Rob Schmitz

Marketplace’s China correspondent, based in Shanghai

Rob Schmitz appears in the following:

Nearly Half A Million Companies In Germany File For State Funds To Pay Workers

Wednesday, April 01, 2020

As Europe's largest economy gets hit with COVID-19, a German government financial aid program will make up some of the lost income for millions of employees.

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'Das Coronavirus' Podcast Captivates Germany With Scientific Info On The Pandemic

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Produced by the public broadcaster NDR, the program features scientist Christian Drosten giving clear information about COVID-19, but so far it's in German only.

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Sign Of The Times: Germany's Top Podcast Deals With Coronavirus

Tuesday, March 31, 2020

After two daily episodes, Das Coronavirus Update, a podcast by one of the world's leading virologists, shot to No.1 in Germany. When does a top coronavirus researcher find time to do a podcast?

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Behind Germany's Relatively Low COVID-19 Fatality Rate

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Europe is now the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic. The number of deaths in Italy and Spain is horrifying, but another statistic also stands out: Germany's relatively low death rate.

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Why Germany's Coronavirus Death Rate Is Far Lower Than In Other Countries

Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Italy's fatality rate hovers around 10%. France's is at around 5%. Yet Germany's fatality rate from COVID-19 is just 0.5%. As of March 25, there were 175 deaths and 34,055 cases.

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German Chancellor Angela Merkel Goes Into Self-Isolation

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Merkel put herself under self-quarantine after learning that her doctor had tested positive for COVID-19.

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EU Locks Down Borders To Try To Slow Spread Of COVID-19

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

The European Union is closing its external borders for 30 days to slow the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. Movement within EU member nations will still be allowed.

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European Nations See A Rise In COVID-19 Cases

Monday, March 16, 2020

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.

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Joyful Kids, Frayed Parents When COVID-19 Scare Closes German School

Thursday, March 05, 2020

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.

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Germany To Investigate Mass Shooting Outside Frankfurt As Right-Wing Terrorist Attack

Thursday, February 20, 2020

German police say the gunman who murdered 10 people late on Wednesday at two hookah bars near Frankfurt might have been motivated by far-right and anti-immigrant views.

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Shootings In Germany Kill 10; Police Suspect Far-Right Extremism

Thursday, February 20, 2020

"Racism is a poison. Hate is a poison," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday, as evidence pointed to the gunman being motivated by extreme views.

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U.S. Pressures Europe To Find Alternatives To Huawei

Saturday, February 15, 2020

Discussions at the Munich Security Conference have been somewhat overshadowed by the deepening divide between the U.S. and Europe over Huawei.

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What To Expect From The Munich Security Conference

Saturday, February 15, 2020

The annual Munich Security Conference has been the scene of intensive talks about Afghanistan. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is expected to address the subject in a speech today.

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Poland's Overhaul Of Its Courts Leads To Confrontation With European Union

Thursday, February 13, 2020

The country's ruling Law and Justice party has sought to dramatically reshape the courts, triggering popular protests and threatening Poland's status within the EU parliamentary process.

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EU Considers Sanctions Against Poland For Overhauling Its Judiciary

Thursday, February 13, 2020

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.

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Chancellor Angela Merkel's Chosen Successor Steps Away, Adding To German Uncertainty

Monday, February 10, 2020

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had been hoping for a smooth transfer of power when she steps down next year. But now her chosen successor says she doesn't want the country's top job.

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75 Years After Auschwitz Liberation, Survivors Urge World To Remember

Monday, January 27, 2020

"People should look at this place and think about our moral responsibility," says Pawel Sawicki, a longtime guide at the Auschwitz museum in Poland.

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Peace Corps To End China Program

Friday, January 24, 2020

The Peace Corps has decided to ax its China program. Critics of the decision call the program one of the diplomatic success stories in the history of China-U.S. relations.

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Views From The U.K. And Germany Regarding Iran

Wednesday, January 08, 2020

The United States' European allies are trying to deal with new security problems after the U.S. killing of Iran's top general.

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Swine Fever In China Forces Germans To Pay More For Pork

Tuesday, January 07, 2020

A devastating outbreak of swine fever in China has increased Chinese demand for European pork, and that's leaving less meat available for sausages in Germany.

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