By Katheryn Houghton and Arielle Zionts, KFF Health News (TNS) Tescha Hawley learned that hospital bills from her son’s birth had been sent to debt collectors only when she checked her credit score while attending a home-buying class. The new mom’s plans to buy a house stalled. Hawley said she didn’t owe those thousands of dollars in debts. The federal government did. Hawley, a citizen of the Gros Ventre Tribe, lives on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. The Indian Health Service is a federal agency that provides free health care to Native Americans, but its services are limited by a chronic shortage of funding and staff. Hawley’s local Indian Health Service hospital wasn’t equipped to deliver babies. But she said staff there agreed that the agency would pay for her care at a privately owned hospital more than an hour away. That arrangement came through the Purchased/Referred Care program, which pays for services Native Americans can’t get through an agency-funded clinic or hospital. Federal law stresses that patients approved for the program aren’t responsible for any of the costs. But tribal leaders, health officials, and a new federal report say patients are routinely billed anyway as a result of backlogs or mistakes from the Indian Health Service, financial middlemen, hospitals, and clinics. The financial consequences for patients can last years. Those sent to collections can face damaged credit scores, which can prevent them from securing loans or require them to pay higher interest rates. The December report , by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, found these long-standing problems contribute to people in Native American-majority communities being nearly twice as likely to have medical debt in collections compared with the national average. And their amount of medical debt is significantly higher. The report found the program is often late to pay bills. In some cases, hospitals or collection agencies hound tribal citizens for more money after bills are paid. Hawley’s son was born in 2003. She had to wait another year to buy a home, as she struggled to pay off the debt. It took seven years for it to drop from her credit report. “I don’t think a person ever recovers from debt,” Hawley said. Hawley, a cancer survivor, still must navigate the referral program. In 2024 alone, she received two notices from clinics about overdue bills. Frank White Clay, chairman of the Crow Tribe in Montana, testified about the impact of wrongful billing during a U.S. House committee hearing in April. He shared stories of veterans rejected for home loans, elders whose Social Security benefits were reduced, and students denied college loans and federal aid. “Some of the most vulnerable people are being harassed daily by debt collectors,” White Clay said. No one is immune from the risk. A high-ranking Indian Health Service official learned during her job’s background check that her credit report contained referred-care debt, the federal report found. Native Americans face disproportionately high rates of poverty and disease , which researchers link to limited access to health care and the ongoing impact of racist federal policies . White Clay is among many who say problems with the referred-care program are an example of the U.S. government violating treaties that promised to provide for the health and welfare of tribes in return for their land. The chairman’s testimony came during a hearing on the Purchased and Referred Care Improvement Act, which would require the Indian Health Service to create a reimbursement process for patients who were wrongfully billed. Committee members approved the bill in November and sent it for consideration by the full House. A second federal bill, the Protecting Native Americans’ Credit Act , would prevent debt like Hawley’s from affecting patients’ credit scores. The bipartisan bill hadn’t had a hearing by mid-December. The exact number of people wrongfully billed isn’t clear, but the Indian Health Service has acknowledged it has work to do. The agency is developing a dashboard to help workers track referrals and to speed up bill processing, spokesperson Brendan White said. It’s also trying to hire more referred-care staff, to address vacancy rates of more than 30%. Officials say problems with the program also stem from outside health providers that don’t follow the rules. Melanie Egorin, an assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said at the hearing that the proposed legislation doesn’t include consequences for “bad actors” — health