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Correction: Israel-Palestinians story

By WTOP Staff

SAO PAULO (AP) — In a story June 11 about the FIFA Congress, The Associated Press reported erroneously that performer Mohammed Assaf wore a Muslim headscarf. Assaf’s black and white headscarf is a symbol of Palestinian nationalism.

A corrected version of the story is below:

‘Arab Idol’ to FIFA Congress: Viva Palestine

Palestinian singer kicks off FIFA Congress with impromptu call of ‘Viva Palestine’

By ARON HELLER

Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — The feel-good Palestinian winner of last year’s ‘Arab Idol’ competition kicked off the FIFA Congress on Tuesday with an impromptu call to his homeland, signing off his performance with an emphatic “Viva Palestine.”

The gesture in Sao Paulo came as Israelis and Palestinians continued their stalemate over the free movement of Palestinian footballers and against a backdrop of FIFA President Sepp Blatter urging the parties to “separate politics and sports.”

Mohammed Assaf, a young wedding singer from the Gaza Strip whose songs often touch upon the Palestinian struggle for independence, sang before world football leaders in Arabic and English. He wore a black-and-white checkered scarf, for the Palestinians a symbol of nationalism.

Upon finishing his act, he abruptly asked for the microphone to thank Blatter and to single out Jibril Rajoub, the head of the Palestine Football Association, who has been sparring with Israel over the movement issue.

Late last month, in a visit to the region, Blatter said he hoped an agreement between the football associations would be “signed and sealed” before the World Cup began. All sides had a meeting at FIFA’s Sao Paulo hotel on Monday but did not appear to make any significant progress.

The opening game is in Sao Paulo on Thursday, with host Brazil facing Croatia.

Palestinians complain that some of their players have faced restrictions and Rajoub has asked FIFA to suspend Israel if these are not lifted.

Israel says the restrictions have nothing to do with sport, but rather security, and accuses Rajoub of inciting against it.

Israeli Sports Minister Limor Livnat wrote to Blatter on Tuesday to defend her country’s actions. She said Israel would allow Palestinian athletes to “exit and enter for the purpose of sports, excluding occasions in which there are attempts to make use of sports in order to injure or threaten the security of our citizens.”

Livnat singled out the example of a Palestinian national team player, Sameh Maraabeh, whom Israel detained in late April on suspicion he met an Islamic Hamas militant during the team’s training in Qatar. She alleged that the player received funds, a mobile phone and a written message from the Hamas activist. Maraabeh remains in detention.

“I am confident you will find this information worrisome and constituting clear evidence of the misuse of sports in a fashion that threatens the security of Israeli civilians,” Livnat wrote.

Blatter, who says he is a “self-declared ambassador of the Palestine people” and has tried to mediate, has not responded to the letter.

Israel has cited concerns about possible attacks by Palestinian militants as the main reason for sweeping restrictions on movement that affect most Palestinians, including athletes. Israel prevents virtually all travel between the West Bank and Gaza, two territories that lie on opposite sides of Israel and are sought by the Palestinians as part of a future state. Israel captured both during the 1967 Middle East war.

Rajoub, a former Palestinians security chief, has described Israel as the “bully of the neighborhood” and urged FIFA to impose sanctions to punish Israel for its policies toward the Palestinians.

This has included preventing or delaying the entry of visiting athletes and sports delegations to the Israeli-controlled West Bank, and preventing some Palestinian players from leaving Gaza, according to Palestinian officials.

The head coach of the Palestinian national team, Jamal Mahmoud, said he was not aware of a meeting between Maraabeh and Hamas members during the team’s time in Qatar. “If he did talk to a member of Hamas, it was his own individual decision,” Mahmoud said.

____

AP’s Yousur Alhlou contributed to this report from Jerusalem.

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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