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APEGA Names Paul Wynnyk, P.Eng., as New Registrar & CEONoneEquities researchers at StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Surmodics ( NASDAQ:SRDX – Get Free Report ) in a report issued on Saturday. The firm set a “hold” rating on the stock. Separately, Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of Surmodics in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $50.00. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on Surmodics Surmodics Price Performance Surmodics ( NASDAQ:SRDX – Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 6th. The company reported ($0.13) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.27) by $0.14. The business had revenue of $33.23 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $30.69 million. Surmodics had a negative net margin of 9.15% and a negative return on equity of 3.77%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Surmodics will post 0.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of Surmodics Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its position in Surmodics by 14.7% in the first quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 5,138 shares of the company’s stock worth $151,000 after acquiring an additional 660 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in Surmodics by 0.7% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 865,214 shares of the company’s stock valued at $25,385,000 after purchasing an additional 5,927 shares in the last quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC lifted its stake in Surmodics by 13.4% during the first quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 5,679 shares of the company’s stock worth $166,000 after purchasing an additional 673 shares during the last quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Surmodics by 4,722.3% in the 2nd quarter. Nisa Investment Advisors LLC now owns 68,429 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,877,000 after purchasing an additional 67,010 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Surmodics by 16.3% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 58,610 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,464,000 after purchasing an additional 8,220 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.63% of the company’s stock. Surmodics Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Surmodics, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides performance coating technologies for intravascular medical devices, and chemical and biological components for in vitro diagnostic immunoassay tests and microarrays in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Medical Device and In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD). Read More Receive News & Ratings for Surmodics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Surmodics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi, 84, was in Europe with a bipartisan congressional delegation to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II . Her spokesman, Ian Krager, said in a statement that she is “currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals” and is unable to attend the remainder of events on her trip. He did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. The person requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. Krager said that Pelosi “looks forward to returning home to the U.S. soon." Among the members on the trip was Rep. Michael McCaul , R-Texas, who posted on social media that he was “praying for a speedy recovery,” for Pelosi. The two lawmakers were captured holding hands in a group photo Friday at the U.S. Embassy in Luxembourg. “I’m disappointed Speaker Emerita Pelosi won’t be able to join the rest of our delegation’s events this weekend as I know how much she looked forward to honoring our veterans,” McCaul wrote on X. “But she is strong, and I am confident she will be back on her feet in no time.” The former leader's fall comes two years after her husband Paul was attacked by a man with a hammer at their San Francisco home. The man, who was sentenced in October to 30 years in federal prison, broke into their home looking for Pelosi. Pelosi, who was first elected in 1987 and served as speaker twice, stepped down from her leadership post two years ago but remained in Congress and was re-elected to represent her San Francisco district in November. She has remained active in the two years since she left the top job, working with Democrats in private and in public and attending official events. Last summer, she was instrumental in her party's behind the scenes push to urge President Joe Biden to leave the presidential ticket. She attended the Kennedy Center Honors in Washington last weekend and was on the Senate floor Monday to attend the swearing in of her former Democratic House colleagues, Adam Schiff of California and Andy Kim of New Jersey. Earlier this week, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell , 82, tripped and fell in the Senate , spraining his wrist and cutting his face. McConnell, who is stepping down from his leadership post at the end of the year, missed Senate votes on Thursday after experiencing some stiffness in his leg from the fall, his office said.

