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LINCOLN — What was once a major event of the college football season has, in the first week of December, just become one of the subplots. Early signing day is here for Nebraska and every other program, many of which, including NU, have their attention split several ways. Conference title games haven’t even been played yet. The transfer portal — not officially open until Dec. 9 — has nevertheless been whirling with at least seven Husker departures since Monday. NU has lost one coordinator, locked another up for two years, and set its sights on Kentucky assistant Daikiel Shorts to coach receivers. Matt Rhule’s early afternoon press conference may focus just as much — perhaps more — on topics as the 2025 recruiting class, which stood Tuesday evening at 19 members. By the time Rhule talks about the class, it could grow by a few or in theory shrink, were commits inclined to balk at the departure of Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White. That hasn’t been the case so far, as some of the highest-rated prospects in the class — four-star linebackers Dawson Merritt and Christian Jones — had reaffirmed their commitment to Nebraska through social media statements. Nebraska awaits final answers from at least three prospects, though Dalkiel’s imminent hiring could, in theory, bring more options into play. »San Antonio Alamo Heights High School five-star athlete Michael Terry, a prospect of few interviews who has narrowed his list to home-state Texas, Nebraska and Oregon, the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder’s top three schools for months. He’ll announce a choice at his 8:15 a.m. signing ceremony on Wednesday. At NU, Terry projects to wideout. »Homestead (Florida) High School four-star receiver Cortez Mills has long been committed to Oklahoma, but recruiting site reporters have him trending to flip to Nebraska. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Mills caught 79 passes for 1,640 yards and 18 touchdowns last season, breaking Miami-Dade County single-season marks. Mills’ signing ceremony takes place between 8:05-9:30 a.m. in the school’s auditorium. »Kahuka (Hawaii) High School three-star safety Aidan Manutai remains a Husker target, though he’s currently committed to California. The 6-foot, 170-pound Manutai would be part of a defensive backs group that could vie for early playing time. »Another potential prospect to watch is Kentucky receiver commit Dejerrian Miller, who verbally pledged to Shorts and the Wildcats last week and plays prep football at St. Louis Cardinal Ritter, the same school as Husker running back commit Jamarion Parker. Miller did not previously have Nebraska among his top group of suitors and may stick in the SEC. In total, NU plans to sign six in-state commitments — headlined by Jones, an Omaha Westside linebacker — to financial aid papers, as the NCAA in October eliminated the national letter of intent, which binds prospects to school. The group of six — Jones, Omaha North defensive tackle Tyson Terry, Millard North athletes Pierce Mooberry and Caden VerMaas, Wahoo Neumann running back Conor Booth and Lincoln Southwest receiver Jackson Carpenter — are part of one of the strongest corps of in-state recruits in years. Fifteen prospects are poised to sign with FBS programs, with 12 of those headed to power conferences. Unless Terry or Mills flips to NU, Merritt, out of Overland Park (Kansas) Blue Valley High School, is NU’s highest-ranked player in the 2025 class. Thirteen of the 19 prospects in the class have a four-star according to at least one of the four major recruiting services — 247 Sports, ESPN, On3 and Rivals. And all but 247 Sports, as of Tuesday evening ranked NU’s class as No. 20 in the nation. 247 Sports had the Huskers 22nd. Get local news delivered to your inbox!As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.call of duty esports 。

Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter plans to turn pro and prefers to continue a dual role, playing wide receiver and cornerback in the NFL. Hunter could be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and is the favorite for the Heisman Trophy. Speculation about his future quieted as he gained notoriety by the week this season. Field Level Media projects Hunter as a top-three pick in the draft, and he confirmed Thursday this will be his last season at the college level. "That's definitely for sure," Hunter said on a conference call with reporters. Hunter is consistently playing between 100 and 125 snaps per game for Colorado. He has three interceptions on defense with 74 receptions, 911 yards and nine touchdowns playing wideout for quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Also a projected early first-round pick, Sanders committed to play in the East-West Shrine Game in Dallas. The son of Colorado head coach and Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders, Shedeur Sanders said Thursday he would cast a Heisman vote for Hunter. "If it's between me and him, I would want him to get it," Sanders said. "He does a lot of amazing things and things that haven't been done before. I'm not a selfish guy. I know what he's capable of, so I would rather him win." Hunter said he would invite his QB to New York if he's not named a Heisman finalist before they go about the business of finishing the season, possibly in the 12-team College Football Playoff. Shedeur Sanders said he's the best quarterback in the draft, and doesn't believe that's anything new. "I feel like I was the best quarterback in the last draft, too," said Shedeur Sanders. "Ever