World News – AU – Monday Sunrise Briefing: A $ 900 Billion Aid Package

Here are two news events from last weekend (while you may have seen the SpaceX launch, Christmas carols, and offline life). Plus what to watch out for on the news this week.

Help is on the way. After negotiating over the weekend, U. . S.. . Congress leaders finalized a $ 900 billion stimulus package on Sunday. While less than the $ 2. 2 Trillion CARES Act earlier this year, that bill provides a $ 600 check for Americans who are up to $ 75. Earn $ 000 a year, a $ 300 weekly bonus for those collecting unemployment, and about $ 300 billion to help businesses, as well as cash for vaccine distribution and for renters, schools and childcare, the postal service, and more People in need of food aid. The bill also reportedly includes an extension of the eviction moratorium. While many states have faced sharp drops in tax revenues, Republicans have successfully rejected Democratic calls for hundreds of billions of dollars in state and local aid. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the relief package Monday, along with the $ 1 amount. 4 trillion omnibus expenditure calculation for a new financial year.

2. Preventive Steps. Across Europe, as well as Canada and India, governments have banned travelers from the United States. K. . Sunday after UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a new strain of the COVID-19 virus was found in southern England. He stressed that « there is no evidence that it is more deadly or causes more serious illness » or that vaccines are less effective against it. But Germany, for example, said that all flights from the UK, with the exception of cargo flights, were no longer allowed to land after midnight Sunday. The Eurostar passenger trains from London to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam have also stopped.

On Saturday mr. Johnson also announced new, tougher restrictions on coronavirus, including closing London shops and restaurants and banning households from mixing until Christmas. In the rest of England, people are only allowed to meet for one day instead of five in Christmas bubbles, as the government originally planned.

The great conjunction: In a spectacular conjunction, Jupiter and Saturn appear extremely close about half an hour after sunset – like an elongated star or a double planet. It is the closest observable conjunction in 800 years. The next one will be in 80 years. If it’s cloudy there, you can watch online.

EV milestone. Tesla shares are included in the S&P 500 index today. The electric vehicle maker becomes the sixth largest stock in the index. Tesla’s price per share hit a new high on Friday and is up more than 700 percent in 2020.

Longest and shortest day. Dec. . 21 marks the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, where it is the darkest day of the year. In the southern hemisphere, it is the summer solstice and the longest day of the year.

Welcome mat challenged. A federal judge in Houston is said to have heard arguments over the invalidation of the Obama-era DACA program that would expel around 650. 000 people prevented. The hearing is a continuation of a lawsuit filed by Texas and eight other states against the federal government in 2018 alleging that they will suffer « irreparable harm » if the program continues.

NBA returns. A shortened 72-game NBA season begins today and is expected to end in May. No word yet on whether fans are allowed to participate. The Toronto Raptors begin their season in Tampa, Florida.

Blockbusters debut online. « Wonder Woman 1984 » opens today on HBO Max, as does Pixar’s « Soul » on Disney . Netflix’s English romance « Bridgerton, » based on Julia Quinn’s bestseller, also opens. Produced by Shonda Rhimes.

Feroza Syed was shocked. The guy in front of her at the McDonald’s drive through had just thrown his drink back on the clerk. She stopped at the window and found that Bryanna was soaked in soda and was crying. Your offense? The guy didn’t want ice in his drink. woman. Syed was sorry and tip her $ 20.

She returned to McDonald’s later that day with the badge of the offending customer. Then she discovered that Bryanna was pregnant.

In 24 hours has woman. Syed collected 1. $ 700 for Bryanna by posting the incident on social media earlier this month. Syed later shared Bryannas Cashapp, Venmo, and PayPal information so people could donate directly, and set up a baby registration with Target.

« Doing the right thing inspires others to do the right thing, and I keep learning whenever you see this or a situation where someone is mistreated or hurt . . . All it takes is one person to change the narrative. « Woman. Syed told CNN.

Look out for our film critics’ list of the best films of 2020 in today’s Daily Edition.

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McDonald’s, Drive-through