facilities that repeatedly bill patients when they shouldn’t. “The lack of enforcement is definitely a challenge,” she said. But tribal leaders warned that penalties could backfire. Related Articles Hertneky column: Ask an optometrist to improve your Eye-Q How America lost control of the bird flu, setting the stage for another pandemic How to kick back, relax and embrace a less-than-perfect holiday Posting hospital prices hasn’t brought down the cost of health care. Will Colorado’s new approach work? New childhood leukemia protocol is ‘tremendous win’ White Clay told lawmakers that some clinics already refuse to see patients if the Indian Health Service hasn’t paid for their previous appointments. He’s worried the threat of penalties would lead to more refusals. If that happens, White Clay said, Crow tribal members who already travel hours to access specialty treatment would have to go even farther. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report found clinics are already refusing to see any referred-care patients due to the program’s payment problems. The bureau and the Indian Health Service also recently published a letter urging health care providers and debt collectors not to hold patients accountable for program-approved care. White, the Indian Health Service spokesperson, said the agency recently updated the referred-care forms sent to outside hospitals and clinics to include billing instructions and to stress that patients aren’t liable for any out-of-pocket costs. And he said the staff can help patients get reimbursed if they have already paid for services that were supposed to be covered. Joe Bryant, an Indian Health Service official who oversees efforts to improve the referral program, said patients can ask credit bureaus to remove debt from their reports if the agency should have covered their bills. Leaders with the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington state helped shape the proposed legislation after their citizens were repeatedly harmed by wrongful billing. Tribal Chairman Jarred-Michael Erickson said problems began in 2017, when a regional Indian Health Service office took over the referred-care program from local staff. It “created a domino effect of negative outcomes,” Erickson wrote in a letter to Congress. He said some tribal members whose finances were damaged stopped using the Indian Health Service. Others avoided health care altogether. Responsibility for the Colville Reservation program transferred back to local staff in 2022. Staffers found the billing process hadn’t been completed for thousands of cases, worth an estimated $24 million in medical care, Erickson told lawmakers . Workers are making progress on the backlog and they have explained the rules to outside hospitals and clinics, Erickson said. But he said there are still cases of wrongful billing, such as a tribal member who was sent to collections after receiving a $17,000 bill for chemotherapy that the agency was supposed to pay for. Erickson said the tribe is in the process of taking over its health care facilities instead of having the Indian Health Service run them. He and others who work in Native American health said tribally managed units — which are still funded by the federal agency — tend to have fewer problems with their referred-care programs. For example, they have more oversight over staff and flexibility to create their own payment tracking systems. But some Native Americans oppose tribal management because they feel it releases the federal government from its obligations. Beyond wrongful billing, access to the referred-care program is limited because of underfunding from Congress. The $1 billion budget this year is $9 billion short of the need, according to a committee report by tribal health and government leaders. Donald Warne, a physician and member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, called the proposed legislation a “band-aid.” He said the ultimate solution is for Congress to fully fund the Indian Health Service, which would reduce the need for the referred-care program. Back in Montana, Hawley said she braces for a fight each time she gets a bill that the referral program was supposed to cover. “I’ve learned not to trust the process,” Hawley said. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.jili k.o 。

The Super Football Conference released its All-Division football teams for the 2024 season. You can find the selections for the Patriot Red Division below. NOTE : The selections were made by coaches from the conference and not reporters from NJ.com . If an athlete’s name is misspelled, please let us know and we will make the correction. First Team Offense QB: Shane Hoover, Sparta, Jr. Skill: Luke Doster, Sparta, Sr. Skill: Brady Shagawat, Sparta, Jr. Skill: Cameron Chapman, Lakeland, Sr. Skill: Jeffery Papienuk, West Milford, Jr. OL: Liam Harrington, Lakeland, Sr. OL: Mason Rivera, Vernon, Sr. OL: Kyle Schwarzlow, West Milford, Jr. OL: Ethan Thompson, Jefferson, Jr. OL: Bradyn Brown, Dover, Jr. Tight end: Luca Vizzini, Vernon, Sr. At-Large: Collin Sabric, Lakeland, Sr. First Team Defense DL: Gavin Wilczewski, Vernon, Jr. DL: Brody McCormack, Lakeland, Sr. DL: Jake Kelshaw, West Milford, Sr. DL: Remy Lighty, Jefferson, So. LB: Hunter Chlodnicki, Sparta, Sr. LB: Chase MacLean, Vernon, Sr. LB: Brody Tanyeri, Sparta, Sr. LB: Stone Herbison, Sparta, Jr. DB: Vin Rispoli, Sparta, Sr. DB: Matt Baumann, Vernon, Sr. DB: Mark Shinasi, West Milford, Jr. At-Large: Emilio Mendez, Dover, Sr. Second Team Offense QB: Aden Karwoski, Vernon, Sr. Skill: Christian Brevig, Sparta, So. Skill: Nick Martino, Sparta, Sr. Skill: Jeremy O’Hernandez, Lakeland, Sr. Skill: Gavin Bruno, Vernon, Jr. OL: Seth Gary, Sparta, Jr. OL: Arber Rugova, Lakeland, Jr. OL: Chris Connolly, Jefferson, So. OL: Dylan Rockey, Jefferson, Sr. OL: Evan Melucci, West Milford, Jr. At-Large: Aydin Deane, West Milford, Jr. Second Team Defense DL: Lincoln Brill, Sparta, Sr. DL: Jesus Zayas, Dover, Sr. DL: Greg Ehrmann, Lakeland, Sr. DL: Chase Tyburczy, West Milford, Jr. LB: Luke Brown, Sparta, Sr. LB: Syrus Castanga Acerra, Vernon, Sr. LB: Brennan Stocker, Lakeland, Sr. LB: Cole Czerpak, West Milford, Jr. DB: Josh Jean, Vernon, Sr. DB: Anthony Settembre, Sparta, Jr. DB: Anderson Daza, Dover, Sr. Special Teams K: Roland Theriault, Lakeland, Jr. P: Jason Post, Jefferson, Jr. R: Marcus Morgan, West Milford, Sr. Honorable Mention Caden Masternak, Sparta, Sr. Patrick Foley, West Milford, Jr. Aidan Thacker, Lakeland, Sr. Quinn DiGiovanni, Vernon, Jr. Connor Consiglio, Jefferson, So. Anthony Lazaro, Dover, Sr. Coach of the Year Frank Marchiano, Sparta Stories by Luis Torres Super Football Conference All-Division teams, 2024 Super Football Conference: United White All-Division teams, 2024 Super Football Conference: United Red All-Division teams, 2024 Super Football Conference: National Blue All-Division teams, 2024 Super Football Conference: Liberty White All-Division teams, 2024 Luis Torres covers football. You can reach him at ltorres@njadvancemedia.com . The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)

The ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) achieved a clean sweep in the Bihar Assembly bypolls, winning all four constituencies where elections were necessitated due to MLAs being elected to the Lok Sabha. The results came as a significant blow to the opposition I.N.D.I.Alliance, which had previously held three of these seats. The bypolls were held on November 13 for the Assembly constituencies of Tarari, Ramgarh, Belaganj, and Imamganj, with a voter turnout of 52.84 per cent. These elections were closely watched as they tested the strength of the NDA and the I.N.D.I.A bloc in a politically charged state. Ramgarh Assembly Seat Ramgarh saw a three-way contest between the BJP’s Ashok Kumar Singh, RJD’s Ajit Kumar Singh, and BSP’s Satish Kumar Singh Yadav. BJP’s Singh secured a narrow victory with a margin of 1,362 votes over BSP’s Yadav, reclaiming a seat that had fallen out of the party’s grasp since 2015. This result came as a setback for the RJD, as Ajit Kumar Singh, son of state RJD chief Jagadanand Singh, failed to retain the seat vacated by his brother Sudhakar Singh after his Lok Sabha election from Buxar. Ramgarh recorded a voter turnout of 54.02%. Belaganj Assembly Seat The JD(U), a key NDA ally, secured a decisive victory in Belaganj, with Manorama Devi defeating RJD candidate Vishwanath Kumar Singh by a margin of 21,391 votes. Devi’s win further solidified the NDA’s dominance, as the seat had the highest number of candidates in the bypolls, with 14 contenders. The bypoll was necessitated by the election of Surendra Prasad Yadav, Vishwanath’s father, to the Lok Sabha from Jehanabad. Belaganj recorded the highest voter turnout among the four constituencies, at 56.21%. Tarari Assembly Seat In Tarari, the BJP’s Vishal Prashant emerged victorious against CPI(ML)’s Raju Yadav, securing a win by a margin of 10,612 votes. Prashant garnered 78,755 votes, while Yadav received 68,143. Prashant, son of former MLA Sunil Pandey, brought the seat into the NDA fold