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DNIPRO, Ukraine: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the conflict in Ukraine had characteristics of a "global" war and did not rule out strikes on Western countries. The Kremlin strongman spoke out after a day of frayed nerves, with Russia test-firing a new generation intermediate-range missile at Ukraine - which Putin hinted was capable of unleashing a nuclear payload. Ukraine had earlier on Thursday accused Russia of firing an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the first time in history at the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, while the UN Secretary-General branded the new missile's use "worrying". Ukraine's key backer the United States played down suggestions that Russia had launched an ICBM, echoing Putin's description of the "experimental" weapon. Yet while stopping short of calling it "intercontinental", Britain warned the weapon had "a range of several thousand kilometres" - enough to make good on Putin's threat of striking the West. In a defiant address to the nation, Russia's president railed at Ukraine's allies granting permission for Kyiv to use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets on Russian territory, warning of retaliation. In recent days Ukraine has fired US and UK-supplied missiles at Russian territory for the first time, escalating already sky-high tensions in the brutal nearly three-year-long conflict. "We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities," Putin said. He said the US-sent Army Tactical Missile System and British Storm Shadow payloads were shot down by Moscow's air defences, adding: "The goals that the enemy obviously set were not achieved". Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov did however say Russia was doing everything to avoid a nuclear conflict, having updated its nuclear doctrine this week. The Ukrainian air force said Moscow had launched the missile as part of a barrage towards Dnipro, where local authorities said an infrastructure facility was hit and two civilians were wounded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said experts were examining evidence before confirming an intercontinental ballistic missile had been fired by "our crazy neighbour". He said that the attack bore "all the characteristics" of an ICBM attack and accused the Kremlin of "using Ukraine as a testing ground". Putin said that Russia had carried out "testing in combat conditions of one of the newest Russian mid-range missile systems... Our engineers named it 'Oreshnik'," meaning "Hazel". The attack on Dnipro comes just days after several foreign embassies shuttered temporarily in the Ukrainian capital, citing the threat of a large-scale strike. "It is another example of reckless behaviour from Russia, which only serves to strengthen our resolve in terms of standing by Ukraine for as long as it takes," a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters. The spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Stephane Dujarric, said the new missile's deployment was "another concerning and worrying development," warning the war was "going in the wrong direction". Yet a US official played down the threat, saying on condition of anonymity that the missile used was not an ICBM but an "experimental medium-range ballistic missile" - seemingly confirmed by Putin's address. Russia "likely possesses only a handful of these", the official added. Ukraine's air force said it had downed missiles launched on the industrial city, without elaborating on whether the new missile was among those downed. The head of the Dnipropetrovsk region where the city of Dnipro is located said the Russian aerial bombardment damaged a rehabilitation centre and several homes, as well as an industrial enterprise. "Two people were wounded - a 57-year-old man was treated on the scene and a 42-year-old woman was hospitalised," said the official, Sergiy Lysak. Fabian Hoffmann, a research fellow at the University of Oslo, who specialises in missile technology, said Russia had nothing to gain militarily by using an ICBM in such an attack. "This is all about the political effect. This is not about the military value," Hoffmann told AFP. Russia and Ukraine have escalated their use of long-range missiles in recent days since Washington gave Kyiv permission to use its ATACMS against military targets inside Russia - a long-standing Ukrainian request. British media meanwhile reported on Wednesday that Kyiv had launched UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles at targets in Russia after being given the green light from London. Russia's envoy to London on Thursday said that meant Britain was "now directly involved" in the Ukraine war, with Andrei Kelin telling Sky News "this firing cannot happen" without UK and NATO support. The defence ministry in Moscow said Thursday its air-defence systems had downed two Storm Shadows, without saying whether they had come down on Russian territory or in occupied Ukraine. The missile escalation is coming at a critical moment on the ground for Ukraine, as its defences buckle under Russian pressure across the sprawling front line. Russia claimed deeper advances in the war-battered Donetsk region, announcing on Thursday that its forces had captured another village close to Kurakhove, closing