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Yemen: Frenchman killed, another wounded in Sanaa

By WTOP Staff

AHMED AL-HAJ
Associated Press

SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Gunmen in Yemen’s capital opened fire on three French security guards working with the European Union mission on Monday, killing one with some ten gunshots and wounding another, Interior Ministry officials said.

They said the gunmen attacked as the group was getting into their sport utility vehicle outside their office, not far from the French embassy and near the residence of former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, riddling the car with bullets. The wounded security guard is in critical condition.

The cause of the attack is not yet known, but suspected al-Qaida militants have killed several foreigners in Yemen over the past two years and abductions for ransom are frequent in the impoverished country.

France and the EU condemned the attack, with Paris confirming that one of its citizens employed by a private security company working with the EU mission was killed and another compatriot wounded. A Yemeni driver was also wounded, the French Foreign Ministry added.

“The EU’s presence in Yemen aims only to assist the country in its transition to democracy and in its economic development. To target persons engaged in this effort is evil and senseless,” EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said in a statement.

In Dec. 2013, insurgents killed two German aid workers and a Yemeni colleague working for Germany’s state-linked GIZ aid organization, and two months earlier unknown gunmen killed a German embassy guard in an attack on a diplomatic vehicle in Sanaa.

In another attack earlier Monday, suspected al-Qaida militants killed a security officer in a drive-by shooting in the capital, Sanaa.

Security officials said the attackers opened fire from a car in downtown, killing Mohammed Qawza of the Defense Ministry’s linguistics institute. The assailants fled the scene of the shooting.

The officials said that also on Monday, a roadside bomb targeted a military bus in Sanaa’s Old City, wounding two passers-by.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

The U.S.-backed Yemeni army has been trying to defeat al-Qaida’s local branch, considered the terror network’s most active.

Hundreds of journalists, writers, poets and others rallied in Sanaa on Monday in support of the army’s campaigns against al-Qaida.

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With reporting by AP writers Greg Keller in Paris and Juergen Baetz in Brussels.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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