millions of americans risk losing unemployment benefits on less president signs a crucial relief bill within hours. hello there i missed on the italian this is al jazeera live from doha also coming up a court gives the go ahead for the election in central african republic despite fighting there between rebels and the army. and the most. nearly a 1000 refugees and migrants are stuck out in the freezing cold on the bosnia croatia

border. and europe sees a window of her government start vaccinating against private 19. in just about 2 hours time millions of americans could lose their unemployment support payments unless president donald trump signs a coronavirus relief in spending bill the $900000000000.00 package was considered a done deal after it was approved by republicans and democrats in congress but part of it includes a one time coronavirus relief payout congress agreed to $600.00 for individuals but trump wants that increase to $2000.00 as he holds out a number of other benefits also hang in the balance well our correspondent roslyn jordan is live for us in washington d.c. rose the clock is clearly taking it can you talk us through what's likely to happen if president doesn't sign off on this package. well it looks as if it would have to

basically go back to square one and congress would have to try to figure out another way to negotiate a deal that would meet with the president's muster now we need to remind our viewers of an important fact here yes congress made a bipartisan agreement to come up with a $900000000000.00 covert stimulus bill that would include one time payments of $600.00 to many americans not to all americans but to the middle class and the working class and the poor in order to basically help them meet their expenses this negotiation took part along with a representative from the trumpet ministration the treasury secretary who was acting on behalf of president donald trump and so it was a real surprise after last weekend's announcement that there was a deal that then on tuesday the president came out and said that the 600 dollars

per person wasn't enough and that he wanted more than 3 times that amount $2000.00 so basically if there's no signature or if there's no veto i mean there has to be some sort of action in the next couple of hours then congress that basically has to go back to the drawing board and figure out ok how do we try to get this one time stimulus payment into people's hands but also what do we do about trying to extend an addiction moratorium that is supposed to expire on new year's eve what are we supposed to do about making certain that the federal government doesn't undergo another shutdown it only has enough money to run through the end of the day on monday so there are some serious issues not just the one time cope with stimulus package events which many economists say are necessary to keep the economy going but you have these other factors as as well and it's all coming down to what donald trump decides to do or doesn't do in the next couple of hours. that's already taken

months to get here in terms of an agreement there's also a very big difference between $600000.00 and and even a 2000 as less than the recurring benefits that people are getting before at the beginning of the pandemic is that enough and where would all that money come from well many people economists housing experts people who deal of public policy say that it wouldn't be enough money you also have groups that represent working people you have unions saying it's not enough money you have ordinary people themselves who have been basically robbing peter to pay paul as the expression goes trying to keep the above water saying that they wouldn't be enough but it would be a help and they wouldn't turn the money down now where does the money come from well economists both conservative a more liberal have said that this is the time to engage in deficit government

spending keynesian economics the government should essentially be printing money because they can basically do so as the federal government in order to keep people in their homes in order to feed their families in order to basically keep things moving so that the economy just doesn't collapse however one of the sticking points is that congressional republicans say that they're now concerned about the growing federal budget deficit which had not been a problem in the past 4 years of for them and they're saying that they have to draw the line somewhere that the government can't just print money and spend this kind of money they're willing to spend a bit of it about a 3rd of it they're not willing to spend the full $2000.00 and so that's just another one of the sticking points that you see between the president members of his own party and congressional democrats and that with all the latest for us from washington d.c. as the clock continues to tick down thanks very much charles. is the president of

the food reception action center which wants to eradicate poverty related hunger in the u.s. he says it's outrageous that president trumpet hold up support that so many people are relying on. there are a bunch of benefits that were part of this package in particular are going to zation is very concerned about the increase to the some don't do trichoniscus program or snap that was in there but one of the things that we know is that for every one neal that's provided by feeding america. we're the largest in this country the program 5 that is currently being increased the program that's currently being withheld snap to provide 9 so this you know one in 9 is an incredibly important thing people to understand in terms of how to deal with hunger problem at scale and also the snap benefit has incredible. positive

economic benefits as well for this country that we can really use what we've seen is. as many have the credible miles of cars lined up banks and dramatic aerial shots that are in place and you know our memory on this and this is why the delay in getting this benefit out is so unconscionable we have the solutions at hand we've known about them and now not only did we know that we had you know all where people were standing ready to receive these benefits but now that it has been to wait and millions will continue some. who living on now and polls open in central african republic in just under 3 hours time after the constitutional court they have ruled that the action can go ahead as planned it comes amid intensified fighting between the government and rebels more un peacekeepers are arriving as about

