in a global study – but Germans are still battling bad habits. https://www.thelocal.de/20191111/how-unhealthy-habits-are-putting-pressure-on-germanys-healthcare-system Mon, 11 Nov 2019 17:03:00 +0100 how-unhealthy-habits-are-putting-pressure-on-germanys-healthcare-system A scary experience shook up one newly arrived expat in Berlin. Yet a stroke of faith - and the kindness of strangers - put things in a different perspective. https://www.thelocal.de/20191002/they-were-so-rude-berlin-newcomer-shares-s-bahn-horror-story Wed, 02 Oct 2019 17:29:59 +0200 they-were-so-rude-berlin-newcomer-shares-s-bahn-horror-story A recent survey found internationals struggle to make friends and settle in Germany. Here’s what our readers had to say about it. https://www.thelocal.de/20190930/they-dont-engage-in-small-talk-heres-why-foreigners-find-it-difficult-to-make-friends-in-germany Mon, 30 Sep 2019 18:07:58 +0200 they-dont-engage-in-small-talk-heres-why-foreigners-find-it-difficult-to-make-friends-in-germany In many countries, breaking away from the Church is easy. But in Germany, unless you have formally revoked your religious affiliation, you may still be liable for church tax. https://www.thelocal.de/20180808/crossed-purposes-when-church-tax-burdens-expat-tax-payers Wed, 08 Aug 2018 13:38:45 +0200 crossed-purposes-when-church-tax-burdens-expat-tax-payers If you take a walk around Kreuzberg these days you might think Google is about to buy up the whole neighbourhood. In fact ten people tops will be employed here by the tech giant. So what is the fuss about? https://www.thelocal.de/20180625/google-is-coming-to-berlin-kreuzberg-and-locals-are-far-from-happy-heres-why Mon, 25 Jun 2018 14:45:42 +0200 google-is-coming-to-berlin-kreuzberg-and-locals-are-far-from-happy-heres-why From a new EU-wide law that better protects consumers' data to good news for some tax payers, here's what is changing this month. https://www.thelocal.de/20180430/what-changes-in-may-2018 Mon, 30 Apr 2018 19:17:58 +0200 what-changes-in-may-2018