In cities and towns across the US people mobilized to demand the cancellation of rents and called on Congress to wipe out all rent and mortgage debt accumulated during the pandemic.

Though the number of new claims for unemployment assistance and the unemployment rate has decreased, the numbers are still much higher than pre-pandemic levels

12 States have imposed an early end to the USD 300 additional federal unemployment benefit for pandemic-affected workers, with another 14 States planning to do so in the coming weeks. Over 15 million who depend on this aid and stimulus plans are set to be affected

The new plan was signed by the president a day after millions of US citizens saw their federal unemployment benefits expire. While the new plan extends these benefits, there is uncertainty about the processing of payments under the schemes

Compared to the scale of the crisis, the stimulus package will be far from enough to give people the kind of relief they need.

After much wrangling, the US Congress managed to pass the a COVID-19 relief package. However, it offers only a pittance at a time when large sections of the population are facing an unprecedented economic crisis

Most governments worldwide have announced relief packages to deal with the economic distress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, though big in numbers, these packages have very little to offer to those most affected by the crisis