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Suarez pledges to not bite again with Barcelona

By WTOP Staff

JOSEPH WILSON
Associated Press

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Luis Suarez is ready to put his biting days behind him.

The Barcelona striker was officially presented to fans on Tuesday at an event delayed for more than five weeks because of his suspension for biting an opponent at the World Cup.

Suarez said he was ready to “erase” his history of bad behavior and start fresh with the Catalan club.

“I say to all the fans, don’t worry, because I won’t do that anymore,” the former Liverpool striker said.

Suarez sunk his teeth into the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup in June, earning him a four-month ban and further damaging his already tarnished reputation. The Court of Arbitration for Sport lessened his penalty last week, allowing him to start practice with Barcelona on Friday and play the final minutes of a friendly on Monday.

The Uruguay forward won’t play a competitive match until October.

“The suspension is what it is, and I have to accept it,” Suarez said. “After what happened I didn’t want to do anything. I was depressed. But while I was with my wife and children I had to accept reality. I asked for forgiveness as I had to do, and now I have to think about the present.”

Suarez refused to go into details about what he considered was at the root of his violent behavior. He called it a “private” issue that he was treating with the “appropriate professionals.”

But the volatile former Ajax forward did say that after his latest bite he was worried about his career.

“Of course I was worried, but not only about the transfer (to Barcelona), but also about myself, for what I had done. I try to erase it,” he said. “The lesson I take from it is personal. I try to forget it.”

At 27, Suarez has accumulated three multi-match suspensions for sinking his teeth into an opponent. He has also been suspended for making racist remarks.

Unfazed by Suarez’s latest act of aggression and focused on rebuilding its team after a disappointing season, Barcelona spent big to acquire the Premier League’s leading scorer from last season. Suarez will now form one of the most potent attacks in the world with Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Barcelona vice president Jordi Mestre said Suarez cost the club 81 million euros ($108 million). Media reports had said the deal was for about 97 million euros ($129 million). Mestre added that Suarez’s buyout clause has been set at 200 million euros ($267 million).

Suarez won’t complete his ban from playing competitive matches for Barcelona until Oct. 25. That will rule him out of the first eight Spanish league matches and three of Barcelona’s six Champions League group matches.

His first game could be a big one. On either Oct. 25 or 26, Barcelona will play Real Madrid in the first “clasico” of the season.

Suarez also remains banned for Uruguay’s next eight competitive matches and will miss next year’s Copa America and some World Cup qualifying matches.

“It hurts not playing for Barcelona but it hurts even more not playing for my country,” Suarez said. “I love my country. The fact that I will miss the next Copa America hurts very much. But I have to try and forget it.”

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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