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Iran shows openness to improving Saudi ties

By WTOP Staff

ADAM SCHRECK
Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran on Wednesday appeared to welcome an offer by Saudi Arabia to thaw relations between the two countries, a day after the kingdom’s top diplomat invited his Iranian counterpart to visit.

Tehran, however, stopped short of confirming plans for a trip to the kingdom by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Sunni-ruled and U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia has long been wary of Shiite powerhouse Iran’s influence in the region. Relations between the two countries have been further strained by the civil war in Syria. Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-ruled Gulf neighbors back rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad’s government, which is supported by Tehran.

Saudi Arabia took a step toward breaking the ice on Tuesday, when Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said he had invited his Iranian counterpart to visit and was awaiting a reply.

“I hope that Iran contributes to stability in the region,” Prince Saud was quoted as saying by the official Saudi Press Agency. “Iran is a neighbor country and we have relations with it. We talk to them and hope to end any differences between the two countries.”

In recent months, Zarif visited several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates and Oman in a sign of improving relations with Iran’s Sunni neighbors.

Tehran has expressed an interest in working more closely with Saudi Arabia too, but the kingdom had previously shown little appetite for boosting ties.

Besides its differences with Iran over Syria, Saudi Arabia sees a stronger Iran as a threat to its own influence in the region. Riyadh also has accused Iran of backing Shiite uprisings in neighboring Yemen and Bahrain.

Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Amir Abdollahian, was quoted on Wednesday by al-Alam, the Arabic-language channel of Iran’s state TV, as saying that Iran has not received any written invitation from Saudi Arabia so far.

“Iran welcomes dialogue and meeting to help resolve regional disputes, remove misunderstandings and further promote bilateral ties,” he said.

Iranian government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nowbakht also appeared to welcome Riyadh’s outreach.

“Saudi Arabia is a neighbor. Strengthening ties and good neighborly relations with it is to the interests of the region,” the official IRNA news agency quoted Nowbakht as saying Wednesday. “The will of the government is that relations with Saudi Arabia be promoted to meet the interests of the two countries.”

Zarif, who was in Vienna on Wednesday for another round of negotiations with world powers on Iran’s controversial nuclear program, did not immediately comment the Saudi outreach to his country.

___

Associated Press writer Ali Akbar Dareini contributed to this report from Tehran, Iran.

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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