Category World News

The administration of US President Donald Trump announced that some borrowers who have defaulted on their student loans will begin receiving wages garnishes. This is the first time the government has done this since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

A Department of Education spokesman told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that affected borrowers would start receiving notices on January 7.

Around 1, 000 borrowers are anticipated to be affected by the policy initially, and this number will increase over time.

The spokesperson stated that “the notices will grow in size from month to month.”

Al Jazeera contacted the department for clarification on the selection of borrowers for the initial round of garnishments, the number of potential victims, and the justification behind those choices.

The organization did not provide more details, but it stated that collections are only conducted after student and parent borrowers have been given enough time to pay their loans.

As long as the borrower is paid at least 30 times the weekly minimum wage, the government is permitted to garnish up to 15% of the borrower’s take-home pay. The hourly rate has remained constant since July 2009, and the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour.

Student loan debt totaling about $1.6 trillion is held by roughly one in six Americans. More than 5 million borrowers, according to the Education Department, had not made a payment in at least a year as of April.

The garnishments are intended to relieve many Americans’ economic strain from rising prices and a sluggish labor market. More than 1.1 million people lost their jobs in 2025 as job growth slowed, according to consulting firm Challenger, Gray &amp, Christmas. Employment trends in recent months were mixed, according to federal data, with modest increases in November and job losses reported in October.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the US Department of Labor, the unemployment rate increased to 4.6% in the months of October and November, which is the highest rate since 2021.

Families are being forced to choose between putting food on the table or paying their bills. According to Julie Margetta Morgan, a former deputy undersecretary at the Education Department under former President Joe Biden, the Trump administration’s decision to begin garnishing wages, “the Trump administration has taken even that meager decision away from student loan borrowers who are living on the brink.”

The president is further punishing families and making them resent the very basics, in addition to addressing the affordability crisis that is making Americans incapable of making student loans payments.

Given the chances his team gave up on Tuesday, Nigeria coach Eric Chelle would have hoped for more goals than they would have hoped given their disappointment of not being selected for the 2026 World Cup.

Victor Osimhen, a star striker, was one of the culprits. He couldn’t have scored, but with better finishing, he could have a hat-trick.

Semi Ajayi, a centre-half of Nigeria, opened the scoring early in the second half before Charles M’Mombwa equalized shortly after half-time.

However, Lookman’s equalizing goal shortly after spared Nigeria’s blushes was struck by the Atalanta attacker.

Three-time champions Nigeria and Tanzania both struggled to find a footing in the first half, which was a predictable pattern as they pressed for a win in three of their previous AFCON matches.

After advancing off his line to block Akor Adams’ shot, Tanzania goalkeeper Zuberi Masudi injured his facial muscles.

Adams’ near-post header hit the top of the crossbar from the resultant corner, which Sevilla striker came close to doing.

On 14 minutes, Saimon Msuva’s acrobatic shot, which Stanley Nwabali comfortably saved, made the East Africans’ first-ever threat.

Nigerian frustrations started to show as the rain started to fall in Fez, with Ibrahim Hamad throwing a fist at 2023 African player of the year Osimhen out.

Osimhen then became the heart of the Nigerian attacks, threatening to score twice before Bakari Nondo’s off-balanced attempt was saved.

The Super Eagles took the lead after that set-piece when Alex Iwobi’s cross was tapped into the net by Ajayi for his second international goal.

Just before half-time, Samuel Chukwueze had a chance to increase the lead, but Masudi tipped his close-range effort over.

An Osimhen goal was declared offside in the opening seven minutes of the second period, before M’Mombwa equalized on 50 minutes. The following year, Lookman, the 2024 African player of the year, restored Nigeria’s lead with a rising shot from just outside the box.

In the vain attempt to increase Adams’ lead before their most difficult Group C game against Tunisia on Saturday, Chelle accidentally switched Moses Simon to them in the name of tradition.

With three minutes left, Tanzania wasted a chance to equalize when Mohamed Hussein’s cross scurried past Nwabali, but substitute Kelvin John was unable to get the ball in the net.

On December 30th, Nigeria will face Uganda in their final group match.

Tanzania will face Uganda on Saturday, and Tunisia will meet them in December for the final group meeting.