
Inside Germany: A sunny forecast, travel tips and a dramatic change in foreign policy
Is it summer yet?
Beside one, admittedly intense, heatwave
at the beginning of July
, summer in Germany this year has been...not very summery so far.
People who have spent more than a couple summers in the country will be aware that a few weeks of cold weather and rain, even in the middle of July or August, are not uncommon. But the more-than-month-long stream of grey weather days, punctuated by chilly evenings and thunderstorms have really gotten to some people.
'We've been robbed',
wrote Local writer Tom Pugh
this week, lamenting the loss of summer sunshine that meteorologists had practically promised us a few months back, at the end of a particularly warm and dry spring. He was joined by the likes of
Jordan Prince
, whose often humorous videos about life in Germany have gained him a significant online following.
Fortunately for them, and everyone else who prefers their summer with a bit a sunshine, the next wave of warm weather has begun.
On Saturday, the German weather service (DWD) has forecast high temperatures in the lower 30s in much of southern Germany, as well as Dresden and Berlin. And the warm weather is expected to stick around for a few days.
High temperatures are expected to hover around 30C in southern Germany, and in central parts of the country they are expected to rise up to around 34C by Tuesday. In northern, coastal regions temperatures will remain cooler with high temperatures ranging between 22C and 28C through the top of the week.
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Tips for your holidays
Someone who just recently moved to Germany told me that his whole street (in a very central Berlin neighbourhood) seems to have suddenly emptied out. He was wondering what strange event he missed that could have caused the quiet exodus. I told him, it's probably just August - the month when it seems like the whole country packs up and goes on vacation.
For the uninitiated,
this guide to vacationing like a German
can help you really soak in the entire
Ur
laub
experience.
A woman floats on Lake Garda, a lake in northern Italy that is a popular destination for German tourists in the summer. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Reinhardt
And if you plan on flying home with a bag full of souvenirs, you can
check this list
to find out exactly how many bottles of Spanish wine, or Italian handbags, you can bring back duty-free.
Whatever you do, be advised not to try and pull your kids out of school early to extend your vacation period or beat the crowds.
Media reports on Friday highlighted how local authorities can issue fines against families that do so. Reportedly, 303 fines for the "unauthorized extension of holidays" were issued in Hamburg this year - a new record number of violations for the northern city-state.
READ ALSO:
LISTED - The new direct flights from Germany this summer
Five of Germany's busiest tourist attractions and where to go instead
Advertisement
No more German weapons for use in Gaza
Germany is stopping the export of weapons to Israel for use in the Gaza Strip, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Friday. The Chancellor's announcement came shortly after Israel said it would "take control" of Gaza City, a plan which sparked immediate criticism from governments around the world.
The arms export freeze marks a dramatic change of course for the German government, which has long been one of Israel's staunchest international allies as it has sought to atone for the Holocaust.
Recent days and weeks have seen leaders, both political and cultural within Germany, show signs that they are increasingly willing to speak out against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Germany's Foreign Minister began with somewhat cryptic comments, such as saying that Israel was
"increasingly in the minority"
on the issue of
Palestinian statehood
, after allies like France suggested they were ready to do so.
Since last week, a growing list of German celebrities - including pop-star Nina Chuba and Israeli Golden Globe winner Ari Folman - signed an open letter to Chancellor Merz urging him to to stop arms deliveries.
Germany is known to be the second biggest supplier of weapons to Israel, behind the US. Deliveries from Germany have included firearms, ammunition, weapons parts and special armoured vehicles, among other equipment, the government said in June in response to a parliamentary request.

