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BRAZIL BEAT: England too popular in Manaus

By WTOP Staff

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — England tried to get out and about in Manaus on Friday, but the spirited reception from the locals in the Amazonian city made them cut their shopping trip short.

The team went to a mall to look around and experience a little bit of local flavor in the most exotic of the 12 World Cup host sites, where England plays Italy on Saturday in its opener.

Plenty of fans were there to greet them.

“I can’t believe the friendliness of the people. I can’t believe their enthusiasm,” England coach Roy Hodgson said. “But unfortunately the reception was such and the mobbing was such that we had to abort the trip.”

So short that no one was able to buy anything.

“There certainly wasn’t any shopping getting done today,” England captain Steven Gerrard said.

— By Chris Lehourites — www.twitter.com/chrislehourites

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MARACANAAAAAA!

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — As the subway begins to slow, the next stop is announced as if it were a game-winning goal.

“Everyone get up on your feet, it’s coming! The best in the world — the Maracanaaaaaa,” bellows the voice over the public address system as the train pulls up to the station serving Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium. “Get ready to exit on your left. Everyone get up. It’s coming, it’s coming, it’s here! Ma-ra-ca-naaaaaaa!”

The boisterous advisory was developed by Rio’s subway system for the World Cup to spread a little football joy during the monthlong tournament and capture the attention of passengers whenever a station popular with tourists is approaching.

The voice belongs to Luiz Penido, a well-known football commentator from Rio’s Radio Globo.

But for all of Penido’s flash and zeal, it wasn’t enough to shake many weary office workers from an end-of-the-week slumber Friday afternoon. Either that, or they were still recovering from the late-night partying that followed Brazil’s 3-1 victory over Croatia a day earlier.

Rio’s metro is the main means of transport for fans attending matches at the Maracana. An estimated 80,000 straphangers are expected to ride its rails on match day.

— By Ana Santos — www.twitter.com/anaalmsan

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KISS MY FOOT?

RIBEIRAO PRETO, Brazil (AP) — Two youths ran onto the pitch toward the end of France’s World Cup training session Friday — one of them because he wanted to kiss striker Karim Benzema’s foot.

The first youth sprinted toward Benzema and was intercepted by two security officials, who led him away. He was then taken for questioning by police for about 30 minutes before being released.

“The boy told the police officers that he wanted to kiss Benzema’s foot,” Major Paulo Cesar Belonci said through a translator. “It was just a joke, but he could have been hurt by trying to jump the gap around the field.”

The field inside Botafogo’s Santa Cruz stadium is circled by a large ditch, almost like a medieval moat, with the very intention of preventing intruders.

“The boy didn’t commit any crime,” Belonci said. “He was just taken to the police so we could inform his father of what he had done.”

Moments later, the second youth — wearing a Manchester United jersey — tried to take a photo with his camera phone before also being led away by security.

It was France’s second public training session of the week, and around 5,000 fans came this time.

France opens its World Cup campaign against Honduras on Sunday, and Benzema’s popularity seems to be rising by the day in the otherwise sleepy business city of Ribeirao Preto.

The Real Madrid striker was serenaded by fans’ chanting, even screaming, of his name, and he gave a polite thumbs-up.

— By Jerome Pugmire — http://twitter.com/jeromepugmire

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MLB’S FANS

DETROIT (AP) — World Cup fever spread before the Detroit Tigers hosted the Minnesota Twins in a Major League Baseball game.

Players in both clubhouses were riveted to TVs as the Netherlands routed Spain 5-1 on Friday, when oohs and ahhs could be heard every few minutes.

Two-time American League MVP Miguel Cabrera loves to watch the game, but said he was not much of a player while growing up in Venezuela.

“I played until I was about 14 years old and was not very good,” Cabrera said. “I played defense and only scored one goal in four years.”

Cabrera and teammate Victor Martinez, a fellow Venezuelan, were talking about the World Cup a few hours before they played the Twins.

“Victor is the soccer expert in here,” Cabrera said.

Martinez predicts the host Brazilians will win the tournament.

“Venezuela has never been in the World Cup,” Martinez said. “So, Brazil is my team because they are our neighbors.”

— By Larry Lage — www.twitter.com/LarryLage

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ANIMAL ORACLES

BERLIN (AP) — Germany is awash in animal oracles.

Four years after Paul the Octopus correctly predicted the outcome of all seven of the country’s World Cup games, some new creatures are making their picks. Suspiciously, though, they both went with Germany.

Regina, a young octopus living in a tank inside the Sea Life aquarium in Berlin, apparently expects the Germans to defeat Portugal in their World Cup opener Monday. The 15-month-old cephalopod prognosticated by opening the lid of one of two boxes installed at a small football goal wall that was dropped into the tank — each containing the same food (parts of two sardines) and covered with a team flag.

Paul, from Oberhausen, died of natural causes in October 2010.

At the zoo in Muenster, an armadillo named Norman quickly rushed through his enclosure toward one of the three small footballs, which was marked with a German national flag. An armadillo is the World Cup mascot.

On Tuesday, a loggerhead turtle named Big Head in Praia Do Forte, Brazil, also made a homer pick — it proved correct, though, when the hosts went on to beat Croatia in the World Cup opener.

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Associated Press reporters will be filing dispatches about happenings in and around Brazil during the 2014 World Cup. Follow AP journalists covering the World Cup on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Sports/world-cup-2014

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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