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Tuesday, August 2, 2022

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President Biden Expected to Address Student Loan Forgiveness by End of Month

Insider: It’s August, and for student-loan borrowers, that means one thing: President Joe Biden has one month to announce whether he will be cutting their debt balances. And it will be a long-awaited announcement. While Biden told reporters in July that he will announce his decision for relief before payments resume on September 1, borrowers, lawmakers, and student-loan companies alike have been growing increasingly nervous as the clock continues to tick toward that date without any guidance from the White House, with a lot of uncertainty surrounding how effectively debt cancellation can be implemented on such short notice. Since Biden said in April that he would make a decision on student-loan forgiveness “in the coming weeks,” many borrowers have been anxiously awaiting details on what that relief will actually be, and when it will impact them. While the only certainty Biden has given so far is what the relief will not be — $50,000 in debt cancellation — he is reportedly considering $10,000 in forgiveness for borrowers making under $150,000 a year, an amount he pledged while on the campaign trail (Insider). Fox News: With Biden’s poll numbers showing he is currently unpopular even with his base leading into the November midterm elections, where control of Congress is at stake, the president’s move on the issue is critical. Progressives and civil rights groups are pushing for Biden to grant $50,000 in student loan forgiveness, and no less. Activists seeking to wipe away debts argue that borrowers were bamboozled by universities and the federal government alike, leaving them with inadequate wages to cover the payments and keeping them from achieving life goals like homeownership. The NAACP delivered a letter to the president on Friday, telling him that $50,000 must be the minimum level of forgiveness with no income bracket caps because Black borrowers “have virtually no realistic way to pay it back in today’s unjust economy.” Republicans have pushed back hard on the proposal to cancel student debt, pointing to the cost, proposed income caps, the fact that borrowers chose to take on the payments, and the ethics of requiring all taxpayers to foot the bill – including those who never took on student loans and those who already paid theirs off (Fox News).

Speaker Pelosi’s Trip to Taiwan Is on the Docket, China Issues More Threats

Wall Street Journal: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning to visit Taiwan, with meetings scheduled with government officials on the self-ruled island that China claims as its own, according to a person familiar with the matter, raising the prospect of increased tensions between the U.S. and China. People whom Mrs. Pelosi is planning to meet with in Taiwan have been informed of her imminent arrival, this person said, though some details remain in flux. Some of Mrs. Pelosi’s meetings have been scheduled for Tuesday evening, but most are set for Wednesday, the person said, adding that they include, but aren’t limited to, Taiwanese government officials. “She’s definitely coming,” the person said. “The only variable is whether she spends the night in Taipei.” The trip is almost certain to anger Beijing, which has warned against a Taiwan visit by Mrs. Pelosi and threatened unspecified countermeasures should the visit take place, while the White House has urged calm (Wall Street Journal). New York Post: Meanwhile, a Chinese Foreign Ministry rep warned Monday that Beijing’s military would “not sit idly by” if Pelosi (D-Calif.) enters Taiwan. Zhao Lijian also declared that due to Pelosi’s status as the “No. 3 official of the U.S. government,” a Taiwan visit would “lead to egregious political impact” (New York Post). CNBC: China views visits by U.S. officials to Taiwan as sending an encouraging signal to the pro-independence camp in the island. Washington does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but is bound by U.S. law to provide the island with the means to defend itself. A visit by Pelosi, who is second in the line of succession to the U.S. presidency and a long-time critic of China, would come amid worsening ties between Washington and Beijing. Republican Newt Gingrich was the last House speaker to visit Taiwan, in 1997 (CNBC). Daily Wire: In response, Taiwan has canceled the leave of some soldiers and ordered them to “immediately prepare for war” while China conducts military drills in the area (Daily Wire).

Iran Threatens to Turn New York Into “Hellish Ruins” if “US or Zionist Regime Make Any Stupid Mistakes”

New York Post: Iran has reportedly threatened to build nuclear warheads and warned that it has the capability to turn New York into “hellish ruins” — amid stalled efforts to reinstate a nuclear deal between the county and world powers. Two Telegram channels with ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps posted a 2-minute video Saturday that vowed to quickly start building nuclear bombs if the “US or Zionist regime make any stupid mistakes,” according to Iran International, a London-based news outlet. The video claims secret underground facilities in Fordow, near Qom, are close to working to turn the Islamic Republic into a nuclear power — and warned that its “peaceful nuclear program” could morph into a weaponized one with ease (New York Post). Fox News: This isn’t the first time NYC has had concerns about a possible Iranian attack. New York City ramped up security after an Iranian general was killed in a 2020 U.S. military strike. Tehran vowed a “harsh retaliation” for the airstrike near Baghdad’s airport that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force. There were concerns that the city could be targeted for an attack as a retaliation for the assassination. Security was stepped up at New York’s airports, utilities, transit system, and high-profile spots. New York City officials recently raised eyebrows when they released a public service announcement about preparing in case New York City is attacked with nuclear weapons (Fox News).

United States Drone Strike Takes Out Al Qaeda Leader Who Helped Plan 9/11 Attack

Fox News: The United States conducted a “successful” counterterrorism operation against a “significant” Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri in Afghanistan over the weekend, a senior administration official told Fox News. “Over the weekend, the United States conducted a counterterrorism operation against a significant Al Qaeda target in Afghanistan,” the senior administration official told Fox News Monday. “The operation was successful and there were no civilian casualties” (Fox News). CNBC: Al-Zawahiri, a physician and founder of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad before ascending to the top spot in the al-Qaeda network, was one of the main architects behind the devastating Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He was previously indicted by the U.S. government for his alleged role in the 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya. The State Department had previously offered a reward of up to $25 million for information leading to his apprehension. Sunday’s drone strike is the first known CIA counterterrorism operation since Kabul fell to the Taliban last year (CNBC).

Biden to Send Another $550 Million in Military Aid to Ukraine

Hill: The United States is greenlighting another military assistance package to Ukraine, sending $550 million in ammunition for advanced rocket systems and other equipment to the country to fight the Russian invasion. White House national security spokesman John Kirby previewed the new assistance package on Monday, saying that it would include ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, as well as ammunition for 155 mm artillery (Hill). Inside Defense: The transfer, which includes 75,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition, will come directly from U.S. stocks and will be the 17th such “drawdown” ordered by President Biden since August 2021. “In total, the United States has committed approximately $8.8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration,” DOD said. “Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $10 billion in security assistance to Ukraine” (Inside Defense).

Monkeypox: NYC Mayor Declares State of Emergency, Dr. Leana Wen Urges Country to Follow Suit

Daily Wire: Monkeypox cases continue to rise in New York City, prompting officials to declare a public health emergency on Saturday while estimating that approximately 150,000 Big Apple residents face possible exposure. The emergency declaration went into effect immediately and has allowed the state’s health department to issue orders under the New York City Health Code and access more funds and resources to “slow the spread” of the virus. New York’s Department of Heath reported at least 1,383 cases as of July 29. Of those numbers, New York City alone makes up for 1,289 cases… The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the U.S. has at least 5,189 reported cases of Monkeypox, which spreads through skin-to-skin and extended face-to-face contact, hugging, kissing, and sexual intercourse. Symptoms include fever, headache, cough, sore throat, and nasal congestion. The disease can also cause painful rashes and blisters. While Monkeypox is not spread exclusively through sex, the disease infects gay men at a far higher rate than any other demographic (Daily Wire). Breitbart: Monday on “CNN Newsroom,” network medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen called on the United States to “declare a state of emergency” over the monkeypox outbreak. Wen said declaring a state of emergency would “allow the Biden administration to appoint a monkeypox czar” and allow for more resources to be put into combatting the spread (Breitbart).

