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Steelworkers join police patrols in east Ukraine

By WTOP Staff

VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Steelworkers employed by Ukraine’s biggest tycoon have joined police on patrol in some disputed eastern Ukrainian cities, and the company said Thursday that its officials had struck a deal with police and pro-Russian separatists in one of the cities for the insurgents to leave occupied government buildings.

It was unclear how significant the development was. Photographs posted by police did not reveal whether the steelworkers were armed, and it was unknown whether they intended to confront the armed separatists who have declared parts of eastern Ukraine independent.

But police said the patrols in Mariupol and Makeevka had helped solve or prevent crimes, including robbery. Mariupol, a city of about 495,000 in the Donetsk region, was gripped by violence last week when clashes between police and protesters killed at least seven people.

The steelworkers are from plants belonging to Metinvest, part of the business empire of Rinat Akhmetov, believed to be Ukraine’s richest man. On Wednesday, Akhmetov issued a statement calling on Donetsk to remain part of Ukraine, arguing that independence or absorption into Russia would be economically catastrophic.

That warning did little to dampen separatist fervor in the Donetsk region, where insurgents calling themselves the Donetsk People’s Republic announced a parliament on Thursday. After a weekend referendum denounced as illegitimate by both Ukraine’s central government and the West, separatists in Donetsk and the neighboring Luhansk region declared themselves independent.

However, a Donetsk People’s Republic leader in Mariupol was party to an agreement with steel plant directors and local police on improving security in the city and vacating separatist-occupied buildings, according to a Metinvest statement. That could indicate that Akhmetov, through his companies, could play an influential role in the crisis.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, added pressure on Ukraine on Thursday by saying it must pay in advance for Russian gas supplies starting next month. Ukraine is heavily dependent on Russian gas, especially for the heavy industries that are the core of Akhmetov’s business.

Putin said Ukraine’s debt for Russian gas supplies stands at $3.5 billion, and criticized it for refusing to pay despite a $3.2 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund. He said it will have to switch to pre-paid gas beginning June 1.

The Russian president first warned of the move in April in a letter to European leaders, whose nations are customers of the Russian state-controlled natural gas giant Gazprom. Ukraine serves as a major conduit for Russian gas supplies to Europe, and pricing disputes have led to shutdowns in the past.

Ukraine says it would pay if Moscow restores the price discounts canceled after pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych was toppled in February following months of protests.

Russia denounced Yanukovych’s ouster as a coup and sent its troops to take over Ukraine’s Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which it annexed weeks later. In April, a mutiny erupted across Ukraine’s vast eastern industrial heartland, where pro-Russian insurgents seized government buildings and fought government troops.

Native Russian speakers predominate in the east and many allege the central government is a nationalist junta bent on repressing them.

The insurgents in Donetsk on Thursday announced the creation of their own parliament and Cabinet. The new defense minister is Igor Strelkov, the leader of the insurgents’ armed wing who Kiev says is a Russian intelligence officer.

“A civil war is underway, and it’s important for us to create a power bloc to successfully fight the Kiev junta,” said Yelena Korovkina, a member of the self-proclaimed parliament.

Kiev and the West allege Russia is fomenting the unrest in the east, and have imposed sanctions on Russia. Moscow denies involvement.

A European-backed “road map” for peace, also supported by Moscow, got off to a rocky start this week. The first in a series of round-table discussions was held in Kiev on Wednesday, but the government refused to invite representatives of the insurgents, saying it wouldn’t talk to “terrorists.”

The next round of talks is expected on Saturday, and the insurgents said it should be held in Donetsk. Denis Pushilin, speaker of the self-declared insurgent parliament, said it should focus on an exchange of prisoners and the pullout of government forces, which he called “occupation troops.”

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich criticized what he called a “stubborn reluctance of the authorities in Kiev to launch a real process of national reconciliation.”

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Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Jim Heintz in Moscow, Yuras Karmanau in Donetsk and Alexander Zemlianichenko in Slovyansk, Ukraine, 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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