Good morning.

       We’re covering a huge stimulus package agreed in Europe and another big one being discussed in the U.S., accusations that Chinese hackers tried to steal U.S. vaccine research and the performance of virus-tracing apps.

       Stimulus money to flow in Europe, and the U.S. works toward another round European Union leaders agreed to a 750 billion euro spending package to rescue their economies from the ravages of the pandemic.

       The deal, worth roughly $860 billion, was notable for its firsts: European countries will raise large sums by selling bonds collectively, rather than individually; and much of that money will be handed out to countries hit hardest by the pandemic, like Italy.

       In Washington, Republicans are drawing up a $1 trillion relief plan that would beef up a popular federal loan program for small businesses and provide another round of direct payments to American families. Democrats, who control the House of Representatives but form the minority in the Senate, are pushing a far more expansive $3 trillion plan.

       Behind the European deal: Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany took a leading role in negotiating the E.U. plan, but there were quite a few concessions along the way, our correspondents write.

       Here’s our latest updates and maps tracking the pandemic.

       In other developments:

       Chinese officials are hailing a visit by experts from the World Health Organization to investigate the source of the coronavirus as evidence that China is a responsible global power. The investigation is likely to take many months and could face delays.

       Blood clotting problems may be significantly more common among Covid-19 patients than among those with other infectious diseases, new research suggests.

       The U.S. accuses two of hacking vaccine data for China A pair of Chinese hackers tried to acquire vaccine research and other information about the coronavirus pandemic for China’s intelligence services, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

       An indictment of the two, secured earlier this month and unsealed on Tuesday, says they were involved in a broad campaign of cybertheft that also targeted defense contractors, high-end manufacturing and solar energy companies. Justice Department officials said that they sometimes worked on behalf of China’s spy services and sometimes worked to enrich themselves.

       Context: The Trump administration has been stepping up its criticism of Beijing, accusing it of stealing secrets and of failing to contain the spread of the virus. Last week, the U.S., Canada and Britain said Russian hackers were attempting to steal coronavirus vaccine research.

       Related: In London, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cheered the hardening British posture toward China and appealed for a global coalition against the country.

       A campaign against anti-Asian bias in the U.S. Asian-Americans are facing a surge of harassment linked to fears about the coronavirus pandemic, and the response has largely fallen to civil rights groups, marketing agencies, social media accounts and nonprofit organizations.

       The latest ad, which debuted on Tuesday, includes testimonials from a firefighter, a nurse, a chef and others who describe being told to “go back to China” or having people spit in their direction. It ends with a request: “Fight the virus. Fight the bias.”

       “I don’t know if this is enough, or how effective it will be, but let’s do baby steps and create awareness,” said Steven Moy, the chief executive of the Barbarian ad agency. “I have not seen enough of this — we should do more.”

       If you have 7 minutes, this is worth it The Afghan women fighting to claim a place

       Two decades after the Taliban banished women to their homes, the rise of a generation of educated, professional Afghan women is an undeniable sign of change. But the gains remain fragile and every step is a battle.

       Our reporter followed two women in their fight for acceptance: a young police lieutenant in Khost and a 13-year veteran of the Afghan police special forces.

       Here’s what else is happening Russian interference in Britain: A long-awaited report by the British Parliament found that Russia weaponized information to interfere in British politics and sow discord, and that those efforts were widely ignored by successive British governments.

       Sudan trial: Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the former president who was ousted in mass protests last year, went on trial in Khartoum for his role in the 1989 coup that propelled him to power. He faces the death penalty if convicted.

       Ukraine hostage taking: An armed man seized a bus and took around 20 people hostage in the town of Lutsk in northwestern Ukraine on Tuesday after posting complaints online about the country’s politics.

       Trump lawsuit: Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, filed a lawsuit accusing the Trump administration of sending him back to prison to stop him from finishing a “graphic and unflattering” tell-all book.

       Snapshot: Above, clashes in Portland, Ore. Demonstrators have gathered in the city’s downtown for more than 50 days since the death of George Floyd. President Trump has sent federal agents to Portland, infuriating the protesters, who say he is trying to use the city’s unrest as political theater during an election year.

       What we’re listening to: This Radiolab episode about the aftermath of the 1918 flu. “Covering President Woodrow Wilson’s faulty negotiations at the end of World War I and India’s independence from Britain, this episode will make you think twice about how pandemics shape our world,” writes Remy Tumin on the Briefings team.

       Now, a break from the news

       Cook: This chicken and rice soup is simultaneously cozy and fresh. Lemon juice adds brightness, as does a lively mix of parsley, lemon, garlic and celery leaves strewn on top.

       Listen: Here’s a collection of podcasts that lets you travel the world with your ears.

       Watch: “The Old Guard,” an action movie about a group of immortal warriors out to save the world, is a fresh take on the superhero genre. We asked the director, Gina Prince-Bythewood, to narrate an action sequence from her film.

       At Home has our full collection of ideas on what to read, cook, watch, and do while staying safe at home.

       And now for the Back Story on … Virus-tracing apps: the good and the bad Governments around the world have been racing to deploy apps to help track and stem the spread of the coronavirus. Natasha Singer, our reporter covering health technology, has been tracking these digital virus control tools. She spoke to the Briefings team about what’s working, what isn’t, and privacy issues.

       Are apps an indispensable tool in fighting pandemics?

       In countries with national health systems that are already doing mass-scale testing, epidemiologists say the apps can be helpful. South Korea, for instance, has used apps to make sure people under quarantine orders stay in their assigned locations. Iceland’s app allows people who test positive for the virus to share their recent locations with health officials, making it easier to notify people who may have crossed paths with them. In countries with low rates of virus testing, the apps may not be very useful. As one German health official put it to me last week, “apps are not a vaccine.”

       You have been looking at various virus-tracing and quarantine apps and found some serious flaws. What has been the most troubling finding?

       It’s troubling that countries like South Korea and Qatar were in such a hurry to introduce virus apps that they prioritized speedy deployment over user privacy and security. But the larger risk is that some governments are using location-tracking apps and other digital tools to impose new forms of social control in the name of the pandemic. Those invasive surveillance measures could easily become permanent.

       Which countries have been successful in their use of digital tools in this pandemic? Which countries seem to have fallen short?

       Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Latvia and other countries recently introduced virus-tracing apps based on software from Apple and Google. The government apps are designed for maximum privacy. For instance, they use Bluetooth signals, not location tracking, to detect app users who come into close contact. Even so, there is a privacy problem. To use the Bluetooth feature, Google requires Android users to turn on their phones’ location setting. And that can allow Google to determine their precise locations, depending on their settings. But European governments have chosen not to tell users about the Google issue. It’s a transparency failure which could undermine public trust in the apps.

       That’s it for this briefing. See you next time.

       — Carole

       Thank you

       To Theodore Kim and Jahaan Singh for the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

       P.S.

       ？ We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about the rush to develop a coronavirus vaccine.

       ？ Here’s our Mini Crossword, and a clue: Any letter in “ROY G. BIV” (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.

       ？ Jim Tankersley, our economics reporter, discussed the role the economy will play in the U.S. presidential election on C-SPAN.