a soldiers from russia to help maintain their own order and alliance of rebel groups accuses president. of planning to rig the vote out of there as catherine so is on the ground for us and she reports from the capital. loral god-i is a driver and shows us pictures from i resent walk trip to a town 300 kilometers north of the copy. shortly after he took his photos he says on demand attacks and he had to flee he's worried about relatives who live in the town he blames rebel groups calling themselves the patriots correlation for change or c.p.c. for the latest security crisis in the central african republic she told the town is almost empty some of the men are asking civilian to give up their electoral card others in the charge as far as they know that cannot be a proper election in bossangoa. president forced to our data has

asked people to come out and vote those in to be vigilant with concerns the violence may intimidate who says and undermine the point the government is looking to provide reassurance of countries throughout the world. there is no. let's see here and where. people decide not to vote and you have a level of 0 for what it is but a suppression which is no it doesn't mean this election is not credible more than $12000.00 peacekeepers from the u.n. mission in new backing see our security forces troops recently stand by i wonder russian military instructors and private security contractors are also on the ground all of this instability that you are. the western part of the country that. a petition filed by 7 opposition kind of

is to postpone the election was rejected by the constitutional court 17 presidential candidates have been cleared to run for election one has withdrawn his candidacy citing security reasons most promising to finally bring peace back to central african republic revive the economy and provide basic services. are has numerous gold. deposits as well as other natural resources yet it's one of the poorest and most unstable countries in the world more than half the population of 5000000 needs 8 some people here in the capital told us all they want is a dignified life and to get to the other side of the poles safely. 0. also the north west and will also be voting in elections sunday that are set to deliver

its 1st peaceful handover of power president obama who came into power and of coup before being elected back in 2011 is stepping down after 2 terms his chosen successor needs a 30 strong field of candidates struggling with violent armed movements and widespread poverty. it's a big job because there are 2 elections at the same time there are the presidential elections and the local sort of actions whose stakes are high we have to make sure that the ballots that have to go to the ballot box for the presidential election go there and those for the locals motive elections go to the ballot box with the representative elections so we try to organize ourselves as well as possible. several people have been injured in a large fire that broke out at a syrian refugee camp north of tripoli in lebanon there are reports that it started during all to cation between residents of that can and people living nearby the united nations says several tents have been destroyed that camp is home for about

$75.00 families. and while the left 1000 refugees and migrants a stranded in a bad cab in bosnia-herzegovina a fire this week destroyed much of that kept me of the town of bay hack on the question of water has what i am reports. these migrants have nowhere to go they're stranded in a refugee camp and most are herzegovina their goal is to reach western europe but for now their focus is surviving the winter storm the lip of camp near the croatian border has no heat and no proper facilities lined outside in subzero temperatures refugees wait for a donated meal and perhaps a sleeping bag from the red cross we are living like and the most human and well living like better. so please i request. you i know i us all and yours to help us because if they cannot help us we

really don't. so please help us a fire broke out on wednesday the same day the camp was meant to be shut down a un official says it was likely said by migrants frustrated with the schedule closure and lack of alternatives now most of the infrastructure that house more than 1500 people this is true were damaged did use it no anything and no blankets and all. that is for sleep and you know that there is a many problems and i think we would write that there are reports of frostbite and hypothermia proper shoes is a luxury many here can't afford the e.u. has warned bosnia the thousands of migrants face a freezing winter without shelter but politics is getting in the way. plans to relocate migrants have been met with protests and resistance from residents and authorities have so far failed to find new accommodations for thousands of people

from asia the middle east and north africa the situation has been described as a disaster upon a disaster and the u.n. is concerned things could get worse katia locus of again al jazeera. all still ahead here on al-jazeera one of thousands of guatemala is deported from the u.s. this here describes how the conditions he fled out and out evil was. and how a new generation of young iraqis are changing the country's literary while. my. well off to add very all wet christmas day we're now looking at drive weather coming into the eastern seaboard of the u.s. an area of low pressure has pushed its way further race was this cold front has gone through and as the name implies much colder air talking in behind will get up

to around 45 maybe 6 celsius the new york conforte see some snow flurries moving across the midwest further west speckling of snow coming through but not too bad that it was a west coast some wet and windy weather into that so western side of canada pushing down across the pacific northwest the main snowy area by monday is going to be across the rockies quite widespread snow fall coming through hey that's good news and cool stop the reservoirs in the process a fair bit of snow to into the east and sort of kind of the around quick back over towards canadian maritimes a much milder there for new york and they say temperatures creeping up towards double figures that they stay for the south it is generally dry and fighting not too bad too across the caribbean basin co-direct coming in harris well behind that same cold front temperatures in havana will struggle to get to around 21 degrees celsius that front makes its way through there some rain there across southern parts of cuba it has been yola further east it's a case of sunshine and chalice. what

is that we have been doing with the money that it's boring we bring in the stories and developments that are rapidly changing the world we live in college and seen as congress is debating a bill seeking to raise billions of dollars from the super rich poor families hit hard by and damage counting the cost on al-jazeera. if you want to help save the world. sneeze and hero.

