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CLEVELAND, Ohio — A single ticket sold in California matched the winning numbers from the Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, Mega Millions drawing, winning a $1.22 billion jackpot. The ticket was sold at Sunshine Food and Gas in Cottonwood, which is located in northern California, according to the California Lottery . A ticket sold in Ohio matched five numbers and is worth $1 million. The winning numbers are 3-7-37-49-55 Mega Ball 6 Megaplier 3X. The jackpot is $20 million for the drawing on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Ishar Gill, a son of the owner of Sunshine Food and Gas, said the winning ticket was “a blessing” for the small rural town of roughly 6,000 people. The identity of the winner or winners was not immediately known. “We don’t have the slightest clue of who may have won it or who may have sold it,” Gill told The Associated Press. “But congratulations to the winner.” There was no winner in the Saturday, Dec. 28 Powerball drawing, so the jackpot increases to an estimated $163 million for the drawing on Monday, Dec. 30. Saturday’s numbers are 6-31-51-54-55 Powerball 12 Power Play 2x. Saturday’s Classic Lotto numbers are 6-8-11-15-17-23 Kicker 796745. The jackpot is $1.3 million for Monday’s drawing. Sunday’s winning Ohio Lottery numbers are: Pick 3 evening : 982 (midday, 701) Pick 4 evening : 0996 (midday, 9250) Pick 5 evening : 11393 (midday, 56766) Rolling Cash 5 : 4-10-11-20-23 Lucky for Life : 7-18-26-35-38 Lucky Ball 1 Pick 3 winners receive $500 for a $1 straight bet and the odds of winning are 1-in-1,000. Pick 4 winners receive $5,000 for a $1 straight bet and the odds of winning are 1-in-10,000. The Rolling Cash 5 jackpot for the next drawing is $209,000 for hitting all five numbers and the odds of winning are 1-in-575,757. Drawings for Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 are twice daily, at 12:29 p.m. and 7:29 p.m. The drawing for the Rolling Cash 5 is each night at 7:35 p.m. Classic Lotto draws at 7:05 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. The odds of winning the jackpot with a $1 ticket are 1-in-13,983,816. Lucky for Life draws at 10:30 p.m. each night. The odds of winning the jackpot with a $2 ticket are 1 in 30,821,472. Powerball draws on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. The odds of winning the jackpot with a $2 ticket are 1 in 292,201,338. Mega Millions draws on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. The odds of winning the jackpot with a $2 ticket are 1-in-302,575,350. The official Ohio Lottery site offers more information on instant tickets, raffles & other lottery games.Some tech industry leaders are pushing the incoming Trump administration to increase visas for highly skilled workers from other nations. Related Articles National Politics | Trump threat to immigrant health care tempered by economic hopes National Politics | In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families National Politics | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National Politics | New 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns National Politics | Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen The heart of the argument is, for America to remain competitive, the country needs to expand the number of skilled visas it gives out. The previous Trump administration did not increase the skilled visa program, instead clamping down on visas for students and educated workers, increasing denial rates. Not everyone in corporate America thinks the skilled worker program is great. Former workers at IT company Cognizant recently won a federal class-action lawsuit that said the company favored Indian employees over Americans from 2013 to 2022. A Bloomberg investigation found Cognizant, and other similar outsourcing companies, mainly used its skilled work visas for lower-level positions. Workers alleged Cognizant preferred Indian workers because they could be paid less and were more willing to accept inconvenient or less-favorable assignments. Question: Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers? Caroline Freund, UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy YES: Innovation is our superpower and it relies on people. Sourcing talent from 8 billion people in the world instead of 330 million here makes sense. Nearly half our Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children. Growing them also relies on expanding our skilled workforce. The cap on skilled-worker visas has hardly changed since the computer age started. With AI on the horizon, attracting and building talent is more important than ever. Kelly Cunningham, San Diego Institute for Economic Research YES: After years of openly allowing millions of undocumented entrants into the country, why is there controversy