Food pantries have been overwhlemed with demand since the pandemic. [Source: BBC]

Poverty rates in the US are rising, as government aid winds down despite ongoing economic distress caused by the pandemic.

Nearly 8 million Americans – many of them children and minorities – have fallen into poverty since May, university researchers have said.

Last week, nearly 900,000 people filed new claims for jobless benefits – the highest number since August.

Analysts have called for aid to prevent the economic recovery from stalling.

But politicians in Washington have been at odds over a deal for months, with talks in recent weeks overshadowed by the upcoming presidential election and disputes over the Supreme Court.