International

Students in America Lament Loan Burden

Published

3 years ago

July 1, 2023

Charles Flames

479 Views

Americans are currently lamenting about the student loan burden which some students are kicking against.

If the United States Supreme Court had not overruled President Joe Biden’s programme to cancel billions of dollars in student debt, Satra D. Taylor, who borrowed $40,000 to complete her studies, could have seen that amount reduced by half.

Now the 27-year-old – who used the loan to study at the University of Michigan, supplementing a scholarship and other financial aid – is back on the hook for the whole sum.

“We created this unjust, inequitable, expensive, higher education system and so we need to redress it,” she told AFP, standing before the high court.

Biden’s forgiveness programme was meant to lift more than $400 billion in student debt weighing down the lives of millions of lower and middle-income Americans.

Certain borrowers would have been eligible to receive $20,000 in cancellations, while the vast majority were eligible for $10,000.

But the court overruled the programme Friday, stating that given the large sum, the president had overstepped his powers.

“Any American who wants to pursue higher education should be able to do so,” Taylor said.

“We have students now who have not acquired the generational wealth to pay for their cost of college, it needs to be debt-free,” added Taylor, who works for the youth advocacy group Young Invincibles.

Taylor said she was not surprised given the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, which on Thursday banned the use of affirmative action in university admission policies.

Taylor, who is African American, said the loan forgiveness decision was a setback for Black and Latino students who “would have disproportionately benefitted from this relief.”

“This is absolutely not only a social justice issue, but also a racial equity issue.”
– ‘Future generations’ –
Mina Schultz, 37, who borrowed approximately $65,000 for her studies, emphasized the impact student debt has on the entire economy.

When the pandemic hit and student loan repayments were frozen, it was “a blessing,” she told AFP from outside the Supreme Court.

People were “able to contribute more to the economy” by spending money elsewhere, whether on food as prices surged due to inflation or on things like rent, the George Washington University graduate said.

Schultz would have benefited from $10,000 in debt cancellation, which “would have been really helpful.”

That sort of money “is a huge deal to a lot of people,” said Schultz, who will be forking over some $340 per month when payments resume in several months.

Enjoying a seemingly debt-free life during the repayment pause, she was able to move out of her studio apartment and into a one-bedroom unit.

Nearby, Shanna Hayes, 34, could not contain her emotion as she spoke before several cameras: Her debt, originally $130,000, now exceeds $150,000 due to compounding interest that has accrued over the past 11 years.

“I ask you to remember that the student debt crisis impacts our grandparents, parents… children and future generations,” she told the reporters.

AFP

Related Topics:American STudents Featured Lament Loan Burden

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International

US Releases Full List, Identities of Nigerian, Firms Designated as Terrorist Financiers

Published

1 hour ago

June 23, 2026

Charles Flames

2 Views

The United States Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced new sanctions targeting individuals and entities accused of facilitating financial support for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its West Africa affiliate (ISIS-WA).

The designations, issued on June 22, 2026, focus on a Nigerian national and several Lagos- and Kano-based bureau de change (BDC) firms.

According to the US Treasury, these actions aim to disrupt ISIS’s decentralised financial networks that enable the group to move funds across regions, including West Africa, to support terrorist operations.

Key Designations from the US Sanctions List:

Mukhtar Adamu Muhammad (also known as Muhammad Mukhtar Adamu or Adamu Mukhtar Muhammad): A Nigerian national born on August 2 or 3, 1990. He resides at No. 45, Abimbola Street, off Capital Road, by Morcas, Agege, Lagos State, Nigeria. Designated as an ISIS-WA financial facilitator who has conducted money transfers on behalf of the group. He holds Nigerian passports A11904741 and A07422697.

Associated Entities (Bureau de Change Firms):

Generation Currency Bureau De Change Limited: Based in Lagos, Nigeria. Established January 9, 2019. Registration Number RC 1555604. Owned, controlled, or directed by Muhammad.
Manhattan Bureau De Change Limited: Located at No. 59 Murtala Mohammed Way, Wapa, Kano, Nigeria. Established January 26, 2021.
Nine To Nine Exchange Bureau De Change Limited: Located at Block 7, FAAN Complex, Airport Road by Beesam Bus Stop, Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria. Established August 22, 2017. Registration Number RC 1462752.

These entities are accused of acting on behalf of Muhammad to support ISIS-WA activities through money service businesses.

The sanctions were imposed under Executive Order 13224, as amended. As a result, all property and interests in property of the designated persons and entities within US jurisdiction are blocked. US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, and foreign financial institutions risk secondary sanctions for significant dealings.

This latest action forms part of a broader global effort by the US to target ISIS financial facilitators operating in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Nigerian authorities have been intensifying domestic measures against terrorism financing, including their own sanctions lists on BDCs and individuals.

No immediate official reaction from the Nigerian government or the affected individuals was available as of press time. Affected parties can petition OFAC for removal from the list if they meet delisting criteria.

International

US warning Nigerian visa defaulters

” Whether you’re studying, working, or visiting the United States, always honour the terms of your visa. Follow the rules. Stay only for as long as you are authorized. Keep your documents updated,”

Published

14 hours ago

June 23, 2026

OCHEFA

27 Views

The United States Mission in Nigeria has advised Nigerian travellers to comply fully with the terms of their visas, warning that violations could affect their chances of travelling, studying or working in the country in the future.

The mission gave the advice in a message posted on its official X account under the #VisaWiseTravelSmart campaign, urging visa holders to stay only for the period approved by US immigration authorities.

It said adherence to immigration rules remained important for Nigerians seeking to preserve future opportunities in the United States.“Staying compliant with U.S. immigration laws isn’t just the right thing to do; it protects your future and keeps opportunities open for Nigerian travelers,” the mission said.

The embassy urged visitors, students and workers to keep their travel documents valid, comply with visa conditions and avoid actions that could lead to future ineligibility.

“Whether you’re studying, working, or visiting the United States, always honour the terms of your visa. Follow the rules. Stay only for as long as you are authorized. Keep your documents updated,” the post added.

International

Japan hikes visa fees first time since 1978

The visa fee revisions – the first since 1978 – were made to “reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations”, said Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

OCHEFA

34 Views

Japan has implemented a five-fold increase to visa fees for all foreigners, marking the first price hike in nearly 50 years.

From 1 July, single-entry visa fees will be raised from the current 3,000 yen ($18.69; £14) to 15,000 yen, while multi-entry visas will now cost 30,000 yen, up from 6,000 yen.

The visa fee revisions – the first since 1978 – were made to “reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations”, said Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.

“We do not anticipate that it will have an immediate impact on inbound tourism,” he added.

The Japanese yen has been weakening continually since 2021, and is now hovering near historic 40-year lows.