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Dejected Argentine fans, elated Germans in Brazil

By WTOP Staff

JENNY BARCHFIELD
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Thousands of Argentine football fans gathered on the golden sands of Copacabana beach gasped and then fell into silence when Germany scored a stunning extra-time goal to claim the World Cup title on Sunday.

More than 70,000 Argentina fans packed into Rio de Janeiro in recent days, many traveling upward of 40 hours by car and seemingly all wearing their team’s sky-blue jerseys and chanting day and night.

“This was a trauma. We were going to be able to leave singing songs in victory with the glory of the Cup,” said Joao Cuenca, who has an Argentine father and a Brazilian mother. “What happened is nothing short of a disaster.”

Cuenca spoke from the FIFA Fan Fest area on Copacabana beach, where 20,000 people, mostly Argentine, stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of a giant TV screen to watch the final.

Some isolated fights broke out both on Copacabana beach and in the area outside the Maracana stadium where the match was played. The scuffles appeared to involve young Brazilian and Argentine men — bitter rivals on and off the pitch.

Police responded quickly. There was a heavy security presence around the stadium and across Rio for the entire day. More than 25,000 police and soldiers were on guard just for the game, according to officials, providing the biggest security detail in Brazilian history.

Daniel Brauner, a 28-year-old student from Hamburg, was one of the few German revelers on the beach.

“I can’t realize it still. I am very happy of course but I didn’t expect for it to be so close,” he said, wiping sweat from his brow with the corner of a German flag after his country’s 1-0 win. “I was expecting 3-1 for Germany. I suffered, the whole match I suffered.”

German fan Marten Caesar, downing beers in celebration with compatriots at a bar just outside the Maracana, said “this final was a real final.”

“One goal and that’s it. Defense wins tonight and our defense proved it,” he said. “They neutralized Messi and Messi was a mess.”

Inside the stadium, world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose nation will host the 2018 World Cup, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were sitting in the stands with FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter, watching some pre-match entertainment.

With Brazil roundly praised for how it has staged the tournament, considered by many fans to be among the most exciting in recent decades, authorities were taking no chances of anything ruining their big day.

Around the Maracana, where 74,000 spectators crammed in for the final, lines of security forces wearing camouflage uniforms and carrying rifles stood watch. Roads were closed and military helicopters buzzed overhead, with Brazilian authorities still wary about violent protests that marred last year’s Confederations Cup warm-up event.

Several hundred protesters gathered at a plaza near Maracana a few hours before kickoff, and clashed with police as they neared security perimeters set up roughly 2 kilometers (1.25 miles) from the stadium. Police fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the march. At the end of the demonstration, police unleashed the stun grenades gratuitously on a small group of protesters and journalists, and were seen beating some with night sticks. At least one photographer received minor injuries.

For the Brazilian fans, the football ended in disappointment with a 7-1 rout at the hands of the Germans in the semifinals, but the tournament has been hailed as a great success.

“We did ok, yes?” said a Brazilian walking around the outskirts of the Maracana wearing his team’s canary-yellow shirt.

___

Associated Press writer Alan Clendenning and AP Sports Writers Gerald Imray and Stephen Wade contributed to this report.

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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