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By LOLITA C. BALDOR and MATTHEW LEE WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Related Articles National News | Bird flu virus likely mutated within a Louisiana patient, CDC says National News | A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says National News | Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case National News | US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people National News | Most Americans blame insurance profits and denials alongside the killer in UHC CEO death, poll finds Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin . Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion. Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate. One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about . Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion. Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate. One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.
DAVID Beckham paid a secret visit to Man United’s beloved receptionist Kath Phipps before she died. He was among a host of club legends to pay heartfelt tribute to Kath, 85 — an Old Trafford employee for 56 years. Alongside a photo of them holding hands, Becks, 49, wrote : “I moved up to Manchester at 15 and Kath made a promise to my mum and dad, ‘I’ll look after your boy for you, don’t you worry’. “And from that first day till the last day I spent with her, that’s exactly what she did.” Becks added on Instagram: “Old Trafford will never be the same without your smile as we walk through those doors. We love you.” Becks travelled to her home two weeks before she passed away. READ MORE DAVID BECKHAM A source told The Sun: “David made it his mission to go to see Kath at home. “It was an incredibly emotional moment.” In Netflix series Beckham, she said she found bullets in letters sent to him after his 1998 World Cup red card. After Kath’s death was announced on Thursday, ex-Old Trafford star Wayne Rooney called her the club’s “heart and soul” while his team-mate Rio Ferdinand said she was “incredibly selfless”. Most read in Football United fan Kath started out as a switchboard operator for the club in the 1960s. Latterly, she was receptionist at the Carrington training complex. She said last year: “I don’t think I’ve had one cross word with anybody in all the years I’ve been here. "I look forward to coming in and having a smile on my face every day.”
DES MOINES — Secretary of State Paul Pate and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today announced a lawsuit against Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), demanding that the Biden-Harris Administration hand over information about known noncitizens on Iowa’s voter rolls. The Biden-Harris Administration’s USCIS has refused the State’s repeated requests for information on the hundreds of noncitizens confirmed on Iowa’s voter rolls. USCIS’s failure meant that the State had to rely on the best—imperfect—data it had available to ensure that no Iowan’s vote was canceled by an illegal, noncitizen vote. The State was then sued, due to the Biden-Harris Administration’s failure, right before election day. Senators Grassley and Ernst also called for the election integrity data that the federal government continues to withhold from Iowans. “I am suing for the Biden-Harris Administration to finally release the election integrity data that it has been hiding from Iowa,” said Attorney General Bird. “The Biden-Harris Administration knows who the hundreds of noncitizens are on our voter rolls and has repeatedly refused to tell us who they are. But the law is clear: voters must be American citizens. Together, with the Secretary of State, we will fight to maintain safe and secure elections that Iowans can count on.” The lawsuit demands that the Biden-Harris Administration follow the law and give Iowa access to data on identified noncitizens on the State’s voter rolls. “The role of Iowa Secretary of State requires balance between participation and integrity. We have identified solutions that will allow us to verify voter eligibility at registration – not at the time of voting,” said Secretary Pate. “The combination of access to the SAVE list, citizenship verification already completed by USCIS, and the ability to verify using social security numbers will not only make processes more efficient but will also provide another important tool in our toolbox to safeguard our elections process.”
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Poland’s GDP is set to expand further in 2025 , cementing its position as the European Union’s (EU) fastest-growing economy. Polish economic growth is projected at 3.7% next year, supported by private consumption and investments , European Commission (EC) data showed. This expectation expands a strong rebound from 0.2% in 2023 to just over 3% in 2024, according to the forecast on November 15. A strong financial sector, paired with tight labor markets, has also resulted in significant wage growth, driving increased consumer spending. “Poland is one of the great economic growth success stories in the world over the last 30 years,” Geoff Gottlieb, IMF senior regional representative for Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, said . Poland's GDP outperforms the EU and Germany, Europe's largest economy. The EC expects the EU GDP to grow by a mere 0.8% this year and 1.5% in 2025. German GDP will contract by 0.1% in 2024 from a 0.1% expansion previously, the second consecutive year of negative growth, the EC said. Consumption-Led Recovery is Driving Poland's GDP The IMF staff wrote in a report published on October 17 that "a consumption-led recovery is underway" in Poland. It added that the "outlook is further supported by recently unlocked