Latest news with #RafaelHenrique
New York Post
10 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Trump administration enhances social media vetting for student visa applicants
Student visa applicants will need to set their social media accounts to public as part of the Trump administration's enhanced vetting of foreign nationals seeking to study in the US. The accounts will be scrutinized for 'any indications of hostility towards the citizens, culture, government, institutions or founding principles of the United States,' according to a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department to embassies and consulates Wednesday. The cable, obtained by multiple outlets, further instructs diplomatic officials to look for any 'advocacy for, aid or support for foreign terrorists and other threats to US national security' and 'support for unlawful antisemitic harassment or violence' in student visa applicants' online presence. 3 The enhanced vetting comes as the US prepares to restart interviews for new and returning student visa applicants. Rafael Henrique – 'For example, during an online presence search, you might discover on social media that an applicant endorsed Hamas or its activities,' the cable states. The memo defines 'online presence' as more than an applicant's postings on platforms such as Facebook and X, and urges screeners to search online databases like LexisNexis to vet potential visa holders. Consular officers are asked to flag applicants who 'demonstrate a history of political activism' and take 'detailed case notes' during the vetting process, including by taking 'screenshots to preserve the record against possible later alteration or loss of the information.' The enhanced vetting will apply to both new and returning student visa applicants. The cable notes that specific findings during the vetting process would not necessarily deem an applicant ineligible for visa, but that they might trigger additional review. The State Department did not immediately respond to The Post's request for comment. 3 The Trump administration is looking for online activity related to antisemitism and that would suggest the person may pose a threat to national security. AP 3 The State Department conducted an enhanced vetting pilot program at Harvard University last month. Bloomberg via Getty Images The cable was sent as the Trump administration prepares to restart consular appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants, which were halted last month. The cable asks diplomats to prioritize interviewing physicians applying for J-1 exchange visitor visas and students seeking to study at universities 'where international students constitute 15 percent or less of the total student population.' The Trump administration implemented an enhanced vetting pilot program for foreign students seeking to study at Harvard University last month. Earlier this month, a federal court blocked the Trump administration from implementing a 6-month ban on the entry foreign students attending the Ivy League school.
New York Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- New York Post
Why more shoppers are struggling to repay ‘buy now, pay later' loans
More Klarna customers are having trouble repaying their 'buy now, pay later' loans, the short-term lender said this week. The disclosure corresponded with reports by lending platforms Bankrate and LendingTree, which cited an increasing share of all 'buy now, pay later' users saying they had fallen behind on payments. The late or missed installments are a sign of faltering financial health among a segment of the US population, some analysts say, as the nation's total consumer debt rises to a record $18.2 trillion and the Trump administration moves to collect on federal student loans. Shoppers who opt to finance purchases through BNPL services tend to be younger than the average consumer, and a study from the Federal Reserve last year said Black and Hispanic women were especially likely to use the plans, which customers of all income levels are increasingly adopting. More Klarna customers are having trouble repaying their 'buy now, pay later' loans, the short-term lender said this week. Tada Images – 'While BNPL provides credit to financially vulnerable consumers, these same consumers may be overextending themselves,' the authors of the Federal Reserve study wrote. 'This concern is consistent with previous research that has shown consumers spend more when BNPL is offered when checking out, and that BNPL use leads to an increase in overdraft fees and credit card interest payments and fees.' As Klarna grows its user base and revenue, the Swedish company said its first-quarter consumer credit losses rose 17% compared to the January-March period of last year, to $136 million. A company spokesperson said in a statement that the increase largely reflected the higher number of loans Klarna made year over year. The percentage of its loans at a global level that went unpaid in the first quarter grew from 0.51% in 2024 to 0.54% this year, and the company sees 'no sign of a weakened U.S. consumer,' he said. More consumers are using 'buy now, pay later' plans Buy now, pay later plans generally let consumers split payments for purchases into four or fewer installments, often with a down payment at checkout. The loans are typically marketed as zero-interest, and most require no credit check or a soft credit check. The disclosure corresponded with reports by lending platforms Bankrate and LendingTree, which cited an increasing share of all 'buy now, pay later' users saying they had fallen behind on payments. Rafael Henrique – BNPL providers promote the plans as a safer alternative to traditional credit cards when interest rates are high. The popularity of the deferred payment plans and the expanding ways customers can use them have also sparked public attention. When Klarna announced a partnership with DoorDash in March, the news led to online comments about Americans taking out loans to buy takeout food. Similar skepticism emerged when Billboard revealed that more than half of Coachella attendees used installment plans to finance their tickets to the music festival. An April report from LendingTree said about four in ten users of buy now, pay later plans said they had made late payments in the past year, up from one in three last year. According to a May report from Bankrate, about one in four users of the loans chose them because they were easier to get than traditional credit cards. Buy now, pay later plans generally let consumers split payments for purchases into four or fewer installments, often with a down payment at checkout. AP The six largest BNPL providers — Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna, PayPal, Sezzle, and Zip — originated about 277.3 million loans for $33.8 billion in merchandise in 2022, or an amount equal to about 1% of credit card spending that year, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. An industry that is coming under less regulatory scrutiny The federal agency said this month it did not intend to enforce a Biden-era regulation that was designed to put more boundaries around the fintech lenders. Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters The rule treated buy-now, pay-later loans like traditional credit cards under the Truth In Lending Act, requiring disclosures, refund processing, a formal dispute process, and other protections. The regulation, which took effect last year, also prevented borrowers from being forced into automatic payments or charged with multiple fees for the same missed payment. The Trump administration said its non-enforcement decision came 'in the interest of focusing resources on supporting hard-working American taxpayers' and that it would 'instead keep its enforcement and supervision resources focused on pressing threats to consumers, particularly servicemen and veterans.' BNPL providers promote the plans as a safer alternative to traditional credit cards when interest rates are high. panuwat – Consumer advocates maintain that without federal oversight, customers seeking refunds or in search of clear information about BNPL fee structures and interest rates will have less legal recourse. There are risks to taking out installment loans Industry watchers point to consumers taking out loans they can't afford to pay back as a top risk of BNPL use. Without credit bureaus keeping track of the new form of credit, there are fewer safeguards and less oversight. Justine Farrell, chair of the marketing department at the University of San Diego's Knauss School of Business, said that when consumers aren't able to make loan payments on time, it worsens the economic stress they're already experiencing. The Consumer Federation of America and other watchdog organizations have expressed concern about the rollback of BNPL regulation as the use of the loans continues to rise. Przemek Klos – 'Consumers' financial positions feel more spread thin than they have in a long time,' said Farrell, who studies consumer behavior and BNPL services. 'The cost of food is continuing to go up, on top of rent and other goods … so consumers are taking advantage of the ability to pay for items later.' The Consumer Federation of America and other watchdog organizations have expressed concern about the rollback of BNPL regulation as the use of the loans continues to rise. 'By taking a head-in-the-sand approach to the new universe of fintech loans, the new CFPB is once again favoring Big Tech at the expense of everyday people,' said Adam Rust, director of financial services at the Consumer Federation of America.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE Adds 10 New Dates To Summer Tour Schedule In US and Canada
WWE Adds 10 New Dates To Summer Tour Schedule In US and Canada Photo Illustration by Rafael Henrique/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images WWE's summer schedule just got a lot busier as the Stamford-based promotion has added ten new dates for its summer tour in the United States of America and Canada. WWE has released a new press release highlighting the ten dates in the Summer Tour. The dates and events are as follows. Monday, July 7 Providence, Rhode Island RAW Amica Mutual Pavilion Ticketmaster Friday, July 11 Nashville, Tennessee SmackDown Bridgestone Arena Ticketmaster Monday, July 14 Birmingham, Alabama RAW Legacy Arena Ticketmaster Friday, July 18 San Antonio, Texas SmackDown Frost Bank Center Ticketmaster Monday, July 21 Houston, Texas RAW Toyota Center AXS Friday, July 25 Cleveland, Ohio SmackDown Rocket Arena Seat Geek Monday, July 28 Detroit, Michigan RAW Little Caesars Arena Ticketmaster Friday, August 8 Montreal, QC, Canada SmackDown Bell Centre Ticketmaster Monday, August 11 Quebec City, QC, Canada RAW Centre Videotron Ticketmaster Friday, August 15 Boston, Massachusetts SmackDown TD Garden Ticketmaster The ticket sale for the shows will begin next week on the 25th of April at 10:00 AM. The pre-sale will be taking place on the 23rd of April starting at 10:00 AM. Fans can register for the presale here. Advertisement Before WWE hits the Summer Tour, the Stamford-based promotion is gearing up for its biggest show of the year, WrestleMania 41. Are you excited for WWE's Summer Tour? The post WWE Adds 10 New Dates To Summer Tour Schedule In US and Canada appeared first on Wrestlezone.
Miami Herald
04-04-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
Miami is facing several health challenges. Take a look at what's ailing us
Health Care Miami is facing several health challenges. Take a look at what's ailing us How healthy is Miami in 2025? Rising cases of infectious diseases like flu and dengue fever are spurring public health campaigns, vaccination programs and mosquito control measures. Meanwhile, the Miami area has also seen a measles case in 2025 after South Florida had an outbreak in 2024. Here's a look at some of the health issues we are facing: The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. In this photo illustration, the CareMax logo is displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo by Rafael Henrique / SOPA Images/Sipa USA) *** Strictly for editorial news purposes only *** NO. 1: A MIAMI HEALTH COMPANY IS IN BANKRUPTCY AND PLANS TO SELL. WHAT PATIENTS SHOULD KNOW What will happen to the medical centers in South Florida? | Published November 21, 2024 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante Three employees leave Palmetto General Hospital through the emergency entrance on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Hialeah, Fla. By Sophia Bolivar NO. 2: CAN THIS MATERNITY WARD BE SAVED? DOCTORS, NURSES SOUND ALARM AT A MIAMI-AREA HOSPITAL "If the maternity unit closes, I have no idea where I will give birth.' | Published February 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Verónica Egui Brito Michelle Marchante Florida has experienced an outbreak of measles, including among children in Broward County. NO. 3: 'EVERYBODY IS GETTING SICK.' FLU IS ON THE RISE IN FLORIDA — AND HERE'S WHAT DOCTORS SAY What's making us ill and how do we treat it? | Published February 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante A 3D graphical representation of a measles virus particle. NO. 4: ARE YOU AT RISK FOR MEASLES? MIAMI SEES CASE AMID U.S. OUTBREAK. WHAT TO KNOW IN FLORIDA 'The reason that we don't get hundreds of cases like we did way in the past, before vaccination, is because of vaccination.' | Published March 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante A 3D graphical representation of a measles virus particle. NO. 5: DID YOU GET THE MEASLES VACCINE IN THE PAST? DO YOU NEED ANOTHER SHOT? HOW TO CHECK What to know about how long it lasts. | Published March 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante Aedes aegypti mosquitoes spread dengue to people through bites. NO. 6: DENGUE FEVER ON THE RISE. WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MOSQUITO-BORNE ILLNESS IN FLORIDA Puerto Rico has recorded at least 1,012 cases of dengue so far in 2025, followed by Florida, 50, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, which has 40 recorded cases. | Published March 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michelle Marchante This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.
