New York Democratic Representative Ritchie Torres has reportedly severed ties with the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), following remarks from fellow members criticizing Israel's actions during the Gaza conflict, as reported by Axios.

Google's artificial intelligence program, Gemini, has been accused of racial bias in a series of Twitter posts on Wednesday.

The U.S. ambassador to Russia, Lynne Tracy, confirmed on Wednesday that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich remains in good health and spirits, despite the extension of his pretrial detention on espionage charges by Russia until at least the end of March.

In a strategic move to counter potential national security threats, the Biden administration is set to invest billions in domestically manufactured cargo cranes, replacing Chinese-made ones currently in operation.

In observance of Black History Month, the liberal-leaning news network MSNBC aired a special program titled "Black Men in America: Road to 2024."

Former New York Republican Congressman George Santos expressed his vehement disappointment with his colleagues for supporting his expulsion from Congress.

Former President Donald Trump has once again drawn parallels between his $355 million New York fraud fine and the demise of Russian political prisoner Alexei Navalny.

A recent article in New Scientist, published in mid-February, has sparked controversy by advocating for a more permissive stance on cannibalism.

In a significant move, President Joe Biden's administration has declared the cancellation of $1.2 billion in student debt, a decision that will impact 153,000 Americans.

The debt cancellation is part of Biden's Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan, introduced in 2023. The Supreme Court had previously rejected the administration's proposal to forgive student loans for nearly 40 million Americans, ruling 6-3 against it in June 2023.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, in a press release, stated, "With today's announcement, we are once again sending a clear message to borrowers who had low balances: if you've been paying for a decade, you've done your part, and you deserve relief." He further added that under Biden's leadership, loan forgiveness has been approved for nearly 3.9 million borrowers, and the fight to cancel student debt is far from over.

According to the press release, the debt relief will apply to borrowers who have been repaying their loans for at least ten years and who have taken out $12,000 or less for higher education. The Biden administration, using executive action, has now cancelled $138 billion in student loan forgiveness for nearly 3.9 million borrowers.

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February 22, 2024

In August 2022, Biden had announced his intention to cancel up to $10,000 in student loan debt for non-Pell Grant recipients and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients, using the 2003 HEROES Act. This legislation empowers the Secretary of Education to "waive or modify" provisions of student financial assistance programs during a national emergency to ensure recipients are "not placed in a worse position financially."

The White House press release stated, "This shortened time to forgiveness will particularly help community college and other borrowers with smaller loans and put many on track to being free of student debt faster than ever before." It further highlighted that under the Biden-Harris Administration's SAVE plan, 85 percent of future community college borrowers will be debt-free within ten years. The Department will continue to identify and discharge other borrowers eligible for relief under the SAVE provision.

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley's political campaign has reportedly attracted thousands of donors who previously supported President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign, according to Politico.