New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Aaron Rodgers “absolutely” will remain the team's starting quarterback and start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers, who turns 41 next Monday, has been hampered at times during the Jets' 3-8 start by various injuries to his left leg, including a sore knee, sprained ankle and balky hamstring. Ulbrich said Monday the quarterback came back from the team's bye-week break ready to go. “All I can say, and you'd have to ask Aaron if he's fully healthy, but he's better off today than he's been as of late,” Ulbrich said. "So he's definitely feeling healthier than he has probably for the past month. A healthy Aaron Rodgers is the Aaron Rodgers we all love. “So, I'm excited about what that looks like.” NFL Network reported on Sunday that Rodgers, who missed all but four snaps last season with a torn left Achilles tendon, has declined having medical scans on his injured leg so he can continue to play. GM: The New York Jets are turning to one of their former general managers to help them find their next GM and head coach. The franchise announced Monday that The 33rd Team, a football media, analytics and consulting group founded by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, will assist team owner Woody Johnson in the searches. Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman, former GM of the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, will be The 33rd Team's primary representatives in helping find replacements for former coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas. SANTA CLARA, Calif. — San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy took part in some light throwing on Monday after missing his first career game because of an injury and the 49ers are hoping he can return this week. Purdy hurt his throwing shoulder during a loss to Seattle on Nov. 17. Purdy underwent two MRIs last week that showed no structural damage. But Purdy he felt discomfort after making a few throws at practice on Thursday and was shut down for the game at Green Bay on Sunday that San Francisco lost 38-10. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Purdy made it through the session without pain and will rest on Tuesday and hopefully be able to return to practice on Wednesday as the Niners prepare to play at Buffalo this coming week. “We rested it throughout the weekend hoping that would help,” Shanahan said. “He threw lighter today to see if that rest helps and the rest did help him. So we’ll see again, going through the same things we did last week. We’re going to let him rest all the way up to Wednesday. We’ll see how it feels on Wednesday and then we’ll take the exact same course throughout the week. Hopefully it responds better this week than it did last week with the rest.” Brandon Allen went 17 for 29 for 199 yards with a touchdown, an interception and a lost fumble in his first start since the 2021 season. Allen would play once again if Purdy is unable to go on Sunday at Buffalo. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The NFL removed New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers from the commissioner exempt list on Monday, making him eligible to participate in practice and play in the team’s games. Peppers missed seven games since being placed on the list on Oct. 9 after he was arrested and charged with shoving his girlfriend’s head into a wall and choking her. The league said its review is ongoing and is not affected by the change in Peppers’ roster status. Braintree, Massachusetts, police said they were called to a home for an altercation between two people on Oct. 7, and a woman told them Peppers choked her. Police said they found at the home a clear plastic bag containing a white powder, which later tested positive for cocaine. Peppers, 29, pleaded not guilty in Quincy District Court to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and possession of a Class “B” substance believed to be cocaine. At a court appearance last week a trial date was set for Jan. 22. HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew is out for the rest of the season with a broken collarbone, coach Antonio Pierce said Monday. Minshew was injured with 3:12 left in Sunday's 29-19 loss to the Denver Broncos. Pierce will have to decide whether Aidan O'Connell or Desmond Ridder will start Friday's game at Kansas City. The Raiders, who have lost seven consecutive games to fall to 2-9, could use a spark. Minshew's grip on the starting job was tenuous even before he was injured. He threw 10 interceptions to just nine touchdown passes this season and Minshew also lost four fumbles. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will practice Monday and “we'll see where he's at from there,” coach Doug Pederson said. Lawrence missed the past two games, losses to Minnesota and Detroit, with a sprained left shoulder. Lawrence had extra time to rest during Jacksonville's bye week. The Jaguars (2-9) host AFC South-leading Houston (7-5) on Sunday and need a victory to avoid being eliminated from playoff contention. Pederson said Lawrence is “feeling better" and they will know more about his playing status following practice Wednesday. Lawrence took a hit to his left shoulder while scrambling at Philadelphia on Nov. 3. Instead of sliding, he chose to go head-first and got hammered by linebacker Zack Baun. Lawrence has practiced some in a limited role since, but was inactive for both games. BRIEFLY LIONS: Detroit wide receiver Jameson Williams won't be charged with a crime after he was found with a gun in a car driven by his brother in October. Prosecutor Kym Worthy says Michigan law is “far from clear” when applied to the 1 a.m. traffic stop in Detroit. Get local news delivered to your inbox!The morning began with a stunning