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Biden says he’s considering additional sanctions on Russia over Alexey Navalny’s death
Washington — President Biden said Monday he is weighing additional sanctions against Russia over the death of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny.
“We already have sanctions, but we are considering additional sanctions, yes,” Mr. Biden told reporters as he returned to the White House from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
On Friday, Mr. Biden blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for Navalny’s death, saying the U.S. wasn’t sure what exactly happened, but that it was “a consequence of something that Putin and his thugs did.”
Navalny’s death was reported Friday by Russian prison authorities, who said the dissident “felt unwell” after going for a walk and “almost immediately” lost consciousness.
His widow Yulia Navalnaya, who lives in exile outside Russia, said Monday that authorities were “hiding his body” and “refusing to give it to his mother.” She accused the Kremlin of poisoning her husband, alleging that Russian authorities were delaying handing over his body to allow for traces of the poison to disappear.
The U.S. has already imposed several rounds of punishing sanctions against Russian officials, institutions and businesses since its invasion of Ukraine two years ago.
When asked about increasing sanctions against Russia on Friday, Mr. Biden told reporters he was considering “a whole number of options.”
He has also used Navalny’s death to underscore the threat posed by Russia, and has urged Congress to approve more funding to Ukraine. But Mr. Biden said Monday he wasn’t sure if the death would convince House Republicans to hold a vote on more Ukraine aid.
“I hope so, but I’m not sure anything’s going to change their minds,” he said, adding that Republicans are “making a big mistake not responding.”
Sara Cook contributed reporting.
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Costco is recalling packages of salmon over concerns they could be contaminated with listeria.
Acme Smoked Fish Corp, the shopping club’s salmon provider, sent a notice to Costco shoppers this week informing them of the recall of Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon, due to potential contamination with listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
The notice was sent to customers who Costco records show purchased affected fish products between October 9-13. Only packages from lot number 8512801270 are affected.
Customers who purchased the recalled salmon are instructed not to eat it and to return it to a Costco store for a full refund.
“We regret this unfortunate incident and have taken immediate corrective steps to ensure that this issue never happens again,” Acme Smoked Fish Corp. CEO Eduardo Carbajosa said.
CBS News
Biden administration rolls out new student debt plan, this time aimed at people with big debts
The Biden administration’s efforts to erase student debt for the 46 million Americans who are carrying college loans have repeatedly hit legal roadblocks. Now, the Department of Education is rolling out a new plan that could provide debt relief to 8 million borrowers who are suffering from financial hardships.
The new plan, unveiled Friday, would provide loan relief for approximately 8 million people with student loans who are suffering financial distress caused by other debts, ranging from medical expenses to costs due to a natural disaster. The Education Department said the proposed rules will be published in the Federal Register in the next few weeks, and that it expects to finalize the regulations in 2025.
President Joe Biden made delivering debt relief to people with student loans a key policy issue of his 2020 campaign, but Republican-led states have sued to block many of those efforts, while the Supreme Court in 2023 ruled 6-3 against his plan to erase up to $20,000 in debt for millions of borrowers.
At the same time, Americans are holding more than $1.7 trillion in student loans, a debt load that has impaired their ability to save or buy a home, among other issues.
“For far too long, our student loan system has made it too difficult for borrowers experiencing hardships, often financial hardships, to access relief,” Education Department Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters. “It’s not fair, it’s not right and it’s not who we are as Americans.”
How people would get relief
Under the proposal, there would be two ways borrowers could qualify for the debt relief. Some people with student loans could receive forgiveness without an application, with the Education Secretary providing one-time relief to borrowers whom the agency determines have an 80% chance of being in default within two years, Cardona said.
“A big reason why we’re fighting for student debt relief is to address the more than 1 million defaults we see annually in the student loan system,” he said.
The second pathway for loan relief would provide forgiveness after borrowers fill out an application, with the department assessing 17 factors such as the applicant’s overall debt balance, household income, and whether their student loan payments are keeping them from affording basics like housing or health care.
“Financing a college education is supposed to help students climb the economic ladder, not leave them buried in a ditch,” Cardona said.
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