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Another worker dies at Brazil World Cup site

By WTOP Staff

ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON
Associated Press

SAO PAULO (AP) — A worker at a World Cup stadium in Brazil died Thursday in an electrical accident, temporarily interrupting construction at one of the most-delayed venues only five weeks before the soccer tournament.

Rosenil Moraes, head of emergency services in the western state of Mato Grosso, said the construction worker received an electric shock at the site of Arena Pantanal in the wetlands city of Cuiaba. He died more than half an hour later of a cardiorespiratory arrest. Officials were not clear on what caused the accident.

It is the latest accident to tarnish World Cup preparations, marking the eighth death from injuries while building stadiums for the world’s biggest soccer tournament. His death comes at a worrisome time as organizers rush to finish the last three stadiums ahead of the opening match on June 12.

Moraes said paramedics unsuccessfully tried to revive 32-year-old Muhammad Ali Maciel Afonso at the stadium, which is still missing seats because of delivery delays.

“Our workers followed all the protocols and tried to revive him for more than 40 minutes. But he didn’t survive,” said Moraes.

Afonso was working for a company called Etel Engineering that is setting up the information and communication networks at the stadium. The firm has not issued a statement, saying it needed to gather more information first.

Local World Cup organizers said Mato Grosso state police are at the scene investigating what could have sparked the electric shock around the stadium’s skybox. They say that so far it looks like an isolated incident.

World Cup organizers in Cuiaba offered their “solidarity to Afonso’s family” in a news statement and said they “will wait for the police investigation into the causes of the accident.”

Police officers sealed off the area where Afonso died, temporarily halting the networks installation at Arena Pantanal. But officials say the construction continues in the rest of the stadium to make sure it will meet the World Cup deadline.

Emergency services’ Moraes said the company is also carrying out an investigation into what went wrong. Officials said the worker appeared to be using safety equipment when he suffered the electric shock.

The accident happened only hours before President Dilma Rouseff toured another stadium still under construction in Sao Paulo in an attempt to soothe fears over delays that could interfere with the matches.

In 2012, a worker died at the construction site of the stadium in the nation’s capital, Brasilia. Three workers have died at Sao Paulo’s Itaquerao venue in two separate accidents, and three have been killed from injuries suffered at the Arena da Amazonia in the jungle city of Manaus. One of them was a 55-year-old Portuguese man who was trying to disassemble a crane when part of the machine struck his head.

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Adriana Gomez Licon is on Twitter http://twitter.com/agomezlicon

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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