over legally increasing somewhat the number having desirable skills? Undocumented immigration significantly impacts lower skill level jobs and wages competing with domestic workers at every skill level. Why should special cases be made against those having higher skills? Could they just not walk across the border anyway, why make it more inconvenient to those with desirable skills? James Hamilton, UC San Diego YES: Knowledge and technology are key drivers of the U.S. economy. Students come from all over the world to learn at U.S. universities, and their spending contributed $50 billion to U.S. exports last year. Technological advantage is what keeps us ahead of the rest of the world. Highly skilled immigrants contribute much more in taxes than they receive in public benefits. The skills immigrants bring to America can make us all better off. Norm Miller, University of San Diego YES: According to Forbes, the majority of billion-dollar startups were founded by foreigners. I’ve interviewed dozens of data analysts and programmers from Berkeley, UCSD, USD and a few other schools and 75% of them are foreign. There simply are not enough American graduates to fill the AI and data mining related jobs now exploding in the U.S. If we wish to remain a competitive economy, we need highly skilled and bright immigrants to come here and stay. David Ely, San Diego State University YES: Being able to employ highly skilled workers from a larger pool of candidates would strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. companies by increasing their capacity to perform research and innovate. This would boost the country’s economic output. Skilled workers from other nations that cannot remain in the U.S. will find jobs working for foreign rivals. The demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the current cap of 85,000, demonstrating a need to modify this program. Phil Blair, Manpower YES: Every country needs skilled workers, at all levels, to grow its economy. We should take advantage of the opportunity these workers provide our employers who need these skills. It should be blended into our immigration policies allowing for both short and long term visas. Gary London, London Moeder Advisors YES: San Diego is a premiere example of how highly skilled workers from around the globe enrich a community and its regional economy. Of course Visa levels need to be increased. But let’s go further. Tie visas and immigration with a provision that those who are admitted and educated at a U.S. university be incentivized, or even required, to be employed in the U.S. in exchange for their admittance. Bob Rauch, R.A. Rauch & Associates NO: While attracting high-skilled immigrants can fill critical gaps in sectors like technology, health care and advanced manufacturing, increasing high-skilled immigration could displace American workers and drive down wages in certain industries. There are already many qualified American workers available for some of these jobs. We should balance the need for specialized skills with the impact on the domestic workforce. I believe we can begin to increase the number of visas after a careful review of abuse. Austin Neudecker, Weave Growth YES: We should expand skilled visas to drive innovation and economic growth. Individuals who perform high-skilled work in labor-restricted industries or graduate from respected colleges with relevant degrees should be prioritized for naturalization. We depend on immigration for GDP growth, tax revenue, research, and so much more. Despite the abhorrent rhetoric and curtailing of visas in the first term, I hope the incoming administration can be persuaded to enact positive changes to a clearly flawed system. Chris Van Gorder, Scripps Health YES: But it should be based upon need, not politics. There are several industries that have or could have skilled workforce shortages, especially if the next administration tightens immigration as promised and expected. Over the years, there have been nursing shortages that have been met partially by trained and skilled nurses from other countries. The physician shortage is expected to get worse in the years to come. So, this visa program may very well be needed. Jamie Moraga, Franklin Revere NO: While skilled immigration could boost our economy and competitiveness, the U.S. should prioritize developing our domestic workforce. Hiring foreign nationals in sensitive industries or government-related work, especially in advanced technology or defense, raises security concerns. A balanced approach could involve targeted increases in non-sensitive high-demand fields coupled with investment in domestic STEM education and training programs. This could address immediate needs while strengthening the long-term STEM capabilities of the American workforce. Not participating this week: Alan Gin, University of San DiegoHaney Hong, San Diego County Taxpayers AssociationRay Major, economist Have an idea for an Econometer question? Email me at phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com . Follow me on Threads: @phillip020
