csmonitor--2020-03-10--When fear goes viral: Battling prejudice in Chinatown

“ The mayor of Wuhan sent us a letter expressing their gratitude , ” says Mayor Scarpitti .
“ It ’ s a reminder that we live in a pretty big world , but it can get pretty small at times and we can be connected in some pretty powerful ways.
” When the mayor attended a recent event , he shared a video with guests .
In it , dozens of people in the quarantined city lean out of their balconies and shout , “ Wuhan jiayou , ” which is roughly translated , “ Wuhan keep up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a video in which the thousand attendees at the banquet shouted , “ Wuhan jiayou !
” In Canada , Markham – sister city to Wuhan , China – is striving to counter negative associations .
In February , Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti launched an Asialicious festival in which more than 100 Asian restaurants in the Toronto area invited customers to tasting events .
From Boston to Johannesburg , customers have been avoiding Chinatowns .
There have been news reports of bullying , discrimination , and xenophobia against Asians .
But others warn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of alienation in those communities .
And some are stepping forward to practice acts of kindness and model support for Chinese businesses .
It ’ s lunchtime at New Golden Gate seafood restaurant in Boston ’ s Chinatown .
Amid fears of the new coronavirus , just two of its tables are occupied .
In a back corner , two waiters sit as listless as the lobsters inside a nearby tank .
Today they ’ ve had fewer than 20 customers over three hours , says manager May Deng .
“ At least @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s huge.
” If business doesn ’ t pick up in the next two to three months , she ’ ll have to close .
“ How can you survive ?
” says Ms. May , tears rimming her eyes .
From Boston to San Francisco , London to Johannesburg , customers have been avoiding Chinatowns amid unsubstantiated fears that the virus jumped from China via these neighborhoods .
There have been news reports , too , of bullying , discrimination , and xenophobia against Asians .
But others warn that such isolationist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those communities .
And some individuals , public officials , and organizations are stepping forward to practice acts of kindness and model support for Chinese businesses .
“ The virus has no nationality .
The virus does not practice discrimination .
Why should we , being a human being , discriminate against any ethnic group ?
” says Justin Yu , president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association , a business and community organization in New York City .
“ This is a time for everybody to learn we should have sympathy.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as supposed carriers of disease date back further than the outbreak of SARS , says Winston Tseng , a research sociologist and lecturer of community health and human development at UC Berkeley ’ s School of Public Health in California .
In 1899 , Honolulu forcibly quarantined its Chinatown due to fears of the bubonic plague ; the following year , San Francisco circled its Chinatown with rope for two days .
“ There was an assumption ... of ‘ the yellow peril , ’ ” says Mr. Tseng .
“ So Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as ] dirty and carrying a lot of diseases.
” Today , individuals across the world are reaching out to help Chinese and Asian businesses .
In Australia , the progressive activist group GetUp !
encouraged its members to dine in Chinese restaurants and also post pictures of meals on social media with the hashtag # IWillEatWithYou .
It was a response to news reports such as the closure of Shark Fin House , a three-decades-old restaurant in Melbourne ’ s Chinatown , says the group ’ s media adviser Chandi Bates .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter and Instagram accounts in other parts of the world .
“ I Will Eat With You is giving people a practical way to take a positive step , show support and solidarity to businesses that need it , all at the same time as eating a delicious meal , ” says Renaire Druery , campaign director for the GetUp !
Human Rights Campaign , via email .
In mid-February , Boston Mayor Martin Walsh started a social media campaign with the hashtag # LoveBostonChinatown .
He and other city councilors organized a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China Pearl .
In early March , there ’ s not a lot of foot traffic beneath the pagoda-style arch entryway into Chinatown .
A nearby outdoor table of tourist trinkets remains untroubled .
Atop the lamp posts along Beach Street , American flags flutter in tandem with Chinese flags in the wind .
“ It ’ s important to continue supporting the people that would be perhaps impacted the most right now because they have bills to pay , ” says Andrew , a Massachusetts technology professional who asked that his last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Chinatown specifically to support the restaurants .
Another tourist , Fred Brown from Atlanta , was surprised how much busier Boston ’ s Italian North End neighborhood was by comparison , given the news of the outbreak in northern Italy .
“ I would take precautions , but I don ’ t think it ’ s necessarily here in Chinatown in Boston , ” says his daughter , Emily Brown , just prior to entering a restaurant .
The Boston resident says she ’ s not fearful about contagion .
“ Especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ code.
” Since the outbreak of COVID-19 , there have also been multiple reports of racist online comments and also some troubling incidents offline .
Dr. Barbara Ferrer , director of public health for Los Angeles County , says the county has dealt with hoaxes related to the virus , including a bogus press release on a fake official letterhead that attempted to target an Asian community .
The letter stated erroneously that five infected patients had supposedly visited five businesses in Asian areas of Carson , including a Chinese restaurant .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Dr. Ferrer .
The department responded quickly to stamp out the misinformation , and the case is being investigated by the county sheriff ’ s department and the FBI .
A lot of Asians and Asian Americans live in the county – more than anywhere else in the country – and “ unfortunately and inappropriately ” a “ stigma ” is attaching itself to that community , she says .
“ Chinese restaurants are safe , ” she emphasized .
At least two U.S. officials , Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begun labeling COVID-19 as the “ Wuhan virus.
” This month , the World Health Organization implored people not to attach locations or ethnicity to the disease , including “ Wuhan Virus , ” “ Chinese Virus , ” or “ Asian Virus.
” “ The official name for the disease was deliberately chosen to avoid stigmatization , ” said WHO .
In Canada , the Toronto suburb of Markham – sister city to Wuhan , China – is striving to counter negative associations .
When Wuhan Noodle 1950 , a Chinese restaurant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started losing business due to fears of the virus , officials knew exactly what to do .
During the height of the SARS crisis in 2003 , the neighborhood successfully persuaded many people in Toronto to overcome their fear by inaugurating a Taste of Asia festival .
In February , Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti launched an Asialicious festival in which more than 100 Asian restaurants in the Toronto area invited customers to tasting events that included special offers .
When the mayor attended a recent Chinese New Year event , he shared a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , dozens of people in the quarantined city lean out of their balconies and , in unison , shout , “ Wuhan jiayou , ” which is roughly translated , “ Wuhan keep up the fight.
” In turn , Markham ’ s mayor recorded a video in which the thousand attendees at the banquet shouted , “ Wuhan jiayou !
” “ The mayor of Wuhan sent us a letter expressing their gratitude for the video and for the fundraising and just generally the support that has been shown to Wuhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a reminder that we live in a pretty big world , but it can get pretty small at times and we can be connected in some pretty powerful ways.
” Staff writer Francine Kiefer contributed to this report from Los Angeles .

