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
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.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
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