Germany's Contact Tracers Have Been Vital To The Country's COVID-19 Fight Since the very start of the pandemic Germany has had armies of tracers following the contacts of every confirmed coronavirus case, keeping the number of deaths there relatively low.Heard onToggle more optionsSince the very start of the pandemic Germany has had armies of tracers following the contacts of every confirmed coronavirus case, keeping the number of deaths there relatively low.STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:Germany has had notable success in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. One reason for that is contact tracers -...…Germany's Contact Tracers Have Been Vital To The Country's COVID-19 Fight Since the very start of the pandemic Germany has had armies of tracers following the contacts of every confirmed coronavirus case, keeping the number of deaths there relatively low.Heard onToggle more optionsSince the very start of the pandemic Germany has had armies of tracers following the contacts of every confirmed coronavirus case, keeping the number of deaths there relatively low.STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:Germany has had notable success in slowing the spread of the coronavirus. One reason for that is contact tracers -...WW…

Coronavirus Pandemic Tests Leadership Styles In U.K, Germany U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel present different visions of leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.Heard onToggle more optionsU.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel present different visions of leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:The pandemic is testing different countries and their leaders. In Europe, one contrast is between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He is widely seen as a...…Coronavirus Pandemic Tests Leadership Styles In U.K, Germany U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel present different visions of leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.Heard onToggle more optionsU.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel present different visions of leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:The pandemic is testing different countries and their leaders. In Europe, one contrast is between British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He is widely seen as a...WW…

European Countries Are Bracing Themselves For The Next Wave Of The Pandemic Europe starts to loosen up the quarantine restrictions and reopen economies. But some countries are expecting — even planning for — the next wave of the coronavirus outbreaks.Heard onToggle more optionsEurope starts to loosen up the quarantine restrictions and reopen economies. But some countries are expecting — even planning for — the next wave of the coronavirus outbreaks.MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:Think of the coronavirus less like a single hill, more like a roller coaster. We may get to the top of one peak only to...…European Countries Are Bracing Themselves For The Next Wave Of The Pandemic Europe starts to loosen up the quarantine restrictions and reopen economies. But some countries are expecting — even planning for — the next wave of the coronavirus outbreaks.Heard onToggle more optionsEurope starts to loosen up the quarantine restrictions and reopen economies. But some countries are expecting — even planning for — the next wave of the coronavirus outbreaks.MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:Think of the coronavirus less like a single hill, more like a roller coaster. We may get to the top of one peak only to...WW…

European Nations See A Rise In COVID-19 Cases Italy remains the hardest-hit country in Europe — though other nations are seeing rising numbers of coronavirus cases and are moving to shut down place where groups of people gather.Heard onToggle more optionsItaly remains the hardest-hit country in Europe — though other nations are seeing rising numbers of coronavirus cases and are moving to shut down place where groups of people gather.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:The World Health Organization has declared Europe as the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. The three countries bearing the brunt of it...…European Nations See A Rise In COVID-19 Cases Italy remains the hardest-hit country in Europe — though other nations are seeing rising numbers of coronavirus cases and are moving to shut down place where groups of people gather.Heard onToggle more optionsItaly remains the hardest-hit country in Europe — though other nations are seeing rising numbers of coronavirus cases and are moving to shut down place where groups of people gather.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:The World Health Organization has declared Europe as the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. The three countries bearing the brunt of it...WW…

Joyful Kids, Frayed Parents When COVID-19 Scare Closes German School One of the first schools to close in Germany because of a student's possible link to the coronavirus, is also the one attended by the children of NPR's Berlin correspondent.Heard onToggle more optionsOne of the first schools to close in Germany because of a student's possible link to the coronavirus, is also the one attended by the children of NPR's Berlin correspondent.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:A journalist's job is to observe and then report those observations. It's not supposed to be about you, until it is, which is what...…Joyful Kids, Frayed Parents When COVID-19 Scare Closes German School One of the first schools to close in Germany because of a student's possible link to the coronavirus, is also the one attended by the children of NPR's Berlin correspondent.Heard onToggle more optionsOne of the first schools to close in Germany because of a student's possible link to the coronavirus, is also the one attended by the children of NPR's Berlin correspondent.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:A journalist's job is to observe and then report those observations. It's not supposed to be about you, until it is, which is what...WW…