“The mayor of Wuhan sent us a letter expressing their gratitude,” says Mayor Scarpitti. “It’s a reminder that we live in a pretty big world, but it can get pretty small at times and we can be connected in some pretty powerful ways.”
When the mayor attended a recent event, he shared a video with guests. In it, dozens of people in the quarantined city lean out of their balconies and shout, “ Wuhan jiayou ,” which is roughly translated, “Wuhan keep up the fight.” Markham’s mayor recorded a video in which the thousand attendees at the banquet shouted, “ Wuhan jiayou !”
Fear of COVID-19 can fan racism. But our reporter finds that communities around the world are countering prejudice with acts of kindness and gratitude.
In Canada, Markham – sister city to Wuhan, China – is striving to counter negative associations. In February, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti launched an Asialicious festival in which more than 100 Asian restaurants in the Toronto area invited customers to tasting events.
From Boston to Johannesburg, customers have been avoiding Chinatowns. There have been news reports of bullying, discrimination, and xenophobia against Asians. But others warn that such isolationist impulses create a sense of alienation in those communities. And some are stepping forward to practice acts of kindness and model support for Chinese businesses.
It’s lunchtime at New Golden Gate seafood restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown. Amid fears of the new coronavirus, just two of its tables are occupied. In a back corner, two waiters sit as listless as the lobsters inside a nearby tank.
Today they’ve had fewer than 20 customers over three hours, says manager May Deng. “At least a 90% drop. That’s huge.”
If business doesn’t pick up in the next two to three months, she’ll have to close. “How can you survive?” says Ms. May, tears rimming her eyes.
Why We Wrote This Fear of COVID-19 can fan racism. But our reporter finds that communities around the world are countering prejudice with acts of kindness and gratitude.
From Boston to San Francisco, London to Johannesburg, customers have been avoiding Chinatowns amid unsubstantiated fears that the virus jumped from China via these neighborhoods. There have been news reports, too, of bullying, discrimination, and xenophobia against Asians. But others warn that such isolationist impulses create a sense of alienation in those communities. And some individuals, public officials, and organizations are stepping forward to practice acts of kindness and model support for Chinese businesses.
“The virus has no nationality. The virus does not practice discrimination. Why should we, being a human being, discriminate against any ethnic group?” says Justin Yu, president of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, a business and community organization in New York City. “This is a time for everybody to learn we should have sympathy.”
Deeply ingrained cultural prejudices about Chinese people as supposed carriers of disease date back further than the outbreak of SARS, says Winston Tseng, a research sociologist and lecturer of community health and human development at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health in California. In 1899, Honolulu forcibly quarantined its Chinatown due to fears of the bubonic plague; the following year, San Francisco circled its Chinatown with rope for two days.
“There was an assumption ... of ‘the yellow peril,’” says Mr. Tseng. “So Chinese or Japanese back then were [viewed as] dirty and carrying a lot of diseases.”
Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff View caption Hide caption May Deng, the manager of the New Golden Gate restaurant in Boston's Chinatown, says business is down 90% because of the coronavirus.
Today, individuals across the world are reaching out to help Chinese and Asian businesses. In Australia, the progressive activist group GetUp! encouraged its members to dine in Chinese restaurants and also post pictures of meals on social media with the hashtag #IWillEatWithYou. It was a response to news reports such as the closure of Shark Fin House, a three-decades-old restaurant in Melbourne’s Chinatown, says the group’s media adviser Chandi Bates. The hashtag is now popping up on Twitter and Instagram accounts in other parts of the world.
“I Will Eat With You is giving people a practical way to take a positive step, show support and solidarity to businesses that need it, all at the same time as eating a delicious meal,” says Renaire Druery, campaign director for the GetUp! Human Rights Campaign, via email.
In mid-February, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh started a social media campaign with the hashtag #LoveBostonChinatown. He and other city councilors organized a photo-op dim sum lunch at once-popular eatery China Pearl. In early March, there’s not a lot of foot traffic beneath the pagoda-style arch entryway into Chinatown. A nearby outdoor table of tourist trinkets remains untroubled. Atop the lamp posts along Beach Street, American flags flutter in tandem with Chinese flags in the wind.
“It’s important to continue supporting the people that would be perhaps impacted the most right now because they have bills to pay,” says Andrew, a Massachusetts technology professional who asked that his last name not be used, after coming to Chinatown specifically to support the restaurants.
Another tourist, Fred Brown from Atlanta, was surprised how much busier Boston’s Italian North End neighborhood was by comparison, given the news of the outbreak in northern Italy.
“I would take precautions, but I don’t think it’s necessarily here in Chinatown in Boston,” says his daughter, Emily Brown, just prior to entering a restaurant. The Boston resident says she’s not fearful about contagion. “Especially when this place has an acceptable health code.”
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have also been multiple reports of racist online comments and also some troubling incidents offline.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of public health for Los Angeles County, says the county has dealt with hoaxes related to the virus, including a bogus press release on a fake official letterhead that attempted to target an Asian community.
The letter stated erroneously that five infected patients had supposedly visited five businesses in Asian areas of Carson, including a Chinese restaurant.
Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff View caption Hide caption People walk under the gate in Boston's Chinatown March 2, 2020, where fewer people are walking through the neighborhood because of coronavirus fears.
“None of that was true,” says Dr. Ferrer. The department responded quickly to stamp out the misinformation, and the case is being investigated by the county sheriff’s department and the FBI.
A lot of Asians and Asian Americans live in the county – more than anywhere else in the country – and “unfortunately and inappropriately” a “stigma” is attaching itself to that community, she says. “Chinese restaurants are safe,” she emphasized.
At least two U.S. officials, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo – have begun labeling COVID-19 as the “Wuhan virus.” This month, the World Health Organization implored people not to attach locations or ethnicity to the disease, including “Wuhan Virus,” “Chinese Virus,” or “Asian Virus.” “The official name for the disease was deliberately chosen to avoid stigmatization,” said WHO.
In Canada, the Toronto suburb of Markham – sister city to Wuhan, China – is striving to counter negative associations. When Wuhan Noodle 1950, a Chinese restaurant across the street from city hall, started losing business due to fears of the virus, officials knew exactly what to do. During the height of the SARS crisis in 2003, the neighborhood successfully persuaded many people in Toronto to overcome their fear by inaugurating a Taste of Asia festival. In February, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti launched an Asialicious festival in which more than 100 Asian restaurants in the Toronto area invited customers to tasting events that included special offers.
When the mayor attended a recent Chinese New Year event, he shared a social media video with guests. In it, dozens of people in the quarantined city lean out of their balconies and, in unison, shout, “Wuhan jiayou,” which is roughly translated, “Wuhan keep up the fight.” In turn, Markham’s mayor recorded a video in which the thousand attendees at the banquet shouted, “Wuhan jiayou!”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“The mayor of Wuhan sent us a letter expressing their gratitude for the video and for the fundraising and just generally the support that has been shown to Wuhan,” says Mayor Scarpitti. “It’s a reminder that we live in a pretty big world, but it can get pretty small at times and we can be connected in some pretty powerful ways.”
Staff writer Francine Kiefer contributed to this report from Los Angeles.


csmonitor--2020-06-15--Unplugged: As students go absent, educators go sleuthing

After a knock on his door , third-grade student Jamie-Lee emerged to see his school principal smiling at him from his doorstep .
She held out her arms , offering a socially distant “ air hug , ” and told the boy how much she ’ d missed him since the pandemic closed their school building .
As they chatted , Principal Tayarisha Batchelor picked up on a clue to the question that brought her to the apartment .
The boy was not looking up from a smartphone .
Twice , she asked what he was doing on it before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ playing video games .
“ I like playing games , ” Dr. Batchelor told the boy as his parents looked on , before suggesting he spend more time first on his daily schoolwork .
“ I want to make sure you ’ re still learning , OK ?
” Nearly a third of her students at Rawson Elementary School in Hartford , Connecticut , have been unplugged from distance learning .
On a Friday afternoon , as she visited some of their homes , she saw many of the reasons why : Internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at work .
Some are uncomfortable with the technology .
Still others think their children are doing fine when they are actually using the devices for other things .
As the academic year nears an end , districts around the country have been racing to get large numbers of no-show students back on track .
It 's one thing not to participate this spring , when expectations are lower because of the crisis .
It will be another if distance learning resumes in the fall , when the stakes are raised by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Students who were struggling before the pandemic are the ones falling farthest behind .
Across the Hartford school system , roughly 80 % of students are at least partially active in distance learning .
Among students considered most at risk because of issues including past absenteeism , disciplinary problems , and poor academic performance , less than half are participating at all .
Dr. Batchelor made her first stop the home of a student whose mother works late , hoping to catch her .
The girl 's older sister , a high @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But there was no answer at the door .
Dr. Batchelor left a voicemail on the mother 's phone .
“ How do we get in touch with the kids ?
This is it .
This is like our last effort before the summer .
For me it ’ s trying to figure out , what exactly is it that we ’ re missing ? ''
Hartford Superintendent Leslie Torres-Rodriguez said .
`` First of all , are they safe ?
I just want to know if they are safe.
” Many districts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the March transition to distance learning , but it 's nowhere near full participation .
Some students still have not been heard from at all .
At the 4,800-student Jamestown Public Schools in the southwest corner of New York , superintendent Bret Apthorpe said about 75 % are engaged and most of the others participate at least somewhat .
Around 1 % , he said , have “ fallen off the map.
” “ Of everything through this virus , that probably has worried me the most , ” said Mr. Apthorpe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to students and their families through school administrators , counselors , and , as a last resort , attendance officers .
At Clark County schools in Nevada , over 30 % of students – or more than 12,000 – were unaccounted for in mid-April .
Outreach efforts whittled the number to about 4,500 students by the end of the school year in May .
Some students needed computers and others had taken jobs , Superintendent Jesus Jara said .
On her visits to families in Hartford 's north end , an area with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internet access , Dr. Batchelor brings books to give the children .
She is accompanied by a representative from a community agency that helps families with food , clothing , and finances .
School administrators decide among themselves who will visit families of low-activity students , based on who has the strongest relationships .
The goals of the conversations with parents , Dr. Batchelor says , are to stress that school is still in session , to ask what the impediments are , and to gauge parents ' understanding of the process and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his father , Oral Henderson , said his son was comfortable on the computer and , as far as he knew , the boy had been keeping up with his school lessons – despite a weak internet signal from a community provider .
A restaurant worker who has been without a job amid the coronavirus scare , Mr. Henderson said it has been a challenging time for them all .
On the next home visit , Dr. Batchelor met a father who said he was uncomfortable with computers .
His daughter was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he said , but they were not able to figure out how to upload assignments .
“ Do n't let that stop you , ” Dr. Batchelor told the third-grader 's parents , assuring them the technical issue could be figured out later .
`` Just let her go in and do the things that she can do.
” For her part the girl , Nevaeh , said she was enjoying the online learning .
“ Some of the challenges are pretty hard , but I still get through them , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re really hard I still get through some of them.
” Dr. Batchelor said the effects of the disruption will not be clear until educators see students ' work in the fall , when she expects many will be dealing with various kinds of trauma from the months at home .
Nationally , research has suggested the shutdowns could cost students the equivalent of a full school year 's worth of academic gains .
For now , Dr. Batchelor said , parents and educators have been doing their best .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people are shouldering up .
People are working really hard to make it work .
People are hopeful , people are resilient .
And because of that , we are able to keep students engaged , ” she said .
“ I have not been told by a parent , ‘ Oh , we ’ re not doing this.
’ They may be having a difficult time doing it , but parents want their students to succeed , and they want to work with us . ''
This story was reported by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to this report from Buffalo , New York .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

