Loan forgiveness blocked; ammunition to Ukraine; Veterans Day

A judge blocked President Joe Biden’s plan to provide student loan forgiveness to millions of Americans; the U.S. will buy ammunition from South Korea to give to Ukraine; and America honors its veterans on Veterans Day. These stories highlight the Daily Rundown for Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.

Student loan forgiveness plan blocked – A Trump-appointed judge in Texas blocked Biden’s plan to provide millions of borrowers with up to $20,000 apiece in federal student-loan forgiveness Thursday. The plan was already on hold as a federal appeals court in St. Louis considers a separate lawsuit by six states challenging it.

“In this country, we are not ruled by an all-powerful executive with a pen and a phone. Instead, we are ruled by a Constitution that provides for three distinct and independent branches of government,” District Court Judge Mark Pittman wrote in his ruling. “The Court is not blind to the current political division in our country. But it is fundamental to the survival of our Republic that the separation of powers as outlined in our Constitution be preserved.”

South Korean ammunition to Ukraine – A U.S. official announced Thursday the country will buy 100,000 rounds of howitzer artillery from South Korean manufacturers. The ammunition will then be sent over to Ukraine to help fight back against Russia’s invasion.

Ukrainian leaders have pressed for more weapons and aid to take advantage of a counteroffensive that is pushing Russian forces out of some areas they had taken over earlier in the war. Getting the ammunition from South Korea can be seen as a counter to U.S. accusations earlier this month that North Korea was covertly shipping artillery to Russia.

Veterans Day – Friday is Veterans Day, giving Americans across the country the chance to honor all service men and women of the U.S. military, past and present, who have made up the world’s greatest and largest military force. At the White House, Biden offered his gratitude for vets before traveling abroad for a United Nations summit on climate change happening over the weekend.

“Since our nation’s founding, our veterans have defended our democracy, protected our posterity, shouldered the weight of war on our behalf,” Biden said in a video message. “So many still carry the physical wounds and invisible scars of their service.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.