Federal appeals court temporarily blocks Biden student debt relief plan
A federal appeals court on Friday blocked the Biden administration from moving forward with its student debt relief program aimed at forgiving billions of dollars in federal student loans. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay prohibiting the administration from “discharging any student loan debt” under its loan forgiveness plan until it rules on an emergency request by six Republican states – Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Carolina – as an attempt to block the policy. The administration was prepared to start forgiving loans Sunday, according to court records. The plan, announced in August, would cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky tests positive for COVID-19
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tested positive for COVID-19, the agency announced Saturday. Walensky is up-to-date with her vaccinations and is experiencing mild symptoms, the CDC said in a statement. She is currently isolating at home and is expected to participate in meetings virtually. The news of Walensky’s positive test comes as health officials urge Americans to get updated boosters ahead of an expected winter surge of COVID-19 as the CDC monitors new variants.
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Texas state trooper fired amid fallout over police inaction during Uvalde school massacre
Sgt. Juan Maldonado, one of the Texas state troopers who responded to the Uvalde school massacre in May, was served with termination papers Friday, the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a statement to USA TODAY. Maldonado is the first member of the department to be fired amid the fallout over police inaction during the May 24 shooting that left 19 children and two teachers dead at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Families of victims and community members have decried law enforcement’s response to the shooting after it was revealed that police officers, armed with rifles and body armor, waited more than an hour before storming the classroom and killing the gunman.
Russian forces could face ‘rout’ in Kherson; Ukraine facing blackouts as Russian missiles target energy
The Russian Kherson Occupation Administration announced Saturday that “all citizens of Kherson must immediately leave the city.” Russia is likely trying to depopulate parts of the region that Ukraine will recapture, damaging the long-term social and economic viability of southern Ukraine, the assessment says. And in other developments, two Russian pilots died when a fighter jet crashed into a home in the Siberian city of Irkutsk during a trial flight, the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said Sunday. No injuries were reported on the ground, the ministry said.
👉 Latest updates: U.S. rejects Russian claim that Ukraine plans radioactive “provocation.” More from Ukraine.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Kelenskyy pleaded with Ukrainians to curb energy consumption as Russian strikes continue to target electricity infrastructure. Many districts are without power, he said, and rolling blackouts are now a daily occurrence across much of the nation.
Week 8 college football winners and losers: Oregon thrives in defeat of UCLA, Texas A&M flops again
Laughed away as a contender for the national championship after losing by 46 points to No. 1 Georgia in the season opener, No. 9 Oregon is now in the thick of the College Football Playoff race after a 45-30 win against No. 10 UCLA that paints the Ducks as the class of the Pac-12. And that might be selling them short. Behind a career-making season from quarterback Bo Nix, Oregon has turned into one of the most complete teams in the Bowl Subdivision and a genuine threat to end the regular season with only that one loss. With just one setback, and with that defeat coming against the defending national champions, Oregon will be in prime position to become the third Pac-12 team and the first since Washington in 2016 to reach the national semifinals. More highlights from college football week 8.
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Contributing: Associated Press