in on the town after months of steady advances. Moscow's defence ministry said Russian forces had taken the small village of Dalne, five kilometres (three miles) south of Kurakhove. Lysak, the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said that 26 people had been wounded in another strike on the town of Kryvyi Rig, where Zelensky was born.Article content As 2024 fades into the history books, now’s a good time to take stock of our government so we can look forward to a new year that brings change and stability. The dying days of the old year brought chaos to Parliament Hill, caused by the resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and procedural wrangling over the government’s refusal to hand over documents related to a green slush fund. Sustainable Development Technology Canada was supposed to help innovative environmental companies. About $400 million was handed out in questionable grants and when MPs asked to see documentation for who received the money, the Liberals balked. House Speaker Greg Fergus has said no other business can proceed until the Liberals produce the documents, so Parliament has ground to a halt. This shows a shocking disregard for parliamentary privilege; MPs have the right to ask for and get vital documents such as this. It shows an unmitigated arrogance on the part of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that he won’t cough them up. It is, however, consistent with Trudeau’s track record. He shows disdain for Opposition politicians and the people they represent. Those who cross him — be it his former attorney-general Jody Wilson-Raybould or Freeland — are summarily fired. In Freeland’s case, her resignation letter threw the government into even more turmoil. Trudeau has stumbled from one scandal to another — yet he hangs tough. In 2017, then-ethics commissioner Mary Dawson found he’d breached the rules in connection to a 2016 vacation trip to the Aga Khan’s private island. In 2020, his government was probed over almost $1 billion in controversial contracts to family friends in the WE charity. The ethics commissioner ruled Trudeau hadn’t breached conflict of interest rules, but his then-finance minister, Bill Morneau, had put himself in a position of conflict of interest. Morneau later quit politics. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Then there’s ArriveCAN, where about $54 million was spent on an app that should have cost a fraction of that and which only 4% of travellers now use. After each gaffe, Trudeau says he’ll do better. He doesn’t. He rolls along to the next embarrassing gaffe. We’re told he’s contemplating his future over the holidays. He shouldn’t have to. His party should give him the boot before he can do more damage.golden empire jili tricks 。

No. 9 SMU aims to improve playoff odds vs. Cal

Ange Postecoglou was furious with Timo Werner’s performance for Tottenham against Rangers, slamming the forward’s display before being hooked at half-time as ‘unacceptable’. Werner struggled to get into the game in the first half. His performance was epitomised by a loose touch which ran out for a throw-in, ruining a promising Spurs attack. Postecoglou wanted far more from the Germany international, who he said should have been setting a standard in a team which included teenager Archie Gray. The livid Australian said he expects more from a player of Werner's calibre. "He wasn't playing anywhere near the levels he can. When you've got 18-year-olds, it's not acceptable to me. I told him that. He's a senior international, a German international," Postecoglou said after the 1-1 draw in Glasgow. "In the moment we're in now, I need everyone to be at least going out there and giving the best they can. What he produced wasn't acceptable. When I'm asking the younger players to do massive jobs, I expect more from the senior players like him." Werner was replaced by Dejan Kulusevski at half-time with the score goalless. Hamza Igamane's excellent finish put Rangers ahead two minutes into the second half, as Postecoglou stood on the brink of another horror defeat. However, Kulusevski equalised with 15 minutes remaining. Spurs and Rangers both have 11 points from their opening six matches, with the Scottish Premiership side a place above Ibrox's visitors. Rangers occupy the final automatical qualification spot for the knockout rounds. Former Celtic boss Postecoglou reflected to TNT Sports: "They're always difficult to play against here at Ibrox, especially on European nights. "The nature of the contest, the atmosphere, not many teams come here and win so you kind of expect it to be a tough game. "We weren’t anywhere near our best which I think is fair to say and at the same time, we’re in a period of games where we’re grinding through at the moment. Obviously [we are playing] with a fairly depleted squad. So, in the context of that, in the end, I think it was a good outcome for us." Spurs face Hoffenheim and Elfsborg in their final two European league phase fixtures. Rangers - who have a crunch League Cup final showdown with Celtic this weekend - have Manchester United and Union Saint-Gilloise. Postecoglou has faced pressure over Spurs' results this season. The north Londoners are 11th in the Premier League and collapsed in their 4-3 defeat against Chelsea last weekend, having led 2-0 in the first half.

The King is scheduled to attend the show at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday which will see Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish present a musical number from their new show The Devil Wears Prada – based on the 2006 Oscar-nominated film. Cast members Vanessa Williams, who plays Miranda Priestly, and Matt Henry, who stars as art director Nigel, were among those posing on the red carpet ahead of the performance which showcases an original score by Sir Elton. The variety show will also see debuts from British singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor with her hit track Murder On The Dancefloor while Eurovision winner Nemo is also featured on the bill. Also posing on the carpet were US magicians and comedy duo Penn and Teller, whose performance marks their 50th anniversary. Comedy will come from Ted Lasso star Ellie Taylor, writer and comic Scott Bennett, Scottish comedian Larry Dean and political comic Matt Forde – who posed on the red carpet with a crutch after undergoing surgery for cancer on his spine. Among the arrivals was TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, who will make an appearance in this year’s show with her Change And Check Choir led by Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow. The choir, made up of women from across the UK who detected their breast cancer through Kelly’s campaign, will perform Love Is All Around, which is being re-released to raise awareness of breast cancer early detection. It comes hours after Camilla insisted the “show must go on” after pulling out of attending the performance on Friday evening as doctors advised that she should prioritise rest. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest. “With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.” A royal source said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on'”. “She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon,” the source added. The Royal Variety Performance will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player in December. Money raised from the show will go to help people from the world of entertainment in need of care and assistance, with the Royal Variety Charity launching an initiative to help those with mental health issues this year.

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No. 9 SMU aims to improve playoff odds vs. Cal

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By Amanda Hernández, Stateline.org (TNS) The outcomes of seven ballot measures in Arizona, California and Colorado reflect the stricter approach to crime that’s been seen across much of the country recently, with voters and policymakers driven by concerns over rising retail theft, homelessness, fentanyl misuse and challenges in police recruitment and retention. Voters have decided in recent years that they prefer to adopt progressive changes to the criminal justice system “somewhat less aggressively,” said Dan Schnur, a former Republican strategist and a political communications professor at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Berkeley. “Voters are always course correctors. They’re always adjusting and readjusting, trying to calibrate policy exactly the way they want it,” Schnur said. “It’s not uncommon for them to try to pull back on a reform effort that they think might be going too far.” This year, local and state leaders in blue and red states — including California, Georgia, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont — shifted away from more liberal initiatives aimed at reining in police powers and reimagining criminal legal systems. They have instead embraced harsher penalties for offenses such as retail theft and possession or distribution of certain hard drugs, added more felony and misdemeanor offenses requiring cash bail, and moved to prohibit local governments from altering police traffic stop policies. Then this month, voters in Arizona, California and Colorado overwhelmingly backed ballot measures to increase prison time for certain crimes, revoke bail for others and crack down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. While national crime data is notoriously difficult to track and understand, violent crime and property crime across the United States decreased in 2023, continuing a downward trend since the higher crime rates of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the FBI’s latest national crime report. Still, some individual cities and neighborhoods might be seeing higher crime rates, which could explain Americans’ views on the issue. Opinions on crime in the United States have improved over the past year, according to Gallup’s annual crime survey . Fewer people compared with last year believe national crime has increased or consider crime an “extremely” or “very” serious problem — but a majority of U.S. adults, 56%, still do. Perceptions are heavily influenced by political affiliation, the survey showed. While 60% of Democrats believe crime has gone down over the past year, 90% of Republicans think it has increased. In California, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 36, a measure that increases penalties for specific drug-related and theft crimes and that also reclassifies certain drug offenses as “treatment-mandated felonies.” This reclassification will allow judges to impose mental health or drug treatment requirements. Those who complete treatment would have their charges dismissed, while those who fail to meet the requirements could face up to three years in prison. “It’s not the hope or the intention to send a bunch of people to jail or prison who are using drugs. The goal is to incentivize people to engage in treatment again,” said Yolo County District Attorney Jeff Reisig, one of the measure’s authors, in an interview with Stateline. The measure aims to address issues such as retail theft, homelessness, substance use disorders and fentanyl distribution, Reisig said. Under the new law, people convicted of theft at least twice may face felony charges on their third offense, regardless of the stolen item’s value. Additionally, those caught distributing fentanyl while armed with a loaded firearm will now face felony charges and up to four years in prison. Previously, possessing fentanyl and a loaded firearm was punishable by up to one year in jail. “Our strong belief is that this will send a deterrent message to others that there are consequences again,” Reisig said. The measure also received substantial support from law enforcement agencies across the state, although it remains unclear how departments might adjust their enforcement policies. Still, Reisig said, the measure will provide law enforcement with “some real, meaningful tools” to address specific crimes. “With options for increased sentencing and mandated treatment, Prop. 36 could provide tools to address repeat offenses more effectively,” Sacramento Police spokesperson Sgt. Dan Wiseman wrote in an email to Stateline. Proposition 36 partially reverses some changes made in 2014 by another ballot measure, Proposition 47, that reduced certain theft and drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors to address prison overcrowding. But Reisig said that this is not a complete rollback. “It was drafted to be more down the middle and just kind of bring the pendulum back to center mass,” he said. “We’re not reinventing the wheel. We’re just bringing back something that had proven success, and I think all of California is going to benefit.” But some Democrats and criminal justice advocacy groups have argued that the measure could reintroduce drug war policies and result in longer prison sentences. California voters also rejected Proposition 6 by a close margin, 53%-47%. The measure would have amended the state constitution to prohibit forcing inmates into labor as punishment. The proposal originated from a state task force examining whether California should provide reparations to Black residents. In contrast, voters in more conservative states such as Alabama and Tennessee have approved measures in recent elections to abolish involuntary servitude in their prisons. In a similar effort, Nevada voters this year approved a measure repealing constitutional language that permitted slavery and involuntary servitude as forms of criminal punishment. Schnur said Proposition 6 could have been rejected in part because California voters might have carried anti-criminal sentiment over from one ballot measure to the other. “Because Prop 36 passed by such a large margin, it’s entirely possible that many voters were already thinking in a more restrictive way about criminal justice policy, and those feelings may have moved over into their vote against Prop 6,” Schnur said. In Colorado, voters overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment put on the ballot by the state legislature that makes first-degree murder suspects ineligible for bail if prosecutors can demonstrate a strong enough case. Previously, the state constitution allowed only people charged with “capital offenses” to be denied bail. This change restores bail policies that were in place before Colorado repealed the death penalty in 2020. Voters also backed a pair of measures placed on the ballot through a signature-gathering campaign led by Advance Colorado, a conservative political group. One measure requires people convicted of certain violent crimes, including second-degree murder, aggravated robbery and sexual assault, to serve at least 85% of their sentence — up from the previous 75% — before becoming eligible for parole. The other ballot measure directs the legislature to allocate $350 million from the state’s general fund to help local law enforcement agencies hire additional officers, provide training and bonus pay, and establish a $1 million death benefit for the families of first responders — including police, firefighters and EMTs — killed in the line of duty. The approval of that measure could deepen Colorado’s $1 billion budget deficit , though the financial impact will depend on how quickly lawmakers implement the program. Since the measure does not specify a timeline, legislators may choose to allocate the funds gradually rather than all at once in the next budget year, according to Kristi Burton Brown, Advance Colorado’s executive vice president. Arizona voters overwhelmingly passed two criminal justice measures this year: One mandates life imprisonment for people convicted of child sex trafficking; the other goes after both illegal immigration and the sale of fentanyl not made in the United States. Proposition 314 grants law enforcement the authority to arrest noncitizens who do not have legal authorization to enter or live in the United States. The law specifically targets people attempting to enter or who have entered Arizona outside official ports of entry. This measure expands police powers to address illegal immigration at the state level. Under Proposition 314, unauthorized entry into Arizona will become a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense and a felony for subsequent offenses. The measure also allows state judges to order deportations. However, portions of the law cannot take effect until a court — likely the U.S. Supreme Court — rules on the constitutionality of a similar law in Texas. If the Texas law is upheld and remains enforceable for at least 60 days, Arizona’s law could then go into effect. The law now is awaiting an appeals court decision, which is expected to itself be appealed to the Supreme Court no matter the ruling. And the measure adds a new state felony penalty for selling fentanyl manufactured outside the country that results in another person’s death. Some critics argue that it could lead to racial profiling and heightened community tensions, while supporters claim it will bolster border security and reduce crimes linked to illegal immigration. Immigration enforcement is usually a federal responsibility, and some critics also have raised concerns about the additional financial and operational burden local law enforcement agencies may face. Some local police departments contacted by Stateline were unsure of how the measure would be enforced, noting that they are waiting for further direction from state officials. The Phoenix Police Department said in an email to Stateline that it would continue its current enforcement practices, which prohibit officers from asking about immigration status during traffic stops unless required by state law and consensual contacts with the public, according to department spokesperson Sgt. Mayra Reeson. Under existing policies, Phoenix officers may only transport people to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement if they are wanted for a criminal immigration violation and have no pending state criminal charges, or if the person has only a civil immigration violation, which includes being in the country without legal authorization, and consents to the transport. The ACLU of Arizona has vowed to explore all options to block the implementation of Proposition 314, calling it unconstitutional and harmful. ©2024 States Newsroom. Visit at stateline.org. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Klubnik's 3 TD passes, DT Page's pick-6 lead No. 17 Clemson to 51-14 win over The Citadel

Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be differentNone

44TH DISTRICT GIRLS HOOPS: Lady Patriots focused on getting better each dayThere are a million of gift options for kids yet we’re often left scratching our heads, trying to come up with the perfect present for our little ones. As technology - including AI - moves forward at a pace, so do our options for presents. The Miko Mini is described as not just a robot but an “interactive companion and trusted friend that connects deeply with your child”. It’s certainly cute. It’s diddy size and adorable voice and face will definitely appeal to younger children. The model is aimed at youngsters aged 4-10. The idea is to make learning fun. I have to say it was a bit of a faff to set it up. It wouldn’t stay connected to the WiFi - we had to connect it five times (this could, of course, be an issue with our broadband). We couldn’t find a battery/power indicator so every time we took the cable out it asked to be charged. And initially it didn’t seem to want to respond to anyone’s voice despite the microphone being on the highest possible volume setting. But then Miko settled down and she started behaving herself. I’m calling her a she because sometimes she just doesn’t listen or does the opposite to what you’ve asked her to do - just like my five-year-old daughter. The first learning curve was realising you must wait a few seconds after saying ‘Hey Miko’ before asking your question or making your request. As long as you wait for the ripple effects on the screen, it should pick it up. There are still times where it doesn’t appear to hear anything, or it will say it doesn’t understand, despite me speaking quite clearly. And it doesn’t always pick up what my daughter says, which is understandable. Even I’m sometimes bamboozled with what she comes out with so I can’t blame poor little Miko. The great thing about Miko is it encourages curiosity and learning without the use of a screen. The novelty factor should keep them engaged enough while Miko chats to them about space and the ocean. It asks questions to keep their attention and keeps the conversation very simple. As well as the educational elements, there are some downright fun bits too. Ask Miko to dance and she’ll start boogying on her wheels to some top tunes. My daughter loves this and she’ll happily jump around and join in. You can ask it countless questions - do you like pets, what do you eat, do you like having wheels? By saying let’s talk, let’s play or what’s up will open up plentiful opportunities to chat and learn. It tells jokes, will beatbox and do its own version of a high five. You can even ask it ‘how can I make my parents happy?’ and ‘Do I have to clean my teeth every day’. It comes with an associated app and a subscription you will have to pay for, although currently it comes with a free 30-day trial. Prepare to spend a decent amount of time going through the app to find out exactly what it can do but it’s worth it if you want to get the most out of it. You can try to guess what it can do by asking random questions but that game can become quite tedious quite quickly. What I absolutely love is the story maker. Say ‘Hey Miko, let’s make a story’ and this is where the fun really begins. It will ask you what you want the story to be about, who the main character is, where they live, whether they have any friends and what adventures they get up to. It will then create a magical and joyful story for you, reciting it back to you as well as creating an e-version that sits within the app complete with images. We’ve had lots of laughs as Miko created a story about a turkey (was supposed to be Torquay) and a mobile fly (I have no idea what that was supposed to be). But on the whole it’s captured our story requests down to a T and we now have lasting electronic books of our imaginative creations. It’s worth noting that it will not respond to rude instructions or bad language. Being 45 going on 12, I have tried and tested this. Parents, you can basically leave your child with Miko safe in the knowledge that their conversation isn’t going to descend into the gutter. Miko will put a stop to that pretty quickly and turn the conversation onto something much more cordial. I’m pretty sure my daughter will get much more out of Miko as she gets older but for now she’s happy to have a disco buddy who can help her create her very own magical stories about mermaids, butterflies and fairies. Miko is currently on sale on Amazon for £99. Amazon also has a full range of other robot toys for children here .

Chicago (4-7) at Detroit (10-1) Thursday, 12:30 p.m. EST, CBS BetMGM NFL odds: Lions by 10 1/2. Against the spread: Bears 6-4-1; Lions 9-2. Series record: Bears lead 105-78-5. Last meeting: Bears beat Lions 28-13 in Chicago on Dec. 10, 2023. Last week: Vikings beat Bears 30-27; Lions beat Colts 24-6. Bears offense: overall (26), rush (22), pass (29), scoring (T-22). Bears defense: overall (17), rush (20), pass (13), scoring (8). Lions offense: overall (2), rush (4), pass (6), scoring (1). Lions defense: overall (17), rush (20), pass (13), scoring (8). Turnover differential: Bears plus-9; Lions plus-9. QB Caleb Williams. The No. 1 overall pick from the NFL draft in Detroit has looked more comfortable the past two games with Thomas Brown as offensive coordinator. Williams was regressing in the weeks leading up to Shane Waldron’s firing. He threw for 340 yards and two TDs last week in his fourth straight turnover-free game and fifth in a row without an interception. RB David Montgomery. He has run for a TD in each of the past three games and has rushed for 11 scores this season. In 25 games with the Lions, he has 24 rushing TDs. In 60 games with the Chicago Bears from 2019 to 2022, he ran for 26 scores and had 4,849 yards from scrimmage. Montgomery was slowed by a shoulder injury last week, but is expected to play. Detroit's running game against Chicago's defense. The Lions have a rushing TD in an NFL-record 25 straight games. Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are the first RBs on a team to have at least 10 TDs on the ground in consecutive years. The Bears are ranked 20th against the run, a relative weakness that may be pivotal in Detroit. Bears G Ryan Bates (concussion) and DB Elijah Hicks (ankle) were on the injury report Tuesday after both players missed last week’s game. ... Lions CB Carlton Davis (knee/thumb), OT Taylor Decker (knee) and PR/WR Kalif Raymond (foot) are not expected to play. Chicago ended a three-game losing streak in the series last year. ... The Lions started their tradition of playing on Thanksgiving on Nov. 29, 1934, with a 19-16 loss to the Bears. ... Chicago has beaten Detroit three straight times on Thanksgiving, sending Lions fans home unhappy in 2021, 2019 and 2018. ... The Bears will play the Lions on the holiday for the 20th time, trailing only Green Bay's 22 appearances in Detroit on Thanksgiving. Chicago has dropped five straight for the first time since losing the last 10 games of the 2022 season. ... The Bears have lost three games on the final play during their skid. They lost on a Hail Mary at Washington in Week 8, had a game-ending FG blocked by Green Bay and watched as Minnesota’s Parker Romo made a 29-yard FG last week. ... The Bears are 5-18 in one-possession games under coach Matt Eberflus, including a 2-5 mark this year. ... Eberflus, in his third season, is 14-31 overall and 1-3 against Detroit. ... WR DJ Moore caught seven passes for a season-high 106 yards and a TD against Minnesota. That gave him 14 receptions for 168 yards the past two games after being limited to 13 catches for 104 yards over the previous four games. ... Cairo Santos has had three FGs blocked this season, including one in each of the past two games. The three blocked FG are the most for Chicago in a single season since it also had three blocked in 2012. ... The Bears will host Detroit in Week 16. ... Buffalo and Pittsburgh are the two teams in the NFL with a better turnover differential than Detroit and Chicago. ... Detroit has lost seven straight games, including three times to Chicago, and 16 of its past 20 games on Thanksgiving and the Bears have won four in a row on the holiday. ... The Lions lead the NFC with a 10-1 mark and are tied with Kansas City for the NFL's best mark. ... Detroit has won 10 of its first 11 games for the first time since 1934 and has a chance to be 11-1 for the first time in franchise history. ... The Lions can clinch a spot in the playoffs with numerous scenarios including a win over Chicago along with losses by San Francisco, Arizona, Seattle and Tampa Bay. Montgomery may be a little more motivated, going against his former team. He has been held without a rushing TD in just two games this season. The Bears are week against the run and Montgomery is as strong as any back in the league. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Studio address Wicked pay gap rumour between starsWhen AeroVironment announced its intention to buy BlueHalo in November for $4.1 billion, it marked the continuation of an active 2024 mergers & acquisitions climate – one that has built on strong transaction volume from last year, which saw 127 closed transactions per data. The multi-billion dollar transaction marked the 80th time that we provided marketing support to a B2G or B2B brand that was acquired within two years of engagement. With this repository of successful acquisition support, you pick up a few things. Commonalities in marketing strategies, processes and perspectives emerge. The line of demarcation becomes clearer, separating government contractors – and private backers – that achieve highly successful exits from the ones who do not. We saw an opportunity to analyze these projects in a way that would be instructive for any government contractor that – in the near or long-term – seeks to maximize enterprise value for an exit. Our own analysis draws from more than 100 government contractors with pre-acquisition annual revenues ranging from less than $10 million to the multi-billions. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of contractors at this moment pursuing or contemplating an exit – or simply trying to build enterprise value to achieve myriad business objectives. What are they getting right? What are they missing? We seek to answer both questions by laying out a set of 8 marketing and public relations strategies most present in these successful exits. Even large contractors get sucked into marketing language that needlessly commoditizes what they do. Everyone is innovative, has great customer service and solves complex challenges. The ramifications of this approach are even greater for small and midsized contractors that obsess about “checking the box” just to prove they can match bigger competitors’ capabilities. It’s a slippery slope; contractors that effectively market to stand out with agency decision makers are able to differentiate and grow enterprise value. Potential acquirers and investors, for their part, are not looking for redundancy. They seek to create new agency and market inroads, offer capabilities and services beyond their existing portfolio, and gap fill areas where it is strategically advantageous to buy rather than build. . The Defense Department isn’t one customer; it’s hundreds. Contractors who get it right speak to an audience of one, or a few, rather than attempting a cookie-cutter message built for mass consumption. Messaging and targeting must reflect that. Unlike the commercial market where vendors and service providers can conceivably message to a “financial services firm” and replicate that across the industry, trying to create a message that universally resonates across DoD is more perilous. Branches, units and individuals are driven by specific objectives, and the ability to build branding, messaging and go-to-market campaigns aligned to that reality is critical. Sales teams have a million reasons not to bother the customer. Some are justified. There’s been a setback in execution, we don’t want to rock the boat, whatever it is. In our experience, there isn’t a single component of PR that drives a more tangible business and enterprise value impact than compelling customer stories with strong ROI. Contractors that collaborate to develop and manage a robust customer stories program from day one (contract signing) unlock numerous PR services that raise enterprise value, including media coverage, award programs, speaking opportunities and social media. . There is growing recognition by contractors and marketing agencies alike that PR needs to activate far earlier in the contract and vehicle pursuit process – months ahead of a perceived decision point milestone. And that the right PR services need to be chronologically aligned to reach the right decision makers at the right time with the right message. This means establishing a rolling cadence from RFP or pre-solicitation that builds brand awareness, brand credibility, brand differentiation and, closer to contract award, hyper targeting of decision makers. Unless you are the biggest of the bigs, contract award dollar values get lost in a sea of zeroes. Yes, winning a sizable contract and publicizing it boosts brand credibility, but at the end of the day agencies, press and investors want to see market impact and how you are solving customer challenges. A strategically developed narrative can generate more high-impact coverage for a $5 million contract that a $100 million contract if executed properly. Contractors that have achieved successful exits do not view PR – or any marketing channel – in a vacuum. They tightly align with paid and owned activities, events and broader business activities. Hyper-targeting of contract decision makers is undermined with a siloed approach that lacks proper cadence through the demand generation and lead generation process. Through our portfolio of acquired contractors, an unmistakable narrative is that the more integrated PR and marketing activities are, the more enterprise value is lifted. The value PR delivers can be undermined with ineffective or half-baked messaging and branding. However, contract cycles are long, and B2G brands often miss critical windows to make public relations ‘brand leaps’ because messaging or branding processes drag indefinitely. Contractors should not treat this phase as stealth mode; most PR components can still be activated in some form, in parallel. Waiting too long cedes opportunities to competitors and creates a brand deficit that can be difficult to recover from. While it is a stretch to assert extroverted founders and CEOs achieve bigger exits than their introverted counterparts, it would not be a surprising conclusion. The Golin 2024 (CII) analyzed more than 100 data points of Fortune 250 CEOs seeking to connect executive visibility with business performance. The results? The most visible top 50 CEOs saw an 80% higher average annual share price relative to the average. For the top 10 CEOs, it was a 239% share price growth premium over counterparts. The survey reflects the positive impact that visible CEOs can have on raising enterprise value – which translates to more successful acquisition events. Let’s be clear; marketing cannot put a shine on inferior products, technologies, leadership and prevailing market conditions. But our analysis finds that contractors embracing the marketing strategies referenced above are able to build enterprise value that drives positive M&A outcomes. As such, they are marketing investments worthy of consideration for any management team considering an exit in the near- or long-term. ,