Dallas (5-8) at Carolina (3-10) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, FOX. BetMGM Odds: Panthers by 3. Against the spread: Cowboys 4-9, Panthers 6-7. Series record: Cowboys lead 11-3. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Panthers 33-10 on Nov. 19, 2023 in Carolina. Last week: Cowboys lost to Bengals 27-20; Panthers lost to Eagles 22-16. Cowboys offense: overall (20), rush (28), pass (11), scoring (21) Cowboys defense: overall (25), rush (30), pass (22), scoring (31) Panthers offense: overall (30), rush (22), pass (27), scoring (28) Panthers defense: overall (31), rush (32), pass (12), scoring (32) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-8; Panthers minus-5. Panthers edge rusher Micah Parsons vs. Panthers offensive line. Parsons seems to be getting better as the season progresses and will be a tough matchup for Carolina's offensive line regardless of where he lines up. Parsons has 3 1/2 sacks over his past three games. WR Adam Thielen. The veteran wide receiver was Bryce Young's favorite option last season and is finally developing into that again this season after battling back from a hamstring injury that left him on injured reserve. Thielen has 17 catches on 21 targets for 201 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. When the Panthers need a first down on fourth down, the pass is almost always going to Thielen. Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle vs. NFL's worst run defense. Dowdle has had the first two 100-yard outings of his career the past two weeks, resetting his career best both times. The undrafted fifth-year player on an expiring contract had 131 yards in the loss to the Bengals. Since taking over as the lead back at the start of November, Dowdle is averaging 16 carries and 81 yards with a touchdown rushing and another receiving. On Sunday, he will face the league’s 32nd-ranked run defense. Carolina allowed Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley to run for 124 yards last week and Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving to run for a career-high 152 yards the week before that. The Panthers are allowing more than 170 yards per game on the ground and 4.97 yards per carry. Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown was set for season-ending surgery on the right knee he injured in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Bengals. The second-year player from Texas missed all of his rookie season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in a preseason game. ... DE DeMarcus Lawrence, who hasn’t played since Week 4, is close to returning from a foot injury. With the playoff hopes all but gone, the question remains whether to press the 32-year-old into action. Lawrence is on an expiring contract. ... Rookie C Cooper Beebe sustained a concussion against Cincinnati.. ... The Panthers are hoping to get WR Jalen Coker back on the field this week after he has missed the past three games with a quad injury. ... Also, No. 1 CB Jaycee Horn has been playing with a groin injury, and that could be problematic against CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys are 7-2 against the Panthers since losing a wild-card game at Carolina 29-10 during the 2003 season, the first of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells’ four years leading Dallas. The Cowboys are 4-2 on the road this season, including victories over playoff contenders Pittsburgh and Washington. ... QB Cooper Rush is 2-3 filling in for Dak Prescott, who is out for the season after surgery for a torn hamstring. Assuming Rush starts, this will be his longest stint as Prescott’s replacement. He went 4-1 in 2022 after Prescott broke the thumb on his throwing hand in the opener. ... Dowdle’s 7.3-yard average per carry on 18 attempts against the Bengals was the highest for a Dallas back since Ezekiel Elliott averaged 7.9 per carry at Philadelphia in 2018. ... WR CeeDee Lamb has just one 100-yard receiving game this season after finishing with eight in his breakout 2023 All-Pro season. But Lamb has five other games with at least 89 yards. He has reached 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first five seasons, the fifth receiver to do that. ... S Malik Hooker’s interception of Joe Burrow was his second of the season. He has seven interceptions in his four Dallas seasons. He also had seven in four years with Indianapolis, where he spent four injury-filled years as a 2017 first-round draft pick. ... The Panthers have endured six straight seasons with at least 10 losses. ... Carolina’s past five games have come down to the last possession. ... Panthers 