Government

Trump signs pandemic aid and spending bill, averting government shutdown

Sun, 2020-12-27 21:15 — mike kraft

PALM BEACH, Fla./WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday signed into law a $2.3 trillion pandemic aid and spending package, officials said, restoring unemployment benefits to millions of Americans and averting a partial federal government shutdown.

Trump, who leaves office on Jan. 20 after losing November’s election, backed down from his threat to block the bill, which was approved Congress last week, after he came under intense pressure from lawmakers on both sides.

The Republican president, who golfed on Sunday and remained out of public view even as the potential government shutdown loomed, had demanded that Congress change the bill to increase the size of stimulus checks for struggling Americans to $2,000 from $600.

It was not immediately clear why Trump changed his mind as his resistance to the massive legislative package promised a chaotic final stretch of his presidency.

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Wars, instability pose vaccine challenges in poor nations

Sun, 2020-12-27 12:03 — mike kraft

Wars, instability pose vaccine challenges in poor nations DAR MANGI, Pakistan (AP) — Arifullah Khan had just administered another polio vaccine when the gunfire blasted from the nearby hills. “It happened so suddenly. There was so much gunfire it... AP NEWS

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'The beginning of the end': Europe rolls out vaccines to fight pandemic

Sun, 2020-12-27 10:17 — mike kraft

'The beginning of the end': Europe rolls out vaccines to fight pandemic Europe launched a mass COVID-19 vaccination drive on Sunday with pensioners and medics lining up to get the first shots to see off a pandemic that has crippled economies and claimed more than 1.7 million lives worldwide. Isla Binnie, Giselda Vagnoni U.S.

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How quickly the US lost 1 in 1,000 Americans to Covid-19

Sat, 2020-12-26 18:39 — mike kraft

How quickly the US lost 1 in 1,000 Americans to Covid-19 The United States reached a grim milestone as at least 1 in 1,000 Americans have died of Covid-19. Here are some of the numbers and how quickly we arrived. Travis Caldwell, CNN CNN

(CNN) The United States reached a grim milestone on Saturday: 1 in 1,000 Americans have died from Covid-19 since the nation's first reported infection in late January.

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Early Vaccine Doubters Now Show a Willingness to Roll Up Their Sleeves

Sat, 2020-12-26 18:25 — mike kraft

Ever since the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine began last spring, upbeat announcements were stalked by ominous polls: No matter how encouraging the news, growing numbers of people said they would refuse to get the shot.

The time frame was dangerously accelerated, many people warned. The vaccine was a scam from Big Pharma, others said. A political ploy by the Trump administration, many Democrats charged. The internet pulsed with apocalyptic predictions from longtime vaccine opponents, who decried the new shot as the epitome of every concern they’d ever put forth.

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EU prepares to launch COVID-19 vaccinations, Hungary started today

Sat, 2020-12-26 11:59 — mike kraft

'Window of hope': Europe prepares to launch COVID-19 vaccinations Hungary stole a march on its fellow EU nations as it began vaccinating its people against COVID-19 on Saturday, a day ahead of rollouts in several other countries including France, Germany and Spain as the pandemic surges across the continent. Anita Komuves, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Isla Binnie U.S.

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Surging virus, plummeting temperatures challenge shelters

Sat, 2020-12-26 10:47 — mike kraft

Surging virus, plummeting temperatures challenge shelters PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — After three years on the streets, Tiecha Vannoy and her boyfriend Chris Foss plan to weather the pandemic this winter in a small white “pod” with electricity, heat and enough... AP NEWS

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — After three years on the streets, Tiecha Vannoy and her boyfriend Chris Foss plan to weather the pandemic this winter in a small white “pod” with electricity, heat and enough room for two.

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OVERVIEW: U.S. Cases See Christmas Low; Japan’s Entry Ban: Virus Update

Sat, 2020-12-26 09:50 — mike kraft

Virus Outbreak: News and Analysis From Dec. 26, 2020 U.S. cases rose on Christmas Day by the smallest amount in almost two months, though the numbers were likely skewed by the holiday. Japan is making final arrangements to ban new entries of all non-Japanese nationals through the end of January, NTV reported. Bloomberg.com

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What we know about the UK coronavirus variant

Sat, 2020-12-26 09:35 — mike kraft

What we know about the UK coronavirus variant Dozens of countries have banned travel from the UK in an effort to contain a new Covid-19 variant first reported in England. By <a href="/profiles/nectar-gan">Nectar Gan</a>, <a href="/profiles/brett-mckeehan">Brett McKeehan</a>, Zamira Rahim, Ed Upright and Melissa Macaya, CNN CNN

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Covid-19: US imposes tests on UK airline passengers

Sat, 2020-12-26 09:16 — mike kraft

Covid-19: US imposes tests on UK airline passengers The new rule will begin on 28 December amid concerns over the new variant of coronavirus. BBC News

All airline passengers arriving in the US from the UK are to be required to test negative for Covid-19 within 72 hours of departure amid concerns about a new coronavirus variant.

From 28 December travellers will need to provide written documentation of their test result to airlines.

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