After a knock on his door, third-grade student Jamie-Lee emerged to see his school principal smiling at him from his doorstep. She held out her arms, offering a socially distant “air hug,” and told the boy how much she’d missed him since the pandemic closed their school building.
As they chatted, Principal Tayarisha Batchelor picked up on a clue to the question that brought her to the apartment. The boy was not looking up from a smartphone. Twice, she asked what he was doing on it before he confirmed her suspicions: He was playing video games.
“I like playing games,” Dr. Batchelor told the boy as his parents looked on, before suggesting he spend more time first on his daily schoolwork. “I want to make sure you’re still learning, OK?”
Nearly a third of her students at Rawson Elementary School in Hartford, Connecticut, have been unplugged from distance learning. On a Friday afternoon, as she visited some of their homes, she saw many of the reasons why: Internet service is unreliable. Parents are away at work. Some are uncomfortable with the technology. Still others think their children are doing fine when they are actually using the devices for other things.
As the academic year nears an end, districts around the country have been racing to get large numbers of no-show students back on track. It's one thing not to participate this spring, when expectations are lower because of the crisis. It will be another if distance learning resumes in the fall, when the stakes are raised by the return of formal grading and attendance tracking.
Students who were struggling before the pandemic are the ones falling farthest behind. Across the Hartford school system, roughly 80% of students are at least partially active in distance learning. Among students considered most at risk because of issues including past absenteeism, disciplinary problems, and poor academic performance, less than half are participating at all.
Dr. Batchelor made her first stop the home of a student whose mother works late, hoping to catch her. The girl's older sister, a high school student, often watches her. But there was no answer at the door. Dr. Batchelor left a voicemail on the mother's phone.
“How do we get in touch with the kids? This is it. This is like our last effort before the summer. For me it’s trying to figure out, what exactly is it that we’re missing?" Hartford Superintendent Leslie Torres-Rodriguez said. "First of all, are they safe? I just want to know if they are safe.”
Many districts report engagement has improved since the scramble of the March transition to distance learning, but it's nowhere near full participation. Some students still have not been heard from at all.
At the 4,800-student Jamestown Public Schools in the southwest corner of New York, superintendent Bret Apthorpe said about 75% are engaged and most of the others participate at least somewhat. Around 1%, he said, have “fallen off the map.”
“Of everything through this virus, that probably has worried me the most,” said Mr. Apthorpe, whose district has been reaching out to students and their families through school administrators, counselors, and, as a last resort, attendance officers.
At Clark County schools in Nevada, over 30% of students – or more than 12,000 – were unaccounted for in mid-April. Outreach efforts whittled the number to about 4,500 students by the end of the school year in May. Some students needed computers and others had taken jobs, Superintendent Jesus Jara said.
On her visits to families in Hartford's north end, an area with high poverty and low rates of home internet access, Dr. Batchelor brings books to give the children. She is accompanied by a representative from a community agency that helps families with food, clothing, and finances.
School administrators decide among themselves who will visit families of low-activity students, based on who has the strongest relationships. The goals of the conversations with parents, Dr. Batchelor says, are to stress that school is still in session, to ask what the impediments are, and to gauge parents' understanding of the process and the learning.
At Jamie-Lee's house, his father, Oral Henderson, said his son was comfortable on the computer and, as far as he knew, the boy had been keeping up with his school lessons – despite a weak internet signal from a community provider. A restaurant worker who has been without a job amid the coronavirus scare, Mr. Henderson said it has been a challenging time for them all.
On the next home visit, Dr. Batchelor met a father who said he was uncomfortable with computers. His daughter was spending hours on the digital learning platforms, he said, but they were not able to figure out how to upload assignments.
“Don't let that stop you,” Dr. Batchelor told the third-grader's parents, assuring them the technical issue could be figured out later. "Just let her go in and do the things that she can do.”
For her part the girl, Nevaeh, said she was enjoying the online learning.
“Some of the challenges are pretty hard, but I still get through them," she said. “Even when they’re really hard I still get through some of them.”
Dr. Batchelor said the effects of the disruption will not be clear until educators see students' work in the fall, when she expects many will be dealing with various kinds of trauma from the months at home. Nationally, research has suggested the shutdowns could cost students the equivalent of a full school year's worth of academic gains.
For now, Dr. Batchelor said, parents and educators have been doing their best.
“It's important for people to know that people are shouldering up. People are working really hard to make it work. People are hopeful, people are resilient. And because of that, we are able to keep students engaged,” she said. “I have not been told by a parent, ‘Oh, we’re not doing this.’ They may be having a difficult time doing it, but parents want their students to succeed, and they want to work with us."
This story was reported by The Associated Press. AP writer Carolyn Thompson contributed to this report from Buffalo, New York.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-04-17--Debt forbearance as a tool to defeat the pandemic

Well shy of the winter holidays of charity and good cheer , much of the world is now in a spirit of generosity and forbearance toward debt – all in response to the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on vulnerable people and countries .
On Wednesday , 20 of the world ’ s richest nations agreed to freeze the debt obligations of about a quarter of humanity that live in the poorest 76 countries .
The Group of 20 encouraged private creditors to also provide short-term relief .
A couple of days earlier , the International Monetary Fund announced an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developing countries .
The IMF will rely on a special $ 500 million fund for “ catastrophe containment and relief.
” Within countries , both elected leaders and private lenders are stepping up to ease the financial obligations of such groups as small businesses , renters , or people saddled with student loans .
In the United States , for example , many car companies are letting borrowers defer repayments on auto loans .
Under a program from Freddie Mac , landlords with multifamily housing are allowed to defer loan payments for 90 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passed last month has forgiveness of new loans written into many provisions as well as forbearance toward existing loans .
Because of the magnitude of the COVID-19 emergency , perhaps never before has the world had to come to grips with the nuanced difficulties of debt relief on such a large scale .
By one estimate , 1 in 5 emerging market countries will default on debt obligations because of the financial damage from the coronavirus .
“ No region can win the battle against COVID-19 alone , ” stated European countries in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poor nations .
The necessity of mass debt relief is not new to global leaders .
After World War II , Germany was granted generous relief on old debts which resulted in a strong economy today that is an anchor for Europe ’ s stability and prosperity .
Starting in the 1980s , one debt crisis after another forced fresh thinking about the benefits and hazards of forgiving or deferring the debt of financially troubled countries .
Will debt tolerance only encourage risky behavior in the future ?
As commerce has become more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the need to sometimes go easy on debt enforcement while still ensuring repayment at some point .
In a closely knit world , the benefit of debt relief flows both ways .
“ Forgiveness is truly the grace by which we enable another person to get up , and get up with dignity , to begin anew , ” says South Africa ’ s Archbishop Desmond Tutu .
With those less well off in the world hit hard by the pandemic , debt relief is on the global agenda , demanding a renewed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tools to defeat COVID-19 .

Well shy of the winter holidays of charity and good cheer, much of the world is now in a spirit of generosity and forbearance toward debt – all in response to the unprecedented impact of the pandemic on vulnerable people and countries.
On Wednesday, 20 of the world’s richest nations agreed to freeze the debt obligations of about a quarter of humanity that live in the poorest 76 countries. The Group of 20 encouraged private creditors to also provide short-term relief.
A couple of days earlier, the International Monetary Fund announced an immediate standstill for debt owed by 25 developing countries. The IMF will rely on a special $500 million fund for “catastrophe containment and relief.”
Within countries, both elected leaders and private lenders are stepping up to ease the financial obligations of such groups as small businesses, renters, or people saddled with student loans.
In the United States, for example, many car companies are letting borrowers defer repayments on auto loans. Under a program from Freddie Mac, landlords with multifamily housing are allowed to defer loan payments for 90 days. And the federal CARES Act passed last month has forgiveness of new loans written into many provisions as well as forbearance toward existing loans.
Because of the magnitude of the COVID-19 emergency, perhaps never before has the world had to come to grips with the nuanced difficulties of debt relief on such a large scale. By one estimate, 1 in 5 emerging market countries will default on debt obligations because of the financial damage from the coronavirus.
“No region can win the battle against COVID-19 alone,” stated European countries in an appeal to provide debt relief for poor nations.
The necessity of mass debt relief is not new to global leaders. After World War II, Germany was granted generous relief on old debts which resulted in a strong economy today that is an anchor for Europe’s stability and prosperity. Starting in the 1980s, one debt crisis after another forced fresh thinking about the benefits and hazards of forgiving or deferring the debt of financially troubled countries. Will debt tolerance only encourage risky behavior in the future?
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
As commerce has become more global, so too has understanding of the need to sometimes go easy on debt enforcement while still ensuring repayment at some point. In a closely knit world, the benefit of debt relief flows both ways.
“Forgiveness is truly the grace by which we enable another person to get up, and get up with dignity, to begin anew,” says South Africa’s Archbishop Desmond Tutu. With those less well off in the world hit hard by the pandemic, debt relief is on the global agenda, demanding a renewed focus on patience and forbearance as necessary tools to defeat COVID-19.


csmonitor--2020-04-18--A Q&A with Charlotte Jones Voiklis, editor of ‘The Moment of Tenderness’

Charlotte Jones Voiklis is the granddaughter and literary executor of Madeleine L ’ Engle , best known for the 1963 classic young adult novel , “ A Wrinkle in Time.
” L ’ Engle ’ s writing encompassed memoir and mystery , poetry and plays , fantasy and faith .
As Voiklis says , she was a woman who believed “ in fairy tales and myth and truth.
” Voiklis has collected 18 previously unpublished stories into a single volume , “ The Moment of Tenderness , ” which includes everything from early fiction written for college classes ( one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ semi-autobiographical essays .
Q : What should people know about this collection ?
What I really love about these stories is that they ’ re early work , and you can see her coming toward this vigorous , hard-won , optimistic joy in life , even when things are desperately bleak .
Q : Where are the stories from ?
The stories came from her unpublished manuscripts and papers .
I had read some of them when I was very young , and then after she died and we had to consolidate her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came across them again .
[ Deciding to publish them ] was a really long process .
I am not in a hurry to publish from the archive unless it ’ s something that I think is really good .
Q : Did you two talk much about your role as executor ?
Not explicitly , not like “ When I ’ m gone these are the decisions you shall make , ” but we worked closely together from the time I graduated high school in 1986 to when she died in 2007 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make decisions and we had good conversations , so I knew what she cared about and she knew what I cared about .
... For instance , it was important to her that school groups be allowed to do their own theatrical adaptations of “ A Wrinkle In Time ” [ a rare accommodation ] .
She had a theater background ; she believed in the pedagogy of the theater .
Q : Are there unpublished books in her archive ?
Will we ever know more about Vicky Austin or Meg Murry ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is a half-draft of a Meg story .
And there are – I ’ m actually reading them right now – like seven drafts of an unpublished novel called “ The Lost Innocent ” … the book that was famously rejected on her 40th birthday .
...
I read the rejected version , and I was like “ Yeah , that ’ s pretty bad .
I get it … that ’ s going to stay in the archives.
” I hope maybe a scholar looks at it some day .
... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big Great American Novel attempt .
...
I think she ’ s trying to talk about what it means to be an artist , what it means to fail as an artist or think you failed , what it means to be the child of an artist , or be an artist ’ s parent .
I think it ’ s asking some big and interesting questions , but in order to make anything of it , it would have to be heavily edited , which isn ’ t something I think I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times you especially miss her ?
I would love her wisdom right now , but I ’ m also glad that she isn ’ t here for this [ the coronavirus pandemic ] .
And I don ’ t just mean right now but also for the 2016 election and beyond .
Being born just after World War I , her parents transmitted to her a horror and fear of war and social upheaval .
I remember her being – scared is maybe not the right word – but she was very in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But she always used that as an opportunity to say “ Now we have to keep the clocks wound , now we have to love each other , now we have to pay attention .
So her sensitivity to that fueled her art .
Read an essay and review of `` The Moment of Tenderness '' here .

