I hear he wants to increase the payments to 2000$ from the original 600$, but may run into a problem that the Democrats will be okay with that, and his own party may be less happy.
The bill as it stands was passed by huge majorities in both houses of Congress. In one of them only 6 members opposed it. If Trump is trying to split Congress along party lines over this bill now at the 11th hour, I don't think it will work. There is some kind of international dimension to the aid bill, which Trump is unhappy with. He wants all the money to go to Americans. I suppose that's understandable at face value. But I don't suppose cutting out the international part of the bill would free up anything like enough money to cover increasing the payment for Americans from $600 to between $2K and $4K. How far is Trump willing to push this? I understand the current aid arrangement expires at the end of December. If millions of Americans suddenly find themselves with no money after January 1st, it's hard to see how Donald can avoid all the stick for that situation.
And here's the lastest twopenneth from Doctor Tony Blair... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-55410349 For pity's sake Tony, the vaccine doesn't work properly unless you get two doses. Pay attention man! Just when you think you've heard the last of him, this guy turns up like a bad penny, again and again. He's nearly as bad as David Icke. Still smarting because he (Blair) never got a chance to be President of the EU.
I won't forget this... https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55420193 And I won't forgive the French Government for it. Or all the times they plan to repeat it in future. Next time, there should be official UK Government retaliation. Just to clarify - I have nothing really against the French People. But the attitude of their Establishment stinks.
Two sides to this I guess. The new strain of Covid is very infectious, and no one wants it - maybe a response like that in January, closing like with China, might have saved the world from the storm we've endured. However, it seems this easily spread strain has been around for a while - the horse has bolted regarding locking it up within the UK, and the countries who closed borders to UK flights need to close ALL the borders and introduce a severe lock down if they want the new strain controlled. And even if they do, what we saw in January suggests it's already too late. Two or three cases can convert into twenty thousand in a fortnight. At least the word is the vaccines will be effective against the new strain.
Seems as if Blair is basing his advice on fake information from Professor David Salisbury.... this guy left the Department of Health 7 years ago and experts say the the quoted protection of 90% after one dose is rubbish.... you need two does to get over 90%... clinical trials show that between dose 1 & 2 you only have 52% protection.
23rd December update: Infection / fatality tables updated at the top of page 1 for anyone who wishes to view the numbers. They make very grim reading. Germany is suffering badly for the first time. I wonder why their anti-virus measures, which have apparently worked so well until recently, are no longer serving them. Could it be the new more infectious variant? Spain appears to be on the right track in controlling the virus, but their improvement compared to Italy, France, the UK and Germany is only relative in reality. Spain's infection & fatality rates have held roughly steady since October - some modest improvement. But in most of the other large European nations matters have got a lot worse.
Schools may need to close to control new variant: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55437283 Hallelujah. People have been calling for schools to be closed for months. Granted it's not an easy option. But neither are overflowing ICU wards and losing a thousand people a day to this virus.
F*** their education and future if they cannot adhere to wearing a face covering. The disregard they show to others is alarming.
They have years in front of them to finish their education- the old and fragile need protection as they have limited time left - it’s a no brainer
I’m way down the pecking order mate , I think people that have recently been in hospital are in front of me
This lorry scandal is a disgrace. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-55434966 Lorry drivers are essential workers. Supermarkets would run out of supplies if they stopped delivering around the clock. The French Government is guilty of a massive over-reaction that has ruined Christmas for these workers, as well as causing untold disruption to supply chains. So far, of over 2,300 drivers tested, only three have been positive. That rate is only about 12% of the average infection rate of people in the UK in general. Lorry drivers do not spread the virus. The testing should be stopped right now and all drivers waved through. Boris has to be strong on this. The French CANNOT be allowed to wreak this havoc whenever they feel like it. Massive compensation claims should be made.
Agree, Bus full of teenage kids and virtually to a man (boy/girl) they do not wear face coverings ,they are th3 main super spreaders in my view .
US update: Trump plumbs new depths of nastiness in his last few weeks in the White House; https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-55454720 It turns out the $600 payment to individual Americans that he objects so strongly to was proposed by his own top economic adviser, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin several weeks ago. At the time Trump said nothing about it. He has waited until the Bill was put in front of him to sign, having been approved by massive majorities in both chambers of Congress, before refusing to approve it. His own Republican Party members in Congress are refusing to back the changes Trump has demanded to the Bill. This refusal to pass an aid package by one man - which will mean millions of Americans will see their benefit payments suddenly stop, and thousands evicted from their homes - is the most blatant abuse of Presidential powers we have seen so far. Trump seems quite happy to cause as much havoc and suffering as he can in the 25 days of power remaining to him. History will not forget his behaviour between November 4th and January 20th next year.
400 British skiers do a runner from Swiss resort 10 day quarantine 'hell' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-55465079 Honestly - things are coming to a pretty pass when middle-class twats can't enjoy a nice Christmas skiing holiday. And we think we've got problems here in tier 4
