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Uruguay star striker Luis Suarez has knee surgery

By WTOP Staff

LEONARDO HABERKORN
Associated Press

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Uruguay striker Luis Suarez had surgery on his left knee Thursday.

One of the world’s top players, he’s expected to recover in time for the World Cup.

The arthroscopy repaired damaged cartilage. The Uruguayan soccer association said “no other injuries were found” and his participation in the World Cup is “not ruled out.”

The surgery was done at Medica Uruguaya hospital in Montevideo, and the Liverpool star’s mother told The Associated Press her son is in good spirits and is “going to play the World Cup.”

“The surgery is over and thank God everything went well,” Sandra Diaz said shortly after speaking to him by phone. “What Luis had wasn’t as serious as we thought.”

Suarez was released from the hospital in the afternoon, and was taken in an ambulance to his home on the outskirts of Montevideo. He was in a wheelchair, but walked the last few steps to his house leaning on the shoulders of two people, without putting pressure on his injured leg.

His wife, Sofia, asked a small group of reporters to stop taking photos inside their home. When they continued to snap shots, Suarez, known for his short temper, called out a TV station by name, saying they were being disrespectful.

Earlier in the day, he seemed calm about his recovery and confident he would play in the World Cup.

“Take it easy because I’m going to make it (to the cup) and will work very hard these days to be at 100 percent and help out my teammates,” Suarez told the local El Pais newspaper.

Suarez is considered just a notch below Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. He had his best season with Liverpool, scoring a league-leading 31 goals. He was voted player of the year in England by the players’ association.

Uruguayan soccer authorities said Suarez began feeling pain in his left knee during his last Premier League game and felt sharp pain again while training with the national team Wednesday. He underwent a magnetic resonance scan that confirmed the cartilage injury.

Suarez’s sister said the striker is expected to be out two to three weeks. Uruguay plays its World Cup opener against Costa Rica on June 14. The team then faces England on June 19 and Italy on June 24.

“The problem is that these days he won’t be able to play, and will only be able to do physiotherapy,” Giovanna Suarez said.

Suarez trained with teammates Wednesday morning but was not on the field in the afternoon. The Uruguayan association said at the time he was working out at the gym.

Suarez had a troubled start to this season, sitting out the remainder of a 10-game suspension for biting an opponent last season. He also served an eight-game ban for racially abusing a Premier League opponent. Suarez scored three goals at the 2010 World Cup, and added four when Uruguay won the 2011 Copa America in Argentina.

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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