Charlotte Jones Voiklis is the granddaughter and literary executor of Madeleine L’Engle, best known for the 1963 classic young adult novel, “A Wrinkle in Time.” L’Engle’s writing encompassed memoir and mystery, poetry and plays, fantasy and faith. As Voiklis says, she was a woman who believed “in fairy tales and myth and truth.”
Voiklis has collected 18 previously unpublished stories into a single volume, “The Moment of Tenderness,” which includes everything from early fiction written for college classes (one was marked with an A-) to semi-autobiographical essays.
Q: What should people know about this collection?
What I really love about these stories is that they’re early work, and you can see her coming toward this vigorous, hard-won, optimistic joy in life, even when things are desperately bleak.
Q: Where are the stories from?
The stories came from her unpublished manuscripts and papers. I had read some of them when I was very young, and then after she died and we had to consolidate her papers and put them in storage I came across them again. [Deciding to publish them] was a really long process. I am not in a hurry to publish from the archive unless it’s something that I think is really good.
Q: Did you two talk much about your role as executor?
Not explicitly, not like “When I’m gone these are the decisions you shall make,” but we worked closely together from the time I graduated high school in 1986 to when she died in 2007. I knew she trusted me to make decisions and we had good conversations, so I knew what she cared about and she knew what I cared about. ... For instance, it was important to her that school groups be allowed to do their own theatrical adaptations of “A Wrinkle In Time” [a rare accommodation]. She had a theater background; she believed in the pedagogy of the theater.
Q: Are there unpublished books in her archive? Will we ever know more about Vicky Austin or Meg Murry?
There are no other Vicky stories. There is a half-draft of a Meg story. And there are – I’m actually reading them right now – like seven drafts of an unpublished novel called “The Lost Innocent” … the book that was famously rejected on her 40th birthday. ... I read the rejected version, and I was like “Yeah, that’s pretty bad. I get it … that’s going to stay in the archives.” I hope maybe a scholar looks at it some day. ... But the earlier version feels like a big Great American Novel attempt. ... I think she’s trying to talk about what it means to be an artist, what it means to fail as an artist or think you failed, what it means to be the child of an artist, or be an artist’s parent. I think it’s asking some big and interesting questions, but in order to make anything of it, it would have to be heavily edited, which isn’t something I think I want done.
Q: Are there times you especially miss her?
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I would love her wisdom right now, but I’m also glad that she isn’t here for this [the coronavirus pandemic]. And I don’t just mean right now but also for the 2016 election and beyond. Being born just after World War I, her parents transmitted to her a horror and fear of war and social upheaval. I remember her being – scared is maybe not the right word – but she was very in tune with anxiety, global anxiety levels. But she always used that as an opportunity to say “Now we have to keep the clocks wound, now we have to love each other, now we have to pay attention. So her sensitivity to that fueled her art.
Read an essay and review of "The Moment of Tenderness" here.


csmonitor--2020-03-12--Germany without Merkel: Where does Europe’s engine go next?

There ’ s also a feeling that Germany has long-neglected domestic issues of great importance .
But at the same time , Germany ’ s role in foreign affairs has become a real concern .
Attention to national security has slipped , and Europe can no longer rely on the United States to police the Middle East .
Stamping out the far-right is a domestic challenge that could easily consume the leadership ; its rise in Germany was enabled , in part , by the issue of migration .
In 2015 , Dr. Merkel suspended a protocol about “ safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million refugees entering the country .
Now , with Dr. Merkel ’ s hand-picked successor , Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer , stepping down from party leadership and a battle for succession underway , the path forward for Germany ’ s political mainstream looks shaky .
Will Germany ’ s next leader continue Ms. Merkel ’ s risk-averse status quo , or will he use the muscle that comes with being Europe ’ s largest economy to chart a new course for the country – and for Europe ?
Germany is at a political inflection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since 2000 , the once formidable Christian Democratic Union has presided over a prosperous Germany that earned the world ’ s respect .
Nina Schönefeld speaks of growing up in Berlin with a half-Korean best friend , and Turkish , Serbian , and South African classmates .
Multicultural , inclusive , and forward-thinking : That ’ s the vision that she , as an artist and documentary filmmaker , believes should be Germany ’ s present and future .
There ’ s just a small problem : “ The far-right wing has taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says Ms. Schönefeld , whose most recent film deals with a dystopic future in which autocrats pushed democracy underground .
She ’ s worried Germany is headed in the same direction .
Germany ’ s traditional parties are partly to blame , says Ms. Schönefeld .
“ They ’ re too old-fashioned , too honest , too out-of-touch .
They haven ’ t been knocking on doors , ” she says .
“ You have whole villages with signs saying , ‘ This is the way to Adolf Hitler ’ s birth town.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ this movement.
” Germany is at a political inflection point .
Helmed by Chancellor Angela Merkel for nearly two decades , the once formidable Christian Democratic Union ( CDU ) has presided over a prosperous Germany that earned the world ’ s respect .
But over the last decade , the far-right and far-left have steadily picked away at its flanks .
Now , with Ms. Merkel ’ s hand-picked successor , Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer , stepping down from party leadership and a battle for succession underway , the path forward for Germany ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Germany ’ s next leader continue Ms. Merkel ’ s risk-averse status quo , or will he use the muscle that comes with being Europe ’ s largest economy to chart a new course for the country – and for Europe ?
“ It would be tempting for the next chancellor to fill his calendar with domestic issues , ” says Jan Techau , director of the Europe Program at The German Marshall Fund .
“ But that ’ s a luxury that won ’ t happen .
You need to be gutsy.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hamburg saw the CDU ’ s support whittled down to 11 % , pegged by analysts as a 70-year low .
Earlier in the year came another sign of weakness : The local CDU in the state of Thuringia aligned with the far-right Alternative for Germany ( AfD ) to help defeat a left-wing governor , the first time a mainstream party had aligned with the far-right since the Hitler era .
The resulting furor ultimately had national repercussions , prompting Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer to step down .
That local party ’ s defiance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tenuous grip on power , but also the complexity in figuring out what to do with extremist parties .
In short , not everyone agrees .
Meanwhile , after enjoying peak popularity in 2013 , polling at more than 40 % , the CDU is now logging support nationally around 26 % .
Stamping out the far-right is a domestic challenge that could easily consume the leadership ; its rise was enabled , in part , by the issue of migration .
In 2015 , Ms. Merkel suspended a protocol about “ safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 million refugees entering Germany .
Ms. Merkel ’ s party was seen as “ too open and welcoming , and not tough enough , ” says Mr. Techau , the analyst .
“ Both on security , but also not demanding enough from newcomers to integrate and learn the language.
” Neglect , and the rise of the Greens Then there ’ s the feeling that Germany has long-neglected domestic issues of great importance , including failing to upgrade digital infrastructure that ’ s among the oldest and slowest in Europe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Economic Cooperation and Development , in fact , found that Germany ranked 29th out of 34 industrialized economies for internet speeds .
“ We have a low degree of digitization , and in order to get a permit to run fibers from Point A to Point B , it takes forever , ” says Yorck Otto , president of Germany ’ s leading business association for small and medium-sized companies .
“ Crazy levels of bureaucracy , ” he says , are also hindering startup culture and miring companies in months , if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rates in Germany are also among the highest in Europe , a point that comes up in almost every conversation about domestic politics .
Enter the Green Party , which has swept into the European mainstream with its timely emphasis on social justice and climate change .
It has resounded with a progressive middle class that ’ s finding it increasingly difficult to identify with the older , more staid mainstream parties .
The Greens are no longer the forbidding no-meat , no-car eco-nerds of yesteryear , and are now the second-largest party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can drive an SUV and vote Green and feel good about yourself , ” says Josef Janning , a political scientist and former fellow of the European Council on Foreign Relations .
“ They ’ re cashmere sweaters now – soft and very convenient.
” “ Extremist parties make everything more complicated , ” continues Mr. Janning .
“ As they gain power it begs the question of whether to align with them , or ignore them .
Squeeze them out , or integrate them ?
” Meanwhile , Germany ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ real concern .
Attention to national security has slipped under Ms. Merkel , and Europe can no longer rely on the United States to police the Middle East .
“ Does Germany feel any sense of agency ?
To do the geopolitical hedging , taking fights , picking sides , and create outcomes ?
” asks Mr. Techau .
“ We ’ ve been shying away from that , but without Germany , Europe can not move.
” A handful of men have raised a hand to rule Germany ’ s biggest party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next leader is scheduled for late April .
Armin Laschet , premier of Germany ’ s largest state of North-Rhine Westphalia , is the most moderate of the declared candidates , and is among the favorites to win .
Health Minister Jens Spahn , a young politician who ’ s recently enjoyed high visibility dealing with COVID-19 ’ s arrival in Germany , earlier announced his own ambitions , but Mr. Laschet recently recruited him as his potential deputy , with the idea that he shores up the conservative wing of the party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ran against Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer in the last round , is the most business-friendly of the bunch .
Ms. Merkel ’ s former environment minister , Norbert Röttgen , is also in , representing the least likely bid .
Thus begins months of “ navel-gazing and soul-searching , ” says Mr. Janning , the analyst , who expects a more “ Germany-centric political rhetoric ” in the future .
Yet others believe Germany ’ s next leaders should resist the temptation to focus only on domestic challenges .
“ Germany is aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says former parliamentary journalist Verena Köttker , who remarks that closing ranks with the rest of Europe will increase the bloc ’ s negotiating power on everything from trade to peacemaking .
“ Only together can we face the USA , China , and Russia on equal footing.
” Timing is important .
The businessman , Dr. Otto , says the CDU must figure out its organizational setup “ now , not tomorrow .
Now.
” Even so , he expresses confidence in the bench that ’ s been waiting patiently .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the power , the people , the talent to bring Germany forward within Europe and the world , though the world has gotten very difficult and violent.
” Among other issues , Dr. Otto says he ’ d like to see stronger efforts to stamp out cyberterrorism against German companies .
On a cold February night , one week after Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer ’ s resignation announcement , Bernd Pfeiffer joined a dozen CDU members in a backroom of a popular pub in Friedrichshain .
It ’ s a district where the far-right has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The worry – as well as the excitement in the room – was obvious .
“ It is our duty to do the hard work to push the right out so that they are no longer in parliament , ” opined Mr. Pfeiffer .
“ These are our voters .
These are our voices .
We need them in order to be a people ’ s party again.
” The words “ left ” and “ right ” were dominant in the meeting , as the attendees mulled over what kind of leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One said that center parties are always strong when an outstanding personality shored up both the left and right flanks , such as legendary , blue-chip politicians Helmut Kohl and Franz Josef Strauss , respectively .
The group murmured .
Later , in an interview , Mr. Pfeiffer said he ’ s working behind the scenes to make sure the CDU remembers its roots .
Though he ’ s vowed never to join the far-right , Mr. Pfeiffer said his inflection point as a longtime CDU loyalist came over Ms. Merkel ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a strong asylum policy , and that ’ s great .
But we also have 450 people a day who cross our borders without papers .
And no one does anything.
” A tax adviser who grew up in a village outside Hamburg , Mr. Pfeiffer is president of the Values Union in Berlin , a faction within the party that advocates for conservatism .
Since the party ’ s leadership has been in question , his phone has been ringing .
And ringing .
“ Twenty-four hours a day , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a concerted shake .
“ Hundreds and hundreds of messages .
Offering support , wanting to join.
” His excitement is palpable , but so is that of Ms. Schönefeld , the artist , whose studio is just a mile or so west of his district .
Like Mr. Pfeiffer , she also talks about reforming high taxes on the middle class , but she also speaks of fixing the education system .
“ You have to refresh the whole system .
You have to start from scratch .
”