Plaintiffs in a First Amendment lawsuit filed against the Bow School District argued in federal court Thursday that their rights were violated when they were barred from school grounds following a silent protest of a transgender athlete playing in a girls soccer game in September. Attorneys from the Institute for Free Speech and attorney Richard J. Lehmann filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Concord in September on behalf of Kyle Fellers, Anthony “Andy” Foote, Nicole Foote and Eldon Rash. The suit names Bow school administrators — including Superintendent Marcy Kelley, Principal Matt Fisk and Athletic Director Mike Desilets — and soccer referee Steve Rossetti. The lawsuit alleges that the defendants violated the plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights by banning them from school grounds and events for wearing pink wristbands with “XX” symbols — a nod to the female chromosome structure — as a form of silent protest during a Bow High School girls soccer game against Plymouth on Sept. 17. According to court filings, the plaintiffs wore the wristbands in protest of a policy allowing a transgender athlete identified in court paperwork as a “biological male” to play on the Plymouth girls team. Two of the plaintiffs, Andy Foote and Fellers, took the stand in Thursday’s 7-hour preliminary hearing on their motion for injunctive relief. Judge Steven McAuliffe quickly determined the relief sought in the motion is not moot. Attorneys for the school district had argued that because the soccer season is over and the ‘No Trespass’ orders issued to the plaintiffs have expired, “there is no longer a plausible argument that plaintiffs are facing an immediate threat of irreparable harm.” Attorney Endel Kolde of the Institute for Free Speech displays the pink armband his clients wore to protest transgender athletes playing on girls teams in this photo from October. Endel Kolde said his clients intend to continue wearing their wristbands at other school extracurricular events, such as swim meets and cross country meets, during this school year and in future school years. School officials in Bow say wearing the armbands violates district policy and amounts to harassment of transgender students. McAuliffe asked attorney Brian Cullen, representing the school district, if his clients would issue sanctions if the plaintiffs engage in silent protests at future school events, such as girls basketball games this winter. “Wearing XX wristbands, we believe it violates school policy and doesn’t comply with Title IX,” said Cullen. “The school’s position is if they come to games with the bands, we will ask them to take (them) off.” “They call what my clients did as harassment,” Kolde responded. “We don’t call it harassment. We call this legal passive speech.” McAuliffe said the issue isn’t moot, and the hearing on the injunction request began. Questioning of both Fellers and Foote centered on the reasons behind their silent protest, with both men testifying they wear the wristbands in support of women’s causes. Cullen, the district's attorney, highlighted an email from Fellers to Superintendent Kelley dated Aug. 1, which referred to gender inclusion policies as rules written to “appease a mentally ill cult.” “A cult in my mind is a group of individuals who quash any type of dissent on their beliefs. I have the right to believe they are biological males,” Fellers wrote. Cullen also highlighted an Aug. 23 email from Foote to the Bow girls varsity coach, Jay Vogt, as an example of why district officials feel the wristbands represent an anti-transgender message. “No one other than the United States transgender mob supports boys playing on girls’ sports teams,” Foote wrote in the email to Vogt. McAuliffe asked Foote directly if he agreed transgender athletes might see a pink wristband with XX on it as being directed at them in a negative way. “I don’t think that way,” Foote said. “It’s about the safety of females in female sports.” The motion hearing will resume Friday morning in federal court, with testimony expected to last into the afternoon hours. At the conclusion of the motion hearing, the court will consult with counsel to set a pretrial schedule, including a date for a bench trial. pfeely@unionleader.com

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Former UCF head coach Gus Malzahn hired as Florida State OCThe 2024 Independence Day Message from The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) The Congress of Trade Unions and Staff Associations of Barbados (CTUSAB) proudly celebrates the 58th anniversary of an independent Barbados and the third anniversary of its transition to a Republic. When the island became a republic in 2021, it marked the end of centuries of British rule and became the newest republic in the global community. By appointing its own Head of State, Barbados relinquished the influence of the British monarchy, where the Queen of England previously held that role. Reflecting on Barbados’ history as a hub for the trans-Atlantic slave trade for over two hundred years, the celebration of independence holds immense significance for the Barbadian labor movement. The struggle of approximately four hundred years of slavery brought severe restrictions on freedoms and denied fundamental human rights to enslaved Africans. Under British colonial rule, Barbadians remained under the control of the British government. Independence, however, granted Barbadians the right to self-determination and control over their own destiny. In an independent Barbados, workers and the working class now enjoy fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of speech, association, choice, and religion, as well as the right to vote and protection from discrimination based on race, class, gender, or any other factor. CTUSAB emphasizes the importance of promoting ideals and practices that support the development of a fair, just, and democratic Barbadian society. These principles include