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Afghan, Pakistani border guards’ skirmish kills 1

By WTOP Staff

MIRWAIS KHAN
Associated Press

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — A shootout between Afghan and Pakistani border guards killed one Afghan policeman on Thursday in a remote southern region where the border between the two countries is poorly marked, officials said.

According to police spokesman Zia Durrani in the Afghan province of Kandahar, the skirmish started shortly after dawn and lasted for about two hours. The two sides engaged in sporadic exchanges, using rifles and firing rockets across the boundary, he said.

Kandahar government spokesman Dawakhan Minapal said the fighting in the province’s remote Maroof district was sparked by an attempt by the Pakistani border police to construct an outpost on the Afghan side of the border.

But Pakistani official Asif Yusufzai said his country’s paramilitary forces “only retaliated” after the Afghan forces started shooting first. He said he didn’t have any details on whether anyone was killed or wounded.

Pakistani forces have been constructing a checkpoint on their side of the border, and the Afghan forces have been raising objections against it, added Yusufzai, who is the top official in the southwestern district of Qila Saifullah along the border with Afghanistan.

The Afghan forces believe the area where the Pakistanis are constructing the checkpoint is disputed territory, Yusufzai said.

Pakistan and Afghanistan share a porous border of several hundred kilometers (miles).

The two sides sometime clash and fight over various issues, including claims that forces from one country crossed into the otehr’s territory. There is also violence in the area associated with cross-border movements of militants.

The neighboring countries have had rocky relations for years, mainly over sanctuaries on both sides of the border.

Kabul has long demanded that Pakistan uproot militant safe havens on its side of the boundary, including those of the Haqqani network, which is blamed for orchestrating attacks inside Afghanistan.

The Haqqani network has sanctuaries in Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal region. The Pakistani army had conducted several offensives against the militants in the lawless tribal regions — except in North Waziristan. Islamabad says its forces are stretched too thin to launch offensives there.

For its part, Pakistan wants Kabul to take action against the chief of its local Taliban, Mullah Fazlullah, who is said to be based in Kunar province in Afghanistan. Islamabad also alleges that most of the cross border militant attacks against the Pakistani army were planned and executed by Fazlullah, based on other side of the border.

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Associated Press Writer Matiullah Achakzai in Chaman, Pakistan, contributed to this report.

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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