There’s also a feeling that Germany has long-neglected domestic issues of great importance. But at the same time, Germany’s role in foreign affairs has become a real concern. Attention to national security has slipped, and Europe can no longer rely on the United States to police the Middle East.
Stamping out the far-right is a domestic challenge that could easily consume the leadership; its rise in Germany was enabled, in part, by the issue of migration. In 2015, Dr. Merkel suspended a protocol about “safe” countries, which ultimately led to 1 million refugees entering the country.
Angela Merkel has set the path of Germany and Europe for two decades. But with the chancellor’s tenure nearing its end and her one-time heir apparent now out, the vision of Germany's future is suddenly unclear.
Now, with Dr. Merkel’s hand-picked successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, stepping down from party leadership and a battle for succession underway, the path forward for Germany’s political mainstream looks shaky. Will Germany’s next leader continue Ms. Merkel’s risk-averse status quo, or will he use the muscle that comes with being Europe’s largest economy to chart a new course for the country – and for Europe?
Germany is at a political inflection point. Helmed by Chancellor Angela Merkel since 2000, the once formidable Christian Democratic Union has presided over a prosperous Germany that earned the world’s respect.
Nina Schönefeld speaks of growing up in Berlin with a half-Korean best friend, and Turkish, Serbian, and South African classmates. Multicultural, inclusive, and forward-thinking: That’s the vision that she, as an artist and documentary filmmaker, believes should be Germany’s present and future.
There’s just a small problem: “The far-right wing has taken over these villages in Germany,” says Ms. Schönefeld, whose most recent film deals with a dystopic future in which autocrats pushed democracy underground. She’s worried Germany is headed in the same direction.
Germany’s traditional parties are partly to blame, says Ms. Schönefeld. “They’re too old-fashioned, too honest, too out-of-touch. They haven’t been knocking on doors,” she says. “You have whole villages with signs saying, ‘This is the way to Adolf Hitler’s birth town.’ They have to take care of this movement.”
Why We Wrote This Angela Merkel has set the path of Germany and Europe for two decades. But with the chancellor’s tenure nearing its end and her one-time heir apparent now out, the vision of Germany's future is suddenly unclear.
Germany is at a political inflection point. Helmed by Chancellor Angela Merkel for nearly two decades, the once formidable Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has presided over a prosperous Germany that earned the world’s respect. But over the last decade, the far-right and far-left have steadily picked away at its flanks.
Now, with Ms. Merkel’s hand-picked successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, stepping down from party leadership and a battle for succession underway, the path forward for Germany’s political mainstream looks shaky. Will Germany’s next leader continue Ms. Merkel’s risk-averse status quo, or will he use the muscle that comes with being Europe’s largest economy to chart a new course for the country – and for Europe?
“It would be tempting for the next chancellor to fill his calendar with domestic issues,” says Jan Techau, director of the Europe Program at The German Marshall Fund. “But that’s a luxury that won’t happen. You need to be gutsy.”
Migration issues, whopping losses
Late-February elections in the city of Hamburg saw the CDU’s support whittled down to 11%, pegged by analysts as a 70-year low. Earlier in the year came another sign of weakness: The local CDU in the state of Thuringia aligned with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to help defeat a left-wing governor, the first time a mainstream party had aligned with the far-right since the Hitler era. The resulting furor ultimately had national repercussions, prompting Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer to step down.
That local party’s defiance demonstrated not only Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer’s tenuous grip on power, but also the complexity in figuring out what to do with extremist parties. In short, not everyone agrees. Meanwhile, after enjoying peak popularity in 2013, polling at more than 40%, the CDU is now logging support nationally around 26%.
Stamping out the far-right is a domestic challenge that could easily consume the leadership; its rise was enabled, in part, by the issue of migration. In 2015, Ms. Merkel suspended a protocol about “safe” countries, which ultimately led to 1 million refugees entering Germany.
Ms. Merkel’s party was seen as “too open and welcoming, and not tough enough,” says Mr. Techau, the analyst. “Both on security, but also not demanding enough from newcomers to integrate and learn the language.”
Neglect, and the rise of the Greens
Then there’s the feeling that Germany has long-neglected domestic issues of great importance, including failing to upgrade digital infrastructure that’s among the oldest and slowest in Europe. A recent survey from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, in fact, found that Germany ranked 29th out of 34 industrialized economies for internet speeds.
“We have a low degree of digitization, and in order to get a permit to run fibers from Point A to Point B, it takes forever,” says Yorck Otto, president of Germany’s leading business association for small and medium-sized companies.
“Crazy levels of bureaucracy,” he says, are also hindering startup culture and miring companies in months, if not years, of paperwork. Taxation rates in Germany are also among the highest in Europe, a point that comes up in almost every conversation about domestic politics.
Enter the Green Party, which has swept into the European mainstream with its timely emphasis on social justice and climate change. It has resounded with a progressive middle class that’s finding it increasingly difficult to identify with the older, more staid mainstream parties. The Greens are no longer the forbidding no-meat, no-car eco-nerds of yesteryear, and are now the second-largest party in Germany after the CDU.
“You can drive an SUV and vote Green and feel good about yourself,” says Josef Janning, a political scientist and former fellow of the European Council on Foreign Relations. “They’re cashmere sweaters now – soft and very convenient.”
“Extremist parties make everything more complicated,” continues Mr. Janning. “As they gain power it begs the question of whether to align with them, or ignore them. Squeeze them out, or integrate them?”
Meanwhile, Germany’s role in foreign affairs has become a real concern. Attention to national security has slipped under Ms. Merkel, and Europe can no longer rely on the United States to police the Middle East.
“Does Germany feel any sense of agency? To do the geopolitical hedging, taking fights, picking sides, and create outcomes?” asks Mr. Techau. “We’ve been shying away from that, but without Germany, Europe cannot move.”
Jockeying for position
A handful of men have raised a hand to rule Germany’s biggest party. A special conference to choose the next leader is scheduled for late April.
Armin Laschet, premier of Germany’s largest state of North-Rhine Westphalia, is the most moderate of the declared candidates, and is among the favorites to win. Health Minister Jens Spahn, a young politician who’s recently enjoyed high visibility dealing with COVID-19’s arrival in Germany, earlier announced his own ambitions, but Mr. Laschet recently recruited him as his potential deputy, with the idea that he shores up the conservative wing of the party. The former parliamentary-leader-turned-financier Friedrich Merz, who ran against Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer in the last round, is the most business-friendly of the bunch. Ms. Merkel’s former environment minister, Norbert Röttgen, is also in, representing the least likely bid.
Jacob Turcotte/Staff, Photos by Reuters and AP
Thus begins months of “navel-gazing and soul-searching,” says Mr. Janning, the analyst, who expects a more “Germany-centric political rhetoric” in the future.
Yet others believe Germany’s next leaders should resist the temptation to focus only on domestic challenges. “Germany is aware of its responsibility for a strong Europe,” says former parliamentary journalist Verena Köttker, who remarks that closing ranks with the rest of Europe will increase the bloc’s negotiating power on everything from trade to peacemaking. “Only together can we face the USA, China, and Russia on equal footing.”
Timing is important. The businessman, Dr. Otto, says the CDU must figure out its organizational setup “now, not tomorrow. Now.” Even so, he expresses confidence in the bench that’s been waiting patiently. “The CDU has the ability, the power, the people, the talent to bring Germany forward within Europe and the world, though the world has gotten very difficult and violent.” Among other issues, Dr. Otto says he’d like to see stronger efforts to stamp out cyberterrorism against German companies.
“These are our voters”
On a cold February night, one week after Ms. Kramp-Karrenbauer’s resignation announcement, Bernd Pfeiffer joined a dozen CDU members in a backroom of a popular pub in Friedrichshain. It’s a district where the far-right has succeeded in plucking away CDU voters. The worry – as well as the excitement in the room – was obvious.
“It is our duty to do the hard work to push the right out so that they are no longer in parliament,” opined Mr. Pfeiffer. “These are our voters. These are our voices. We need them in order to be a people’s party again.”
The words “left” and “right” were dominant in the meeting, as the attendees mulled over what kind of leadership team might best tackle that task. One said that center parties are always strong when an outstanding personality shored up both the left and right flanks, such as legendary, blue-chip politicians Helmut Kohl and Franz Josef Strauss, respectively. The group murmured.
Later, in an interview, Mr. Pfeiffer said he’s working behind the scenes to make sure the CDU remembers its roots. Though he’s vowed never to join the far-right, Mr. Pfeiffer said his inflection point as a longtime CDU loyalist came over Ms. Merkel’s controversial decisions on immigration. “We have a strong asylum policy, and that’s great. But we also have 450 people a day who cross our borders without papers. And no one does anything.”
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
A tax adviser who grew up in a village outside Hamburg, Mr. Pfeiffer is president of the Values Union in Berlin, a faction within the party that advocates for conservatism. Since the party’s leadership has been in question, his phone has been ringing. And ringing. “Twenty-four hours a day,” he says, giving his black Samsung a concerted shake. “Hundreds and hundreds of messages. Offering support, wanting to join.”
His excitement is palpable, but so is that of Ms. Schönefeld, the artist, whose studio is just a mile or so west of his district. Like Mr. Pfeiffer, she also talks about reforming high taxes on the middle class, but she also speaks of fixing the education system. “You have to refresh the whole system. You have to start from scratch.”