1,000-yard RB Chuba Hubbard needs one rushing touchdown to pass Stephen Davis for fifth in team history. He is also 9 rushing yards away from reaching 3,000 for his career. ... Rookie WR Xavier Legette had three drops last week vs. the Eagles, including one for a potential go-ahead score in the final minute. ... OLB Jadeveon Clowney is tied for 11th in sacks among active NFL players. ... The Panthers have 15 sacks in the past four games. Carolina’s improved pass rush has coincided with OLB D.J. Wonnum getting on the field after missing the first nine games of the season on injured reserve. Chuba Hubbard is expected to see the overwhelming majority of carries for the Panthers, who are now thin at the position. Miles Sanders and Jonathon Brooks are on injured reserve and Raheem Blackshear is working through a chest injury. That leaves Mike Boone as the Hubbard's backup. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflCowboys RB Rico Dowdle could be in line for a big game against Carolina's 32nd-ranked run defenseMinor league pitchers Luis Moreno, Alejandro Crisostomo suspended after positive drug tests
gettyimagesbank By Lee Gyu-lee In Korea, Christmas has usually been a holiday for people to dine out, with restaurants rolling out holiday-exclusive meals just for the occasion. However, amid rising inflation and the ongoing political turmoil from the recent martial law fiasco, many decided to take the gatherings indoors for more economical and comfortable celebrations, cozying up with loved ones. Amy Kim, 32, decided to host a house party for Christmas this year, seeing it as an opportunity to share a selection of her favorite foods with her friends in a more cost-effective and convenient way, all within the comforts of her home. “I’m planning to celebrate Christmas this year with a party at my house. In that way, I can decorate the house however to my liking and put together all the food and drinks that I want to have at home,” she told The Korea Times. “Franchise bakeries’ Christmas cakes are on sale so I’m going to buy one of them and go to town on it, and for drinks, we’re going to open the bottles of liquor I’ve brought as souvenirs while traveling overseas.” With consumers seeking to plan home gatherings in time for Christmas and the year-end holidays, the food and retail industries are eager to cater to the changing trend. Dessert brand NUDAKE collaborated with K-pop star Jennie for special Christmas desserts. Captured from NUDAKE's Instagram Zigzag, one of the country's major online shopping platforms, reported a dramatic rise in Christmas party-related purchases last month, seeing an increase of 257 percent in sales compared to the previous year. Christmas tree sales jumped by 53 percent, while ornament purchases skyrocketed by almost 10 times, or around 924 percent. The platform has launched a special sale for Christmas party supplies, offering discounts up to 89 percent on Christmas home party-related items until Dec 25. Other e-commerce platforms like Naver and Coupang are also running holiday special campaigns, featuring sales on decorations from Christmas trees and lights to gourmet foods. “We’ve prepared various items to help customers complete their Christmas preparations and hope that through this, you can create warm memories with your family, friends and loved ones at the end of the year,” said Helen Yoon, the head of retail business at Coupang. Festive cakes take center stage Local bakeries and franchises are competing to win over consumers’ hearts with Christmas cakes. Local dessert cafe NUDAKE rolled out special Christmas desserts, in collaboration with K-pop star Jennie of BLACKPINK. The special lineup includes two types of cakes — Jennierubyjane, a white three-tiered cake layered with rose and berry cream, and Rouge Heel, a hazelnut chocolate layered cake designed to look like a red high heel — along with confections like the cookie Cameo, adorned with Jennie's image, and a panna cotta named Cotta. Starbucks Korea collaborated with the hotel chain Josun Hotels and Resorts to introduce the holiday special Josun Deli Noel Tree Cake, a 22-centimeter-high cake layered with ganache and black velvet sheets in the shape of a Christmas tree. Priced at 89,000 won ($63), it is the most expensive Christmas cake Starbucks has released, yet it garnered huge popularity, selling out just 13 minutes after opening for preorders last month. Paris Baguette released a variety of seasonal Christmas cakes. Courtesy of SPC Group Major bakery franchise chains Paris Baguette and Tous les Jours are showcasing Christmas-themed cakes as well, offering discounts on preorders. Under the theme “Wish you a Happy Holiday,” Paris Baguette has begun promotions on seasonal cakes, showcasing a fur hat-shaped Wish Cake and a white tree-shaped Wishing Tree Cake. Tous les Jours presented a Holiday Wish Candle cake, made with strawberry compote, and the fruit-flavored Christmas tree-themed Twinkle Mango Tree cake. Retail chains are also in the play with more affordable options for cakes under 10,000 won. GS25 partnered with local dessert brand AUFGLET and animation character brand Gaspard & Lisa to release mini cakes, priced at 7,500 won. Shinsegae Food collaborated with popular characters Maltese & Retriever to present a mini strawberry cream roll cake. Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas' Christmas meal Holiday To-go / Courtesy of Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas Gourmet options Culinary brands are offering holiday meal kits and takeout, targeting those spending Christmas within the comfort of their homes. Hotel chains like JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square and Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas have introduced special meals for takeout or delivery. Parnas released Holiday To-go, available through Dec. 31, providing one of three main dishes — turkey, pork rib or prime rib — with an assortment of 12 side dishes. Catering brand All Day Plating rolled out its Holiday Pack, a year-end limited edition of its boxed-catering meal, available until Jan. 31, comprised of chopped steak skewers, grilled sausages and smoked duck with pumpkin, adding a touch of the holiday mood with a colorful bocconcini salad. "Through the Holiday Pack, we've expanded choices by offering everything from sophisticated traditional cuisine to trendy items, with easily transportable and storable box packaging,” the company said. "We aim to help make the moments of spending time with precious people at year-end gatherings, sending off the current year and welcoming the New Year, even more special." Convenience store chains are opening alcohol stocks for holiday promotions, so consumers can keep the festive mood at house parties with CU and GS25 offering discounts on alcohol selections, including wine and hard liquor. Emart24 is holding a promotion throughout this month, offering up to 50 percent off on 26 different alcohol brands, under “Super Home Party Festa,” which also includes food products like frozen meal kits and snacks. gettyimagesbank Stress-free cleanup For those looking forward to hosting parties, but not so much the aftermath, cleaning service startups like Cleaning Lab and Miso offer assistance in dealing with preparing and cleaning up before and after the party. The platforms offer services for clients who need help with party preparations and cleanup with hourly rates as low as about 16,000 won, depending on the hours of service. Kim, who has previously used Miso from time to time, shared she is definitely planning on using the service for this year’s holiday party. “Usually after parties, I don’t know where to start with cleaning the mess. So I’m planning to leave it to the professionals’ hands to take care of the cleaning and just enjoy the party,” she said.SACRAMENTO – The Sacramento Kings have fired coach Mike Brown less than halfway through his third season with the team mired in a five-game losing streak, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the firing hadn’t been announced by the team. ESPN first reported the firing. Related Story: Brown’s Successful First Season Brown won NBA Coach of the Year in his first season in 2022-23, when he helped Sacramento end the longest playoff drought in NBA history at 16 seasons. But Sacramento lost in the play-in tournament last year and was off to a 13-18 start this season, leading to the move to fire Brown about six months after he agreed to a contract extension through the 2026-27 season. Related Story: Kings’ Struggles This Season The Kings have lost an NBA-worst nine games this season after leading in the fourth quarter with the worst one coming in Brown’s final game as coach Thursday night against Detroit. Sacramento led by 10 points with less than three minutes to play only to collapse down the stretch. Jaden Ivey converted a four-point play with 3 seconds left when he made a 3-pointer in the right corner and was fouled by De’Aaron Fox. That gave the Pistons a 114-113 win, leaving the Kings in 12th place in the Western Conference. Related Story: Brown’s Coaching Record Brown has a 107-88 record in two-plus seasons in Sacramento with a winning record in both of his full seasons. Rick Adelman is the only other coach to post a winning record in a full season since the Kings moved to Sacramento Brown previously had two stints as coach in Cleveland and spent one-plus season as Lakers coach. He has a 455-304 record and has made the playoffs in seven of his nine full seasons. He won Coach of the Year twice, also getting the award in Cleveland in 2008-09.
