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The Detroit Lions will know how meaningful their matchup with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night will carry before they step on the field. If Minnesota defeats Green Bay on Sunday, the Lions will still have to beat the Vikings in the regular-season finale to take the NFC North and gain the top seed in the NFC playoffs. If the Packers win, the Lions (13-2) can lock up the division and best record in the NFC with a victory in Santa Clara, Calif. In either case, Lions coach Dan Campbell plans to go all out to defeat the team that dashed their Super Bowl dreams in last season's NFC Championship game. Detroit led 24-7 at halftime but San Francisco rallied for a 34-31 victory. "I think that experience, as difficult as it was, served us well moving forward into this year," Campbell said. "You don't like to lose, so you've got an opportunity with a team that got the best of you, and so you just want to go out and find a way to get a win." With power back David Montgomery sidelined by a knee injury, Jahmyr Gibbs had 27 touches in a 34-17 win over Chicago on Sunday. He rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and gained another 45 yards on four receptions. Montgomery is expected to return for the playoffs, but the Niners can expect to see plenty of Gibbs on Monday. Jared Goff surpassed the 4,000-yard passing mark against the Bears. He's thrown for 17 touchdowns, compared to one interception, over the last six games. San Francisco (6-9) has lost five of its last six games and was officially eliminated from playoff contention last weekend. Kyle Shanahan expects his team to handle that reality in a professional manner. "You've still got to go out there and perform the same way," Shanahan said. Goff expects a strong challenge, regardless of San Francisco's plight. "They're a good team, I don't care that they're eliminated," he said. "They have a lot of great players on that team that have played in big games and they're going to want to beat us, so we have to come out ready to go. It'll be hard on the road, good atmosphere -- I get a lot of family there, which will be nice, but it'll be a good one." With top running backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason out for the season, the Niners' offense has become increasingly reliant on quarterback Brock Purdy and tight end George Kittle. Purdy has passed for more than 300 yards in two of the last three games. Kittle has led the club in receiving yards four of the last five games. Purdy threw for 31 touchdowns last season, compared to 17 this year with McCaffrey sidelined most of the year and premier receiver Brandon Aiyuk sustaining a season-ending injury in the early going. "This year, just having a number of his guys down and things like that, it's been harder for (Purdy)," Shanahan said. "Usually, that stuff can make you better. He fought through it all year and he's got two more weeks to fight through it. "I think he's disappointed," Shanahan added. "He had high expectations this year, just like we all did. He hasn't ever been in a losing situation yet, so that's been very hard for him." San Francisco placed offensive tackle Trent Williams (ankle) on injured reserve. The Niners have also shut down linebacker Dre Greenlaw due to leg injuries. Running back Isaac Guerendo, who missed the Niners' 29-17 loss to Miami on Sunday, practiced on a limited basis on Thursday. Detroit cornerback Terrion Arnold missed Thursday's practice due to an illness. --Field Level MediaSports on TV for Monday, Dec. 30Wall St Week Ahead Black Friday puts consumer spending in market's glare with stocks near records - ReutersQatar tribune Tribune News Network doha The Qatar Chamber (QC), led by its first vice-chairman Mohamed bin Twar Al Kuwari hosted a high-level Estonian delegation headed by Margus Tshkna, minister of foreign affairs of Estonia, to discuss advancing bilateral trade and economic ties. The meeting emphasised expanding cooperation between Qatar and Estonia, particularly in cutting-edge fields such as information technology (IT), information and communications technology (ICT), cyber security, digital transformation, energy, and transportation. Mohamed bin Twar praised the growing relationship between the two nations and noted their numerous agreements across various sectors. However, he highlighted that the current trade volume remains below its potential, urging both sides to leverage opportunities for mutual benefit. He emphasised the importance of the private sector in enhancing trade and investment relations through joint ventures and commercial alliances. Copy 08/12/2024 1009777 globe or smart 。

