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Abbas expects Arab summit backing ahead of talks with Trump

By The Associated Press

DEAD SEA, Jordan (AP) — The Palestinian president said Tuesday that he expects this year’s Arab summit to deliver a “clear message to the world” about Palestinian rights.

Mahmoud Abbas spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the summit, which brought together kings, presidents and top officials from 21 Arab countries.

The long-stalled Palestinian quest for statehood is a key issue at the gathering. Several of more than a dozen draft resolutions deal with the Palestinian issue.

Abbas said he expects the summit to give full backing to the Palestinian positions and to deliver a “clear message to the world about Palestinian rights.”

A 2002 Arab peace plan, which offers Israel normal ties with dozens of Arab and Muslim states in exchange for withdrawing from war-won lands sought for a Palestinian state, is to be reaffirmed when heads of state meet Wednesday.

On the eve of the summit, Abbas met with U.S. President Donald Trump’s international envoy, Jason Greenblatt, who has been shuttling between Israel, the West Bank and Jordan in recent weeks to assess prospects for reviving Israeli-Palestinian negotiations after years of paralysis.

Israeli settlement construction has been a major obstacle to resuming talks. Abbas has said he can’t negotiate while Israel continues to build more homes for Jews on occupied lands. Greenblatt has talked to Israel’s leader about construction curbs.

Referring to the settlements, Abbas said Tuesday that “we are now waiting how things are being dealt with between them (the Americans) and the Israelis.”

At the same time, he said, there are “lots of questions from the American side at this stage, and we answered all of their questions.”

Abbas initially feared he would be sidelined by the Trump administration, which early on embraced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump has since invited Abbas to the White House, a meeting Abbas said he expects to take place in late April or early May.

Greenblatt met Tuesday with the Qatari and Egyptian foreign ministers as well as the European Union’s foreign policy chief on the sidelines of the summit. In Twitter messages, Greenblatt said he was talking to them about ways to support Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

Earlier Tuesday, King Abdullah II of Jordan welcomed Arab leaders arriving for the summit, including Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who is being sought by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The international group Human Rights Watch urged Jordan to arrest al-Bashir, based on two long-standing arrest warrants issued by the court. The charges were filed in connection with his government’s campaign against insurgents in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Jordan has said that as an Arab League member Sudan has a right to attend Wednesday’s summit.

Al-Bashir has traveled despite ICC arrest warrants, but is careful where he goes.

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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