you know again. that's remind you of our top stories here this hour nearly $14000000.00 americans will lose their unemployment benefits within alwyn's unless president on trump signs a coronavirus relief and spending package that includes a one time payment to americans to help them during this pandemic but he says it's not enough. of course has ruled that central african republic can press ahead with elections despite the violence escalating between government forces and rebel fighting more un peacekeepers of arrives trying to ensure that sunday's vote is peaceful and preparations are also on for sunday's elections and it would be the west african states a peaceful transition of power between elected leaders. also the coronavirus pandemic now in 3 e.u. nations have started kovac $1000.00 vaccinations a day earlier than the official mass rollout in germany a 101 year old woman and an elderly care facility was among

a small number of people to receive those 1st 5 as a biotech jobs back scenes were also administered to frontline health workers in hungary and instead archaea portugal's health minister says a window of hope has now opened while warning there is still a difficult fight ahead paul brennan reports. the refrigerated vans drove through the night destinations including rome paris spain and hungary the precious cargo the vaccine developed by pfizer biotech kept at between minus 70 and minus 80 degrees the mass inoculation is due to start in a coordinated launch later on sunday but the 1st job went to work at a hospital in budapest. she had a vaccination plan is ready with health workers at the front of the queue those working with patients in intensive care and emergency care units will be vaccinated 1st so they can continue their heroic struggle to see of. europe has seen 16000000 coronavirus cases and suffered more than 400000 deaths the approval and

distribution of this 1st vaccine is reason for considerable hope across the continent. we have in total $19500.00 doses which makes $3100.00 vials these those will be stored in our freezer at minus 80 degrees which will be then distributed to the different elderly homes and public hospitals . who started the company him of course we will start immunization campaign on a large scale $1300000.00 doses of vaccine as will be delivered all over germany before the end of 2020 and then from january it will be even more each week almost 7 100000 doses every week in january more than $10000000.00 doses in the 1st quarter the relentless spread of the covert $1000.00 virus in the news that more infectious variants are evolving as lent even more urgency to the vaccination program the variant 1st identified in the u.k. has now been discovered in other european countries to try to contain that variant

thousands of truck drivers have spent christmas stranded at the u.k. port of dover and prevented from crossing to france unless they test negative for the virus the backlog remains stubbornly large despite the efforts of military reinforcements and lock downs have ruined the festive pier. good for traditional high street retailers with shoppers ordered to stay at home coronavirus has hollowed out the u.k. high street this is oxford street london's primary retail avenue and instead of hundreds of piles of people good vantage of the boxing day sales the shops are closed instead of festivity and bustle it's for lawn and barren the street empty with coronavirus europe has enjoyed much the same torrid 2020 as the rest of the world the hope is that from sunday things will start to improve. paul brennan al-jazeera london. well federal investigators in the u.s. are searching a home as they look for clues into the large explosion in the southern city of

nashville minutes after blaring a record of warning of what was to come a parked most a home blew up on a street early on christmas morning 3 people were hurt and about 40 buildings damaged the house being searched belongs to someone police are calling a person of interest but our correspondent john hendren is in nashville with more on that so-called person of interest. file they have identified that one man his name is anthony quinn warner a 63 year old man from the town of antioch about 15 kilometers from here where the explosion happened but he's only been identified as a person of interest what makes that intriguing is that in google earth photographs it appears that there is an r.v. or recreational vehicle parked in the driveway of the home that is being searched and that's interesting because it was an r.v. that exploded down here after broadcasting warnings to anybody who was nearby

so police have not said that this is the man responsible for the bombing they've only said that he is a person of interest they're looking into him but they've also said some very intriguing things they seem very confident that they have cracked this case they have said that they don't believe that there is any threat of a follow on attack that means they're pretty sure that this is a one off and they've also said that they are confident they will identify who was responsible so they appear to be well ahead but they they did not they say the statement that we got the news conference earlier was that they were not prepared to identify any individuals that they were investigating at this point to it doesn't look like they're fairly far along but we are told they have 500 leads in tips and they are investigating those aggressively. now parts of the u.k. half and wants to expect more flattering and strong winds have already been days of wet weather from the approaching storm balla rivers have been rising to take

a high on the counter of that fresh air and england's east midlands where many homes have already been evacuated. there were several explosions across kabul on saturday at least 5 were reported killing 4 people including 2 police officers no group has yet claimed responsibility it's happened as the taliban and afghan government continue talks in doha security personnel activists politicians and journalists are among those who've been targeted in afghanistan in recent weeks a prominent women's rights activist fresh took a stand he was shot dead along with her brother on thursday a day earlier the head of an independent elections watchdog and pro-democracy activist was also killed and on saturday a politician can mohamad wardak was targeted in a car bombing he survived but 9 other people were killed despite appeals from leaders for a pause during this pandemic the united states has continued to deport central americans back home to their home countries they include more than 20000