since I was draft eligible, I knew I'm the best quarterback. It's not up for me to prove myself to talking about why." Former teammates at Jackson State where Deion Sanders also coached, Hunter said he felt his draft stock began to rise only after critics moved past "the hate" for his coach. A flashy, charismatic cornerback in the NFL after starring at Florida State, Deion Sanders was the fifth overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Hall of Famers Troy Aikman (first, Cowboys), Barry Sanders (third, Lions) and Derrick Thomas (fourth, Chiefs) were chosen ahead of "Prime Time" along with offensive tackle Tony Mandarich (second, Packers). Hunter has picked the brain of Deion Sanders about a dual role in pro sports. Sanders was used selectively as a wide receiver and returned punts but was primarily a cornerback in addition to playing Major League Baseball. There's no base-stealing in Hunter's future, but he does believe he can push the envelope as a full-time two-way NFL player. "It's never been done," Hunter said. "I understand that it will be a high risk, (teams) don't want their top pick to go down too early, and I know they're going to want me to be in a couple packages. But I believe I can do it. Nobody has stopped me from doing it thus far. I like when people tell me I can't do it." --Field Level MediaFORMER BBC Sport commentator Paul Dickenson has passed away aged 74. Dickenson, who specialised in athletics and winter sports for over two decades, died at home on Tuesday. His death was announced by the BBC on Wednesday evening. Fans took to social media to pay tribute to the man with an iconic voice. One person wrote: "Really sad to read that Paul Dickenson has died. One of my favourite commentators of all time, his voice is very much missed." While another commented: "Just seen the very sad news that Paul Dickenson has passed away. "Having grown up listening to him, it took me a while to pluck up the courage to talk to him when I was first starting out but, once I did, he was always very supportive and just great company." Dickenson commentated on every Summer and Winter Olympic Games between 1992 and 2014. He is one of only five BBC commentators to call Team GB gold medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. In 2012 he commentated on Jessica Ennis-Hill 's iconic gold medal in the Olympic heptathlon. Most read in Athletics His last BBC commentary took place when Lizzy Yarnold won her skeleton gold at Sochi 2014. Before taking up a role in commentary, Dickenson was an Olympic hammerthrower. He represented Great Britain at two successive Olympic games starting in 1976. His best Olympic result was finishing in 14th place that year, where he threw 68.52 metres.It was a fine first win for Ruud van Nistelrooy , and perhaps one final defeat for Julen Lopetegui. Leicester marked Van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge of the team by surging to a 3-1 win over Lopetegui's West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday. Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United striker, is back in English soccer this time as a manager, with Leicester taking something of a gamble on the Dutchman after his brief and impressive spell as interim coach at United this season following Erik ten Hag's departure. He faces the tough task of keeping Leicester, one of the top candidates for relegation, in the top division. For that to happen, he’s likely to need goals from Jamie Vardy — and the 37-year-old former England international delivered immediately. Nine years after breaking Van Nistelrooy’s record for scoring in consecutive games, Vardy scored the first goal of the Dutchman’s tenure at Leicester by beating the offside trap and slotting home a finish with less than two minutes gone. Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss supplied the pass for Vardy’s goal and scored himself with a low shot in the 61st minute to make it 2-0. Patson Daka added a third for Leicester in the 90th minute, before a stoppage-time consolation by West Ham substitute Niclas Füllkrug. “We are very happy with the new manager," El Khannouss said of Van Nistelrooy. “He arrived two days ago, and there’s a new dynamic in the group.” Van Nistelrooy praised the “spirit and energy” in his team. “The foundation for us going forward is everyone working their socks off, fighting for every inch and defending together,” he said. “We can look further then, and they did that in an unbelievable way.” This dismal result for West Ham came three days after its 5-2 thrashing at home by Arsenal , which piled more pressure of Lopetegui early in the former Spain and Real Madrid coach's first season with the London club. West Ham's disgruntled traveling fans chanted "You’re getting sacked in the morning” toward Lopetegui during the second half — even if his team dominated large parts of the game but only had one goal to show from 31 shots on goal. “We're very frustrated but in the same way I can say nothing about the players — they fight until the end,” Lopetegui said. "It’s not easy to explain football some days.” West Ham has lost seven of its 14 games so far and is in 14th place in the 20-team league, one spot above Leicester. Crystal Palace won for just the second time in the league this season, beating relegation rival Ipswich 1-0 to pull clear of the bottom three. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the goal in the 59th minute. Palace’s only other league victory was against Tottenham in October. While Ipswich stayed in next-to-last place, Palace moved three points above the relegation zone. Much of the focus ahead of the game was on the teams’ captains , Sam Morsy of Ipswich and Marc Guehi of Palace, during another round when the Premier League was celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity. For the second straight game, Morsy chose against wearing a rainbow armband issued to the captain of each of the 20 teams in the league. He has made the decision “due to his religious beliefs,” Ipswich says. Guehi did wear the rainbow armband but defied Football Association rules by writing a religious message on the item. The message read “Jesus loves you” — using a heart sign instead of the word “loves.” During the match against Newcastle on Saturday, Guehi wrote “I love Jesus” — and was later contacted by the FA for acting in contravention of its regulations. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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The Pittsburgh Steelers look to continue their improbable season atop the AFC North when they visit the disappointing Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. The Steelers (8-3) saw their five-game winning streak come to an end last time out, suffering a 24-19 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Nov. 21 in a game that featured a second-half snowstorm. Pittsburgh rallied from an 18-6 deficit to take a 19-18 lead with 6:15 to go in the fourth quarter before the Browns scored what ended up being the game-winning points in the final minute. After the Steelers kicked a 15-yard punt following a three-and-out, their defense went on to allow Cleveland to convert on fourth-and-3, leading to Nick Chubb's 2-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds remaining in the contest. "We just didn't make enough of those critical plays in those moments," Pittsburgh defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said. "We've stepped up in those critical moments. But on the flip side, those three losses we've had, we haven't had those moments. We're trying to change that where, no matter what team, we gotta have those winning moments." All three of the Steelers' losses this season have come against teams that currently have a losing record. Pittsburgh also fell to the Dallas Cowboys and Indianapolis Colts. Still, the Steelers currently lead the AFC North, but the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) are right on their tail. It's a tight race in the division that Cincinnati (4-7) has slipped out of. Even though the Bengals have been in a rut -- with three losses in their past four games -- Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor doesn't want his team to just throw in the towel. "This is December football," Taylor said. "This is where it means something. Regardless (of) what our record is right now, you need to play your best football in December, and now, more than ever, we're going to need that from our guys, and they understand that. They subscribe to it, and we just keep ... moving forward from here." The Bengals were on their bye last week, but before that, they were on the wrong end of a 34-27 decision against the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 17. Like Pittsburgh, Cincinnati came back from a sizable deficit only to lose. Joe Burrow threw three second-half touchdown passes against Los Angeles as the Bengals climbed out of a 27-6 hole, but Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins found the end zone from 29 yards out with 18 seconds left in regulation to break a 27-27 tie. Burrow went 28-for-50 passing for 356 yards and the three TDs. "I think we're playing a really good team," Heyward said of Cincinnati. "The roster is very good. And you look at their losses, they come down to those critical moments." Making things harder for the Steelers could be the absence of linebacker Alex Highsmith, who did not practice on Wednesday because of an ankle injury. For the Bengals, left tackle Orlando Brown, who has missed the past three games with a leg injury, was a limited participant on Wednesday. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins missed practice with an illness and starting linebacker Logan Wilson (knee) also did not practice. Burrow (wrist) was a full participant. --Field Level Media

Gophers football players are preparing to play Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan’s Axe on Friday, but three key pieces peered beyond the blinders to shore up their commitment to Minnesota on Monday. Quarterback Max Brosmer and offensive lineman Quinn Carroll — two sixth-year seniors — said they will play in the Gophers’ to-be-determined bowl game, bucking a growing trend of players skipping postseason games to prepare for shots in the NFL. ADVERTISEMENT Brosmer, a transfer from FCS-level New Hampshire, said he will “definitely” suit up. “It’s another opportunity for us to play as a team,” said Brosmer, who threw for 2,426 yards, 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 11 games this season. “It’s a compilation of what you have worked on all season.” Carroll said he respects higher-level prospects who might opt out and protect their draft stock, but he wants to get back to a “standard” of players not skipping the games. “My goal ever since I came here was to be the leader, be the standard all the time, and I don’t want it to become a standard that we don’t play in the bowl game if we have NFL aspirations,” said Carroll, who has played three seasons at Minnesota after three years at Notre Dame. “Obviously it’s different for guys who are maybe touted a little bit higher or think it will be better off for them to start working on the next step, whether that is