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UN chief reinforces call for Gaza cease-fire

By WTOP Staff

EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reinforced the Security Council’s call for an immediate and unconditional humanitarian cease-fire in the Gaza war on Monday and demanded that Israel and Hamas end the violence “in the name of humanity.”

The U.N. chief accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal of being irresponsible and “morally wrong” for letting their people get killed in the conflict. He urged them to demonstrate “political will” and “compassionate leadership” to end the suffering of war-weary citizens.

“Gaza is in critical condition” after pummeling by Israeli forces that has killed helpless civilians and raised “serious questions about proportionality,” he told reporters.

The war, now in its 21st day, has killed more than 1,030 Palestinians, mainly civilians, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Israel has lost 43 soldiers, as well as two Israeli civilians and a Thai worker killed by rocket and mortar attacks from Gaza, according to the Israeli military.

Ban said there must be accountability and justice for actions committed by all sides. He stressed that as an occupying power Israel has “an international legal obligation to protect civilians” and called on its government to do “vastly more” to ensure the safety of U.N. sites where more than 173,000 Gazans have sought refuge.

The secretary-general said he had a long talk with Netanyahu on Monday morning and urged the Israeli leader to accept a cease-fire, and then address the root causes of the conflict. He said he has been in indirect contact with Mashaal through Qatar and Turkey which have good relations with Hamas, the Palestinian faction that controls Gaza.

The Security Council issued its strongest statement yet on the Gaza war at an emergency meeting just after midnight, but it was not a resolution and therefore not legally binding — a point criticized early Monday by the Palestinians, who said they will keep pressing the U.N.’s most powerful body to adopt a strong resolution.

The presidential statement urged Israel and Hamas “to accept and fully implement the humanitarian cease-fire” and said this would allow for the delivery of urgently needed assistance.

The council also called on the parties “to engage in efforts to achieve a durable and fully respected cease-fire, based on the Egyptian initiative.”

The Palestinians and the Israelis both criticized the statement adopted by the council, which met as Muslims started celebrating the Eid al-Fitr holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Palestinian U.N. Ambassador Riyad Mansour said the council should have adopted a strong and legally binding resolution a long time ago demanding an immediate halt to Israel’s “aggression,” providing the Palestinian people with protection and lifting the siege in the Gaza Strip so goods and people can move freely.

“You cannot keep 1.8 million Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip in this huge prison,” he told reporters. “That is a recipe for disaster. It is inhumane, and it has to be stopped and it has to be lifted.”

Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Ron Prosor said the council statement didn’t mention Hamas or the firing of rockets into Israel or Israel’s right to defend itself. He sidestepped several questions on whether Israel would accept a new humanitarian cease-fire, but stressed that it had agreed to five cease-fires since the conflict began.

Prosor directed his statement to countries that give money to the Palestinians in Gaza, saying, “Your tax dollars are not being used towards education, civil services or development — they are being used to develop a terrorist stronghold.”

The Security Council is often deeply divided on Israeli-Palestinian issues, with the United States, Israel’s most important ally, often blocking or using its veto on statements and resolutions pressed by the Palestinians and their supporters.

The statement was drafted by Jordan, the Arab representative on the U.N.’s most powerful body.

Jordan’s deputy U.N. ambassador Mahmoud Hmoud said the presidential statement was the first Security Council document on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since January 2009, when it called for an immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza after another conflict with Hamas.

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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