More and More Americans Living Paycheck to Paycheck, Report Shows

CNBC: Inflation has been causing economic hardship for workers across all income levels. As of June, 61% of Americans — roughly 157 million adults — lived paycheck to paycheck, according to a new LendingClub report. That’s up from 58% who reported living paycheck to paycheck in May. A year ago, the number of adults who felt stretched too thin was 55%. Even top earners have been struggling to make ends meet, the report found. Of those earning $200,000 or more, 36% reported living paycheck to paycheck, a jump from the previous month (CNBC). Daily Wire: To help address the problem, Senate Democrats recently unveiled the “Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.” However, a Penn Wharton study released Friday shows that the bill could lead to a slight increase in inflation over the next two years, doing the exact opposite of what its name suggests… To make matters worse for most Americans, Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee released data Saturday from the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) that indicated the Inflation Reduction Act would increase taxes in the calendar year 2023 for everyone except those making between $10,000 and $30,000 per year (Daily Wire).

Russia Allocates Troops to the South to Maintain Occupied Territory

Wall Street Journal: Russia is repositioning troops to strengthen its hand in southern Ukraine, shifting forces from the front line in northern Donbas, according to the Ukrainian and British militaries, ahead of a planned Ukrainian offensive in the south. Ukraine’s southern command said Russian battle groups were being deployed near Kryvyi Rih and Zaporizhzhia, southern Ukrainian cities that lie to the north of territory fully controlled by Moscow. The U.K.’s Defense Ministry said Russia was reallocating a significant number of troops and likely adjusting its Donbas offensive after failing to make a decisive breakthrough under a plan Moscow has followed since April. “It has likely identified its Zaporizhzhia front as a vulnerable area in need of reinforcement,” the U.K. Defense Ministry said Monday (Wall Street Journal). Associated Press: While the bulk of Russian and Ukrainian military assets are conсentrated in the Donbas, the industrial region of mines and factories, both sides hope to make gains elsewhere. Ukraine has vowed to drive the Russians from the territory they have seized since the start of the invasion, including the southern region of Kherson and part of the Zaporizhzhia region, while Moscow has pledged to hold on to the occupied areas and take more ground around the country. The Donbas consists of Luhansk province, now fully controlled by Russia, and Donetsk province, about half of which is in Moscow’s hands. Ukrainian military analyst Oleh Zhdanov noted that by stepping up the attacks in the south, Kyiv has forced Russia to spread its forces (Associated Press).

Prisoner Swap Counteroffer: Russia Also Wants Convicted Murderer Vadim Krasikov in the Griner, Whelan Trade

HotAir: Russia has countered the U.S. State Department’s offer of a prisoner swap for the release of WNBA player Brittney Griner and former Marine Paul Whelan. In addition to Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, also known as the “Merchant of Death,” Russia is also asking for Vadim Krasikov (HotAir). CNN: Krasikov was convicted in December of murdering a former Chechen fighter, Zelimkhan “Tornike” Khangoshvili, in Berlin’s Kleiner Tiergarten in 2019 and sentenced to life in prison. The request was seen as problematic for several reasons, the sources told CNN, among them that Krasikov remains in German custody. As such, and because the request was not communicated formally but rather through the FSB backchannel, the US government did not view it as a legitimate counter to the US’ offer which was first revealed by CNN on Wednesday (CNN).

10.

Los Angeles County Opens Government Jobs to Illegals

Fox News: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously with no discussion to allow the county to no longer require U.S. citizenship for government jobs. The policy includes exceptions for positions where U.S. citizenship is required by state and federal law. The motion was authored by Chair Hilda L. Solis, and co-authored by Sheila Kuehl. The vote took place last week. Those wishing to work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, as well as any peace officers hired by the county, will still be subject to citizenship requirements. According to the adopted motion, the new policy “ensures that applicants for employment are fairly and equitably considered, without regard to national origin, citizenship or other non-merit factors that are not substantially related to successful performance of the duties of the position,” the Los Angeles Daily News reported (Fox News). Breitbart: Los Angeles County Public Defender Ricardo García said requiring citizenship to work for the city government is tantamount to discrimination based on “cultural, racial, ethnic, or religious characteristics” (Breitbart).

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