Europe

World News

Airbnb Closes Its Call Center In Barcelona

4:24pm May 20, 2020

by Lucía Benavides

Barcelona's tourism sector is at a complete standstill this year. The landlords who usually lease apartments to tourists are now renting out to locals, and Airbnb has closed its call center there.

Capt. Tom Moore, 100, is being awarded a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II after raising more than $39 million in charity for medical workers. Moore walked 100 laps in his garden to earn donations.

Tom Moore, U.K.'s 100-Year-Old Hero, Is Awarded Knighthood For Fundraising Walks

11:59am May 20, 2020

by Bill Chappell

"I hope she's not very heavy-handed with the sword, because by then I might be rather a poor old weak soul," the World War II veteran said of a possible knighthood ceremony with Queen Elizabeth II.

Fresh asparagus has been gathered in Bottrop, Germany, in mid-April. Farms across Europe are facing a labor shortage as a result of closed borders because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Germany Struggles To Fill Its Farm Labor Shortage After Closing Its Borders

11:58am May 20, 2020

by Rob Schmitz

The government flew in thousands of seasonal workers from Romania and Poland, but that may not be enough. Some farmers are looking to hire Germans for the harvest.

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British Man Invents 'Cuddle Curtain' For Socially Distant Hugs With Grandma

7:51am May 20, 2020

The coronavirus hasn't stopped a 29-year-old British man from hugging his grandmother. He invented the Cuddle Curtain – a shower curtain with plastic sleeves – so she can hug him whenever she wants.

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Economic Responses To Coronavirus Pandemic Vary Worldwide

7:36am May 20, 2020

NPR Correspondents Rob Schmitz and Scott Horsley talk about stimulus efforts in the U.S. and Europe and how governments are dealing with sharp and sudden economic downturns during the pandemic.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron hold a joint news conference via video on Monday to propose a European Union coronavirus recovery fund of 500 billion euros.

Germany, France Propose $543 Billion EU Coronavirus Recovery Fund

9:35pm May 18, 2020

The plan is to raise the money through EU-backed bonds and be help the hardest-hit industries and regions. The issue of burden sharing remains controversial among several of the bloc's member states.

World News

Germany Faces A Shortage Of Seasonal Farmworkers Due To The Pandemic

5:30pm May 18, 2020

by Rob Schmitz

German farmers are facing challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, as the country is experiencing a shortage of seasonal farmworkers who typically come from Eastern European countries.

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Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic addressed his supporters ahead of Serbia's parliamentary elections next month.

The Serbian President's 'Very Dystopian And Creepy' Political Rally

4:50pm May 18, 2020

by Joanna Kakissis

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic faced a wall of screens and launched into a campaign speech as people on the screens applauded and whooped. The virtual rally drew comparisons to Black Mirror.

German police detain a demonstrator during a protest against the government's restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in front of the Reichstag in Berlin on Saturday.

Germans Protest Shutdown Even After Easing Of Coronavirus Restrictions

12:04pm May 18, 2020

by Rob Schmitz

Protesters — including citizens against restrictions, extremists and anti-vaccination groups — have taken to the streets in cities across Germany.

Empty seats are seen in the Signal Iduna Park without spectators during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 in Dortmund, Germany on Saturday

'Better Than No Football At All': Germany's Bundesliga Restarts Season

12:13pm May 17, 2020

by H.J. Mai

It became the first top international soccer league to resume after suspending play due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the decision to continue the tournament without fans remains controversial.