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Dallas (5-8) at Carolina (3-10) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, FOX. BetMGM Odds: Panthers by 3. Against the spread: Cowboys 4-9, Panthers 6-7. Series record: Cowboys lead 11-3. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Panthers 33-10 on Nov. 19, 2023 in Carolina. Last week: Cowboys lost to Bengals 27-20; Panthers lost to Eagles 22-16. Cowboys offense: overall (20), rush (28), pass (11), scoring (21) Cowboys defense: overall (25), rush (30), pass (22), scoring (31) Panthers offense: overall (30), rush (22), pass (27), scoring (28) Panthers defense: overall (31), rush (32), pass (12), scoring (32) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-8; Panthers minus-5. Panthers edge rusher Micah Parsons vs. Panthers offensive line. Parsons seems to be getting better as the season progresses and will be a tough matchup for Carolina's offensive line regardless of where he lines up. Parsons has 3 1/2 sacks over his past three games. WR Adam Thielen. The veteran wide receiver was Bryce Young's favorite option last season and is finally developing into that again this season after battling back from a hamstring injury that left him on injured reserve. Thielen has 17 catches on 21 targets for 201 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. When the Panthers need a first down on fourth down, the pass is almost always going to Thielen. Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle vs. NFL's worst run defense. Dowdle has had the first two 100-yard outings of his career the past two weeks, resetting his career best both times. The undrafted fifth-year player on an expiring contract had 131 yards in the loss to the Bengals. Since taking over as the lead back at the start of November, Dowdle is averaging 16 carries and 81 yards with a touchdown rushing and another receiving. On Sunday, he will face the league’s 32nd-ranked run defense. Carolina allowed Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley to run for 124 yards last week and Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving to run for a career-high 152 yards the week before that. The Panthers are allowing more than 170 yards per game on the ground and 4.97 yards per carry. Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown was set for season-ending surgery on the right knee he injured in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Bengals. The second-year player from Texas missed all of his rookie season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in a preseason game. ... DE DeMarcus Lawrence, who hasn’t played since Week 4, is close to returning from a foot injury. With the playoff hopes all but gone, the question remains whether to press the 32-year-old into action. Lawrence is on an expiring contract. ... Rookie C Cooper Beebe sustained a concussion against Cincinnati.. ... The Panthers are hoping to get WR Jalen Coker back on the field this week after he has missed the past three games with a quad injury. ... Also, No. 1 CB Jaycee Horn has been playing with a groin injury, and that could be problematic against CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys are 7-2 against the Panthers since losing a wild-card game at Carolina 29-10 during the 2003 season, the first of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells’ four years leading Dallas. The Cowboys are 4-2 on the road this season, including victories over playoff contenders Pittsburgh and Washington. ... QB Cooper Rush is 2-3 filling in for Dak Prescott, who is out for the season after surgery for a torn hamstring. Assuming Rush starts, this will be his longest stint as Prescott’s replacement. He went 4-1 in 2022 after Prescott broke the thumb on his throwing hand in the opener. ... Dowdle’s 7.3-yard average per carry on 18 attempts against the Bengals was the highest for a Dallas back since Ezekiel Elliott averaged 7.9 per carry at Philadelphia in 2018. ... WR CeeDee Lamb has just one 100-yard receiving game this season after finishing with eight in his breakout 2023 All-Pro season. But Lamb has five other games with at least 89 yards. He has reached 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first five seasons, the fifth receiver to do that. ... S Malik Hooker’s interception of Joe Burrow was his second of the season. He has seven interceptions in his four Dallas seasons. He also had seven in four years with Indianapolis, where he spent four injury-filled years as a 2017 first-round draft pick. ... The Panthers have endured six straight seasons with at least 10 losses. ... Carolina’s past five games have come down to the last possession. ... Panthers 1,000-yard RB Chuba Hubbard needs one rushing touchdown to pass Stephen Davis for fifth in team history. He is also 9 rushing yards away from reaching 3,000 for his career. ... Rookie WR Xavier Legette had three drops last week vs. the Eagles, including one for a potential go-ahead score in the final minute. ... OLB Jadeveon Clowney is tied for 11th in sacks among active NFL players. ... The Panthers have 15 sacks in the past four games. Carolina’s improved pass rush has coincided with OLB D.J. Wonnum getting on the field after missing the first nine games of the season on injured reserve. Chuba Hubbard is expected to see the overwhelming majority of carries for the Panthers, who are now thin at the position. Miles Sanders and Jonathon Brooks are on injured reserve and Raheem Blackshear is working through a chest injury. That leaves Mike Boone as the Hubbard's backup. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
