Skip to main content

Obama names Tefft as new US ambassador to Russia

By WTOP Staff

DARLENE SUPERVILLE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Thursday that he is returning to service a career diplomat deeply experienced in eastern Europe to be the next U.S. ambassador to Russia.

Obama’s announcement that he is tapping John Tefft for the high-profile diplomatic post comes amid a crucial period in U.S.-Russia relations, which have been severely tested over President Vladimir Putin’s actions in neighboring Ukraine, among other issues. The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has been without an ambassador since February.

Senate confirmation is required for the post.

Tefft would bring his decades of experience in eastern European affairs to the post, having served most recently as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine in Obama’s first term. Immediately before that, Tefft was the U.S. ambassador to Georgia during the administration of George W. Bush.

Tefft has been the deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs at the State Department, an international affairs adviser at the National War College and the U.S. ambassador to Lithuania during the Bush administration. Tefft also was the deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, among his other foreign service assignments.

Since 2013, the graduate of Marquette and Georgetown universities has been executive director of the RAND Business Leaders Forum at the RAND Corp., a nonprofit that analyzes public policy.

The U.S. ambassador’s post in Russia has been vacant since earlier this year, when Michael McFaul stepped down after a turbulent two years in the Russian capital. McFaul is a Stanford University professor and the architect of Obama’s effort to reset relations with Russia. But Obama’s relationship with Putin has been anything but smooth.

The U.S. and its European allies each have sanctioned Russian businesses and individuals, including some members of Putin’s inner circle, after Russia occupied and annexed the Crimean Peninsula of Ukraine earlier this year. The U.S. and the European Union have condemned Putin’s act as an illegal land grab and have refused to recognize it.

The U.S. and its allies continue to call on Russia to work with the new government in Ukraine to ease tensions between the two countries, and for Russia to end its support for pro-Russia separatists who are blamed for destabilizing eastern Ukraine. They have threatened to slap additional sanctions on Russia unless Putin takes steps to help restore order to eastern Ukraine.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote