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US officer fires shot in clash at pro-Israel rally

By WTOP Staff

TAMI ABDOLLAH
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A federal officer fired his weapon once at men in a truck as they fled a pro-Israel rally in Los Angeles after using wooden poles bearing Palestinian flags to hit protesters, authorities said Monday.

The incident, which resulted in four arrests and no injuries, occurred at the rally on Sunday outside the Federal Building in Westwood.

The rally was held as Israel continued an offensive against Hamas that had killed 160 people and forced thousands of Palestinian residents to flee their homes.

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have launched more than 800 rockets at Israel.

The pro-Israel rally in Los Angeles attracted as many as 1,800 people, including some pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Several were in a truck with a Palestinian flag when a pro-Israel demonstrator grabbed the flag and stepped on it, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Valentine said.

The men in the truck confronted the demonstrators and struck multiple people with their flagpoles, Valentine said.

An officer who typically provides security for federal buildings tried to stop the four men from attempting to flee and fired a shot from his service weapon, Federal Protective Service spokeswoman Jacqueline Yost said in a statement.

The name of the officer was not released.

Yost had no further details on what the officer was aiming at or what steps were taken before the weapon was discharged.

An ambulance was called for a woman who was injured after apparently being hit by the men, Yost said. Los Angeles fire spokesman Erik Scott said no one was transported to a hospital.

Police later caught up with the truck, and four men were arrested and booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Valentine said.

The men, 19-year-old Mostadafa Gamaleldin Hafez, 41-year-old Hassan Mustapha Kreidieh, 35-year-old Mohammed Said Elkhatib and 38-year-old Fadi Ali Obeidallah, all posted $30,000 bail Monday.

Efforts by The Associated Press to reach the men were not immediately successful.

Elkhatib told reporters outside of the station Monday that they were “falsely arrested” and demanded authorities investigate the federal agent who fired his weapon, according to the Los Angeles Times.

“We did not assault nobody,” Elkhatib said. “You guys have surveillance and cameras, and that will tell us the truth.”

Agency policy calls for the officer who fired the shot to be placed on paid administrative leave pending the completion of an investigation by the Federal Protective Service.

The Sheriff’s Department is conducting its own investigation of the incident with assistance from the FBI, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

The pro-Israel rally followed a pro-Palestinian rally on Saturday.

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Tami Abdollah can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/latams

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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