csmonitor--2020-03-15--Preventative move? US Fed Reserve abruptly cuts interest rates

The Federal Reserve took emergency action Sunday to help the economy withstand the coronavirus by slashing its benchmark interest rate to near zero and saying it would buy $ 700 billion in Treasury and mortgage bonds .
The Fed ’ s surprise announcement signaled its concern that the viral outbreak will depress economic growth in the coming months and that it ’ s prepared to do whatever it can counter the risks .
It said it would keep its key rate at a range between zero and 0.25 % until it feels confident that the economy can survive what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity in the United States .
The central bank will buy $ 500 billion of Treasury securities and $ 200 billion of mortgage-backed securities – an effort to smooth over market disruptions that have made it hard for banks and large investors to sell Treasuries as well as to keep longer-term rates borrowing rates down .
The disruptions in the Treasury market sent the yield on the 10-year Treasury rising last week , an unusual move that threatens to push borrowing costs for mortgages and credit cards higher .
All told , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep financial markets functioning and lending flowing to businesses and consumers .
Otherwise , as revenue dries up for countless small businesses that have suddenly lost customers , those employers could be forced to lay off workers or even seek bankruptcy protection .
`` This is a break-the-glass moment '' for the Fed , said Mark Zandi , chief economist at Moody ’ s Analytics .
`` They are throwing everything they ’ ve got at this .
My sense is they must be nervous about the credit system not functioning properly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ . ''
By aggressively slashing its benchmark short-term rate to near zero and pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into the financial system , the Fed ’ s moves Sunday recalled the emergency action it took at the height of the financial crisis .
Starting in 2008 , the Fed cut its key rate to near zero and kept it there for seven years .
The central bank has now returned that rate – which influences many consumer and business loans – to its record-low level .
`` The Fed needed to act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. east coast , before the open of Asian markets in just a few hours , '' said Bankrate.com chief financial analyst , Greg McBride .
`` The Fed is dusting off the financial crisis playbook , returning to bond buying , coordinating with other global central banks to provide access to U.S. dollar liquidity , cutting interest rates to zero , and opening the Fed ’ s discount window to ensure the flow of credit through banks to consumers and businesses . ''
Some of the Fed 's new steps are intended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lend .
As businesses across the country see their revenues dwindle as consumers stay home , they will seek short-term loans to maintain their payrolls .
The Fed said it has dropped its normal requirement that banks hold cash equal to 10 % of its customers ' deposits , allowing banks to lend those funds .
It also said banks can use additional cash buffers that were imposed after the 2008 financial crisis for lending .
`` The Federal Reserve is prepared to use its full range of tools to support the flow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thereby promote its maximum employment and price stability goals , '' the central bank said .
`` It confirms that the Fed sees the economy going down ... very sharply '' toward recession , Adam Posen , president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics , said .
The Fed also announced that it has cut interest rates on dollar loans in a joint action that it has taken with five central banks overseas .
That is intended to ensure that foreign banks continue to have access to dollars that they lend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fed 's actions amount to a recognition that the U.S. economy faces its most perilous juncture since the recession ended more than a decade ago .
Still , with the virus ' spread causing a broad shutdown of economic activity in the U.S. , the Fed faces a daunting task .
Its tools – intended to ease borrowing rates , facilitate lending , and boost confidence – are n't ideally suited to offset a fear-driven halt in spending and traveling .
`` We have to hope that the Fed getting out in front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central banks , pushes the economy in the right direction , '' said Adam Posen , president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics .
`` The heavy lifting for stimulus and for preventing lasting economic damage has to be done on the fiscal side .
That ’ s nature of this shock . ''
`` It confirms that the Fed sees the economy going down ... very sharply '' toward recession , Mr. Posen said .
Mr. Posen advocates fiscal steps such as providing sick leave and pay for quarantined workers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ medium sized businesses hit hard by the outbreak .
`` This isn ’ t going to be the magic bullet that saves everything , '' said Timothy Duy , an economist at the University of Oregon who follows the Fed .
But it sends a signal to Congress that the economy needs emergency stimulus .
Mr. Duy also predicted that the Fed will follow up with more moves , including possibly changing its inflation target to allow for more stimulus and providing more support for commercial paper – the short-term notes that companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t think they ’ re done yet , '' Mr. Duy said .
Mr. Duy said the asset purchases are an `` effort to keep markets from freezing up . ''
Earlier , Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that both the central bank and the federal government have tools at their disposal to support the economy .
Mr. Mnuchin also said he did not think the economy is yet in recession .
Most economists , however , believe a recession is already here , or will be soon .
JPMorgan Chase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the current quarter and 3 % in the April-June quarter .
`` I do n't think so , '' Mr. Mnuchin said , when asked if the U.S. is in recession .
`` The real issue is what economic tools are we going to use to make sure we get through this . ''
On Saturday , President Donald Trump reiterated his frequent demand that the Fed `` get on board and do what they should do , '' reflecting his argument that benchmark U.S. rates should be as low as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they 're now negative .
Negative rates are generally seen as a sign of economic distress , and there 's little evidence that they help stimulate growth .
Fed officials have indicated that they 're unlikely to cut rates below zero .
With the virus depressing travel , spending , and corporate investment and forcing the cancellation of sports leagues , business conferences , music performances , and Broadway shows , economists increasingly expect the economy to shrink for at least one or two quarters .
A six-month contraction would meet an informal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can take to the bank that we ’ re going to have negative growth in the second quarter , '' said Nathan Sheets , chief economist at PGIM Fixed Income .
`` The expansion is under threat , '' said Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak , chief economist at the Boston Consulting Group .
`` There ’ s a very plausible risk this will amount to a recession . ''
Two weeks ago , in a surprise move , the Fed sought to offset the disease 's drags on the economy by cutting its short-term rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cut between policy meetings since the financial crisis .
Its benchmark rate is now in a range of 1 % to 1.25 % .
Some analysts have forecast that the Fed will reduce its rate by just one-half or three-quarters of a point on Wednesday , rather than by a full point .
But policymakers have largely accepted research that says once its benchmark rate approaches zero , it would produce a greater economic benefit to cut all the way to zero rather than just to a quarter- or half-point above .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cuts to work their way through the economy .
So if a recession threatens , quicker action is more effective .
Some of the attention Wednesday will likely be on what steps the Fed takes to further smooth the functioning of bond markets , a topic that can seem esoteric but that serves a fundamental role in the functioning of the economy .
The rate on the 10-year Treasury influences a range of borrowing costs for businesses and consumers , including mortgage and credit card rates .
If banks and investors ca n't @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might rise throughout the economy .
`` Even more important than the Fed 's rate-cutting function is the market-calming function , '' said David Wilcox , a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former head of research at the Fed .
The central bank took a huge step in that direction Thursday , when it said it would provide $ 1.5 trillion of short-term loans to banks .
The central bank will provide the cash to interested banks in return for Treasuries .
The loans will be repaid after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a response to signs that the bond market has been disrupted in recent days as many traders and banks have sought to unload large sums of Treasuries but have n't found enough willing buyers .
That logjam reduced bond prices and raised their yields – the opposite of what typically happens when the stock market plunges .
The Fed also said last week that it would broaden its $ 60 billion monthly Treasury purchase program , launched last fall , from just short-term bills to all maturities .
The Fed is already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of mortgage-backed securities into Treasuries of all durations , thereby bringing its total purchases to $ 80 billion .
Those purchases would help relieve banks of the Treasuries they want to sell .
Some analysts expect the Fed to extend those purchases past their current end-date of the second quarter and even vastly increase the size .
On Wednesday , the Fed 's policymakers will also update their forecasts for the economy and for interest rates .
Economists at Pimco predict that the Fed 's policymakers will collectively downgrade their estimate for growth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.5 % .
That figure would be consistent with an economic contraction in the first half of the year , followed by a sharp rebound , Pimco said .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .

The Federal Reserve took emergency action Sunday to help the economy withstand the coronavirus by slashing its benchmark interest rate to near zero and saying it would buy $700 billion in Treasury and mortgage bonds.
The Fed’s surprise announcement signaled its concern that the viral outbreak will depress economic growth in the coming months and that it’s prepared to do whatever it can counter the risks. It said it would keep its key rate at a range between zero and 0.25% until it feels confident that the economy can survive what’s become a sudden near-shutdown of economic activity in the United States.
The central bank will buy $500 billion of Treasury securities and $200 billion of mortgage-backed securities – an effort to smooth over market disruptions that have made it hard for banks and large investors to sell Treasuries as well as to keep longer-term rates borrowing rates down. The disruptions in the Treasury market sent the yield on the 10-year Treasury rising last week, an unusual move that threatens to push borrowing costs for mortgages and credit cards higher.
All told, the Fed's massive response is intended to keep financial markets functioning and lending flowing to businesses and consumers. Otherwise, as revenue dries up for countless small businesses that have suddenly lost customers, those employers could be forced to lay off workers or even seek bankruptcy protection.
"This is a break-the-glass moment" for the Fed, said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics. "They are throwing everything they’ve got at this. My sense is they must be nervous about the credit system not functioning properly. They are trying to shore up confidence."
By aggressively slashing its benchmark short-term rate to near zero and pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into the financial system, the Fed’s moves Sunday recalled the emergency action it took at the height of the financial crisis. Starting in 2008, the Fed cut its key rate to near zero and kept it there for seven years. The central bank has now returned that rate – which influences many consumer and business loans – to its record-low level.
"The Fed needed to act now, late Sunday afternoon on the U.S. east coast, before the open of Asian markets in just a few hours," said Bankrate.com chief financial analyst, Greg McBride. "The Fed is dusting off the financial crisis playbook, returning to bond buying, coordinating with other global central banks to provide access to U.S. dollar liquidity, cutting interest rates to zero, and opening the Fed’s discount window to ensure the flow of credit through banks to consumers and businesses."
Some of the Fed's new steps are intended to free up money for banks to lend. As businesses across the country see their revenues dwindle as consumers stay home, they will seek short-term loans to maintain their payrolls. The Fed said it has dropped its normal requirement that banks hold cash equal to 10% of its customers' deposits, allowing banks to lend those funds. It also said banks can use additional cash buffers that were imposed after the 2008 financial crisis for lending.
"The Federal Reserve is prepared to use its full range of tools to support the flow of credit to households and businesses and thereby promote its maximum employment and price stability goals," the central bank said.
"It confirms that the Fed sees the economy going down ... very sharply" toward recession, Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said.
The Fed also announced that it has cut interest rates on dollar loans in a joint action that it has taken with five central banks overseas. That is intended to ensure that foreign banks continue to have access to dollars that they lend to overseas companies.
All told, the Fed's actions amount to a recognition that the U.S. economy faces its most perilous juncture since the recession ended more than a decade ago.
Still, with the virus' spread causing a broad shutdown of economic activity in the U.S., the Fed faces a daunting task. Its tools – intended to ease borrowing rates, facilitate lending, and boost confidence – aren't ideally suited to offset a fear-driven halt in spending and traveling.
"We have to hope that the Fed getting out in front of events, not to mention other central banks, pushes the economy in the right direction," said Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics. "The heavy lifting for stimulus and for preventing lasting economic damage has to be done on the fiscal side. That’s nature of this shock."
"It confirms that the Fed sees the economy going down ... very sharply" toward recession, Mr. Posen said.
Mr. Posen advocates fiscal steps such as providing sick leave and pay for quarantined workers and rolling over bank loans to small and medium sized businesses hit hard by the outbreak.
"This isn’t going to be the magic bullet that saves everything," said Timothy Duy, an economist at the University of Oregon who follows the Fed.
But it sends a signal to Congress that the economy needs emergency stimulus. Mr. Duy also predicted that the Fed will follow up with more moves, including possibly changing its inflation target to allow for more stimulus and providing more support for commercial paper – the short-term notes that companies issue to meet expenses.
"I don’t think they’re done yet," Mr. Duy said.
Mr. Duy said the asset purchases are an "effort to keep markets from freezing up."
Earlier, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said that both the central bank and the federal government have tools at their disposal to support the economy.
Mr. Mnuchin also said he did not think the economy is yet in recession. Most economists, however, believe a recession is already here, or will be soon. JPMorgan Chase predicts the economy will shrink 2% in the current quarter and 3% in the April-June quarter.
"I don't think so," Mr. Mnuchin said, when asked if the U.S. is in recession. "The real issue is what economic tools are we going to use to make sure we get through this."
On Saturday, President Donald Trump reiterated his frequent demand that the Fed "get on board and do what they should do," reflecting his argument that benchmark U.S. rates should be as low as they are in Europe and Japan, where they're now negative. Negative rates are generally seen as a sign of economic distress, and there's little evidence that they help stimulate growth. Fed officials have indicated that they're unlikely to cut rates below zero.
With the virus depressing travel, spending, and corporate investment and forcing the cancellation of sports leagues, business conferences, music performances, and Broadway shows, economists increasingly expect the economy to shrink for at least one or two quarters. A six-month contraction would meet an informal definition of a recession.
"You can take to the bank that we’re going to have negative growth in the second quarter," said Nathan Sheets, chief economist at PGIM Fixed Income.
"The expansion is under threat," said Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, chief economist at the Boston Consulting Group. "There’s a very plausible risk this will amount to a recession."
Two weeks ago, in a surprise move, the Fed sought to offset the disease's drags on the economy by cutting its short-term rate by a half-percentage point – its first cut between policy meetings since the financial crisis. Its benchmark rate is now in a range of 1% to 1.25%. Some analysts have forecast that the Fed will reduce its rate by just one-half or three-quarters of a point on Wednesday, rather than by a full point.
But policymakers have largely accepted research that says once its benchmark rate approaches zero, it would produce a greater economic benefit to cut all the way to zero rather than just to a quarter- or half-point above. That's because it takes time for rate cuts to work their way through the economy. So if a recession threatens, quicker action is more effective.
Some of the attention Wednesday will likely be on what steps the Fed takes to further smooth the functioning of bond markets, a topic that can seem esoteric but that serves a fundamental role in the functioning of the economy. The rate on the 10-year Treasury influences a range of borrowing costs for businesses and consumers, including mortgage and credit card rates. If banks and investors can't seamlessly trade those securities, borrowing rates might rise throughout the economy.
"Even more important than the Fed's rate-cutting function is the market-calming function," said David Wilcox, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former head of research at the Fed.
The central bank took a huge step in that direction Thursday, when it said it would provide $1.5 trillion of short-term loans to banks. The central bank will provide the cash to interested banks in return for Treasuries. The loans will be repaid after one or three months.
That program is a response to signs that the bond market has been disrupted in recent days as many traders and banks have sought to unload large sums of Treasuries but haven't found enough willing buyers. That logjam reduced bond prices and raised their yields – the opposite of what typically happens when the stock market plunges.
The Fed also said last week that it would broaden its $60 billion monthly Treasury purchase program, launched last fall, from just short-term bills to all maturities. The Fed is already reinvesting $20 billion from its holdings of mortgage-backed securities into Treasuries of all durations, thereby bringing its total purchases to $80 billion.
Those purchases would help relieve banks of the Treasuries they want to sell. Some analysts expect the Fed to extend those purchases past their current end-date of the second quarter and even vastly increase the size.
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On Wednesday, the Fed's policymakers will also update their forecasts for the economy and for interest rates. Economists at Pimco predict that the Fed's policymakers will collectively downgrade their estimate for growth this year from 2% to below 1.5%. That figure would be consistent with an economic contraction in the first half of the year, followed by a sharp rebound, Pimco said.
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-03-11--How the EU is trying to prevent a virus-induced recession

