International
In US, student debt plan a relief to those struggling with loans
AFP
When Roman De La Cruz learned that some of his student debt could be forgiven, he breathed “a huge sigh of relief.”
The 27-year-old, who like millions of Americans borrowed heavily to finance his college education, worried he would have to live from one paycheck to another to pay back the $27,000 he owed.
But because he makes less than $125,000 a year, De La Cruz will see $10,000 wiped off his debt under a plan announced by US President Joe Biden on Wednesday.
“I was a little worried,” De La Cruz told AFP. “I was barely going to make it.”
The debt forgiveness is intended to ease the burden on tens of millions of young Americans. US universities can charge anywhere from $10,000 to $70,000 a year, leaving graduates with a heavy burden as they start their careers.
De La Cruz, who graduated from Appalachian State University in 2019 and is now a geologist living in suburban Washington, estimates that his college education cost him about $55,000.
“I was mainly worried that I was going to have to live paycheck by paycheck. And no one wants to live that way,” he said.
The proposed debt relief falls far short of some Democrats’ goal of securing complete forgiveness, but is opposed by Republicans who argue that shaving any amount from loans is unfair to those who have already spent years saving to pay off their own debts.
There was also immediate debate over whether effectively giving millions of people a cash injection will stoke already rampant inflation.
At Howard University in the US capital, students broadly welcomed Biden’s plan, but some want him to go further.
“I definitely think that college should be free,” said Amarie Betancourt, a 20-year-old journalism student.
– ‘Anxiety and hesitation’ –
Vivian Santos-Smith, who is studying political science, said debt weighs on students.
“It definitely does allow anxiety and hesitation,” the 20-year-old said. “I want to get a PhD, but on a side note, what I have to think about is how much money that education costs.”
Americans still in college are less directly affected by the debt forgiveness, but some could still benefit from it if their parents meet certain income requirements.
On Howard’s campus, talking about debt is common among students, Betancourt said.
“A lot of us are struggling to pay tuition. People set up GoFundMe, people have to drop out, take semesters off,” she said.
Without a scholarship, a year of study at the university costs $40,000. With such a high price tag, Theodora Nkwogu, 19, has to borrow $15,000 per year.
“You do all this education and you kind of want, like, some assurance that it’s not going to waste and that you’re not going to be, like, completely broke when you leave college,” said the second-year student.
“When you graduate, it’s like you got your certificate, your diploma and you’re… done, and you’re going on to a career and moving on in life, but with the student loan, you’re still tied back to here.”
International
Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka
Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.
The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.
An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.
The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.
Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.
Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.
Internacionales
Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages
May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.
In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.
Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
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