promoearn: Biden's big student loan relief plan

Wednesday, August 24

President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt forgiveness in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, in Washington.

At least $10k in loan debt wiped for millions in Biden's new plans for federal student loan forgiveness. It's Wednesday's news.

President Joe Biden announced new plans for student loan forgiveness. Ukraine celebrates Independence Day amid full-scale war. And the youngest person to fly solo around the world just completed his journey.

👋 It's Laura Davis. It's Wednesday. How's it going? It's time for the news.

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Biden's big move on student loan debt

Biden said Wednesday he will cancel at least $10,000 in student loan debt for millions of borrowers, giving long-sought relief to Americans saddled by payments. Catch up with the latest updates.

Here's what we know:

•	How much will be forgiven? Up to $20,000 in debt relief for around 7 million Pell Grant recipients; $10,000 for borrowers making less than $125,000 and households earning $250,000 or less.
•	How many people will be affected? Up to 43 million borrowers are set to receive some form of relief. Roughly 20 million will have their balances canceled entirely.
•	When will payments resume? The moratorium on student loan payments will be extended one last time to Dec. 31. Biden also introduced a plan for paying back loans based on discretionary income.

President Biden announced Wednesday he will grant student loan forgiveness for millions of borrowers who qualify.

USA TODAY

Can't please everyone: Biden still faces pressure from progressives to cancel an even larger share of debt. And some economists worry about the risk of exacerbating 40-year-high inflation – a concern the White House has said is unfounded. The move also came under attack by Republicans, who slammed it as a political ploy and argued it was unfair to borrowers who already paid off their loans.

How can I get relief? The application will be available no later than Dec. 31, when the pause on repayments ends. Nearly 8 million borrowers may be automatically eligible because relevant income data is already available to the Department of Education. What's the cost of student loan forgiveness? Do I qualify? More questions and answers here.

•	Inflation complication: How inflation affects Biden's student loan decision.
•	Young people want student debt relief. But not all want it totally canceled.

Student loan debt holders protest outside the White House staff entrance on July 27, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

Jemal Countess/Getty Images for We, The 45 Million

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Ukraine celebrates Independence Day amid full-scale war

Surrender is not an option, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, standing among burned-out Russian tanks in Kyiv, marking the 31st anniversary of his country's independence from the Soviet Union. Aug. 24 has long been Ukraine's most important national holiday, and this year it also marks six months since the Russian invasion began. As Ukrainians celebrated, a Russian rocket strike hit a railroad station Wednesday, killing at least 15 people and wounding 50 others. In a conflict the entire world appears to be losing, where do we go from here?

•	A visual perspective: How Ukraine became the democracy it is today.
•	Push for swift justice: An inside view of Ukraine's war crimes investigations.
•	What would happen after nuclear war between the U.S. and Russia?
•	'Free our lands': Zelenskyy pledges to drive Russians out. Wednesday's updates.

People walk around destroyed Russian military vehicles installed in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, for the country's Independence Day on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022. Kyiv authorities have banned mass gatherings through Thursday for fear of Russian missile attacks. Wednesday also marked six months since the Russian invasion began.

People walk around destroyed Russian military vehicles installed in downtown Kyiv, Ukraine, for the country's Independence Day on Wednesday. Kyiv authorities have banned mass gatherings through Thursday for fear of Russian missile attacks. Wednesday also marked six months since the Russian invasion began.

Evgeniy Maloletka, AP

17-year-old pilot sets record for solo flight around the world

A 17-year-old pilot became the youngest person to fly solo around the world in a small aircraft after he landed on Wednesday in Bulgaria, where his journey kicked off five months ago. Mack Rutherford journeyed through 52 countries over five continents and crossed the equator twice to set a mark recognized by the Guinness World Records. He made the journey in a Shark, one of the fastest ultralight aircraft in the world. Rutherford said he hoped his achievement would inspire young people to pursue their dreams. Check out a map of his history-making voyage here.

Mark Rutherford, the youngest person to fly solo around the world lands on the runway in Radomir, Bulgaria, and is greeted by his family and fans after completing his flight. The 17-year-old received a Guinness World Record certificate for his achievement.

AFP via Getty Images

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👉 Scribbled notes, classified materials and golf carts: Preserving hundreds of millions of White House records and artifacts for history is an enormous task, even if presidents do it right. Former President Donald Trump didn't. Here's why.

Medieval villages, relics, shipwrecks: Artifacts unveiled amid drought

Ancient relics, prehistoric treasures and medieval villages are among the underwater artifacts that have resurfaced as water levels around the world plunge because of drought. Eerie photos show reemerging artifacts once lost to natural forces or for the sake of humans. Here's a look at what's been rediscovered.

A formerly sunken boat sits high and dry along the shoreline of Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, on May 10, 2022, near Boulder City, Nev. Another body has surfaced at Lake Mead, this time in a swimming area where water levels have dropped as the Colorado River reservoir behind Hoover Dam recedes due to drought and climate change.

John Locher, AP

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Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

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