after two consecutive wins by CPI(ML) leader Sudama Prasad, now an MP from Arrah. Prashant’s victory signifies a reversal of fortunes for the BJP in a constituency known for its Left-leaning politics. The seat recorded a voter turnout of 50.10%. Jan Suraaj, led by Prashant Kishor, fielded social activist Kiran Singh, but her campaign failed to make a significant impact. In Imamganj, the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), an NDA ally, retained the seat as Deepa Kumari defeated RJD’s Raushan Manjhi by 5,945 votes. The constituency, reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates, was previously held by HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, whose election to the Lok Sabha had necessitated the bypoll. Deepa Kumari, daughter-in-law of Jitan Ram Manjhi, faced a tough battle but managed to secure victory for HAM. Other notable candidates included AIMIM’s Kanchan Paswan and Jan Suraaj’s Jitendra Paswan. Union Minister Giriraj Singh spoke on the performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the upcoming results for the Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and said on Saturday that the public in UP had given a wipe off to Lalu Prasad. Speaking to he said “We accept the results in Jharkhand. However, in Bihar and UP, the public has given a wipe-off to Lalu Prasad. Lalu ka thopda saaf kar diya hain... The opposition will say that EVMs are wrong when they are losing. We will wait for the final results to come... Congress Telangana mein jeet gayi toh balle balle, agar Maharashtra mein haar gayi toh EVM par sawaal..” The NDA’s clean sweep is a morale booster for the alliance ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections. With three of the four seats previously held by the opposition I.N.D.I.Alliance– two by the RJD and one by CPI(ML) – the results underscore the shifting political dynamics in Bihar. For the RJD, the loss of seats such as Ramgarh and Belaganj, despite strong family connections, highlights the challenges the party faces in consolidating its base. The CPI(ML)’s loss in Tarari, a traditional Left stronghold, adds to the opposition’s woes.

Liverpool punish rivals’ errors with dominant win over Leicester to stretch lead

Rajasthan bypolls: CM Bhajan Lal Sharma's governance credited with BJP's impressive showYoung men swung to the right for Trump after a campaign dominated by masculine appealsUjjain (Madhya Pradesh): To protest against Home Minister Amit Shah’s alleged objectionable remarks about Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, the Congress party workers held a rally at Tower Square on Tuesday. Chanting slogans like ‘Amit Shah, resign’ and ‘Congress will not allow anyone to dishonour Babasaheb,’ the party members marched on foot through the streets, holding photos of Babasaheb. A memorandum addressed to the President of India was submitted that mentioned that the Congress party is protesting against the inappropriate comments made about Babasaheb and demanding Shah’s resignation and apology. The President was urged to dismiss him from the Cabinet. Before the rally, flowers were offered at the statue of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar at Tower Square. During the event, All India Congress Committee secretary Sanjay Dutt said that the party remains steadfast in its commitment to the legacy of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar and the Constitution drafted under his leadership. He emphasised that the party is fighting a political and legal battle to ensure that the rights guaranteed by the Constitution are not violated by the ruling government. Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma said that Home Minister Amit Shah used the Parliament as a platform to insult Dr Ambedkar. Shah made derogatory comments about him, and both he and the BJP have undermined affirmative action and reservation rights granted to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, along with the constitutional framework. MLA Mahesh Parmar stated that Shah's comments targeting Dr Ambedkar have hurt the sentiments of millions of Indians and called for his immediate dismissal from the position of Home Minister. City Congress Committee president Mukesh Bhati, MLA Dinesh Jain Boss and former MLAs Dilip Gurjar, Murli Morwal, Dr Batuk Shankar Joshi, District Congress in-charge Chandar Singh Sondhiya, City Congress in-charge Amit Sharma, Raja Chouksey, Leader of Opposition Ravi Rai along with a large number of Congress leaders and workers participated in the event.

