UK announces new plan to help workers hit by pandemic LONDON — Britain’s treasury chief announced a new income support program Thursday for workers hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, as the government races to prevent widespread layoffs when earlier employer subsidies end next month. Chancellor Rishi Sunak, in a speech to lawmakers, unveiled his plan to subsidize the wages of workers whose hours are cut due to the pandemic as part of a wider package of measures to help businesses and bolster the economy. Businesses and labor unions had pressed the government to step in with more direct support for people in precarious work situations. Under a furloughed worker program that expires next month, the government pays 80% of the wages of workers placed on leave. “The primary goal of our economic policy remains unchanged — to support people’s jobs — but the way we achieve that must evolve,'' Sunak said, adding that the Conservative government wants to support viable jobs but not preserve those that are no longer needed.
Dow closes above 30,000 for first time on news that Biden transition will begin and signs of progress for COVID vaccines Former New York City Mayor David Dinkins was honored with a moment of silence Tuesday at The New York Stock Exchange. Dinkins died Monday. He was 93. Donald Trump steps up wild attacks on Joe Biden as first debate looms Five weeks from from polling day, two days from the first presidential candidates’ debate, and moments after the New York Times published bombshell revelations about Donald Trump’s taxes, the US president took aim at his Democratic opponent Joe Biden with a series of wild and unproven accusations. In an unfocussed White House briefing, the president retailed baseless allegations, including that his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden had used “performance-enhancing drug” during appearances. Trump compared Biden’s performance across primary debates, including, according to the president, that he was stronger in some debates than others: “People say he was on performance-enhancing drugs.
Will Trump ever concede to Biden? Approving the transition may be as close as he gets to that, aides say In an annual Thanksgiving tradition, President Donald Trump offered a reprieve to a pair of meaty turkeys at the White House. (Nov. 24) AP Entertainment WASHINGTON – When President Donald Trump signed off this week on formally allowing President-elect Joe Biden's transition to move forward, it was a decision he arrived at after a series of embarrassing setbacks in his efforts to challenge the results of the Nov. 3 election. Though Trump made clear he intends to keep up his election legal battle, it was a turning point after conversations over the weekend with top aides about how he could approve a transition without conceding the race. Trump faced dwindling prospects for overturning the election through the courts, a point driven home by a decision in Pennsylvania over the weekend in which a federal judge dismissed one of his campaign's lawsuits as a "Frankenstein's Monster."
Google Pixel phone 'designed for economic downturn' image copyrightGoogle Google's hardware chief has said its new flagship smartphone was designed to go on sale during an economic downturn. As a result, the Pixel 5 has abandoned some of its predecessor's headline features and runs on a slower chip in order to be sold at a lower price. However, it does gain 5G connectivity and some new photography capabilities. Experts say it will face tough competition from other mid-range Android handsets, but the included bundle of Google services could help.
'I have concerns': Americans crowding airports for Thanksgiving, despite CDC plea to stay home As cases soar, the CDC issued a warning urging Americans not to travel this Thanksgiving to avoid spreading the coronavirus. USA TODAY In spite of a plea from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stay put over Thanksgiving, Americans appear to be traveling to be with family and friends for the holiday. On Monday and Tuesday, almost a milliontravelers passed through security checkpoints at U.S. airports each day. And according to the Transportation Security Administration, more than a million people flew Sunday, making it the single-busiest day at airport checkpoints since March, when the pandemic began to dramatically affect the airline industry.
Smoke choking California again as dangerous fire conditions continue Smoke from nearly two dozen wildfires burning across California will continue to darken skies across the west this weekend, as residents prepare for more heat, toxic air and conditions that are expected to keep fueling the flames. The National Weather Service reports that both excessive heat warnings and heat advisories will remain in effect along California’s coast, while the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has extended its Spare the Air Alert through Tuesday, with air quality deemed “unhealthy”. Meanwhile the state is closing in on a devastating new record, with close to 4m acres now consumed by wildfires this season. “It’s likely that over the next day or two we will crest the 4m-acre mark. The biggest year before this year was 1.54m,” said Thom Porter, a chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
COVID news: US catching 1/8th of cases; WHO urges exercise; parade AZD1222 is AstraZeneca's newest COVID-19 vaccine candidate, but here is how it differs from the previous two. USA TODAY Like pretty much everything in 2020, Thanksgiving looks a lot different due to COVID-19. Many are spending their first Thanksgiving alone or without loved ones. Families are turning video calls into the dinner table. Even the Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons are social distancing.
Billionaires' wealth rises to $10.2 trillion amid Covid crisis The world’s billionaires “did extremely well” during the coronavirus pandemic, growing their already-huge fortunes to a record high of $10.2tn (£7.8tn). A report by Swiss bank UBS found that billionaires increased their wealth by more than a quarter (27.5%) at the height of the crisis from April to July, just as millions of people around the world lost their jobs or were struggling to get by on government schemes. The report found that billionaires had mostly benefited from betting on the recovery of global stock markets when they were at their nadir during the global lockdowns in March and April. UBS said billionaires’ wealth had hit “a new high, surpassing the previous peak of $8.9tn reached at the end of 2017”. The number of billionaires has also hit a new high of 2,189, up from 2,158 in 2017.
Dish Network warns Nexstar dispute could lead to 'largest local station blackout in TV history' There's ways to 'cut the cord' beyond streaming video. Here's a look at new tech gadgets that let you replace older services with newer technology. USA TODAY Dish Network and Nexstar Media Group are warning subscribers and viewers of a potential blackout.
Second presidential debate canceled but Trump plans in-person events The second presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden has been cancelled, the Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed Friday, a move that came as the president announced his first in-person events since being diagnosed with Covid-19. The decision by the nonpartisan commission follows a public disagreement between the two candidates over the debate’s format. The commission had previously announced the debate would take place “virtually” due to Trump’s diagnosis. Trump, however, said he would refuse to participate in a virtual event, while Biden advocated for it for safety reasons.
‘The Masked Singer’: Broc-star Paul Anka is sent home in smackdown against Mushroom during Group C Finals The Gremlin spared fellow contestants from elimination by unmasking himself. USA TODAY Spoiler alert! The following contains spoilers from the Nov. 26 episode of "The Masked Singer," including the identity of the unmasked celebrity. Biden leads Trump by 17 points as election race enters final stage Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s lead over Donald Trump has surged to a record 17 points as the US election enters its final sprint, an Opinium Research and Guardian opinion poll shows. Some 57% of likely voters intend to vote for Biden, while just 40% say they will vote for the incumbent president, the survey shows. The 17-point gap is even bigger than than 57%-41% margin found by CNN earlier this month. It is just short of the lead in the popular vote that Ronald Reagan enjoyed in his second landslide victory in 1984.