EU Considers Sanctions Against Poland For Overhauling Its Judiciary Poland is under the threat of sanctions from the EU and might lose its voting rights in the bloc because of moves by the country's ruling party to restrict the independence of Polish judges.Heard onToggle more optionsPoland is under the threat of sanctions from the EU and might lose its voting rights in the bloc because of moves by the country's ruling party to restrict the independence of Polish judges.DAVID GREENE, HOST:Over the next few weeks, we're going to be looking at how authoritarian and populist regimes around the...…EU Considers Sanctions Against Poland For Overhauling Its Judiciary Poland is under the threat of sanctions from the EU and might lose its voting rights in the bloc because of moves by the country's ruling party to restrict the independence of Polish judges.Heard onToggle more optionsPoland is under the threat of sanctions from the EU and might lose its voting rights in the bloc because of moves by the country's ruling party to restrict the independence of Polish judges.DAVID GREENE, HOST:Over the next few weeks, we're going to be looking at how authoritarian and populist regimes around the...WW…

Germany Enters Recession Due To Coronavirus : Coronavirus Updates Germany has seen its biggest quarterly contraction since 2009 when the global financial crisis ravaged the country's economy. Economists expect an even deeper slump in the second quarter.The coronavirus pandemic has plunged Europe's largest economy into recession. Official figures show Germany's economy in the first three months of this year. It's the biggest quarterly fall since 2009 when the global financial crisis ravaged the country's economy. Figures for the last three months of 2019 were also revised to show a...…Germany Enters Recession Due To Coronavirus : Coronavirus Updates Germany has seen its biggest quarterly contraction since 2009 when the global financial crisis ravaged the country's economy. Economists expect an even deeper slump in the second quarter.The coronavirus pandemic has plunged Europe's largest economy into recession. Official figures show Germany's economy in the first three months of this year. It's the biggest quarterly fall since 2009 when the global financial crisis ravaged the country's economy. Figures for the last three months of 2019 were also revised to show a...WW…

Criticism Grows As Countries In Europe Suspend The Use Of The AstraZeneca Vaccine There's growing criticism in Europe of some countries' governments deciding to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, since experts say there's no link between the shot and blood clots.Heard onToggle more optionsThere's growing criticism in Europe of some countries' governments deciding to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, since experts say there's no link between the shot and blood clots.MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:To Europe now, where multiple countries, including France,...…Criticism Grows As Countries In Europe Suspend The Use Of The AstraZeneca Vaccine There's growing criticism in Europe of some countries' governments deciding to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, since experts say there's no link between the shot and blood clots.Heard onToggle more optionsThere's growing criticism in Europe of some countries' governments deciding to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, since experts say there's no link between the shot and blood clots.MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:To Europe now, where multiple countries, including France,...WW…

After Slow Start, More Germans Are Getting COVID-19 Vaccine Shots Only a relatively small number of Germans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and there's widespread dissatisfaction about the delay. So why then are millions of AstraZeneca shots going unused?Heard onToggle more optionsOnly a relatively small number of Germans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and there's widespread dissatisfaction about the delay. So why then are millions of AstraZeneca shots going unused?SCOTT DETROW, HOST:Health officials in Germany have a problem trying to convince people to get vaccinated with...…After Slow Start, More Germans Are Getting COVID-19 Vaccine Shots Only a relatively small number of Germans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and there's widespread dissatisfaction about the delay. So why then are millions of AstraZeneca shots going unused?Heard onToggle more optionsOnly a relatively small number of Germans have been vaccinated against COVID-19, and there's widespread dissatisfaction about the delay. So why then are millions of AstraZeneca shots going unused?SCOTT DETROW, HOST:Health officials in Germany have a problem trying to convince people to get vaccinated with...WW…

What Will Tesla's New German Gigafactory Mean For Germany's Auto Industry? The electric automaker plans to start building cars outside Berlin this summer, threatening to upend Germany's traditional combustion engine car culture. It's Tesla's first European production site.Toggle more optionsSeven years ago, Mathias Döpfner was at a ceremony celebrating Tesla founder Elon Musk. Döpfner, the head of German media company Axel Springer, was seated next to a CEO of one of Germany's biggest carmakers, and he turned to him and asked, "Isn't this guy dangerous for you?" As he , the CEO shook his...…What Will Tesla's New German Gigafactory Mean For Germany's Auto Industry? The electric automaker plans to start building cars outside Berlin this summer, threatening to upend Germany's traditional combustion engine car culture. It's Tesla's first European production site.Toggle more optionsSeven years ago, Mathias Döpfner was at a ceremony celebrating Tesla founder Elon Musk. Döpfner, the head of German media company Axel Springer, was seated next to a CEO of one of Germany's biggest carmakers, and he turned to him and asked, "Isn't this guy dangerous for you?" As he , the CEO shook his...WW…