combine training or what have you. But that is one opportunity that I’m blessed with to play with the guys and I’m going to take full advantage of it.” Left tackle Aireontae Ersery is a prime candidate of a Gophers player who might want to safeguard a higher draft stock and limit injury exposure by sitting out the bowl game. The possible first- or second-round pick has not said what he might do. For example, former U center, John Michael Schmitz opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl in 2022; he was drafted in the second round by the New York Giants. Meanwhile, Gophers fifth-year defensive lineman Jalen Logan-Redding said he will return to Minnesota for 2025, instead of trying his luck in the NFL. “Coming back next year is definitely going to be the best for me and being able to maximize all my opportunities and exhaust eligibility,” Logan-Redding said. Logan-Redding said he talked with fellow D-lineman Deven Eastern, who has one more year remaining, about pairing up in 2025. ADVERTISEMENT “We talk a lot about it,” Logan-Redding said. “... We are excited for it, honestly. Not only continuing to build the D-line, but just continuing to build on the experience that we already have. We’ve seen the amount of destruction that we can create when we are focused. Me, Dev and, of course, (Anthony Smith). He would be pissed if I didn’t shout him out.” Smith, who has two more years of eligibility, has been one of the U’s best players in the last month. He has 23 total pressures and five sacks, including one sack in each of the last three weeks. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .have suffered a major new injury blow amid confirmation that goalkeeper has undergone surgery. In a surprise statement released on Monday evening, announced that their highly-rated No1 underwent a procedure to repair a fracture sustained to his right ankle during Saturday’s incredible over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Tottenham did not set a potential timeline for Vicario’s return or estimate the amount of time he will now spend on the sidelines, saying only that he would be assessed by medical staff in future to determine when he can resume training. With the Italian international out of action for the foreseeable future, deputy Fraser Forster will now step up and assume starting duties for Ange Postecoglou’s side during a hectic fixture list across all competitions either side of Christmas, backed up by the likes of Brandon Austin and Alfie Whiteman. “We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario has today (Monday 25 November) undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle,” Tottenham’s statement read. “The 28-year-old suffered the injury during Saturday’s Premier League victory at Manchester City. Guglielmo will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training.” It remains to be seen if Vicario’s surely lengthy lay-off will see Tottenham enter the market for a new goalkeeper during the January transfer window. We can confirm that Guglielmo Vicario has today undergone surgery for a fracture of his right ankle. Guglielmo will be assessed by our medical staff to determine when he can return to training. We're all behind you, Vic 🤍 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) Spurs had already been linked with potentially signing another stopper in the New Year to provide increased competition and support for the 28-year-old, who has become an instrumental figure for the club since joining from Serie A side Empoli in a £17.2million deal in the summer of 2023 on a five-year contract as the long-term replacement for former long-serving captain Hugo Lloris. Vicario has made 55 appearances for Tottenham so far across all competitions, starting every Premier League game this season to date. He was rested for the Europa League games against Galatasaray and AZ Alkmaar and the Carabao Cup third-round win at Coventry, with former England international Forster, 36, deputising on those occasions. Vicario started as usual in the historic win over City that inflicted a fifth consecutive defeat on the hosts for the first time since 2006, and ended up playing the full 90 minutes despite an injury suffered in the first half as he still pulled off a string of fine saves to deny the likes of Erling Haaland and Ilkay Gundogan, before being seen limping after the game. His absence will be keenly felt as Spurs seek some much-needed consistency in their performances and results under Postecoglou, with Roma visiting north London in the Europa League on Thursday night ahead of Premier League meetings with Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Southampton, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and Wolves to close out 2024. Former Celtic boss Postecoglou also takes his team to Ibrox to battle Rangers in Europe in December, while Spurs also host Manchester United in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup as they pursue a first major trophy success since 2008. Tottenham have dealt with several key injury issues already this season, with the likes of influential captain Heung-min Son spending many weeks on the sidelines. Spurs produced their victory at City without first-choice centre-backs Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, while attackers Richarlison and Wilson Odobert are also in the treatment room at present along with teenage sensation Mikey Moore. The loss of Vicario comes just days after Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur was by the Football Association (FA) for controversial comments made about Son, a punishment that .

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US approves Florida plan to use carcinogen radioactive waste in road construction

So you're gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays

Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus WASHINGTON (AP) — A powerful government panel has failed to reach consensus on the possible national security risks of a nearly $15 billion proposed deal for Nippon Steel of Japan to purchase U.S. Steel. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States on Monday sent its long-awaited report to President Joe Biden, a longtime opponent of the deal. Some federal agencies represented on the panel were skeptical that allowing a Japanese company to buy an American-owned steelmaker would create national security risks. That's according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. Both Biden and President-elect Donald Trump opposed the merger and vowed to block it. Nippon Steel says it is confident the deal will go ahead. Nissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Survey: Small businesses are feeling more optimistic about the economy after the election A survey shows small business owners are feeling more optimistic about the economy following the election. The National Federation of Independent Businesses’ Small Business Optimism Index rose by eight points in November to 101.7, its highest reading since June 2021. The Uncertainty Index declined 12 points in November to 98, following October’s pre-election record high of 110. NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg said small business owners became more certain about future business conditions following the presidential election, breaking a nearly three-year streak of record high uncertainty. The survey also showed that more owners are also hoping 2025 will be a good time to grow. Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne Tuesday about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off. American said in an email that the problem was caused by vendor technology in its flight operating system. Aviation analytics company Cirium said flights were delayed across American’s major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time. Nineteen flights were cancelled. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. Stock market today: Wall Street rallies ahead of Christmas Stocks closed higher on Wall Street ahead of the Christmas holiday, led by gains in Big Tech stocks. The S&P 500 added 1.1% Tuesday. Trading closed early ahead of the holiday. Tech companies including Apple, Amazon and chip company Broadcom helped pull the market higher. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.3%. American Airlines shook off an early loss and ended mostly higher after the airline briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue. Treasury yields held steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury was little changed at 4.59% An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Honda's U.S.-listed shares rose sharply after the company said it was in talks about a combination with Nissan in a deal that could also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market.

