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Militants post images of dozens of Iraqi soldiers lined up and shot north of Baghdad

By WTOP Staff

BAGHDAD (AP) — The Islamic militant group that swept across northern Iraq and captured two major cities last week has posted graphic photos on a website that appear to show its masked fighters massacring dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers.

With thousands of Shiite men heeding a call from their most revered spiritual leader to take up arms against the Sunni militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, there are fears the grisly images will further sharpen sectarian tensions.

ISIL has vowed to take the battle to Iraq’s capital and cities further south where revered Shiite shrines are located.

Iraq’s government has been bolstering Baghdad’s defenses, particularly on its northern and western approaches. But a car bomb exploded in central Baghdad today, killing 10 and wounding 21.

Meanwhile, Iraqi government officials say the militants fired rockets seized last week from military arms depots on the city of Tal Afar in northern Iraq, which is mainly inhabited by ethnic minority Turkmen.

Iraq’s top military spokesman says the militants are suffering heavy casualties, with nearly 300 militants killed in the past 24 hours on fronts north of the capital.

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154-a-19-(Christopher Meyer, former British ambassador to the U.S., in interview)-“very dangerous insurgency”-Christopher Meyer, a former British ambassador to the U.S., says the U.S. should work closely with Iran to help the Iraqi government defeat the militants, who believe Tehran is already influencing Baghdad. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) ((note length)) (15 Jun 2014)

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155-a-13-(Christopher Meyer, former British ambassador to the U.S., in interview)-“terrible sectarian rivalries”-Christopher Meyer, a former British ambassador to the U.S., says the U.S. and Britain should be working closely with what he calls mid-range powers in the region. COURTESY: Sky News ((mandatory on-air credit)) (15 Jun 2014)

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137-a-13-(Representative Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman, House Intelligence Committee, in interview)-“points of difference”-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers says President Obama needs to show leadership with an immediate response to the terrorist threat from Islamic militants in Iraq. COURTESY: “Fox News Sunday” ((mandatory on-air credit)) (15 Jun 2014)

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138-a-13-(Representative Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman, House Intelligence Committee, in interview)-“as it gets”-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers says the Islamic militants advancing in Iraq are “an al-Qaida army on the move.” COURTESY: “Fox News Sunday” ((mandatory on-air credit)) (15 Jun 2014)

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139-a-14-(Representative Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman, House Intelligence Committee, in interview)-“in this equation”-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers says the U.S. has forgotten its Arab League partners in planning a response to the militant rebels in Iraq. COURTESY: “Fox News Sunday” ((mandatory on-air credit)) (15 Jun 2014)

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140-a-16-(Representative Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chairman, House Intelligence Committee, in interview)-“the United States”-House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers says the Islamic militants in Iraq pose a direct threat to American and European security. COURTESY: “Fox News Sunday” ((mandatory on-air credit)) (15 Jun 2014)

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APPHOTO XMA101: This image posted on a militant website on Saturday, June 14, 2014, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, appears to show militants from the al-Qaida-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leading away captured Iraqi soldiers dressed in plain clothes after taking over a base in Tikrit, Iraq. The Islamic militant group that seized much of northern Iraq has posted photos that appear to show its fighters shooting dead dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers in a province north of the capital Baghdad. Iraq’s top military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi confirmed the photos’ authenticity on Sunday and said he was aware of cases of mass murder of Iraqi soldiers. (AP Photo via militant website) (15 Jun 2014)

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APPHOTO XMA107: This image posted on a militant website on Saturday, June 14, 2014, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, appears to show militants from the al-Qaida-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) with captured Iraqi soldiers wearing plain clothes after taking over a base in Tikrit, Iraq. The Islamic militant group that seized much of northern Iraq has posted photos that appear to show its fighters shooting dead dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers in a province north of the capital Baghdad. Iraq’s top military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi confirmed the photos’ authenticity on Sunday and said he was aware of cases of mass murder of Iraqi soldiers. (AP Photo via militant website) (15 Jun 2014)

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APPHOTO XMA104: This image posted on a militant website on Saturday, June 14, 2014, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, appears to show militants from the al-Qaida-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) leading captured Iraqi soldiers wearing plain clothes to an open field moments before shooting them in Tikrit, Iraq. The Islamic militant group that seized much of northern Iraq has posted photos that appear to show its fighters shooting dead dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers in a province north of the capital Baghdad. Iraq’s top military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi confirmed the photos’ authenticity on Sunday and said he was aware of cases of mass murder of Iraqi soldiers. (AP Photo via militant website) (15 Jun 2014)

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APPHOTO XMA105: This image posted on a militant website on Saturday, June 14, 2014, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, appears to show militants from the al-Qaida-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) taking aim at captured Iraqi soldiers wearing plain clothes after taking over a base in Tikrit, Iraq. The Islamic militant group that seized much of northern Iraq has posted photos that appear to show its fighters shooting dead dozens of captured Iraqi soldiers in a province north of the capital Baghdad. Iraq’s top military spokesman Lt. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi confirmed the photos’ authenticity on Sunday and said he was aware of cases of mass murder of Iraqi soldiers. (AP Photo via militant website) (15 Jun 2014)

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APPHOTO BAG103: In this Saturday, June 14, 2014 photo, Iraqi Shiite tribal fighters raise their weapons and chant slogans against the al-Qaida-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Baghdad’s Sadr city, Iraq. Emboldened by a call to arms by the top Shiite cleric, Iranian-backed militias have moved quickly to the center of Iraq’s political landscape, spearheading what its Shiite majority sees as a fight for survival against Sunni militants who control of large swaths of territory north of Baghdad. The poster at top depicts Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadiq al-Sadr, the late father of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. (AP Photo/ Karim Kadim) (14 Jun 2014)

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APPHOTO BAG112: Shiite tribal fighters raise their weapons and chant slogans against the al-Qaida-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the east Baghdad neighborhood of Kamaliya, Iraq, Sunday, June 15, 2014. Emboldened by a call to arms by the top Shiite cleric, Iranian-backed militias have moved quickly to the center of Iraq’s political landscape, spearheading what its Shiite majority sees as a fight for survival against Sunni militants who control of large swaths of territory north of Baghdad. (AP Photo) (15 Jun 2014)

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APPHOTO BAG101: In this Saturday, June 14, 2014 Iraqi Shiite fighters deploy with their weapons in Basra, Iraq’s second-largest city, 340 miles (550 kilometers) southeast of Baghdad, Iraq. Emboldened by a call to arms by the top Shiite cleric, Iranian-backed militias have moved quickly to the center of Iraq’s political landscape, spearheading what its Shiite majority sees as a fight for survival against Sunni militants who control of large swaths of territory north of Baghdad. (AP Photo/ Nabil Al-Jurani) (14 Jun 2014)

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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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