The Government will block new incinerators if they do not help meet environmental objectives under rules unveiled on Monday. Developers will have to show that their project either helps reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste going to landfill, or replaces an older, less efficient incinerator. The move forms part of the Government’s drive to increase recycling rates, which have held at about 45% of household waste since 2015. Environment minister Mary Creagh said: “For far too long, the nation has seen its recycling rates stagnate and relied on burning household waste, rather than supporting communities to keep resources in use for longer. “That ends today, with clear conditions for new energy from waste plants – they must be efficient and support net zero and our economic growth mission, before they can get the backing needed to be built.” Developers will also have to ensure their incinerators are ready for carbon capture technology, and demonstrate how the heat they produce can be used to help cut heating bills for households. The Government expects that its “crackdown” on new incinerators will mean only a limited number are built, while still reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and enabling the country to process the waste it produces. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the country was almost at the point where it had enough waste facilities to handle non-recyclable rubbish, and so had limited need for new incinerators. But the proposals stop short of the plans included in the Conservatives’ 2024 manifesto, which committed to a complete ban on new incinerators due to their “impact on local communities” and declining demand as recycling increased.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Even after leaving Cleveland, Carlos Santana remained a fan favorite and was warmly welcomed back as a visitor. He's home again. Santana signed a one-year, $12 million contract and returned Monday for his third stint with the Guardians, who have an opening at first base after the AL Central champions traded Josh Naylor to Arizona on Saturday. Santana can earn an additional $1.2 million in bonuses for plate appearances: $200,000 for 500 and each additional 25 through 650. The 38-year-old Santana spent last season with Minnesota, batting .238 with 23 homers and 71 RBIs in 150 games. He also won his first Gold Glove, becoming the oldest position player to win the honor for the first time. Santana previously was with Cleveland from 2010-17. He returned in 2019, made his first All-Star team and spent two seasons with the club before signing as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals. The switch-hitter is second in club history in walks (881), tied for sixth in homers (216) and is eighth in extra-base hits (503). Over 15 major league seasons, Santana has 324 homers and 1,082 RBIs in 2,080 games. Santana has been remarkably consistent, driving in at least 60 runs and playing a minimum of 130 games in each of his 13 full seasons. He also has played for Philadelphia, Seattle, Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. The well-respected Santana will be Cleveland's primary first baseman in 2025 after the Guardians sent Naylor to the Diamondbacks for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a competitive balance draft pick. The Guardians have other options at first base, including Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel. But there's no need to rush those players with Santana around, and it's entirely possible he could be signed beyond 2025. With the Naylor deal, the Guardians have completely overhauled the right side of their infield this winter. Cleveland previously traded Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez to Toronto as part of a three-team swap with Pittsburgh. It feels somewhat risky — and maybe unnecessary — for an established team, but president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti was quick to point out that both Naylor and Giménez arrived in Cleveland via trades. “Very difficult trades,” he said. "In terms of how we have to operate moving forward, there are times when we have to make difficult decisions involving very good players, but our goal continues to be how do we find a way to field competitive teams both in the near term and long term and that sometimes necessitates difficult decisions. “To be clear, our goal in 2025 is to try to find a way to win the American League Central.” AP MLB: https://apnews.com Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