Suddenly staring recession in the face , European leaders are lining up an array of tax breaks , financial support for companies , and likely central bank measures in the hope of preventing the coronavirus outbreak - officially designated a `` pandemic '' - from dealing long-term damage to the economy .
On Wednesday , the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a `` pandemic , '' defined as a disease that spreads globally , but does n't indicate severity .
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus , who heads the U.N. agency , said the WHO is concerned about “ the alarming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` All countries can still change the course of this pandemic .
If countries detect , test , treat , isolate , trace and mobilize their people in the response . ''
Expectations have grown that European Central Bank officials will announce more monetary stimulus when they meet Thursday , after the Bank of England acted Wednesday , and the U.S. Federal Reserve last week .
The European Commission plans to set up a 25 billion-euro ( $ 28 billion ) investment fund to support the health care system , businesses , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is offering an aid package of about the same size .
Yet any such actions will likely be more damage limitation than cure .
Monetary stimulus and government spending can spur demand for goods .
But the coronavirus deals a shock from the supply side by closing businesses and making people stay home , highlighted by Italy 's dramatic decision this week to limit travel and public gatherings across the country .
Lower interest rates or tax cuts can not solve that .
Meanwhile , action to help the 19 countries that use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lack of a large central treasury , a hurdle other large economies like the U.S. and China do not face .
`` The world is facing a medical emergency that monetary and fiscal policy can not fix , '' said Holger Schmieding , chief economist at Berenberg private bank .
The best policymakers can do for the economy is to prevent the virus from dealing prolonged damage even after the outbreak ends , to keep small- and medium-sized companies that provide most of the jobs in the economy from going out of business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control .
Among the most affected are companies involved in travel .
The number of people going through European airports is expected to fall by 187 million this year , hurting hotels , restaurants , cabdrivers , and airlines .
Lufthansa is cutting up to half of its flights from April .
Ryanair suspended all flights to and from Italy .
Exhibition centers have seen trade fairs postponed and football matches are taking place in empty stadiums .
The investment fund announced Tuesday night by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 25 billion size of the fund is only around 0.1 % of the annual 18.8 trillion euro ( $ 20.7 trillion ) EU economy .
Ms .
Von der Leyen said national leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed during a video conference Tuesday to `` use all the tools at our disposal so that the European economy weathers this storm . ''
That includes being flexible in EU rules limiting debt and coming up with clear guidelines on permissible state aid to companies .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flow to the companies that need it , '' she said .
At the national level , Italy , which has been hit hardest by far by the virus outbreak , is earmarking 25 billion euros to confront the crisis .
It will support health services , ensure people do not lose jobs due to travel restrictions , and support families by , for example , delaying payments on mortgages and taxes .
More details on the aid is due Friday .
Italy mulled imposing even tighter restrictions on daily life and announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic shocks from the coronavirus , its latest efforts to adjust to the fast-evolving health crisis that also silenced the usually bustling heart of the Catholic faith , St. Peter ’ s Square .
Premier Giuseppe Conte said he will consider requests to toughen Italy 's already extraordinary anti-virus lockdown that was extended nationwide Tuesday .
Lombardy , Italy 's hardest-hit region , is pushing for a shutdown of nonessential businesses and public transportation cutbacks .
These additional measures would be on top of travel and social restrictions that imposed an eerie hush @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Tuesday .
Police enforced rules that customers stay 3 feet apart and ensured that businesses closed by 6 p.m .
But Mr. Conte said fighting Italy 's more than 10,000 infections – the biggest outbreak outside of China – must not come at the expense of civil liberties .
His caution suggested that Italy is unlikely to adopt the draconian quarantine measures that helped China to push down new infections from thousands per day to a trickle now .
Britain , no longer a member of the European Union but still an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announce fiscal stimulus and business support measures when the budget is announced Wednesday .
The Bank of England added stimulus by cutting a key interest benchmark to 0.25 % from 0.75 % .
Even Germany is softening its longstanding opposition to increasing government spending to boost growth .
The cabinet has discussed a package of measures including 3.1 billion euros in extra investment spending per year from 2021 to 2024 .
That is only 0.1 % of GDP but experts say it 's a step in the right direction and can always be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agreed to make it easier for companies to put workers on shortened hours .
The short-time work program is credited with limiting job losses during the Great Recession in 2009 and with speeding the rebound afterward , since companies kept their workers on and did not need to reassemble a trained factory workforce .
The government is also considering tax relief for companies if their sales fall suddenly .
Analysts say the European Central Bank is likely to take stimulus steps at its policy meeting Thursday .
Possibilities include cutting its deposit rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minus 0.6 % from minus 0.5 % , effectively pushing banks to lend more money .
The ECB could also raise its current program of bond purchases from 20 billion euros ( $ 22 billion ) a month to as much as 40 billion euros ( $ 44 billion ) a month and focus more on bonds issued by companies , which would aim at lowering borrowing costs for the private sector .
The central bank could also issue more cheap , long-term credit to banks on the condition the money is loaned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only `` limit the damage to demand , '' said Mr. Schmieding .
He estimates that the eurozone economy could shrink 0.4 % in the first quarter and 0.5 % in the second , putting it in recession .
A rebound in the second half would still leave the economy slightly smaller for the year .
Oliver Rakau , chief German economist at Oxford Economics , said Europe might be only beginning to face the need for new investment and financial aid .
`` This is a broadly right and a welcome response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firm profits , '' he said .
`` But we continue to think that more will be needed , once the fallout from the current economic shock becomes clearer . ''
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
Material by Colleen Barry was added to this report .

Suddenly staring recession in the face, European leaders are lining up an array of tax breaks, financial support for companies, and likely central bank measures in the hope of preventing the coronavirus outbreak - officially designated a "pandemic" - from dealing long-term damage to the economy.
On Wednesday, the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a "pandemic," defined as a disease that spreads globally, but doesn't indicate severity. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who heads the U.N. agency, said the WHO is concerned about “the alarming levels of inaction.” He added, "All countries can still change the course of this pandemic. If countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace and mobilize their people in the response."
Expectations have grown that European Central Bank officials will announce more monetary stimulus when they meet Thursday, after the Bank of England acted Wednesday, and the U.S. Federal Reserve last week.
The European Commission plans to set up a 25 billion-euro ($28 billion) investment fund to support the health care system, businesses, and labor market measures. The Italian government is offering an aid package of about the same size.
Yet any such actions will likely be more damage limitation than cure.
Monetary stimulus and government spending can spur demand for goods. But the coronavirus deals a shock from the supply side by closing businesses and making people stay home, highlighted by Italy's dramatic decision this week to limit travel and public gatherings across the country. Lower interest rates or tax cuts cannot solve that.
Meanwhile, action to help the 19 countries that use the euro currency faces constraints from the lack of a large central treasury, a hurdle other large economies like the U.S. and China do not face.
"The world is facing a medical emergency that monetary and fiscal policy cannot fix," said Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg private bank.
The best policymakers can do for the economy is to prevent the virus from dealing prolonged damage even after the outbreak ends, to keep small- and medium-sized companies that provide most of the jobs in the economy from going out of business due to a short-term issue beyond their control.
Among the most affected are companies involved in travel. The number of people going through European airports is expected to fall by 187 million this year, hurting hotels, restaurants, cabdrivers, and airlines. Lufthansa is cutting up to half of its flights from April. Ryanair suspended all flights to and from Italy. Exhibition centers have seen trade fairs postponed and football matches are taking place in empty stadiums.
The investment fund announced Tuesday night by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is drawn from the existing EU budget. The 25 billion size of the fund is only around 0.1% of the annual 18.8 trillion euro ($20.7 trillion) EU economy.
Ms. Von der Leyen said national leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed during a video conference Tuesday to "use all the tools at our disposal so that the European economy weathers this storm." That includes being flexible in EU rules limiting debt and coming up with clear guidelines on permissible state aid to companies.
"We will make sure that state aid can flow to the companies that need it," she said.
At the national level, Italy, which has been hit hardest by far by the virus outbreak, is earmarking 25 billion euros to confront the crisis. It will support health services, ensure people do not lose jobs due to travel restrictions, and support families by, for example, delaying payments on mortgages and taxes. More details on the aid is due Friday.
Italy mulled imposing even tighter restrictions on daily life and announced billions in financial relief Wednesday to cushion economic shocks from the coronavirus, its latest efforts to adjust to the fast-evolving health crisis that also silenced the usually bustling heart of the Catholic faith, St. Peter’s Square.
Premier Giuseppe Conte said he will consider requests to toughen Italy's already extraordinary anti-virus lockdown that was extended nationwide Tuesday. Lombardy, Italy's hardest-hit region, is pushing for a shutdown of nonessential businesses and public transportation cutbacks.
These additional measures would be on top of travel and social restrictions that imposed an eerie hush on cities and towns across the country from Tuesday. Police enforced rules that customers stay 3 feet apart and ensured that businesses closed by 6 p.m.
But Mr. Conte said fighting Italy's more than 10,000 infections – the biggest outbreak outside of China – must not come at the expense of civil liberties. His caution suggested that Italy is unlikely to adopt the draconian quarantine measures that helped China to push down new infections from thousands per day to a trickle now.
Britain, no longer a member of the European Union but still an important trade partner, is expected to announce fiscal stimulus and business support measures when the budget is announced Wednesday. The Bank of England added stimulus by cutting a key interest benchmark to 0.25% from 0.75%.
Even Germany is softening its longstanding opposition to increasing government spending to boost growth. The cabinet has discussed a package of measures including 3.1 billion euros in extra investment spending per year from 2021 to 2024. That is only 0.1% of GDP but experts say it's a step in the right direction and can always be scaled up.
The German government meanwhile agreed to make it easier for companies to put workers on shortened hours. The short-time work program is credited with limiting job losses during the Great Recession in 2009 and with speeding the rebound afterward, since companies kept their workers on and did not need to reassemble a trained factory workforce. The government is also considering tax relief for companies if their sales fall suddenly.
Analysts say the European Central Bank is likely to take stimulus steps at its policy meeting Thursday. Possibilities include cutting its deposit rate benchmark deeper into negative territory, to minus 0.6% from minus 0.5%, effectively pushing banks to lend more money.
The ECB could also raise its current program of bond purchases from 20 billion euros ($22 billion) a month to as much as 40 billion euros ($44 billion) a month and focus more on bonds issued by companies, which would aim at lowering borrowing costs for the private sector. The central bank could also issue more cheap, long-term credit to banks on the condition the money is loaned to businesses.
Yet all this can only "limit the damage to demand," said Mr. Schmieding. He estimates that the eurozone economy could shrink 0.4% in the first quarter and 0.5% in the second, putting it in recession. A rebound in the second half would still leave the economy slightly smaller for the year.
Oliver Rakau, chief German economist at Oxford Economics, said Europe might be only beginning to face the need for new investment and financial aid.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
"This is a broadly right and a welcome response limiting the hit to household incomes and firm profits," he said. "But we continue to think that more will be needed, once the fallout from the current economic shock becomes clearer."
This story was reported by The Associated Press. Material by Colleen Barry was added to this report.