Verifying images shared in the wake of Assad’s ouster from SyriaOpenAI Chatbots for Education: Custom GPTs to Possibly Help Improve Online LearningThe recently retired Andy Murray is going to team up with longtime rival Novak Djokovic as his coach, they both announced Saturday, with plans to prepare for — and work together through — the Australian Open in January. It was a stunning bit of news as tennis moves toward its offseason , a pairing of two of the most successful and popular players in the sport, both of whom are sometimes referred to as members of a so-called Big Four that also included Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal . Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has spent more weeks at No. 1 than any other player in tennis history. Murray won three major trophies and two Olympic singles gold medals and finished 2016 atop the ATP rankings. He ended his playing career after the Paris Summer Games in August. Both men are 37 and were born a week apart in May 1987. They started facing each other as juniors and wound up meeting 36 times as professionals, with Djokovic holding a 25-11 advantage. “We played each other since we were boys — 25 years of being rivals, of pushing each other beyond our limits. We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game-changers, risk-takers, history-makers,” Djokovic posted on social media over photos and videos from some of their matches. “I thought our story may be over. Turns out, it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome on board, Coach — Andy Murray.” FILE - Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain’s Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) FILE - Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, left, and Britain’s Andy Murray holds their trophy after their final match of the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium, Sunday, June 5, 2016 in Paris. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File) Share Share Copy Link copied Email Facebook X Reddit LinkedIn Pinterest Flipboard Print Read More RELATED COVERAGE Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini lift Italy past Australia and back to the Davis Cup final The man who ended Nadal’s career helps the Netherlands beat Germany to reach the Davis Cup final Rafael Nadal retired after the Davis Cup. It’s a rare team event in tennis Djokovic’s 2024 season is over, and it was not up to his usual, high standards. He didn’t win a Grand Slam trophy ; his only title, though, was meaningful to him: a gold medal for Serbia in singles at the Summer Games. Djokovic has been without a full-time coach since splitting in March from Goran Ivanisevic. “I’m going to be joining Novak’s team in the offseason, helping him to prepare for the Australian Open,” Murray said in a statement released by his management team. “I’m really excited for it and looking forward to spending time on the same side of the net as Novak for a change, helping him to achieve his goals.” Their head-to-head series on tour includes an 11-8 lead for Djokovic in finals, and 8-2 at Grand Slam tournaments. Djokovic beat Murray four times in the Australian Open final alone — in 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2016. Two of the most important victories of Murray’s career came with Djokovic on the other side of the net. One was in the 2012 U.S. Open final , when Murray claimed his first Grand Slam title. The other was in the 2013 Wimbledon final , when Murray became the first British man in 77 years to win the singles championship at the All England Club. Next year’s Australian Open starts on Jan. 12. ___ AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Gettman kicks go-ahead FG as Villanova ends Delaware's FCS-era with a 38-28 win in finaleHitster, the perfect party game, is now available in PHL

None

Biodesix director Jack Schuler buys $122,840 in stock

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Saints quarterback Derek Carr was willing to risk his health to improve New Orleans’ chances of playing meaningful football in mid-December. Now the Saints, who’ve remained mathematically alive in the playoff race by winning three of four, might have to play without Carr again — and it didn’t go well the last time. Saints interim coach Darren Rizzi declined on Monday to rule out Carr for any of New Orleans' final four games because of his injured non-throwing hand or his concussion . Both injuries occurred when he tried to leap for a first down and crashed hard to the turf during the fourth quarter of New Orleans' 14-11 victory over the reeling New York Giants on Sunday. “We’re not going to rule him out just yet,” Rizzi said. “We have to see in the next day or two what the healing process is like and see if he can function. “The good news it’s not his throwing hand,” Rizzi said. “The bad news is we’re obviously dealing with an injury here that we have to kind of play it by ear.” Rizzi noted that Carr must clear the concussion protocol first. After that, he said, the Saints can see how well Carr can operate with his hand injury. “It's been done before,” Rizzi said when asked about the prospect of an NFL QB playing with an injured non-throwing hand. “It appears at moment that it's non-surgical, which is a big aspect of it. ... That's why we're going to discuss the options.” Last season, Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert played with a fractured finger on his non-throwing hand . Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen has played part of this season with an injured non-throwing hand . If Carr can't play, his replacement will be either second-year pro Jake Haener or rookie Spencer Rattler. Rattler started three games earlier this season when Carr had an oblique injury — all losses by New Orleans, which was in the midst of a seven-game skid. “We've just got to surround whomever it is and pick him up and get him rolling with the rest of us,” guard Lucas Patrick said. “It's just another step of adversity in this long season that we’ve had.” New Orleans' interior defensive line is coming off one of its better games. Defensive tackles Bryan Bresee and Khalen Saunders accounted for both New Orleans' sacks in New York. The Saints also held the Giants to 112 yards rushing — a lower opponent rushing total than in seven other games this season. The Saints' 92 yards rushing offensively was their fourth-lowest total all season and the lowest in any of their victories. Running back Kendre Miller's future is looking a bit brighter now. He has played in just three games this season because of hamstring injuries and his lack of readiness was criticized by since-fired coach Dennis Allen earlier this season. Miller also has yet to rush for more than 36 yards in a game. But against the Giants, he earned praise for the speed, strength and elusiveness he was able to show on a couple of clutch runs, including an 8-yard run for his first and only touchdown this season. Patrick said Miller deserved credit on his scoring run for staying upright and continuing to push forward — with the help of some teammates — after he was met at the 5-yard line by a Giants defender. Patrick said if Miller didn't give the extra effort and stay on his feet, his teammates would not have had the chance to help push him across the goal line. “Kendre's definitely a bright, young runner and he's exciting to block for,” Patrick said. Blake Grupe was 0 for 2 on field goal attempts, although both were from beyond 50 yards and one was blocked. Those were Grupe's first two failures from beyond 50 yards this season. In addition to Carr, reserve linebacker D’Marco Jackson left Sunday's game with an ankle injury. 0 — The number of games the Saints have won when Carr does not play. They've gone 5-5 in his starts this season. The Saints are back home Sunday against Washington in what could be ex-New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore's first game with the Commanders. The game also marks the return to Louisiana of quarterback Jayden Daniels, who won the Heisman Troply last year at LSU. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Maverick McNealy steadied himself after a rugged start Saturday with a 4-under 66 and caught up with Vince Whaley in a wild third round at the RSM Classic in which a half-dozen players had at least a share of the lead. McNealy looked as though he might have the lead when he hit wedge on the final hole that rolled just by the cup and settled 8 feet away. He missed the putt, still in great position to go after his first PGA Tour victory. Whaley, also winless on tour, birdied the 18th for a 63 and will be playing in the final group for the first time on the PGA Tour. McNealy, who joined him at 14-under 198, also shared the 54-hole lead in 2021 at the season opener in Napa, California. Whaley was playing with a sense of freedom not everyone has at the final PGA Tour event this year. He was playing on a medical extension and fulfilled the necessary points in July. The next step was finishing in the top 125 in the FedEx Cup. He secured that last week with a tie for fifth in the Bermuda Championship. Everything else feels like a bonus, and there could be no greater perk than a victory to get into the Masters and PGA Championship, along with a two-year exemption. “I've really got nothing to lose and everything to gain, so I'm just excited for the opportunity,” Whaley said. Opportunity abounds going into the final round. Daniel Berger shot a 63 and played his way into the final group, just two shots behind. He was tied with former Sea Island winner Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., (65), Michael Thorbjornsen (67) and Patrick Fishburn (69). Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., (71) dropped 23 spots to tie for 47th at 3 under. Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., (70) was 1 under. Berger and Thorbjornsen were among those who arrived at Sea Island outside the top 125, the number required to keep full status on tour on next year. Thorbjornsen already has that locked up as the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour University ranking. Berger needed a big week and he's delivering, even though he says he doesn't feel stress. Berger missed 19 months with a back injury that he feared might end his career. Now he's healthy enough to have played 27 times this year. “Regardless when I play well, I'm going to be fine,” said Berger, who played in the 2021 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits. "When you miss that much amount of time it takes a little bit of a while to get back. It's just a matter of being patient and eventually good things come around.” Henrik Norlander and Hayden Springer, also on the wrong side of No. 125, each shot 63 and were among those tied for 12th, a position that currently would let them move into the top 125. Joel Dahmen, who had to make a 5-foot par putt on Friday to make the cut, shot 70 and was tied for 61st. He is at No. 124 and his future depends on a big round Sunday, along with how Thorbjornsen, Berger, Norlander and Springer fare. Closer to the top, eight players were separated by three shots. That includes Luke Clanton, the Florida State sophomore and No. 1 amateur in the world who already has three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour and was going after another one. ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf The Associated PressMedical Telepresence Robots Market Expected to Reach USD 448.06 Million by 2034 with a CAGR of 18.8%

