Three things for February 18
1. Naomi Osaka defeats Serena Williams in Australian Open semi-finals
Naomi Osaka beat Serena Williams on Thursday, Feb. 18 at the Australian Open, a two-week tennis tournament held annually since 1905.
Osaka will now advance to the finals held later this week as the competition comes to a close on Feb. 21
Osaka finished the final match by winning the last eight points. She is the first women’s finalist and will take Jennifer Brady on Saturday, Feb. 20. Brady won a three-set match against Karolina Muchova Thursday, to advance to the finals.
2. Biden faces Democratic pressure after refusing to cancel $50,000 in student loans
President Joe Biden is prepared to forgive up to $10,000 in student loans but recently rejected the idea of forgiving more.
“I’m prepared to write off $10,000 debt, but not 50, because I don’t think I have the authority to do it by signing [an executive order],” Biden said, according to ABC News.
Biden has since received backlash from Democratic leaders such as New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley.
Ocasio-Cortez commented on Twitter after Biden said he does not want to forgive the debts of people who attended elite schools such as Harvard because they typically go on to make high salaries. According to ABC News, he added he would instead prioritize childhood education for disadvantaged communities.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren support the proposal of forgiving debts of higher amounts.
“Canceling $50,000 in federal student loan debt will help close the racial wealth gap, benefit the 40 percent of borrowers who do not have a college degree, and help stimulate the economy,” the pair said according to The Washington Post. “It’s time to act. We will keep fighting.”
3. Beyoncé announces another Ivy Park release titled Icy Park
The American singer, songwriter and producer Beyoncé launched her first line of activewear in April 2016.
According to Billboard, on Jan. 24, Beyoncé announced another release to be available on the Adidas website on Feb. 19 and in select stores globally on Feb. 20. She posed alongside her daughter, Blue Ivy, in various promotional videos.
The Icy Park collection consists of pull-over sweatshirts, track pants and five pairs of shoes.