guatemalans just this year and they found conditions there even worse than when they left john holmes reports. it's been a desperate homecoming for me gayle settle he was deported from the u.s. in september after 2 years of working illegally in miami. now he's back in his village in the guatemalan highlands to find the harvest has failed young on 20000 guatemalans have been deported from the u.s. this year according to the country's migration institute and they're coming back to find the conditions they fled and now even worse the economy's projected to contract due to the pandemic and experts say the country's also increasingly affected by climate change some of its regions are part of a dry belt spreading throughout central america and guatemala is also just been devastated by 2 november hurricanes they destroyed the crops in miguel's village

and now food is scarce doing other pollutants in midst those natural disasters many of those deported also struggling to pay off debt. that's because people smugglers often charge migrants $10000.00 or more to take the north the idea is they'll pay it back gradually once working in the states. but it's a gamble and those that are kicked out have to pay the money anyway as the parents of miguel and his cousin who was cool with him and now discovering the business in your book when my son arrived i feel glad that we still have this debt to pay and we're suffering it's $7700.00 and i'm trying to celebrate of land to pay it as a father i want to help my son but instead of getting ahead we only get poorer healthy but in our hearts we have that pain what can we do what can we go now we have nobody to support to see the u.s. . the guatemalan president has recently said the answer to the problem is to create

prosperity in communities like ship you so that people don't have to leave in the 1st place. being coming by the ministration this place to spend $4000000000.00 on central america to do just that but it's tough to make sure the money gets to where it's needed past efforts so that it won't be a silver bullet to stop migration. john heilemann does either iraq has produced some of the arab wild celebration prices that conflict and classical oppression have forced many to leave their homeland to continue their work abroad now a younger generation hopes to change that as reports now from back to. mcauliffe has been writing about the momentous and often violent changes iraq has suffered from all of half a century the baghdad based author whose novels short stories and poems have been published across the arab world has had to navigate censorship political

imprisonment and even death threats throughout his career he acknowledges his contribution to iraqi literature but he is saddened by what he says is the lack of impact his work has had. then millet who are not in the country has culturally regressed people who don't read or write might struggle to develop culture across the arab world is suffering terribly and their right has to without freedom to write how can of this learn i feel have little effect on people's thoughts the bookshops along elements and up the street named after a 10th century poet have been immortalized in iraq in arab culture for centuries. the crumbling alterman buildings have witnessed how the pressures on iraqi writers and readers have changed over the years the challenge of avoiding jail worse under the rule of saddam hussein to bomb attacks and kidnapping by al qaida eisel and various armed groups that still have much power in iraq elements an obvious street

is almost a mythical status in the history of arabic literature a place where writers and intellectuals would meet to discuss politics and the odds but despite the political instability and violence in this country continues to suffer there is increasing evidence of young writers appearing who are determined not to self censor and to protect and build on iraq's literary past. but i'll be arty is a young recently published iraqi poet she owns a bookshop and one of a number of recently opened publishing houses close by she says half the book seen her shot by new young iraqi writers we're trying to wake people up from the hibernation for too long iraqis have accepted what we were told so as young writers we try to simulate minds without religion or focus on ethnicity instead we look at a reader's humanity we're not afraid because we have seen so much of course i sometimes worry about my family but we have to restrain relate ideas of civilized

things at baghdad's annual international book fair young people who can afford to buy books including arabic literature history philosophy and translated foreign works. it is difficult for our generation to find the correct road to walk along so we depend on ourselves and through books and reading i hope we can change the next generation to planted flowers not thorns that we find on the path through travel along we have to read more widely to forge a new future young people here definitely seem keen to lead us home to a good that will. hope at least that iraq's literary heritage is being rekindled by a new generation who say their country's future stability and growth will be helped by young iraqis reading and writing. baghdad. now an ancient fast food up that will soon be opened again initially but sadly

visitors when be able to place any orders just working in pump a have on earth an ellis shaped counter that suff hot food to ancient romans until it was destroyed in a volcanic eruption 2000 years ago crews are found cooking utensils food containers and animal remains the menus thought to have included a variety of dishes from snails to play l.-a. there on the stalls you take with the headlines here on al-jazeera nearly $14000000.00 americans will lose their unemployment benefits within hours and this president signs a coronavirus relief and spending package as includes a one time payment to americans to help them during this pandemic but he says it's not enough jordan explains the impact on the president's decision on the lives of struggling americans short version is that everyone.