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US airlines to resume flights to Israel

By WTOP Staff

NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. airlines serving Israel will resume flights there Thursday, following a two-day hiatus caused by combat in the Gaza Strip.

The decision came hours after the Federal Aviation Administration lifted a prohibition on U.S. flights in and out of Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport. The FAA’s ban, imposed out of concern for the risk of planes being hit by Hamas rockets, became a hot button topic in both U.S.-Israeli diplomacy and Washington politics.

Chicago-based United Airlines is set to resume service to Tel Aviv with a 4:45 p.m. eastern flight from Newark, New Jersey. A second United flight will leave Newark at 10:50 p.m. eastern.

US Airways one daily flight departs Philadelphia at 9:10 p.m. Delta Air Lines sole flight to Tel Aviv will take off Thursday night at 11:57 p.m. from New York.

“The decision comes after careful internal consideration and input from high levels in government including the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Transportation,” Delta said in a statement. A Delta 747 turned around Tuesday on its way to Tel Aviv after a rocket landed near the airport. US Airways and United followed by canceling their flights, and the FAA instituted its ban.

The Israeli government felt the airlines and regulators overreacted. The Transportation Ministry called on the companies to reverse their decision, insisting the airport was safe and completely guarded and saying there was no reason to “hand terror a prize,” by halting the flights. The ban filtered into discussions in Jerusalem about a Gaza cease-fire that included U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In the U.S., Sen. Ted Cruz accused President Obama of using the flight ban to impose an economic boycott of Israel while it is fighting the militant group Hamas in Gaza.

The airlines wouldn’t say what has changed to make Tel Aviv safer than it had been 24 hours earlier. Robert Isom, chief operating officer of US Airways’ parent American Airlines, told reporters on an earnings conference call that, “We feel very comfortable with the information that we have right now. We’re doing the right thing, and feel very comfortable that our employees and our customers are safe.”

Last year, an average of 1,044 passengers flew each way on the four daily flights between the U.S. and Israel on American carriers, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Israeli airline El Al maintained its five daily flights from the U.S. to Tel Aviv throughout the ban, which only applied to American carriers. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg took one of those flights Wednesday, in a bid to show it was safe to fly to Israel.

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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