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Int'l Business Times
2 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Child Dies In Italy As European Heatwave Sets Records And Sparks Wildfires
A young boy died of heatstroke in Italy while wildfires threatened a UNESCO site in Spain and French cites saw record temperatures, as a heatwave baked Europe on Monday. The four-year-old Romanian boy died days after being found unconscious in the family's car in Sardinia. The boy was airlifted to a Rome hospital but died of irreversible brain damage, the hospital told AFP on Monday. The news came as Italy's health ministry issued a red alert warning for seven major cities, including Bologna and Florence. Some 11 Italian cities are on red alert for Tuesday, and 16 cities on Wednesday, while around 190 firefighters and the army continue to tackle a wildfire on Mount Vesuvius that caused the closure of the national park to tourists. Wildfires damaged a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site in northwestern Spain and forced evacuations in three Balkan countries as high temperatures fanned by strong winds left parts of Europe in flames. Spanish firefighters struggled to contain a wildfire that damaged a Roman-era mining site in Las Medulas and prompted hundreds of residents to evacuate. High temperatures and winds of up to 40 kilometres per hour (25 mph) created "many difficulties", said Juan Carlos Suarez-Quinones, the Castile and Leon regional environment minister. "We will not allow people to return until safety in their communities is absolutely guaranteed," he told reporters, estimating that about 700 people had been displaced. Four people, including two firefighters, suffered minor injuries, he added. The blaze broke out on Sunday near Las Medulas, an area famed for its striking red landscape. Spain has been in the grip of a heatwave for the past week, with temperatures nearing 40C in many areas and fuelling wildfires. Castile and Leon alone has seen 13 fires in the past three days, according to Suarez-Quinones, who said that some were believed to have been deliberately started. In neighbouring Portugal, firefighters were battling three large wildfires in the centre and north of the country. People were evacuated from dozens of homes in the Balkans as firefighters battled blazes in Albania, Montenegro and Croatia, where red alerts were announced. In Albania, hundreds of firefighters and soldiers had subdued most of the nearly 40 fires that flared up in the last 24 hours, according to the defence ministry, but more than a dozen were still active. Fires continued to burn in the southern coastal area of Finiq, around 160 kilometres south of the capital, where about 10 people were evacuated and several homes were razed on Sunday night, according to local media. Since the start of July, nearly 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) have been scorched nationwide, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS). Police allege that many of the blazes were deliberately lit, with more than 20 people arrested in recent weeks. Just outside the capital of neighbouring Montenegro, where temperatures soared to 40C, fire crews managed to save dozens of homes when a blaze broke out in inaccessible terrain on Monday, the commander of the Protection and Rescue Service, Nikola Bojanovic, told media. In Croatia, around 150 firefighters also spent the night defending homes from a blaze near the port city of Split. In the northwestern Turkish province of Canakkale, more than 2,000 people were evacuated and 77 people received hospital treatment for smoke inhalation after several fires broke out around the tourist village of Guzelyali, authorities said. Several homes and cars caught ablaze, according to images shown on Turkish media, while more than 760 firefighters, 10 aeroplanes, nine helicopters and more than 200 vehicles were deployed to battle the flames. Turkey had just experienced its hottest July since records began 55 years ago. Temperature records were broken in at least four weather stations in southern France, as the government called for vigilance. The southwestern city of Bordeaux hit a record 41.6C while all-time records were also broken at meteorological stations in Bergerac, Cognac and Saint Girons, according to the national weather service, Meteo France. The heatwave, the country's second this summer, began on Friday and was forecast to last possibly until August 19 or 20. On Monday, 12 French departments were placed on red alert, the country's highest heat warning, with four more expected on Tuesday. Spanish firefighters struggled to contain a wildfire that damaged the Las Medulas Roman-era mining site and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate AFP The blaze broke out on Sunday near the Las Medulas Roman gold-mining area famed for its striking red landscape AFP Around 190 firefighters and the army tackled a wildfire on Mount Vesuvius that forced the closure of the national park to tourists AFP


Local Germany
10 hours ago
- Local Germany
'Heat stress': How hot will Germany get this week?