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Q. My new year’s resolution is to clean out my garage and get rid of any pesticides that are expired, not needed, or harmful to wildlife. How do I find out what I should get rid of? Do fertilizers have an expiration date? ANSWER: This is an excellent new year’s resolution! If you have any pesticides that are expired or not needed anymore, make sure they are labelled (hopefully with the original) and place them in a sturdy box so you can take them to your nearest hazardous materials disposal site. Fertilizers don’t really expire, but they may become clumpy and unusable, so these can be disposed of in a similar way. The laws concerning pesticides change frequently, so it’s always a good idea to take inventory and get rid of any chemicals that are no longer considered safe to use. Take note of the active ingredient(s), which should be listed on the front of the container, and look them up on the UC IPM website. There you can find an active ingredient index that will give you information on precautions, how it works, and possible adverse effects, including effects on wildlife. There is also a list of less toxic alternatives that is quite useful. When you are ready to dispose of your old pesticides, fertilizers, and other household chemicals, you can find a drop off site by searching “Household Hazardous Waste + (your county)”. Alternatively, your waste management company’s website should also have this information. Q. What rodenticides are least likely to harm wildlife? We have a terrible rat problem, but I don’t want to hurt the local predators. Realistically, there are no rodenticides that are completely safe for non-target species like owls, bobcats and coyotes. Poisons such as brodifacoum, bromadiolone, and difethialone are single-dose rodenticides. These poisons kill quickly, usually within a day of ingestion. Once eaten, the drug is stored in the liver and prevents blood clotting. Since these drugs are not excreted before the rodent dies, predators and scavengers can be poisoned. If you have any of these rodenticides, please dispose of them properly and do not use them. Older poisons such as warfarin, chlorophacinone, and diphacinone are multiple-dose rodenticides. These are generally considered to be less harmful to wildlife but can cause problems if a predator or scavenger consumes multiple rodents that have been poisoned. To minimize the risk of secondary poisoning to wildlife or pets, follow the instructions on the label closely. Promptly remove and dispose of any dead rodents by sealing in a plastic bag and disposing in a secure trash container. Don’t handle dead rodents with bare hands. Buried rodents can be exhumed by dogs or coyotes. If possible, find other ways to kill rodents. I prefer the electrocution-type traps since they are humane and easy to use. Never use sticky traps outdoors since they are more likely to catch non-target animals and are inhumane. For more information on rat control, see ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/rats/pest-notes/#gsc.tab=0 Related Articles

New York Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said Aaron Rodgers “absolutely” will remain the team's starting quarterback and start Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers, who turns 41 next Monday, has been hampered at times during the Jets' 3-8 start by various injuries to his left leg, including a sore knee, sprained ankle and balky hamstring. Ulbrich said Monday the quarterback came back from the team's bye-week break ready to go. “All I can say, and you'd have to ask Aaron if he's fully healthy, but he's better off today than he's been as of late,” Ulbrich said. "So he's definitely feeling healthier than he has probably for the past month. A healthy Aaron Rodgers is the Aaron Rodgers we all love. “So, I'm excited about what that looks like.” NFL Network reported on Sunday that Rodgers, who missed all but four snaps last season with a torn left Achilles tendon , has declined having medical scans on his injured leg so he can continue to play. “I have not been informed of that, either way,” Ulbrich said. Rodgers suffered what NFL Network reported was a “significant” hamstring injury against Denver in Week 4. He then sprained his left ankle against Minnesota in London a week later. The four-time MVP has not been able to consistently move around during games as he has in the past, when extending plays and making things happen on the run became such a big part of his game. Rodgers said leading into New York's 28-27 loss to Indianapolis last Sunday that it was the healthiest he felt in a while. But he struggled against the Colts, finishing 22 of 29 for 184 yards after a brutally slow start during which he went 9 of 13 for just 76 yards. The Athletic reported last week that owner Woody Johnson broached the idea during a meeting with the coaching staff of having the banged-up Rodgers sit after the Jets' loss to Denver in Week 4. With Rodgers' struggles and perhaps compromised health the past few games, a hot debate on social media and sports talk shows during the past week has been whether the quarterback should take a seat in favor of Tyrod Taylor. But when asked if there has been any talk of shutting down Rodgers, Ulbrich replied flatly: “There has not.” In a follow-up question, the interim coach was asked if Rodgers will, in fact, be the Jets' starting quarterback at home Sunday against the Seahawks. “Absolutely,” Ulbrich said. He added that he didn't feel the need to sit down with Rodgers and address all the reports and chatter outside the facility. “No, I feel like we are on the same page,” the coach said. Last week, Ulbrich said he and his staff would take “a deep dive” into what the team could do better after losing seven of its past eight and being on the verge of missing the postseason for the 14th consecutive year. Ulbrich opted not to make any changes to the coaching responsibilities of his staff and he will continue to run the defense as the coordinator. He also said there would not be any personnel changes coming out of the bye, barring injuries. “But definitely, we created a really clear vision of where we need to improve and found some things,” Ulbrich said. “Obviously, you find the things that you’re not doing well, you need to improve upon them, but then also found some some things that I think we can really build upon. So I was excited in both ways.” Johnson fired general manager Joe Douglas last Tuesday, six weeks after he also dismissed coach Robert Saleh. On Monday, the team announced it would be assisted by The 33rd Team , a football media, analytics and consulting group founded by former Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum, in its searches for a general manager and coach. Ulbrich insisted that isn't creating an awkward situation for him, in particular, as he and his staff focus on the present while the organization begins planning for the future. “In all honesty, it’s not at all,” Ulbrich said. “My singular focus is just finishing the season off the right way, playing a brand of football we’re all proud of, myself included. And that starts with Seattle.” LB C.J. Mosley said he's “progressing” in his return from a herniated disk in his neck, but is still uncertain about his availability for Sunday. Mosley said Monday was the first time he put on a helmet since the injury occurred during pregame warmups against New England on Oct. 27. ... Ulbrich said the team is still evaluating LT Tyron Smith, who missed the game against Indianapolis with a neck ailment. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

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