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BRAZIL BEAT: Japan’s fans brighten stands

By WTOP Staff

RECIFE, Brazil (AP) — The Japanese always have some of the most spirited — and outlandish — fans at the World Cup.

As Pernambuco Stadium filled up for the Blue Samurai’s first match against Ivory Coast, a tiny Japanese girl walked by dressed as an enormous football, cute cuddly toys hanging from her neck and a Dr. Seuss hat perched on her head.

Many Japan supporters sported samurai top-knot wigs while wearing the blue jerseys of their favorite players. Others had headbands painted with the Japanese “hinomaru” flag and VICTORY written in slashing Japanese characters.

Koichi Ikeda was in the stands with two other friends, their heads transformed into gigantic “daruma” good-luck charm dolls. The blank eyes of the daruma are filled with black when your wishes come true. Ikeda says one eye will be painted Sunday, the other after Japan’s game next Thursday against Greece.

— By Joji Sakurai — www.twitter.com/jojisakurai

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MANAUS OPERA HOUSE

MANAUS, Brazil (AP) — Local singer Marcia Siqueira was rehearsing at the Amazon theater in downtown Manaus, and he didn’t seem to object as England and Italy fans snapped photos and looked around in awe inside the ornate opera house, one of the jungle city’s top cultural gems.

Inaugurated in 1896 at the height of the rubber boom, the theater was built with a mixture of imported materials from Europe — marble from Carrara, Italy; cast iron from Paris; Murano glass from Venice — and local resources from the surrounding rain forest.

The theater holds an opera festival each spring.

Known for its dome of ceramic tiles painted in the colors of the Brazilian flag, the walls of the building are pink. From about 1960-90, though, the outer walls were painted in a drab gray and green in accordance with the military dictatorship of those decades.

— By Andrew Dampf — www.twitter.com/asdampf

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WARM WELCOME

CURITIBA, Brazil (AP) — Hundreds of noisy Iranian football fans cheered their team Saturday as it arrived in the southern Brazilian city of Curitiba for its first game of the World Cup.

For one man of faith, the joy highlighted how football can bring people together in a way that religion and politics often don’t.

“They are chanting my country, that for sure has special feeling,” said local Sheikh Mohammed Sadegh Ibrahimi. “Now you can see Iranians, Iraqis, Brazilians, Slovenians, Polish, all together.”

Curitiba has a significant Muslim population, and the Sheikh’s mosque is renowned in the world of Islam.

Most of the crowd seemed to be local. Some of the supporters had come from outside of Iran, which has been isolated over its nuclear program.

Iran is currently in talks with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany about lifting crippling economic sanctions. Last November, an interim deal saw an easing of some sanctions in exchange for limits on Iran’s uranium enrichment program. The agreement was intended to buy time for the negotiation of a comprehensive deal.

Iran’s football team has struggled at times to arrange friendlies. On Monday, the Iranians, like Nigeria, will be looking for their first win in the World Cup since 1998.

— Pan Pylas — www.twitter.com/PanPylas

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LANGUAGE BARRIER

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (AP) — France coach Didier Deschamps looked perplexed, a crease growing bigger on his forehead as he listened to questions in English during his news conference previewing Sunday’s match against Honduras.

Clearly irritated, one English reporter suggested Deschamps use the headphones that provide simultaneous translation.

“Didier, I’ll try not to sound like an angry Englishman here,” the reporter barked. “But given that Euro 2012 was marred by clashes with the media and the French team, might it be an idea to use the headphones and listen to international questions, so that you don’t offend the international media?”

Staring blankly ahead, Deschamps did not seem sure what he was being reproached for, although he understood the subject matter. He slid the headphones on, fidgeted with the button on the side, and then took them off again.

“I rest my case,” the exasperated English journalist said from the back of the room.

“Does he want me to put them on?” a confused Deschamps mumbled as he glanced across to the France team’s press officer.

Deschamps, who played one season in the English Premier League for Chelsea in the 1999-2000 season, then kept talking to himself as he struggled with the headphones.

“Is that OK? … Oh, there’s no sound,” Deschamps went on, even talking over another journalist trying to ask a question in English.

Then, Deschamps gave up.

“Doesn’t work, ah, new technology,” he said, putting the headphones down.

— By Jerome Pugmire — www.twitter.com/jeromepugmire

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BEVERAGES BANNED

TERESOPOLIS, Brazil (AP) — No meat skewers allowed. Brazilian authorities are cracking down on unauthorized sales near World Cup stadiums.

Police in the host city of Salvador said Saturday they seized thousands of bottles and cans of beverages from brands not sponsoring the World Cup.

Authorities said the beverages — including beer, water and soft drinks — were being illegally sold near the stadium where the Netherlands beat Spain 5-1 on Friday, in an area where only FIFA-sponsored products can be peddled.

Police in the northeastern city said in a statement that 269 hats “illegally using FIFA brands” also were seized, along with pamphlets promoting a local concert, three sound systems, a knife-like weapon and even 100 meat skewers that were on sale near the Arena Fonte Nova stadium.

— By Tales Azzoni — www.twitter.com/tazzoni

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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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