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 A recent report that lifeguards had been told it was up to them to make a judgement call on saving drowning people during the pandemic caused concern among readers. We talked to the lifeguard service to set the record straight. https://www.thelocal.de/20200820/german-lifeguard-service-coronavirus-wont-stop-guards-saving-drowning-swimmers Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:39:59 +0200 german-lifeguard-service-coronavirus-wont-stop-guards-saving-drowning-swimmers We've skipped spring and gone straight to summer; as such you're probably ready to cool off with a swim in a Bad or a See. After over 400 people drowned last year, the German lifesaving society has come up with some swimming tips and has debunked some swimming myths. https://www.thelocal.de/20180607/all-you-need-to-know-about-keeping-safe-while-swimming-this-summer Thu, 07 Jun 2018 18:25:53 +0200 all-you-need-to-know-about-keeping-safe-while-swimming-this-summer Already in 2016 more people have drowned in German waters than in the whole of 2015, with the German Lifeguard Service (DLRG) saying refugees are significantly over-represented in the figures. https://www.thelocal.de/20160908/drownings-rise-sharply-as-refugees-overestimate-ability Thu, 08 Sep 2016 18:38:54 +0200 drownings-rise-sharply-as-refugees-overestimate-ability 100 years ago on Tuesday, the British and German navies met in the biggest sea battle in history off the Danish coast – one which has become as controversial and hard to make sense of as the First World War itself. https://www.thelocal.de/20160531/jutland-history-first-world-war-navy-skagerrakschlacht-100-years-centenary Tue, 31 May 2016 09:46:26 +0200 jutland-history-first-world-war-navy-skagerrakschlacht-100-years-centenary A young German woman has swum from Europe to Africa in a little under three hours, setting a new world record in the process. https://www.thelocal.de/20160425/german-swims-from-europe-to-africa-in-under-two-hours Mon, 25 Apr 2016 17:47:39 +0200 german-swims-from-europe-to-africa-in-under-two-hours On Tuesday, German MPs, journalists and others took to the Spree river in a boat once used by refugees to get an idea of what dangerous Mediterranean crossings are like. The Local's Hannah Butler was amongst the boat's passengers - and was shocked by what she experienced. https://www.thelocal.de/20151014/my-30-minutes-on-a-refugee-boat Wed, 14 Oct 2015 13:11:33 +0200 my-30-minutes-on-a-refugee-boat Six people were infected with a bacteria from the Caribbean which has made itself at home in the popular German vacation destination. One of them is now in a coma. https://www.thelocal.de/20140901/vacationer-killed-by-baltic-sea-bacteria Mon, 01 Sep 2014 16:49:00 +0200 vacationer-killed-by-baltic-sea-bacteria Some beaches in Germany have stricter rules than expected: In Sylt sandcastles are completely forbidden and others have restrictions on height and width. https://www.thelocal.de/20140812/strict-summer-rules-no-sandcastles-allowed Tue, 12 Aug 2014 13:51:00 +0200 strict-summer-rules-no-sandcastles-allowed Ecologists have called for more marine nature protection zones, as nearly a third of fish and other sea species in German waters are now considered endangered. https://www.thelocal.de/20140513/marine-life-under-threat-needs-real-protection Tue, 13 May 2014 12:38:00 +0200 marine-life-under-threat-needs-real-protection German safety inspectors warned on Tuesday against cheap but infirm inflatables, flaky flotation devices and toxic toys on sale in European holiday destinations, many of which could prove deadly to infants. https://www.thelocal.de/20130716/50883 Tue, 16 Jul 2013 18:42:00 +0200 50883