Student loan payment halt extended
The Biden administration on Friday issued what it says will be the final extension to a student loan moratorium that has allowed millions of Americans to put off debt payments during the pandemic.
Under the action, payments on federal student loans will remain paused through Jan. 31, 2022. Interest rates will remain at 0% during that period, and debt collection efforts will be suspended. Those measures have been in place since early in the pandemic but were set to expire Sept. 30.
In announcing the decision, President Joe Biden said the economy is recovering “at a record rate.” But he said the road to recovery will be longer for some Americans, especially those with student loans.
The policy applies to more than 36 million Americans who have student loans that are held by the federal government. Their collective debt totals more than $1.3 trillion, according to the latest Education Department data.
The Trump administration initially suspended federal student loan payments in March 2020 and later extended it through January 2021. Mr. Biden moved to continue it through Sept. 30 soon after taking office.
Cuomo aide files criminal complaint
Awoman who accused Gov. Andrew Cuomo of groping her breast at the governor’s state residence has filed a criminal complaint against him, the Albany County Sheriff’s office said Friday.
The complaint, filed Thursday with the sheriff’s office, is the first known instance where a woman has made an official report with a law enforcement agency over alleged misconduct by Mr. Cuomo. Its filing is a potential first step toward bringing criminal charges.
It’s possible the Democratic governor could be arrested if investigators or the county district attorney determine he committed a crime, Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple told the New York Post.
The Cuomo aide who filed the report has accused him of reaching under her shirt and fondling her when they were alone in a room at the Executive Mansion last year. The woman also told investigators with the attorney general’s office that Mr. Cuomo once rubbed her rear end while they were posing together for a photo.
The sheriff’s office didn’t immediately provide a copy of the complaint.
Dixie Fire grows to largest active wildfire
The Dixie Fire mushroomed in size overnight to become the largest wildfire burning in the United States and the third-biggest in California’s history, decimating century-old buildings in Hatch’s historic town. The smaller River Fire also threatened thousands of homes.
The Dixie Fire covers more than 432,000 acres in Butte and Plumas counties, rapidly expanding from about 362,000 acres Thursday evening and fueled by hot, arid and windy conditions. The wildfire was 35 percent contained by Friday, pushing toward firefighters’ control lines. Fire officials expressed hope Friday that higher humidity would help.
The Dixie Fire’s status as California’s largest wildfire since last August is fueling concern in a year on track to break last year’s undesirable records. Climate change and a severe drought have worsened the state’s wildfire season, prompting alarms from scientists and concern about the challenging picture for firefighters and residents across the region.