No. 19 Tennessee back in women's AP Top 25 after year out of poll; UCLA, UConn remain 1-2LONDON (AP) — A woman who claimed mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) on Friday by a civil court jury in Ireland. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced the woman to do anything against her will and said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. His lawyer had called Hand a gold digger. The fighter, once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship but now past his prime, shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men returned the verdict after deliberating for about six hours in the High Court in Dublin. He was mobbed by cameras as he left court but did not comment. He later said on the social platform X that he would appeal the verdict and the “modest award.” Hand's voice cracked and her hands trembled as she read a statement outside the courthouse, saying she would never forget what happened to her but would now be able to move on with her life. She thanked her family, partner, friends, jurors, the judge and all the supporters that had reached out to her online, but particularly her daughter. “She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice,” she said. “I want to show (her) and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” The Associated Press generally does not name alleged victims of sexual violence unless they come forward publicly, as Hand has done. Under Irish law, she did not have the anonymity she would have been granted in a criminal proceeding and was named publicly throughout the trial. Her lawyer told jurors that McGregor was angry about a fight he had lost in Las Vegas two months earlier and took it out on his client. “He’s not a man, he’s a coward,” attorney John Gordon said in his closing speech. “A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.” Gordon said his client never pretended to be a saint and was only looking to have fun when she sent McGregor a message through Instagram after attending a Christmas party. He said Hand knew McGregor socially and that they had grown up in the same area. She said he picked her and a friend up in a car and shared cocaine with them, which McGregor admitted in court, on the way to the Beacon Hotel. Hand said she told McGregor she didn't want to have sex with him and that she was menstruating. She said she told him “no” as he started kissing her but he eventually pinned her to a bed and she couldn't move. McGregor put her in a chokehold and later told her, “now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times,” referring to a UFC match when he had to admit defeat, she said. Hand had to take several breaks in emotional testimony over three days. She said McGregor threatened to kill her during the encounter and she feared she would never see her young daughter again. Eventually, he let go of her. “I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again,” she testified. She said she then let him do what he wanted and he had sex with her. A paramedic who examined Hand the next day testified that she had never before seen someone with that intensity of bruising. A doctor told jurors Hand had multiple injuries. Hand said the trauma of the attack had left her unable to work as a hairdresser, she fell behind on her mortgage and had to move out of her house. Police investigated the woman’s complaint but prosecutors declined to bring charges, saying there was insufficient evidence and a conviction was unlikely. McGregor, in his post on X, said he was disappointed jurors didn't see all the evidence prosecutors had reviewed. He testified that the two had athletic and vigorous sex, but that it was not rough. He said “she never said ‘no’ or stopped” and testified that everything she said was a lie. “It is a full blown lie among many lies,” he said when asked about the chokehold allegation. “How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings.” McGregor’s lawyer told jurors they had to set aside their animus toward the fighter. “You may have an active dislike of him, some of you may even loathe him – there is no point pretending that the situation might be otherwise,” attorney Remy Farrell said. “I’m not asking you to invite him to Sunday brunch.” The defense said the woman never told investigators McGregor threatened her life. They also showed surveillance video in court that they said appeared to show the woman kiss McGregor’s arm and hug him after they left the hotel room. Farrell said she looked “happy, happy, happy.” McGregor said he was “beyond petrified” when first questioned by police and read them a prepared statement. On the advice of his lawyer, he refused to answer more than 100 follow-up questions. The jury ruled against Hand in a case she brought against one of McGregor’s friends, James Lawrence, whom she accused of having sex with her in the hotel without consent.

‘Alien’ optical illusion terrifies plane passenger: ‘What the f—k is that?’MADRID (AFP) – Venezuela’s opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia has ruled out forming a government in exile, saying in an interview published yesterday that he will return to his country as president in January. The 75-year-old, who the opposition insists beat Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a disputed July election, fled with his wife to Spain in September after being threatened with arrest. Asked if he planned to head a government in exile, he told Spanish daily El Pais, “No, no... I am going to be in Venezuela.” “I left Venezuela temporarily. I knew I was going to return... and the moment is January 10, the date of the inauguration,” he added. Gonzalez Urrutia said he was “confident” he will not be arrested if he returns and would not announce the date of his arrival so the authorities in Venezuela will not be able to prevent him from entering the country. Maduro insists he won the election even though the opposition says it can provide proof that he lost decisively. The United States has recognised Gonzalez Urrutia’s claim to victory but Spain and other European Union nations have only refused to accept that Maduro won and called on the Venezuelan government to release voting tally sheets. Maduro is accused of leading a harshly repressive leftist regime, with a systematic crackdown on the opposition.