Rob Schmitz is NPR's international correspondent based in Berlin, where he covers the human stories of a vast region reckoning with its past while it tries to guide the world toward a brighter future. From his base in the heart of Europe, Schmitz has covered Germany's levelheaded management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of right-wing nationalist politics in Poland and creeping Chinese government influence inside the Czech Republic.
Much of the western U-S is facing dangerously high temperatures this weekend. Phoenix is expecting highs above 110 degrees. And public cooling centers are seeing high demand.
Communities across the country are dealing with "Teen Takeovers" this summer. The viral social media trend is causing disruptions in public spaces across the country. Teens in Charlotte weigh in.