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Washington’s Top News – Friday, August 8, 2014

By WTOP Staff

Here’s a look at some of the day’s top stories from WTOP:

Obama authorizes renewed airstrikes in Iraq

President Obama has staked much of his legacy on ending what he has called the “dumb war” in Iraq, but Thursday night he announced that he had authorized airstrikes in the northern part of the country, warning they would be launched if needed to defend Americans from advancing Islamic militants and protect civilians under siege. His announcement threatened a renewal of U.S. military involvement in the country’s long sectarian war.

Good signs for Skins in preseason opener

OK, it was only a preseason game, and the first one at that — most of the New England Patriots’ starters didn’t even play — so new Redskins coach Jay Gruden knows not to read too much into Thursday night’s 23-6 victory. But a few important things went right at FedEx Field. Find out what Gruden called his main goal for the game and whether he accomplished it, as well as what quarterback Robert Griffin III calls a big difference between Gruden and former coach Mike Shanahan.

FDA lifts hold on experimental Ebola drug

Federal health authorities have eased safety restrictions on an experimental drug to treat Ebola, a move that could clear the way for its use in patients infected with the deadly virus.

Canadian drugmaker Tekmira Pharmaceuticals said Thursday the Food and Drug Administration “verbally confirmed” changes to the hold that may allow the company to make the drug available to patients. Currently there are no licensed drugs or vaccines for the disease.

3-day Gaza truce ends

The Israeli military says Gaza militants have renewed rocket fire on Israel after a three-day truce expired Friday.

Israel says at least 10 rockets have been fired at Israel. The truce was not extended and peace negotiations in Cairo have hit a deadlock. Earlier, a senior Hamas official said Israel had rejected all of his group’s demands, including a guarantee in principle that Gaza’s borders would be opened.

GM issues third recall on SUVs that can catch fire

General Motors is warning owners of certain older model SUVs to park the vehicles outdoors until they are repaired because they could catch fire when left unattended.

The latest recall covers about 189,000 Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Ranier and Isuzu Ascender SUVs from the 2006 and 2007 model years, as well as the Saab 97-X from 2005 to 2007. It’s the third recall of the same vehicles in three years.

A big weekend coming up for the Nationals

The Nationals have had a hard time in recent years with the Atlanta Braves, but they head to Atlanta for a weekend series with a burgeoning lead in the NL East as the Braves have been slipping. WTOP’s Noah Frank explains that a strong series — dare we dream of a sweep? — could nearly push the Nats’ nemeses out of the picture. Read a preview of the series, including the pitching matchups, on our Sports page.

Music on demand: Loggins may be headed to a D.C. living room

A D.C. man is looking to raise $30,000 on Kickstarter to get Kenny Loggins to play in his living room. WTOP Tech Guy Greg Stebben says it’s a perfect example of how the Internet is changing relationships between fans and performers — and shares his own story of bringing a musical hero home.

Nixon’s back! (On Twitter at least)

President Nixon resigned 40 years ago Saturday and died 20 years ago, but on Twitter, @Dick_Nixon continues to give his opinions on everything from the Academy Awards to today’s GOP presidential field. Experts and D.C. insiders are astonished at how well the tweets sum up the worldview, and even the phrasing, of the former president. On our Entertainment page, read about who’s really behind the Twitter handle, and how and why he does it.

A course in the (gentle)manly arts

What makes a gentleman? A group of startups in D.C. hosted their first clinic in the kinds of discernment gentlemen have: wine, whiskey, flowers and clothes. It’s not about scoring women (or men), the leaders of the clinic say; it’s just about picking up knowledge and confidence. WTOP’s Rachel Nania was there; on our Living page, you can pick up a few pointers yourself.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.

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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