Le Journal

FOXBORO — Patriots right tackle Morgan Moses returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday with an illness. Related Articles What Drake Maye hopes to prove to Patriots teammates in playoffs Callahan: If Mike Vrabel’s Patriots are right about who they are, they will beat the Chargers Patriots-Chargers injury report: Four players return in limited capacity Why Mike Vrabel previously called Gillette Stadium a ‘viper’s den’ Patriots’ Stefon Diggs says he didn’t change as teammate overnight Outside linebacker Anfernee Jennings also took the field after being absent, while center Garrett Bradbury (illness), defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (foot) and offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (illness) remained out. Backup offensive lineman Thayer Munford was newly absent, and starting left guard Jared Wilson (concussion) wore a non-contact jersey for a second straight day. Tonga has missed the past three games, which puts his availability for Sunday’s Wild Card showdown with the Chargers in significant doubt. The Patriots will release their latest injury report Thursday evening.

By LISA MASCARO and KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — In a remarkable rebuke of Republican leadership, the House is moving ahead Thursday on legislation that would extend expired health care subsidies for the Affordable Care Act after renegade GOP lawmakers joined essentially all Democrats to help millions of Americans afford insurance under Obamacare. Forcing the issue to a vote came about after a handful of Republicans signed on to a so-called “discharge petition” to unlock debate, bypassing objections from House Speaker Mike Johnson. If approved, the bill would go to the Senate, where pressure is building for a similar bipartisan compromise. Without action, estimates are that millions will go uninsured this year. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during a news conference at the Capitol, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) Together, the rare political coalitions are rushing to resolve the standoff over the enhanced tax credits that were put in place during the COVID-19 crisis but expired late last year after no agreement was reached during the government shutdown. “The affordability crisis is not a ‘hoax,’ it is very real — despite what Donald Trump has had to say,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, invoking the president’s remarks. “Democrats made clear before the government was shut down that we were in this affordability fight until we win this affordability fight,” he said. “Today we have an opportunity to take a meaningful step forward.” Ahead of voting, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill, which would provide a three-year extension of the subsidy, would increase the nation’s deficit by about $80.6 billion over the decade. At the same time, it would increase the number of people with health insurance by 100,000 this year, 3 million in 2027, 4 million in 2028 and 1.1 million in 2029, the CBO said. Related Articles Judge blocks Trump administration from purging DEI-related terms from Head Start grant applications House considers overriding Trump vetoes as Republicans weigh crossing president White House is presenting Trump’s ballroom project for a review months after construction began Woman killed by ICE agent in Minneapolis was a mother of 3, new to the city Trump officials and Louisiana put an end to another decades-old school desegregation order Growing support for extending ACA subsidies Johnson, R-La., worked for months to prevent this situation. His office argued Thursday that the federal health care funding from the COVID-19 era is ripe with fraud, pointing to an investigation in Minnesota, and urged a no vote. While the momentum shows the growing support for the tax breaks that have helped some 22 million Americans have access to health insurance, the Senate would be under no requirement to take up the House bill. Instead, a small group of senators from both parties has been working on an alternative plan that could find support in both chambers and become law. One proposal would be to shorten the extension of the subsidy to two years and make changes to the program, particularly to root out fraud. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that for any plan to find support in his chamber, it will need to have income limits to ensure that the financial aid is focused on those who most need the help. He and other Republicans also want to ensure that beneficiaries would have to at least pay a nominal amount for their coverage. Finally, Thune said there would need to be some expansion of health savings accounts, which allow people to save money and withdraw it tax-free as long as the money is spent on qualified medical expenses. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., who is part of the negotiations on reforms and subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, said there is agreement on addressing fraud in health care. “We recognize that we have millions of people in this country who are going to lose — are losing, have lost…

The Minnesota Vikings may lose six-time Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith to retirement this winter, and that's just one concern for the defense. The post Harrison Smith’s Future With Vikings Not Promising After Latest Developments appeared first on Heavy Sports.

By HOWARD FENDRICH Long track speedskating — sometimes referred to simply as “long track” or just “speedskating” — was a part of the original Winter Olympics back in 1924, when only men participated, and is quite different from short track. Here’s what to know about the competition at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics: Related Articles They’re back! NHL players return to Winter Olympics for first time since ’14, here is what to know What to know about figure skating, a cornerstone of the Winter Olympics Winter Olympics: Ilia Malinin is ready to tell his story High-speed chaos on ice: What to know about short track speedskating at the Winter Olympics Ready for a trip to the ‘park? Snowboarding set for its spotlight at the Winter Olympics How it works In most long track events, two skaters compete against each other on a 400-meter oval, racing counterclockwise in an attempt to record the fastest time. There are two lanes, and the athletes alternate which portion of the course they are in during each lap. Who to watch The biggest name in speedskating right now is Jordan Stolz, a 21-year-old from Wisconsin who could line up in five events in Milan and will be favored to win multiple gold medals. He is the best in the world over 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters at the moment, dominating the World Cup season. The Dutch have a strong tradition in this sport, and Jenning de Boo should be Stolz’s biggest challenger in the sprints. Erin Jackson will seek to defend her gold medal at 500 meters from the 2022 Beijing Games, where the American became the first Black woman to win an individual title at a Winter Olympics. She’ll need to fend off Femke Kok of the Netherlands. The U.S. men hold the world record, and swept the World Cup races, in the team pursuit. Venues and dates FILE – Femke Kok of the Netherlands in action during a 500 meter race of the World Cup Speedskating at the Thialf ice arena in Heerenveen, northern Netherlands, Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File) Speedskating will be held Feb. 7-21 at the Milano Speed Skating Stadium, part of the Milano Ice Park in Rho, just outside the city. The competition begins with the women’s 3,000 meters on Feb. 7 and ends with the women’s and men’s mass start on Feb. 21. Memorable moments Eric Heiden of the U.S. went 5-for-5 at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics, winning gold medals in every individual race: 500, 1,000, 1,500, 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Another American, Bonnie Blair, was the first woman to repeat as Winter Games champion in the 500 meters, and she wound up taking home the gold three times in a row — in 1988, 1992 and 1994 — part of a career haul of six Olympic medals, five golds. Dan Jansen’s gold and world record in the 1,000 meters at the 1994 Lillehammer Games stands out as one of the most memorable moments in any sport or at any Olympics. Six years earlier, in Calgary, Jansen fell twice in races held shortly after his sister died of leukemia. FILE – Erin Jackson, of the United States, skates during the women’s 500 meters at the World Cup speedskating event, Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate, File) Fun facts Speedskating is one of just a half-dozen sports that have been a part of every Winter Olympics — although women were not included in its races until the 1960 Squaw Valley Games. The Netherlands has been by far the most successful nation, collecting 48 golds and 133 total medals. The U.S. has 30 golds, 71 medals. AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have begun looking for a new offensive coordinator, and one could lure John Harbaugh. The post 1 Buccaneers OC Candidate Could Sway John Harbaugh appeared first on Heavy Sports.