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3 more World Cup games to come in steamy Manaus

By WTOP Staff

CHRIS LEHOURITES
AP Sports Writer

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — Claudio Marchisio wasn’t hallucinating. It was hot at the Arena da Amazonia during the first World Cup match to be played in the Brazilian rainforest.

Marchisio and his Italian teammates were able to adapt to the steamy conditions well enough to beat England 2-1 in Group D, but both coaches complained about the heat and humidity after the game.

And there are still three more World Cup games coming to the jungle before the group stage ends.

Marchisio scored the first goal in Saturday’s match, but he said it was difficult to play for 90 minutes with the temperature at 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) and humidity at 61 percent.

“At times it felt like having hallucinations due to the heat,” Marchisio said after the match. “But this squad showed great character and held up in the final minutes.”

Many have questioned the decision to stage matches in Manaus, an industrial city on the Amazon River that nearly always has warm temperatures and high humidity. And although England seemed to hold up better late in the match, still creating chances all the way to the end, it was Mario Balotelli that scored the winning goal in the 50th minute.

The Italians may have earned the three points and set themselves up for a spot in the second round, but Italy coach Cesare Prandelli questioned the decision to forego official breaks that would have given players a chance to rest and rehydrate.

“It was ridiculous not to have timeouts. We had to slow down our pace to regain our breaths. It was impossible to maintain the intensity,” Prandelli said. “Thankfully the referee had the sensibility to interrupt the match every now and then. But it’s just absurd.”

The next teams that will have to deal with the conditions are Croatia and Cameroon. They play their Group A match at the Arena da Amazonia on Wednesday, and both need points to have any hope of advancement after losing their opening matches.

The United States will then face Portugal in Manaus on June 22, and Honduras will play Switzerland on June 25.

All six teams will have to get accustomed to the conditions, and drink plenty of liquids, if they expect to avoid problems and play World Cup-level football for a full 90 minutes in Manaus.

“Quite a few of our players cramped up,” England coach Roy Hodgson said. “It obviously has to do with hydration.”

FIFA uses the “Wet Bulb Globe Temperature” to determine when official breaks should be added, and says the WGBT must be above 32 degrees C (90 degrees F) for cooling breaks to be considered.

FIFPro, the international union representing professional football players, said that number was too high.

“There’s enough medical evidence to support it should be closer to 28 degrees (82 degrees F),” FIFPro said Sunday. “In addition, when and how often cooling breaks are introduced is just as relevant. FIFA’s heat policy simply does not pay enough attention to detail and it falls well short based on available medical data.”

Whatever the temperature is on Wednesday, it will be Cameroon and Croatia that have to adapt.

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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