resignation: Chrystia Freeland announced her resignation as Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Finance department the very day Canada’s Fall Economic Statement (FES) was announced. Only a few journalists stayed until the mini-budget was released in the mid afternoon. Canada’s National Observer stuck it out to bring you the biggest climate takeaways while Canada stares down the threat of a Trump tariff wall. The accelerated investment incentive — a tax credit system that gives businesses a tax break for investments in machinery and equipment — accounts for about three quarters of the new spending in the FES, David Macdonald, senior economist for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, told Canada’s National Observer. The program was developed by Freeland’s predecessor Bill Morneau and was due to ramp down in the coming years. The tax credit is being topped up to a total value of $17 billion over five years starting in 2025-26, up from the $35 million that will be spent this fiscal year, effectively extending the program through the decade. To put it in perspective, the extension is more than 10 times the $1.6-billion GST tax holiday, Macdonald said. The announced fund includes additional green investment with a 100-per-cent tax deduction for climate-friendly machinery and equipment purchases like electric vehicles. But the program also opens the door for further tax breaks for the oil and gas industry, including oil and gas property expenses, according to the FES. “A major beneficiary of it is, generally, the oil and gas sector, one of the biggest capital investors in the country,” Macdonald said. “The equipment that you buy to extract more oil from the oilsands, you can write that off more quickly.” Macdonald questioned whether these measures would insulate the economic shock a Trump tariff regime could bring, arguing that “continued corporate tax break isn’t going to make any difference.” “If there’s a 25-per-cent tariff wall — if that’s the test — I think it’s going to fail pretty badly,” Macdonald said. Instead of an insulator from tariff shocks, he said the fund acts as a “huge gift to the corporate sector.” Methane pyrolysis is now grouped under Ottawa’s investments into clean hydrogen, opening the door to use gas reserves for cleaner fuels. The Clean Hydrogen Investment Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit that supports the cost of eligible equipment used in clean hydrogen production. It is expected to cost $43.5 million over five years, starting in 2025. Support varies between 15 and 40 per cent of eligible expenses based on the hydrogen’s assessed carbon intensity, with projects that produce the cleanest hydrogen receiving the highest levels of support. Methane pyrolysis is a nascent method of splitting methane molecules into solid hydrogen and carbon — which is controversial because, although it reduces emissions, it still releases some and encourages the continued production of gas. A senior finance official told Canada’s National Observer that development of the technology has the potential to replace some of the need for carbon capture, utilization and storage. Equipment used to convert clean hydrogen to ammonia may also be eligible for a 15 per cent tax credit. Labour requirements must be met to receive maximum credit rates. The economic statement included more information about the design and implementation of the Electric Vehicle Supply Chain tax credit to further incentivize Canadian corporations to invest in the growth of Canada’s EV industry. This 10 per cent refundable tax credit would require investment in three segments of the supply chain, including EV assembly, battery production and cathode active material production. To be eligible, corporations will have to acquire at least $100 million dollars in property, which includes buildings, structures and their component parts, eligible for the Clean Technology Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit in EV assembly, battery production and cathode production for a total of $300 million in investment, with some wiggle room for subsidiary companies that do two of the above. The credit will be granted for property which are acquired and in use on or after Jan. 1, 2024. The tax credit will be maintained for nearly a decade before being reduced to five per cent for 2033 and by 2034, it will no longer be in effect. Following the Supreme Court’s decision to deem the federal Impact Assessment Act unconstitutional, Ottawa now intends to change the regulations governing what kinds of projects are subject to a federal assessment. A senior finance official said the changes are “potentially significant” for major projects seeking approvals. Ottawa plans to allow for regulators like the Canada Energy Regulator, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and offshore petroleum boards to be the sole approver of projects, side-stepping the federal impact assessment processes. For example, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission alone could apply for certain brownfield nuclear projects, rather than requiring a federal impact assessment. The federal government will deliver Indigenous loan guarantees through a newly-formed, wholly-owned subsidiary of the Canada Development Investment Corporation. The subsidiary will operate as the Canada Indigenous Loan Guarantee Corporation. Loans will be worth between $20 million and $1 billion and can apply to any sector. Ottawa will be announcing the first Indigenous loan guarantees in the near term. Matteo Cimellaro / Canada’s National Observer / Local Journalism Initiative