NextGen EU Funds (NGEU)." NextGen EU is a financial package allocated to Poland from the EU’s “NextGenerationEU” recovery plan to help member states recover economically from the COVID-19 pandemic. The package funds investments in green energy, digitalization, and social cohesion. In the second quarter of 2024, Poland recorded the EU's largest GDP growth at +1.5%. Investment Key Driver of Poland's GDP Growth Poland's corporate sector wages increased by 10.2% year-on-year (YoY) to $2,042 (PLN 8,316.57) in October 2024, following a 10.3% growth in the previous month and beating market expectations of a 10.1% increase. The average business employment decreased by 0.5% YoY in October, the same as in September. Despite this setback, Poland’s labor market remains solid, with unemployment remaining near record lows. In 2025, EU-funded public investment is also forecasted to be a key driver of Poland's GDP growth. In February, the EU unblocked around $147 billion (PLN 600 billion) for Poland from the Cohesion Policy and the National Recovery Plan. This is set to stimulate the Polish economy and boost investments. The funds will help accelerate the green and digital transformation in the economy, increasing energy security and the use of modern technologies. Poland GDP Growth Attracts Foreign Investments Poland's strong economic performance has attracted international investments. Microsoft Corp. opened in 2023 a $1 billion cloud region around Warsaw. It consists of three physical locations with one or more data centers. "Microsoft's investment in Poland will accelerate our country's transformation into a technology hub for the Central and Eastern European region," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said at the time. Microsoft has also launched an extensive AI training program in Poland, which aims to equip one million individuals with essential AI competencies by the end of 2025. "Poland found the perfect blend of East and West," Ole Lehmann, the founder of The AI Solopreneur, wrote on X . "They combined: Western innovation without the bureaucracy" and "Eastern work ethic & traditional values without authoritarianism." Challenges to Poland's GDP Growth Polish industrial production remained close to stagnant in Q3 (0.6%YoY growth after +0.8%YoY in 2Q24) while construction remained in a recession. A decline in domestic retail trade added further pressure on the economy. Poland, though, has little room for significant interest rate cuts next year, with wages and consumer prices buoying inflation and economic growth accelerating, the country's deputy central bank chief, Marta Kightley, said . Polish inflation eased in November to 4.6% YoY from 5% YoY in October. "The decline in inflation in November is a temporary phenomenon," ING wrote on November 29. "We project that it will rise in the first quarter of 2025, which will prevent the Monetary Policy Council from beginning its monetary easing cycle until then." This has significantly slowed real wage growth, which dropped from 8.5% YoY to 6.0%. Higher electricity and gas bills may limit resources available for other household expenditures. What Future Holds for Poland's GDP Despite recording the fastest GDP growth in the EU and a record-low unemployment rate, labor shortages paired with low fertility rates and an aging population could pose a future threat to the Polish economy. In the past 30 years, Poland's birth rate decreased by 40%, standing at 1.33 in 2024. While the total EU population increased in 2023, the population fell in 7 countries, Latvia (-5.9) and Poland (-3.6), recording some of the highest decreases. In response to labor market gaps and the need to attract foreign workers, Poland’s government announced its first comprehensive migration strategy in October, a step toward addressing demographic challenges. Many entrepreneurs are concerned that stricter immigration policies will make it harder to hire workers. Disclaimer : Any opinions expressed in this article are not to be considered investment advice and are solely those of the authors. European Capital Insights is not responsible for any financial decisions made based on the contents of this article. Readers may use this article for information and educational purposes only. This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Iowa moves on without injured quarterback Brendan Sullivan when the Hawkeyes visit Maryland for a Big Ten Conference contest on Saturday afternoon. Former starter Cade McNamara is not ready to return from a concussion, so Iowa (6-4, 4-3) turns to former walk-on and fourth-stringer Jackson Stratton to lead the offense in College Park, Md. "Confident that he'll do a great job," Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said of Stratton on his weekly radio show. "He stepped in, did a really nice job in our last ballgame. And he's got a good ability to throw the football, and he's learning every day. ... We'll go with him and see what we can do." Iowa had been on an upswing with Sullivan, who had sparked the Hawkeyes to convincing wins over Northwestern and Wisconsin before suffering an ankle injury in a 20-17 loss at UCLA on Nov. 8. Stratton came on in relief against the Bruins and completed 3 of 6 passes for 28 yards. Another storyline for Saturday is that Ferentz will be opposing his son, Brian Ferentz, an assistant at Maryland. Brian Ferentz was Iowa's offensive coordinator from 2017-23. "We've all got business to take care of on Saturday," Kirk Ferentz said. "I think his experience has been good and everything I know about it. As a parent, I'm glad he's with good people." Maryland (4-6, 1-6) needs a win to keep its hopes alive for a fourth straight bowl appearance under Mike Locksley. The Terrapins have dropped five of their last six games, all by at least 14 points, including a 31-17 loss at home to Rutgers last weekend. "It's been a challenging last few weeks to say the least," Locksley said. The challenge this week will be to stop Iowa running back Kaleb Johnson, who leads the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,328) and touchdowns (20), averaging 7.1 yards per carry. "With running backs, it's not always about speed. It's about power, vision and the ability to make something out of nothing," Locksley said. "This guy is a load and runs behind his pads." Maryland answers with quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who leads the Big Ten in passing yards per game (285.5) and completions (268). His top target is Tai Felton, who leads the conference in catches (86) and receiving yards (1,040). --Field Level Media
NoneEMMA PATON stole the show at Alexandra Palace as the World Darts Championship returned from its Christmas break. The Sky Sports presenter was front and centre of the pre-tournament advertising, including one hilarious "marriage proposal gone wrong" skit made by Paddy Power. 4 Emma Paton stunned fans in a black dress as the darts returned following a Christmas break Credit: Sky Sports 4 Fan-favourite Paton was back on presenting duties for Sky Sports Credit: Sky Sports 4 Paton was front and centre of pre-tournament advertising Credit: supplied 4 Paton began presenting for Sky Sports in 2019 Credit: Rex And her popularity among darts fans has certainly not diminished during the tournament. Paton , 30, was seen back on TV screens in a dazzling black dress which came with some glistening silver flowers. Taking to social media, fans were loving the look. One fan said: "Emma Paton. Deary me." READ MORE IN DARTS LUKE OUT Luke Littler apologises to World Darts Championship fan over 'frustration' SPARK OUT I was World finalist at 1,000-1 - now I'm electrician after crippling dartitis A second said: "Emma Paton back on the telly today happy days." A third added: "Looking absolutely gorgeous!!" Another said: "Is Emma Paton the best presenter on the old box atm??" Today's darts action has seen Damon Heta hit the tournament's second nine-darter en route to a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Luke Woodhouse. Most read in Darts FOOTIE SHOCK Footage emerges of Hibs star in vow about 'Jambo b*******' before derby win CHASE ARREST Fourth man nicked at airport over death of Scots mum who died after car chase TOUGH CALLS Former top refs issue strong verdicts on Celtic-Motherwell penalty flash points SNOW END Exact date snow storms to hit Scotland as weather map reveals Arctic freeze on way Follow all the action from the World Darts Championship as it happens with SunSport's LIVE blog Jonny Clayton and Stephen Bunting also won in their respective games against Daryl Gurney and Madars Razma. The evening session see Gerwyn Price taking on Joe Cullen, with Peter Wright and Luke Humphries both in action later as well. Emma Paton labelled a 'dream' by adoring fans as Sky Sports host stuns in leggy outfit at World Matchplay Darts final Paton made the move into presenting in 2019. In an exclusive interview with SunSport earlier this year, Paton revealed some of the difficulties of working in front of a raucous darts crowd. She said: "It is really loud. There are some occasions when it’s just a wall of noise. "There are times when I actually can’t hear what Wayne Mardle , Mark Webster or John Part are saying. I can’t even hear the director in my ear. "I just have to hope we are on the same page for running order and not too much has changed. Read more on the Scottish Sun SNOW WAY Weather maps show heavy snow for Scotland in DAYS – with -2C New Year’s chill NO CRIME Orange Order slam cops after Celtic activist was cleared over 'sectarian rants' "Working with Wayne has helped me, he is someone who has always backs me. He’s one of those people who wants people around him to succeed. "He’s like the Gary Neville of Sky Sports Darts. He’s so engaging and his analysis is second to none and his stories are ridiculous!" World Darts Championship - top stories READ MORE on all the build-up to the Ally Pally extravaganza... All the info: All the action as it happens in our LIVE BLOG Everything you need to know about the Ally Pally extravaganza How much prize money can be won? What is the format for the tournament? Who are the Sky Sports presenters and pundits ? News, features and interviews: Mardle to take step back after tragic death of wife Donna Emma Paton reveals rise as Queen of Darts MVG pays tribute to Wayne Mardle's wife Donna Watch Littler hit 180 as Bullseye makes return to TV Littler reveals why he broke down in tears Sosing diagnosed with serious and rare condition after falling ill at Alexandra Palace Barry from EastEnders entertains crowd with singing 'Weird Kettering lad' Ricky Evans wins one of the 'greatest games ever'
Luke DeCock: Where’s Bill? Belichick’s impending UNC arrival casts long shadow over Fenway Bowl.Sirikanya Tansakul, deputy leader of the People's Party (PP), criticised the government on social media for failing to clarify its position regarding reports of a proposed value-added tax ( VAT ) hike. On Saturday she was responding to Suksit Srijomkwan, the prime minister's deputy secretary-general for political affairs, who defended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra amid growing speculation about the VAT increase. Mr Suksit claimed the prime minister was working to dispel misunderstandings about the issue and accused Ms Sirikanya, whose party advocates for a welfare state, of obstructing tax reform. Ms Sirikanya countered in a post on X, saying she had appeared in multiple forums over the past week to discuss the VAT issue. Despite this, she was accused of hindering reforms. She acknowledged that VAT, a significant source of government revenue set at 7% since 1999 despite a legal ceiling of 10%, might require an increase. However, she argued any hike should be gradual, capped below 15%, and accompanied by measures to mitigate economic impacts. Prime Minister Paetongtarn, she said, failed to adequately address the issue when questioned by the media on Thursday. Instead, the prime minister posted on X the following day, asserting there were no plans to raise VAT to 15%. Earlier, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira faced backlash after proposing at a forum to increase VAT to 15% while simultaneously reducing corporate and personal income taxes to enhance state revenues, improve competitiveness, and reduce economic disparities. Ms Paetongtarn later dismissed the proposal, saying no such VAT adjustment was under consideration. Ms Sirikanya criticised the government's poor communication, warning that it undermines efforts to reform the tax structure. Separately, Charnnarong Buristrakul, chairman of the Khon Kaen Chamber of Commerce, said the government might consider raising VAT to address urgent issues such as flood rehabilitation. However, he cautioned that any increase should be limited to 10% due to the economy's vulnerability. Sirikanya Tansakul
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CHICAGO (AP) — When the Chicago Bears threatened to score in the closing minutes of a 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, fans expressed their feelings loud and clear. They weren’t cheering for a touchdown or field goal. They had something else in mind. “Sell the team!” they chanted. With their skid at 10 games, a season that started with playoff hopes can’t end soon enough for the Bears (4-12). They will wrap it up when they visit the rival Green Bay Packers on Jan. 5. “My job is to go out there and win games,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “And we don’t focus on the outside noise. The fans are going to cheer and maybe boo sometimes. And you can’t react to that. It’s not something that we react to.” Chicago is 14-36 in three seasons under general manager Ryan Poles and has two double-digit losing streaks. The Bears dropped their final 10 in 2022 when they were tanking as part of a franchise-record 14-game skid that stretched into last year. They’ve never lost more than 10 in a row in a single season. The slide was at six games when they fired former coach Matt Eberflus the day after a loss at Detroit on Thanksgiving, following a series of poor late-game decisions. They’re 0-4 under interim coach Thomas Brown, and they’ve been dominated by Green Bay in recent decades. RELATED COVERAGE SEC rushing leader Dylan Sampson of Tennessee declares for NFL draft Former NFL receiver DeSean Jackson hired as the football coach at Delaware State Eagles coach Sirianni says it’s ‘tough’ for Hurts to play against Dallas with head injury What’s working The defense. A defense that has gone from ranking seventh in yards per game through the first six weeks to 25th did its part against Seattle. The six points allowed were a season-low and the 265 yards the Bears gave up were their second-lowest. “As we know, our defense has a certain standard and we’ve showed it,” cornerback Kyler Gordon said. “So, obviously syncing a little bit. Just getting back on the guys to get back right. It’s just important to know what we can do and just go in there and execute.” What needs help Pass protection. Williams was sacked seven times, bringing his NFL-leading total and individual franchise record to 67. The Bears broke their previous mark of 66 sacks allowed in 2004, when they used four quarterbacks. Their issues on the offensive line are well-documented. And so is Williams’ tendency to hold onto the ball too long, resulting in unnecessary sacks. “There were miscues,” Williams said. “There were stupid sacks that I was taking, losing 10, 14 yards, which is frustrating. But I will say that I will definitely take the heat for this one just because (of) some of the situations that I put us in.” Stock up DE Montez Sweat. The Bears gave up 53 yards rushing on Seattle’s game-opening field-goal drive. But the line performed better after that. Sweat picked up his first sack since Week 12 against Minnesota on the first play of Seattle’s second possession, when he took down Geno Smith for an 8-yard loss. Though he’s only missed one game, Sweat has been slowed by ankle and shin injuries. His 5 1/2 sacks are a big drop from last season, when he had a combined 12 1/2 for Washington and Chicago while becoming the first NFL player to lead two teams in the same season. Stock down Williams. Coming off a promising outing against NFC leader Detroit that followed some shaky outings, Williams had a rough night. The No. 1 overall draft pick completed 16 of 28 passes for 122 yards — not much more than his low of 93 in a Week 1 win over Tennessee — after throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions. The seven sacks for 46 yards both matched his second-highest totals. Injuries The Bears reported no injuries during the game. Key number 5 — The Bears once again had trouble sustaining drives, converting just 5 of 15 third downs and punting on seven of their 10 possessions. They tied a season low with 11 first downs and managed 179 yards. Chicago owns the NFL’s second-worst third-down conversion rate at 31.8% and is averaging a league-worst 287.3 yards per game. Next steps The Bears have lost 11 straight against the Packers — the longest streak by either team in the storied rivalry — and 26 of 29 counting the playoffs. They’ve dropped eight in a row at Lambeau Field since a win in 2015. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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