Most of the country is seeing a hot and sunny start to the week with temperatures set to reach 32C in the Upper Rhine area. It's cooler along the coast and in the north, though, in places like Hamburg and Rostock. There temperatures will range between 20C and 24C at the top of the week with some periodic cloud cover offering short breaks from the sun. As of Monday morning, the German Weather Service (DWD) predicts even more sunny weather ahead: temperatures on Tuesday could be even hotter with highs of 36C in parts of the southwest. The national forecaster has also issued a heat warning for the southwest, which includes Munich and Stuttgart, and in the Rhine region. Only the far north of the country is expected to escape the high 30s with slightly less sweaty temperatures of between 23C and 29C on Tuesday. There's little respite at night-time either with temperatures unlikely to fall below 21C in warm regions. READ ALSO: MAP - Where in Germany residents have been forced to move by extreme weather It's a similar – but even hotter – picture on Wednesday with temperatures ranging from 31C to 38C in much of the country with the southwest continuing to experience the hottest weather. Coastal regions were still predicted to be cooler with some showers and thunderstorms possible in the southern low mountain ranges, according to DWD. But the sustained sunny period was forecast to break on Thursday with clouds moving in and thunderstorms and heavy rain possible in the afternoon. Advertisement While some areas may see heavy rain, temperatures are expected to remain high - between 29C and 38C. The stormy period could continue into the coming weekend, too, with thunderstorms, heavy rain, gusty winds – and even hail – dominating the weather picture. But it would still be hot, DWD said, with temperatures of between 28C to 36C. READ ALSO: Which German cities are best prepared for extreme heat? Unrelenting heat and humidity can be dangerous for vulnerable people, such as older people and young children. The DWD warns of "severe heat stress" when temperatures feel above 32C (with little cooling at night) and "extreme heat stress" when the temperature rises above 38C. Recommended precautions to take in a heatwave: Drink plenty of water Stay out of the sun, especially during the hottest times of day Avoid physical exertion


Local Germany
2 days ago
- Local Germany
Inside Germany: A sunny forecast, travel tips and a dramatic change in foreign policy
Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It's published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article. Is it summer yet? Beside one, admittedly intense, heatwave at the beginning of July , summer in Germany this year has very summery so far. People who have spent more than a couple summers in the country will be aware that a few weeks of cold weather and rain, even in the middle of July or August, are not uncommon. But the more-than-month-long stream of grey weather days, punctuated by chilly evenings and thunderstorms have really gotten to some people. 'We've been robbed', wrote Local writer Tom Pugh this week, lamenting the loss of summer sunshine that meteorologists had practically promised us a few months back, at the end of a particularly warm and dry spring. He was joined by the likes of Jordan Prince , whose often humorous videos about life in Germany have gained him a significant online following. Fortunately for them, and everyone else who prefers their summer with a bit a sunshine, the next wave of warm weather has begun. On Saturday, the German weather service (DWD) has forecast high temperatures in the lower 30s in much of southern Germany, as well as Dresden and Berlin. And the warm weather is expected to stick around for a few days. High temperatures are expected to hover around 30C in southern Germany, and in central parts of the country they are expected to rise up to around 34C by Tuesday. In northern, coastal regions temperatures will remain cooler with high temperatures ranging between 22C and 28C through the top of the week. Advertisement Tips for your holidays Someone who just recently moved to Germany told me that his whole street (in a very central Berlin neighbourhood) seems to have suddenly emptied out. He was wondering what strange event he missed that could have caused the quiet exodus. I told him, it's probably just August - the month when it seems like the whole country packs up and goes on vacation. For the uninitiated, this guide to vacationing like a German can help you really soak in the entire Ur laub experience. A woman floats on Lake Garda, a lake in northern Italy that is a popular destination for German tourists in the summer. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Reinhardt And if you plan on flying home with a bag full of souvenirs, you can check this list to find out exactly how many bottles of Spanish wine, or Italian handbags, you can bring back duty-free. Whatever you do, be advised not to try and pull your kids out of school early to extend your vacation period or beat the crowds. Media reports on Friday highlighted how local authorities can issue fines against families that do so. Reportedly, 303 fines for the "unauthorized extension of holidays" were issued in Hamburg this year - a new record number of violations for the northern city-state. READ ALSO: LISTED - The new direct flights from Germany this summer Five of Germany's busiest tourist attractions and where to go instead Advertisement No more German weapons for use in Gaza Germany is stopping the export of weapons to Israel for use in the Gaza Strip, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Friday. The Chancellor's announcement came shortly after Israel said it would "take control" of Gaza City, a plan which sparked immediate criticism from governments around the world. The arms export freeze marks a dramatic change of course for the German government, which has long been one of Israel's staunchest international allies as it has sought to atone for the Holocaust. Recent days and weeks have seen leaders, both political and cultural within Germany, show signs that they are increasingly willing to speak out against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Germany's Foreign Minister began with somewhat cryptic comments, such as saying that Israel was "increasingly in the minority" on the issue of Palestinian statehood , after allies like France suggested they were ready to do so. Since last week, a growing list of German celebrities - including pop-star Nina Chuba and Israeli Golden Globe winner Ari Folman - signed an open letter to Chancellor Merz urging him to to stop arms deliveries. Germany is known to be the second biggest supplier of weapons to Israel, behind the US. Deliveries from Germany have included firearms, ammunition, weapons parts and special armoured vehicles, among other equipment, the government said in June in response to a parliamentary request.