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Posts by Tom O’Rourke

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About Tom O’Rourke
Tom covers the people-focused side of Europe: pop culture, food, sport, nightlife, festivals, and the sometimes-messy but always entertaining UK-Europe relationship. He’s the voice behind light but insightful explainers about why Europe does things “like that”, with regular dispatches from Madrid, Lille and Berlin. Enjoys poking fun at stereotypes — British and continental alike.
Berlin's skyline at dusk, a symbol of the city grappling with soaring rents and housing affordability in Germany's most expensive metro area.
Posted inPolitics

Rent‑Price Tsunami: How German Cities Are Losing the Affordability Battle

Rents are roaring through Berlin, Munich and Hamburg like a tidal wave, and the data that should be charting its height simply isn’t there. The Deutsche Bundesbank’s latest quarterly report, dated…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 16, 2025
The Louvre at night, a symbol of French cultural heritage now under heightened security following a recent heist attempt.
Posted inCulture

Heist at the Louvre: France’s Museums on Red Alert

The Louvre was robbed in broad daylight, and the thieves vanished with $102 million of priceless jewels in a 30‑second window that left the world’s most visited museum looking embarrassingly exposed.…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 15, 2025
Two actors in a tense scene from the crime drama 'Gomorra,' which has become the focal point of a new French law restricting its discussion.
Posted inPolitics

France Passes ‘Omerta’ Law on TV Series – Censorship Clash Over ‘Gomorra’

France has effectively gagged the talk of its own TV hits. A March 2024 law passed by the French Parliament makes it a criminal offence to discuss, promote or “glorify” any…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 13, 2025
The French game Clair Obscur wins top honors at the Game Awards, highlighting Europe's rising gaming industry and global export potential.
Posted inBusiness

French Game ‘Clair Obscur’ Wins Big at Game Awards – Europe’s Next Gaming Powerhouse

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ripped through the 2025 Game Awards, scooping a record nine trophies – including Game of the Year – and leaving heavyweight rivals such as Red Dead Redemption 2 in the…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 13, 2025
The display highlights the legacy of Italy's print media industry, raising questions about the future of its historic newspaper Gedi in the face of government ownership and foreign investment concerns.
Posted inPolitics

Gedi Sale Sparks ‘Golden Power’ Debate in Italy

The sale of GEDI Gruppo Editoriale could hand Italy’s second‑most‑read daily and three national radio stations to a Greek‑based media group backed by a Saudi sovereign‑wealth fund, igniting a fierce debate over…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 13, 2025
Commuters aboard Madrid’s new Line 6 metro, marking a key transport upgrade for the capital and its suburbs.
Posted inTravel

Madrid’s New Line 6 Opens – A Metro Boost for the Iberian Commute

The new stretch of Madrid’s iconic Line 6 – the “Circular” – is back in service as of 20 December, a full eleven days ahead of schedule and just in time for…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 13, 2025
Madrid's central district bustles with traffic as new low-emission zone regulations take effect, granting a one-year grace period for unlicensed polluting vehicles.
Posted inPolitics

Madrid Extends Low‑Emission Zone – Drivers Get a One‑Year Grace Until 2026

Madrid has rolled back its clean‑air deadline, giving the roughly 15 000 oldest petrol cars a one‑year grace period until 31 December 2026. The city council announced the postponement on 11 December, citing a court ruling that forced…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 12, 2025
AI-generated Disney characters exemplify the company's strategic investment in AI platforms like OpenAI's Sora, poised to reshape European media landscapes.
Posted inBusiness

Disney’s $1 bn AI Gamble: What It Means for European Media

Disney has ploughed a $1 billion into OpenAI’s new text‑to‑video tool Sora, giving the world’s biggest media conglomerate the right to let users generate short clips starring Marvel, Pixar and Star Wars icons…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 12, 2025
An infographic highlighting the growing trend of adult ADHD diagnoses in Berlin and across Germany.
Posted inAnalysis

ADHD Boom: Why Adult Diagnoses Are Tripling Across Europe

The adult ADHD boom is no longer a niche headline – it’s a continent‑wide health emergency. The number of new adult ADHD diagnoses in Germany has tripled over the past…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 12, 2025
A family of tourists prepares for a holiday, symbolizing the travelers who may be affected by Trump’s proposed 'Gold Card' visa policy.
Posted inTravel

Trump’s ‘Gold Card’ Visa: Will It Stop British Holiday‑makers?

The United States has quietly turned its tourist‑visa system into a digital‑background check, demanding that anyone – even a British backpacker – hand over a five‑year public‑social‑media audit before stepping foot…
Posted by Tom O’Rourke December 12, 2025

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