Last summer, one of the standout figures of the Olympic Games was Algerian boxer Imani Khélif—not for winning a gold medal in her category, but mainly due to the debate sparked over whether he was male or female . His family insisted from the outset that he was a girl, but the International Boxing Federation excluded him from competitions due to high testosterone levels, with Khélif being classified as intersex (individuals born with sex characteristics such as genitalia, chromosomes, or hormonal profiles that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies). Khélif’s case attracted significant media attention, reminiscent of South African runner Caster Semenya’s prolonged legal battle with the International Athletics Federation. However, both cases are just the tip of the iceberg, as the issue of transgender athletes’ participation (in any subcategory they fall under) is becoming an increasingly pressing topic for the sports community. Now, a significant development has emerged from across the Atlantic. In women’s volleyball within the NCAA collegiate championship, a major controversy erupted in the past two months over the participation of a transgender athlete on San Jose State University’s team. With six teams refusing to compete against San Jose and the team’s vice-captain filing, along with athletes from other colleges, an injunction to ban the athlete’s participation (“The force with which she spikes the ball is not something a woman could achieve,” they argued, among other points), the Federal Court in Denver rejected the request. The ruling noted that the athlete had been playing with the college team since 2022 without raising concerns or controversy. This decision seemed to put the issue on hold, but as of yesterday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA. The lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order preventing all colleges from allowing biological males to participate in women’s sports within the state of Texas or in events involving teams from Texas colleges. Paxton argues that the current NCAA rules permitting transgender participation violate Texas’ “Deceptive Trade Practices Act,” which aims to protect consumers from being misled or deceived about falsely advertised goods and services. “The fact that only biological women participate in women’s sports is a significant reason consumers choose to support women’s athletics,” a statement from the Attorney General’s office read. Paxton also claimed that the NCAA is “dangerously and intentionally endangering the safety and well-being of women by deceptively turning women’s competitions into mixed-gender events.” “When people watch a women’s volleyball match, for example, they expect to see women competing against other women—not biological males pretending to be something they are not. Radical ‘gender theory’ has no place in collegiate sports.” On the NCAA’s side, there has been no formal response to Paxton’s lawsuit. However, NCAA President Charlie Baker had recently admitted to Congress that he was aware of a small number of trans athletes. The only public statement was a broad remark indicating that the matter would likely be resolved in court. “Collegiate sports are the premier stage for women’s athletics in America, and while the NCAA does not comment on pending litigation, the Association and its members will continue to uphold Title IX, make unprecedented investments in women’s sports, and ensure fair competition across all championships,” the statement read. Explore related questions
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Marquel Sutton scored 23 points as Omaha beat Sacramento State 70-60 on Saturday night. Sutton added eight rebounds for the Mavericks (4-7). Tony Osburn scored 15 points and added five rebounds and three steals. JJ White had nine points and went 4 of 5 from the field. Jacob Holt led the way for the Hornets (2-7) with 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks. Mike Wilson added nine points and six rebounds for Sacramento State. Chudi Dioramma had seven points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Omaha's next game is Friday against Northern Iowa on the road, and Sacramento State hosts UC Davis on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
NFL NOTES
Julie Appleby | KFF Health News Unauthorized switching of Affordable Care Act plans appears to have tapered off in recent weeks based on an almost one-third drop in casework associated with consumer complaints, say federal regulators . The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees the ACA, credits steps taken to thwart enrollment and switching problems that triggered more than 274,000 complaints this year through August. Now, the annual ACA open enrollment period that began Nov. 1 poses a real-world test: Will the changes curb fraud by rogue agents or brokerages without unduly slowing the process of enrolling or reducing the total number of sign-ups for 2025 coverage? “They really have this tightrope to walk,” said Sabrina Corlette, co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. “The more you tighten it up to prevent fraud, the more barriers there are that could inhibit enrollment among those who need the coverage.” CMS said in July that some types of policy changes — those in which the agent is not “affiliated” with the existing plan — will face more requirements, such as a three-way call with the consumer, broker, and a healthcare.gov call center representative. In August, the agency barred two of about a dozen private sector online-enrollment platforms from connecting with healthcare.gov over concerns related to improper switching. And CMS has suspended 850 agents suspected of being involved in unauthorized plan-switching from accessing the ACA marketplace. Still, the clampdown could add complexity to enrollment and slow the process. For example, a consumer might have to wait in a queue for a three-way call, or scramble to find a new agent because the one they previously worked with had