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Obama seeks to ease Germany’s concerns on spying

By WTOP Staff

JOSH LEDERMAN
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama sought to allay German concerns Tuesday over allegations of espionage, pledging to work to improve cooperation during his first conversation with Germany’s leader since two Germans were revealed to have spied on their country for the United States.

Seeking to play down the growing rift, the White House said only that Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel had “exchanged views on U.S.-German intelligence cooperation” and that Obama had said he’d stay in close touch about intelligence cooperation going forward. The White House said the rest of the call focused on other global conflicts in Ukraine and Iran.

Still, the call comes amid fresh strains in an espionage dispute that reached a new low last week when Germany demanded that the CIA station chief in Berlin leave the country. That move followed published accounts alleging that American intelligence recruited two Germans to spy for Washington: a man who worked at Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, and a defense ministry employee.

The last known conversation between Obama and Merkel was on July 3, but that call took place before German officials had arrested the first alleged U.S. spy, and the White House said the issue didn’t come up.

Outrage has been growing in Germany since former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden disclosed last year that the U.S. had eavesdropped on Merkel’s cellphone calls. Obama vowed to end that practice, but a broader “no-spy” agreement sought by many Germans didn’t pan out.

The White House has refused to address the substance of the allegations publicly, and has generally brushed off the matter as standard intelligence procedures. Emphasizing the importance of close U.S.-German ties, White House spokesman Josh Earnest has said countries like Germany know that other nations spy, and has suggested Germany should stop litigating the dispute in the media.

That approach hasn’t played well in Germany, a country that prizes the sanctity of personal information and bears deep suspicion of government intrusion, given its history of Nazi-era abuses.

In their conversation, Obama and Merkel also agreed that Russia hasn’t taken the steps to de-escalate the Ukraine crisis that the global community has demanded to spare Russia from further economic sanctions. The White House said the two leaders committed to working together “to ensure that Europe and the United States remain closely coordinated” on sanctions — an increasingly elusive goal as the U.S. contemplates levying tougher sanctions unilaterally in the face of European reluctance.

The White House long has preferred to levy punishments on Russia in concert with the European Union for maximum effect. But European countries have been reluctant to take tougher action out of fear of damaging their own economies, and the delay in making good on its warnings to Moscow has raised tough questions about the sincerity of Obama’s threats to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

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Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP

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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