Maryland (4-7, 1-7 Big Ten) at No. 4 Penn State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, No. 4 CFP), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (BTN) BetMGM College Football Odds: Penn State by 24 1/2. Series record: Penn State 43-3-1. WHAT’S AT STAKE? The Nittany Lions will try for their first 11-win regular season in James Franklin’s 10-year tenure and hang onto their chance to host a playoff game. The Nittany Lions could still get to the Big Ten championship game, but would need Michigan to beat No. 2 Ohio State in Columbus earlier in the day. The Terrapins have lost four in a row and are trying to avoid their longest skid since losing seven straight to end the 2019 season. KEY MATCHUP Maryland’s front seven vs. Penn State’s running game. The Nittany Lions lost starting right tackle Anthony Donkoh to a long-term injury last week but were still able to eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark against a tough Minnesota defense. Maryland has allowed 176 rushing yards per game over its last four. The Terps will need to do better against a Nittany Lion ground game fueled by running backs Nicholas Singleton, Kaytron Allen, tight end Tyler Warren and quarterback Beau Pribula. PLAYERS TO WATCH Maryland: WR Tai Felton. Only one FBS player has more catches than Felton. The sure-handed senior leads the Big Ten with 92 catches for 1,097 yards. He’s scored nine touchdowns and should be a focal point for Penn State’s secondary. Penn State: Singleton. The explosive back has recovered from the unspecified injury that slowed him earlier in the season. He had a season-high 19 touches last week versus Maryland including a career-most six catches. FACTS & FIGURES Maryland is 2-3 in Happy Valley since joining the Big Ten with wins in 2014 and 2020. ... Felton has 183 more receiving yards than the next closest Big Ten WR (Illinois’ Pat Bryant) and is 143 yards away from Marcus Badgett’s single-season record set in 1992. ... Penn State has won seven of the last eight against Maryland. ... The Nittany Lions secured their 27th 10-win season last week. ... Warren became Penn State’s all-time leader in reception yards for a tight end (1,516) with 102 yards against Minnesota. ... DT Zane Durant leads the Big Ten and is fourth among Power Four tackles with 8 1/2 tackles for loss this season. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballSquid Game Season 2: All we know about release date, trailer and castSecrets behind £1.6bn Harry Potter TV series – & why Hollywood is backing JK Rowling after trans row

With an important regular-season finale ending a short week, Mississippi has watched its dreams shift from national success to perhaps something it certainly did not want on Thanksgiving weekend: An Egg Bowl that holds only regional significance and statewide bragging rights. After their third and disappointing defeat, the No. 14 Rebels will play Friday afternoon in their annual Egg Bowl matchup against rival Mississippi State in the intrastate series in Oxford, Miss. It will not be easy putting aside the catastrophic 24-17 loss at Florida last Saturday, a soul-crushing setback that all but ended any College Football Playoff aspirations for the most talented Rebels team assembled in a long time. Coach Lane Kiffin's team slid five spots to 14th in the latest CFP rankings. The offseason outlook was rosy when Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3 SEC) shelled out big NIL money and added the top portal class to fill a roster that won 11 games in 2023. But the Rebels repeatedly shot themselves in the foot Saturday against the Gators. Ole Miss' high-powered offense turned the ball over three times, went 3 of 14 on third down, failed on two fourth-down attempts, dropped five passes and missed a field goal. Before the game, ABC's broadcast noted that the Rebels had an 84 percent chance to make the CFP. Following the loss, that number dwindled to four percent. The only way the Oxford school gets in is if there is the repeated chaos of Week 13, one that talk show host Paul Finebaum called "the most SEC carnage" he had ever seen. The Egg Bowl has been played on Thanksgiving Day 23 times, including 2017 to last season, but Kiffin feels the afternoon start on Friday is an advantage. "It helps them to know that playoffs are still alive and they get kind of the first shot to show everybody on a national stage," Kiffin said Monday, "as opposed to a Saturday game where these people that make the decisions don't necessarily see all the games because so many are going on." For the second time this month, Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby will lead his last-place Bulldogs (2-9, 0-7) against a former boss. The 40-year-old head coach faced Tennessee and coach Josh Heupel, who had Lebby on his staff at UCF in 2018 and 2019, in a 33-14 loss on Nov. 9. Now he will face Kiffin, whom he was paired with in 2020 and 2021 in their first two seasons at Ole Miss when the school led the SEC in total offense. A frequent social media user who enjoys trolling others, Kiffin took a jab at Lebby and Mississippi State when the first-year coach was hired. "We've traded texts throughout the season and had communication," Lebby said Monday. "But no, not this week. He'll continue to find ways to have fun on social. That's who he's always been and who he'll always be." Ole Miss owns a 65-46-6 series advantage and has claimed five of the past seven matches, including a 35-3 "Egg Brawl" victory by the Bulldogs in 2018 that was later vacated. Another loss to the Rebels would give MSU its first winless SEC season since 2002. --Field Level Media

So you’re gathering with relatives whose politics are different. Here are some tips for the holidays

Stocks jump on China hope, euro rebounds