been suspended. Given that phone lines with healthcare.gov staff already get busy — especially during mid-December — agents and policy analysts advise consumers not to dally this year. “Hit the ground running,” said Ronnell Nolan, president and CEO of Health Agents for America, a professional organization for brokers. Meanwhile, reports are emerging that some rogue entities are already figuring out workarounds that could undermine some of the anti-fraud protections CMS put in place, Nolan said. “Bottom line is: Fraud and abuse is still happening,” Nolan said. Brokers assist the majority of people actively enrolling in ACA plans and are paid a monthly commission by insurers for their efforts. Consumers can compare plans or enroll themselves online through federal or state marketplace websites. They can also seek help from people called assisters or navigators — certified helpers who are not paid commissions. Under a “find local help” button on the federal and state ACA websites , consumers can search for nearby brokers or navigators. CMS says it has “ramped up support operations” at its healthcare.gov marketplace call centers, which are open 24/7, in anticipation of increased demand for three-way calls, and it expects “minimal wait times,” said Jeff Wu, deputy director for policy of the CMS Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. Wu said those three-way calls are necessary only when an agent or a broker not already associated with a consumer’s enrollment wants to change that consumer’s enrollment or end that consumer’s coverage. It does not apply to people seeking coverage for the first time. Organizations paid by the government to offer navigator services have a dedicated phone line to the federal marketplace, and callers are not currently experiencing long waits, said Xonjenese Jacobs, director of Florida Covering Kids & Families, a program based at the University of South Florida that coordinates enrollment across the state through its Covering Florida navigator program. Navigators can assist with the three-way calls if a consumer’s situation requires it. “Because we have our quick line in, there’s no increased wait time,” Jacobs said. The problem of unauthorized switches has been around for a while but took off during last year’s open enrollment season. Brokers generally blamed much of the problem on the ease with which rogue agents can access ACA information in the federal marketplace, needing only a person’s name, date of birth, and state of residence. Though federal regulators have worked to tighten that access with the three-way call requirement, they stopped short of instituting what some agent groups say is needed: two-factor authentication, which could involve a code accessed by a consumer through a smartphone. Unauthorized switches can lead to a host of problems for consumers, from higher deductibles to landing in new networks that do not include their preferred physicians or hospitals. Some people have received tax bills when unauthorized policies came with premium credits for which they did not qualify. Unauthorized switches posed a political liability for the Biden administration, a blemish on two years of record ACA enrollment. The practice drew criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle; Democrats demanded more oversight and punishment of rogue agents, while Republicans said fraud attempts were fueled by Biden administration moves that allowed for more generous premium subsidies and special enrollment periods. The fate of those enhanced subsidies, which are set to expire, will be decided by Congress next year as the Trump administration takes power. But the premiums and subsidies that come with 2025 plans that people are enrolling in now will remain in effect for the entire year. The actions taken this year to thwart the unauthorized enrollments apply to the federal marketplace, used by 31 states . The remaining states and the District of Columbia run their own websites, with many having in place additional layers of security. Related Articles Health | Feds suspend ACA marketplace access to companies accused of falsely promising ‘cash cards’ Health | More foods are making us sick: What to know as foodborne outbreaks hit Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | Pay first, deliver later: Some women are being asked to prepay for their baby Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do For its part, CMS says its efforts are working, pointing to the 30% drop in complaint casework. The agency also noted a 90% drop in the number of times an agent’s name was replaced by another’s, which it says indicates that it is tougher for rival agents to steal clients to gain the monthly commissions that insurers pay. Still, the move to suspend 850 agents has drawn pushback from agent groups that initially brought the problem to federal regulators’ attention. They say some of those accused were suspended before getting a chance to respond to the allegations. “There will be a certain number of agents and brokers who are going to be suspended without due process,” said Nolan, with the health agents’ group. She said that it has called for increased protections against unauthorized switching and that two-factor authentication, like that used in some state marketplaces or in the financial sector, would be more effective than what’s been done. “We now have to jump through so many hoops that I’m not sure we’re going to survive,” she said of agents in general. “They are just throwing things against the wall to see what sticks when they could just do two-factor.” The agency did not respond to questions asking for details about how the 850 agents suspended since July were selected, the states where they were located, or how many had their suspensions reversed after supplying additional information.
LA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record 6th MLS Cup championshipUndefeated Oregon and No. 23 Texas A&M will collide Tuesday afternoon in Las Vegas in the second game of the new Players Era Festival. Both teams are in the "Power" group of the eight-team event. All eight teams are receiving $1 million for their name, image and likeness (NIL) collectives, but placing fourth or higher in the tourney in order will net them anywhere from $1.1 million to $1.5 million. The Aggies (4-1) opened the season with a three-point loss at UCF, but since then have won four straight, all in convincing fashion. Texas A&M upset then-No. 21 Ohio State 78-64 on Nov. 15 at home in College Station, Texas. Then the Aggies crushed Southern 71-54 last Wednesday, when Wade Taylor IV led the way with 17 points and six assists. All of Texas A&M's wins have been by double digits. The Aggies and Ducks (5-0) have split the two previous meetings against each other. Until March 2022 in an NIT second-round game, they had not met since the 1970-71 season. Texas A&M tied the overall series with a 75-60 win at home in 2022. The only player on the Ducks' current roster who played in that game was 7-foot senior Nate Bittle, who has been one of Oregon's best players so far this season. Bittle's 16.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game lead the Ducks so far this season, and the big man also averages two blocked shots per game. Texas A&M guard Zhuric Phelps, a transfer from SMU, leads the Aggies in scoring at 16 points per game. Taylor adds 14 points per game. The Aggies could be the best defensive team the Ducks will have seen this season. A&M is allowing teams to shoot only 36.6 percent in games. Head coach Buzz Williams and his staff are hoping the team gets better at taking charges on defense, as the Aggies have just one so far this season. "I guess the thing that you work on most is verticality around the rim," Texas A&M assistant coach Steve Roccaforte told KBTX television. "‘Hey, once you get there, if you try and take a charge, it's going to be a block. Just jump as high as you can, stay vertical, try to go chest-to-chest. Make it a hard shot.'" Oregon is coming off a 78-75 win at Oregon State, the Ducks' first road game of the season. The Ducks trailed by 10 points at halftime but, as they have in several games this season, they found a rhythm on offense in the second half and came up with a comeback win. Bittle's 23 points and 14 rebounds led the way. Jackson Shelstad had 15 points and Jadrian Tracey and Keeshawn Barthelemy both added 10. "We started rebounding the ball a little better. Nate really got it going inside and our guys got him the ball," Oregon head coach Dana Altman told the school's athletics website. "He had a heck of a game." --Field Level Media
Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs leaves game because of concussionBOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) — Derrick Butler's 35 points led Bowling Green over Morgan State 102-81 on Saturday. Butler also added six rebounds for the Falcons (4-5). Trey Thomas scored 16 points while shooting 6 for 10, including 4 for 6 from beyond the arc. Javontae Campbell finished 6 of 8 from the field to finish with 13 points. Will Thomas led the way for the Bears (5-7) with 19 points. Morgan State also got 12 points from Kameron Hobbs. Ahmarie Simpkins also had 11 points. Bowling Green took the lead with 14:52 left in the first half and never looked back. The score was 55-37 at halftime, with Butler racking up 22 points. Bowling Green extended its lead to 63-39 during the second half, fueled by an 8-0 scoring run. Trey Thomas scored a team-high 16 points in the second half as his team closed out the win. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Tariq Francis had 23 points in NJIT’s 69-64 win over Navy on Saturday. Francis shot 9 for 26 (1 for 8 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Highlanders (2-9). Sebastian Robinson added 19 points while shooting 9 of 16 from the field while they also had five rebounds. Tim Moore Jr. went 4 of 6 from the field (1 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points. The Midshipmen (3-7) were led in scoring by Donovan Draper, who finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Austin Benigni added 18 points and five assists for Navy. Aidan Kehoe also put up 10 points and seven rebounds. NJIT went into the half tied with Navy 33-33. Moore scored 10 points in the half. Francis’ 17-point second half helped NJIT close out the five-point victory. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .