The Daily Populous

Thursday July 18th, 2024 evening edition

image for Biden announces additional student debt relief for 35,000 public-sector workers

President Joe Biden announced another round of student loan debt forgiveness Thursday, totaling $1.2 billion for 35,000 public-sector workers including teachers, nurses and firefighters.

The borrowers qualify for the debt relief through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which was created nearly two decades ago and expanded by the Biden administration’s efforts to make it easier to qualify.

The plan offers the most generous repayment terms for low-income Americans by reducing their monthly payments and creating a faster path to debt relief.

Just 7,000 people had ever received debt relief under the program previously, according to the White House.

Biden has been using existing student loan forgiveness programs to deliver relief to certain groups of borrowers.

Since last fall, the Biden administration has also been working on a set of new student loan forgiveness proposals.

For example, those whose student loan balances are bigger than what they initially borrowed could see their accumulated interest wiped way. »

The Chinese Base That Isn’t There

Authored by nytimes.com
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The Chinese Base That Isn’t There New facilities and the months-long presence of Chinese warships show Beijing’s growing global influence.

The Chinese military presence near one of the world’s most vital sea lanes raises fundamental questions about Beijing’s ambitions.

“The Ream military base is Cambodia’s, not the military base of any country,” Mey Dina, the commander of the base, told The New York Times. »

Average Chinese national now eats more protein than an American: UN food agency

Authored by scmp.com
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It was 108.31 grams (3.82oz) in South Korea, 113.63 grams (4oz) in the United Arab Emirates, and 119.55 grams (4.21oz) in Australia.

According to the latest data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), China overtook the US in 2021, reaching a daily supply of 124.61 grams (4.39oz) of protein per capita.

Among the other top five populous developing nations, Indonesia reached 79.75 grams (2.81oz), with Pakistan trailing at 70.77 grams (2.49oz) and Nigeria at 59.08 grams (2.08oz). »

Zelenskiy accuses Viktor Orbán of betraying Europe at leaders’ meeting in UK

Authored by theguardian.com
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Volodymyr Zelenskiy has taken aim at the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, accusing him of betraying fellow European leaders after Orbán’s recent “peace mission” to Moscow.

Orbán has regularly been a thorn in the side of European leaders attempting to maintain unity in their support for Ukraine.

The UK has provided Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles, but is not allowing Zelenskiy to use them against Russian territory. »

Biden tests positive for COVID, will self-isolate in Delaware

Authored by ctvnews.ca

LAS VEGAS -. U.S. President Joe Biden, under pressure from fellow Democrats to drop his re-election campaign, tested positive for COVID-19 while visiting Las Vegas on Wednesday and is self-isolating after experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced the positive test for the 81-year-old Democrat after Biden cancelled a speech due to the diagnosis.

The White House said Biden planned to spend a long weekend at his Delaware beach house. »