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Tennessee (3-12) at Jacksonville (3-12) Sunday, 1 p.m., CBS. BetMGM NFL Odds: Jaguars by 1. Against the spread: Titans 2-13; Jacksonville 7-7-1. Series record: Titans lead 35-25. Last meeting: Jaguars beat the Titans 10-6 in Nashville on Dec. 8. Last week: Titans lost 38-30 at Indianapolis; Jaguars lost 19-14 at Las Vegas. Titans offense: overall (27), rush (21), pass (26), scoring (T25). Titans defense: overall (5), rush (23), pass (1), scoring (31). Jaguars offense: overall (26), rush (26), pass (21), scoring (28). Jaguars defense: overall (32), rush (20), pass (32), scoring (29). Turnover differential: Titans minus-15; Jaguars minus-15. Despite three interceptions last week, the Titans are sticking with QB Mason Rudolph in hopes he will show some improvement as coach Brian Callahan wraps up his first season after being hired specifically for his history with quarterbacks. Rudolph led Tennessee to 23 consecutive points against the Colts — the team's second straight scoring flurry under the veteran — before running out of time. Brian Thomas Jr. now holds every franchise rookie receiving record and is one of Jacksonville's few bright spots in 2024. He's been targeted 49 times the past four games, with fellow receivers Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis out for the season. He has 73 catches for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns. The Titans know Jacksonville will try to run on them early and often after they gave up 335 yards rushing last week to the Colts. It's the most in an NFL game this season and the most for the former AFL franchise since 1961. Tennessee held the Jaguars to 26 yards rushing in their previous meeting. The Titans placed starting LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (wrist) on injured reserve Wednesday. ... K Nick Folk will miss a second straight game with an abdominal injury. That means Matthew Wright, signed Thursday to the practice squad, will be elevated and kick. ... Starting RG Dillon Radunz (shoulder) is out with Daniel Brunskill expected to replace him in the lineup with Corey Levin at C. ... Starting S Amani Hooker (shoulder) is questionable after not practicing all week. ... The Titans should have starting LB Luke Gifford back from the concussion that sidelined him last week. ... The Jaguars will be without LT Walker Little (ankle) for the rest of the season. Cole Van Lanen will start in his place. ... S Darnell Savage (concussion) remains in the league's protocol, thrusting veteran Andrew Wingard into the starting lineup. ... LB Ventrell Miller (ankle) also is out. ... Jacksonville added LB Yasir Abdullah to the injury report Friday as questionable with an illness. This is the second game between these teams in a four-week span. The Jaguars are trying to sweep the season series for the second time in three seasons. They also have won four of the past five between these teams. The Titans won the 2023 regular-season finale in coach Mike Vrabel's last game before he was fired two days later. The Titans can finish with a .500 record inside the AFC South if they win their final two games. ... The Titans have scored TDs on seven straight trips inside the opponent's 20 over the past two games. ... The Titans have had at least one interception in five straight games. S Amani Hooker set a career high with his fifth of the season last week, which leads Tennessee. ... Folk has made an NFL-record 85 consecutive field goals on attempts from less than 40 yards. Folk also has 403 field goals, putting him 14th in NFL history. ... The Jaguars are 2-9 in one-score games. ... Thomas is the first rookie in franchise history and the 25th in league history to top 1,000 yards receiving. He needs seven receptions to become the seventh player in team history with at least 80 catches in a season. ... DE Josh Hines-Allen needs 3 1/2 sacks to set the franchise record held by Tony Brackens (55). ... DE Travon Walker needs one sack to move into the top 10 in franchise history. ... RB Travis Etienne needs 21 yards rushing to pass Leonard Fournette (2,631) for fourth in franchise history. ... PK Cam Little needs 14 points to break Fred Taylor's franchise record (102) for most by a rookie. Titans WR Calvin Ridley returns to Jacksonville for the first time since playing for the Jaguars in 2023. Ridley caught seven passes for 59 yards in the teams' first meeting. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl