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. 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. Get local news delivered to your inbox!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.
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 | Airport authority, Delta unveil $500k multi-sensory room at Metro Airport 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.Thousands demand lower rents at Barcelona demo
Until this week, Noussair Mazraoui had never played as a centre-back before. That he has taken to a specialised role in a new system with the minimum of fuss will be no surprise to the supporters who have quickly taken the Morrocan to heart at Old Trafford . Mazraoui has only played 19 games for Manchester United , but he's already played four different positions. In just two games, the 27-year-old looks tailor-made for the right centre-back slot in Ruben Amorim's 3-4-3 system. With United building play in a back three and defending as a four, Mazraoui's versatility to switch between centre-back and right-back is invaluable. Along with Bruno Fernandes, he is the only outfield player to play every minute of Amorim's first two games in charge, and the head coach likes what he sees. ALSO READ: Noussair Mazraoui is doing what Manchester United said he would do ALSO READ: Rasmus Hojlund responds to Gyokeres comparison and explains new role "He’s an incredible player, he’s our future," Amorim said of Mazraoui after the win against Bodo/Glimt. "He played in different positions, he always looks fresh but we have to be careful. There’s a lot of games but he’s here to stay. This kind of player is what we need." Mazraoui has looked unflustered in adapting to a new role, and although it has changed how he sees the game, he is enjoying its benefits. “This is the first time. It’s nice. You have to view the game differently because you are not as high up the pitch like when you are the full-back," he said. "But you get more time on the ball and you must make the most of that in the build-up. There are some different things I have to do but it’s still the same game." Amorim has road-tested 17 different starters in his first two games in charge, but Mazraoui seems someone set for a long-term role, with the Portuguese describing him as the type of player he needs. “It’s a big compliment to hear the coach say that," he said. "What can I say? I try my best every day and in every game. I give my all for the team, for the coach and for the supporters. “We are all in this together. It isn’t about one player.” United's spending across three summer windows under Erik ten Hag hit more than £600m. Mazraoui was one of the cheaper buys, at an initial £12.8m, with a further £4.2m in add-ons, but he looks like a bargain. Supporters have already taken him to their hearts. His combative style is celebrated on social media and his low-key passion and commitment have won over a fanbase who were disappointed by the team's start to the season. Mazraoui underwent minor surgery after complaining of palpitations back in September, but having initially been told he would be sidelined for a few weeks, he ended up not missing a game. That is the kind of commitment that has made him such a popular figure at Old Trafford, although when that was put to him, he was unaware of his status. “To be honest I’ve not seen a lot [about that], but it gives me a really good feeling to hear that about the fans. I love the fans and I always say in every interview that I give my all for them," he said. "I hope and I think they see that, that I give my all for the badge and for the supporters. Everybody wants to go home with a win and when I can give that to them as a player and as a team that’s what you do it for." Mazraoui has had a close-up view of Amorim's start to life at Old Trafford, with a draw against Ipswich followed by a victory against Bodo Glimt. There have been plenty of changes as the head coach instils his 3-4-3 system into a new group of players and although Mazraoui accepts it will take time for everyone to adapt, he is confident in the player's ability to do just that. “I think always when you want to implement a new style of play that isn’t even close to how we played before then no-one can expect us to understand everything the manager has in his mind right from the start," he said. “So yes, of course, this is going to be a tough time - but come on, we are all top players and we play the game to win. Eventually we will get to wherever the coach wants us to be. “We have unbelievable players. Of course we can adapt and I think we are showing that. We have to get used to the new style, but I don’t think it will take too long." This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more Keep warm on the sidelines Beat the cold weather with these winter warmers There's plenty of deals to keep you warm from head to toe on match day. We've found heated clothing like gloves , gilets and hats , plus foot warmers and a simple thermal beanie that'll help you beat the winter weather. from £9.99 Various Shop hereLike sands through the hourglass, so are the days of Gavin’s political career
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Thanksgiving Travel Latest: Airport strike, staff shortages and weather could impact holiday travelPitt’s regular season ended Saturday in Chestnut Hill, Mass., but really in another state of misery. A series of mishaps, penalties and even more injuries led to the Panthers’ losing streak reaching five in a 34-23 Boston College victory. That was after Pitt (7-5, 3-5) started the game without its three most important players on offense: starting quarterback Eli Holstein, running back Desmond Reid and offensive left tackle Branson Taylor, who missed his sixth consecutive game. A day before the opening kickoff, Holstein (leg) was declared out, and his replacement, Nate Yarnell, injured his hand in the first quarter. Yarnell’s injury wasn’t enough to keep him on the bench for more than three snaps, but he was under pressure from the Eagles’ pass rush throughout the game. He had no running game to lean on — 31 net yards made Pitt one-dimensional — and freshman Juelz Goff was the only healthy scholarship back available after Derrick Davis was injured on his fifth carry. Yarnell ended up completing 23 of 42 passes for 296 yards and touchdown passes of 11 and 5 yards to tight end Gavin Bartholomew and 15 yards to Konata Mumpfield, who finished with eight receptions for 144. Hurried 14 times and sacked six, Yarnell was smothered by BC defensive end Neto Okpala late in the second quarter, with the football popping into the air, where 270-pound defensive tackle Tyeus Clemons secured it and ran 55 yards for a touchdown. That gave Boston College (7-5, 4-4) a 20-7 lead that was trimmed to 20-10 when Pitt’s Ben Sauls hit a 57-yard field goal on the last snap of the half. It was Sauls’ fifth field goal of 50 yards or longer in six attempts this season. After intermission, Bartholomew’s second touchdown cut the lead to 20-17, but Boston College immediately punched back. Quarterback Grayson James hit Reed Harris for a 28-yard touchdown and a 27-17 advantage with 2 minutes, 23 seconds left in the third quarter. The final indignity emerged early in the fourth quarter when coach Pat Narduzzi gambled on fourth-and-2 from the Pitt 41. Yarnell fumbled the snap, the Eagles took over on downs and James threw another touchdown pass, 15 yards to Kamari Morales. For the game, James completed 20 of 28 passes for 253 of Boston College’s 386 total yards. Boston College moved to the Pitt 8 on its first possession but could not finish the drive. Pitt middle linebacker Brandon George, who tied Cal Adomitis’ school record for games played (64) the minute he stepped on the field, made the big play, throwing down running back Kye Robichaux for a 1-yard loss on fourth down. In the end, though, it didn’t matter because Jordan McDonald scored on a 36-yard run the next time Boston College got its hands on the ball. The Eagles were forced to settle for a 6-0 lead when the snap on the extra-point try was fumbled. Pitt handled more misfortune in the second quarter when officials ruled a Boston College punt hit Pitt cornerback Ryland Gandy before it was recovered by the Eagles’ Bryant Worrell. Instead of Pitt having good field position at the BC 34, the Eagles retained possession. Pitt’s defense forced another punt, but the field was flipped when Pitt got the ball on its 13. Boston College seized a 13-0 lead before the end of the first half when Robichaux bulled his way into the end zone for a 2-yard score. The touchdown was set up when James hit Harris for a 53-yard completion.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Here’s a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week.Along with the week’s roll call votes, the House also agreed to pass the following measures: the Grant Transparency Act (H.R. 5536), to require transparency in notices of funding opportunity; the Banning Operations and Leases with the Illegitimate Venezuelan [...]