US Congress passes bipartisan relief bill
By The World staff
Dusk falls over the Capitol, Dec. 21, 2020, in Washington.
Top of The World — our morning news roundup written by editors at The World. Subscribe here.
Additional countries have closed their borders Monday to the United Kingdom, as officials try to stop a highly infectious new strain of the coronavirus from spreading. The new restrictions are causing a global panic and travel chaos, introducing the prospect of a food shortage in Britain just several days before Brexit takes effect.
India, Hong Kong, Russia, Poland and Switzerland banned travel for people from the UK, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned that the mutated variant was 70% more contagious. In all, more than 30 nations in Europe and across the world have now suspended travel with the UK. But Adm. Brett Giroir, on the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said on ABC News’ “This Week” that a ban on US travel to the UK wasn’t in the works. “I really don't believe we need to do that yet.”