justice, equality, equity, democratic governance, and adherence to the rule of law. Barbados, over its 58 years as an independent nation, has upheld freedom of speech as a cornerstone of its democracy. CTUSAB underscores the need to preserve this freedom and strongly objects to the enactment of the Cybercrime Bill in its current form. Regarding the right to vote, CTUSAB considers the prohibition of Public Officers from contesting national elections for political office discriminatory. It calls on the Government of Barbados to address this omission, as recently done by St. Vincent & the Grenadines, where amendments to the Representation of the People Act now allow public officers to seek electoral office without risking their employment or benefits if unsuccessful. CTUSAB celebrates the milestone of adult suffrage granted to Barbadians in 1950. This achievement, championed by labour advocates and National Heroes like Sir Grantley Adams and Sir Frank Walcott, paved the way for greater political participation and representation. The attainment of full internal self-government in 1961 was another decisive step toward political freedom, culminating in independence under the leadership of National Hero Rt. Excellent Errol Walton Barrow, the country’s first Prime Minister. CTUSAB encourages Barbadians to remain inspired by the words of the National Anthem: “Upward and onward we shall go, inspired, exulting, free, and greater will our nation grow, in strength and unity.” Working together is essential for the continued growth, development, and success of the nation. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert choked back tears taking responsibility for missing the extra point that would have tied the score in the final minute. Jeremy Reaves choked back tears blaming himself for a missed assignment that led to a kickoff return touchdown. And John Bates choked back tears talking about moving forward from his costly fumble. All of those late mistakes contributed to the Washington Commanders' third consecutive loss , 34-26 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in a game that was wholly unremarkable until fourth quarter chaos. The teams combined to score 31 points in the final four minutes, the most in an NFL game in more than a decade, and the Commanders (7-5) came out on the wrong end of it in a defeat that further endangers their playoff chances. “Any time you lose a game or you lose a game in that type of fashion, it’s very difficult and it’s tough, but it never comes down to one play,” rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels said. “There’s plays throughout the game where little things add up to big things.” There were a lot of little things. After Bates fumbled, the Cowboys (4-7) took an 11-point lead and the Commanders made a 2-point conversion to cut the deficit to three, Dallas' KaVonte Turpin returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. “I didn’t make the play when it was there to make, and it cost us,” said Reaves, one of the league’s top special teams players and the All-Pro pick for that two seasons ago. “No excuse, man. I’ve made that play 100 times, and I didn’t make it today and it cost us the game. It’s unacceptable. It’s solely on me. It’s going to sting for a while. It’s going to hurt.” After Seibert made a 51-yard field goal, Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin on an 86-yard TD that made it 27-26 with 21 seconds left. Coach Dan Quinn said no thought was given to going for 2 in that situation. Seibert, who missed the past two games with a right hip injury, was wide left on the point-after attempt. “I just wasn’t striking it well,” said Seibert, who added he felt fine and did not blame a low snap for his miss. "It didn’t make a difference at all. It was on me.” Juanyeh Thomas returned the onside kick immediately after 43 yards for a touchdown to put Dallas up eight with 14 seconds left. The 31 combined points are the second most in a game since at least 2000, behind only Minnesota and Baltimore's 36 in their game Dec. 8, 2013. Cowboys-Commanders was the first game in the Super Bowl era to have two missed extra points, two kickoff return touchdowns and a blocked punt. “We got down to the end there and it was a game-situational extravaganza,” Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. “It was like Yahtzee. Everything was in there." While Washington's skid continued, the Cowboys ended their losing streak at five thanks to strong play from QB Cooper Rush, a defense that forced two turnovers and, of course, special teams success. Rush was 24 of 32 for 247 yards and TD passes to Jalen Tolbert and Luke Schoonmaker. “Lot of games left,” Rush said. “We’re sitting at 4-7. This is why you play them.” The Commanders have some soul-searching to do after losing as a 10 1/2-point favorite in the meeting of NFC East rivals and doing so in a way that left players so emotional. “The crazy games, I know they feel a little bit better whenever you win them,” punter and holder Tress Way said. “But that’s a tough pill to swallow.” Cowboys: LG Tyler Smith was inactive with ankle and knee injuries. ... RG Zack Martin (ankle), CB Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and TE Jake Ferguson (concussion) were ruled out prior to game day and did not travel for the game. Commanders: RB Austin Ekeler was concussed on a kickoff return in the final seconds and taken to a hospital for further evaluation. ... RB Brian Robinson Jr. left with an ankle injury in the first half, returned and then left again. ... RT Andrew Wylie was concussed in the third quarter and did not return. ... C Tyler Biadasz was evaluated for a concussion in the fourth. ... CB Marshon Lattimore (hamstring) missed a third consecutive game since being acquired at the trade deadline from New Orleans. Cowboys: Host the New York Giants on Thursday in the traditional Thanksgiving Day game in Dallas. Commanders: Host the Tennessee Titans next Sunday in Washington’s final game before its late bye week. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Minnesota looks to stop skid vs. Bethune-CookmanMPs will be able to suggest amendments to the legislation when it moves into its next parliamentary step, the committee stage, at a date which is yet to be announced. On Friday, MPs voted 330 to 275, majority 55, to approve Labour MP Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill at second reading. Following the historic vote, some MPs have voiced concerns over parts of the Bill that could prevent them opting in its favour at later stages of the process. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran told the BBC on Saturday that whilst she voted for it, concerns surrounding existing palliative care provision in the UK remained. “I think all of us want this to be a good Bill,” she said. “I would hope that colleagues across the House, especially those who voted for it, reserve the right to vote no at further stages.” She said that arguments against the plans need to be taken “extraordinarily seriously”. Ms Moran said that “the one that I am particularly interested in is palliative care”, and added: “I don’t think we need any further votes in the House to be clear that Parliament’s will is that Government wants them to sort out palliative care.” Senior Conservative MP Sir David Davis – another backer of the Bill – used his Commons speech to ask the Government for more time to scrutinise it, to “give us the time to get this right”. He told the Commons: “I want this Bill to succeed, it’s more important than most bills we have. It can’t be dealt with in five hours and a few hours in committee. “I’m going to vote for it today, but I want the Government to help me be able to vote for a good Bill at the end of this.” Labour MP Chris Webb suggested that his position on the matter may change as the plans move through the process, saying in a statement that he believes “this Bill deserved to progress to the next stage for further robust scrutiny and debate” and he “will consider my position again in the ensuing stages”. There were three Conservative MPs and 18 Labour MPs for whom no vote was recorded on Friday. SNP MPs did not vote as the matter only applied to England and Wales. There are numerous reasons that an MP may not be able to take part in a vote – such as being abroad or away from Parliament – however, a number have indicated that they intentionally abstained. Josh Fenton-Glynn, the new Labour MP for Calder Valley, said that he had abstained because “as it stands, I don’t think the safeguards are strong enough”. Despite having previously thought that he would “support a Bill like this” he said in a statement on social media he would make his “final decision based on the Bill as it’s written that comes out of the committee stage”. End-of-life care charity Marie Curie had also raised concerns about palliative care and has called for MPs to enshrine a commitment for developing a strategy on the matter into the legislation. They said in a briefing sent to parliamentarians before the second reading that they want an amendment to the legislation that would impose a duty on ministers to develop a strategy to improve palliative and end-of-life care. The charity’s chief executive, Matthew Reed, said that the organisation is “neutral” on the subject of assisted dying, “but what we are absolutely not neutral on is the need to urgently fix end-of-life care”. In a statement after the vote, Mr Reed said: “Warm words won’t fix our broken end-of-life care system. The Bill says nothing about the urgent need to improve existing provision. It says nothing about the postcode lottery for access to end-of-life care, nothing about the funding crisis, and nothing about people spending their final moments in A&E because our health system can’t offer them the care and support they need, in or out of hours.” On Saturday, Mother of the House Diane Abbott had said that she was “worried that vulnerable people will get swept up in the assisted dying route”. Ms Abbott was one of the 275 MPs who voted against the plans in Parliament. Asked why, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I am very worried that vulnerable people will get swept up in the assisted dying route, when actually what they really need is access to hospice care and proper end-of-life care.” She said that she has “every sympathy” for other positions, but wants people to “not see supported suicide as the only option” if they have concerns such as being a “burden” or worries about the family finances.Buffalo Sabres (10-9-1, in the Atlantic Division) vs. San Jose Sharks (6-11-5, in the Pacific Division) San Jose, California; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Sabres -166, Sharks +140; over/under is 6 BOTTOM LINE: The San Jose Sharks host the Buffalo Sabres after Alexander Wennberg's two-goal game against the St. Louis Blues in the Sharks' 3-2 shootout loss. San Jose has a 6-11-5 record overall and a 4-4-1 record on its home ice. The Sharks have a -21 scoring differential, with 54 total goals scored and 75 given up. Buffalo is 10-9-1 overall and 4-4-1 on the road. The Sabres serve 10.7 penalty minutes per game to rank third in the league. The teams meet Saturday for the first time this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Toffoli has nine goals and six assists for the Sharks. Macklin Celebrini has over the last 10 games. Rasmus Dahlin has five goals and 12 assists for the Sabres. Zachary Benson has over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Sharks: 3-4-3, averaging 2.4 goals, 4.5 assists, 2.7 penalties and six penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game. Sabres: 6-4-0, averaging 3.2 goals, 5.5 assists, five penalties and 10.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game. INJURIES: Sharks: None listed. Sabres: None listed. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Stock Market Today: Dow Jones Dips As Intel Fades After CEO Exit; This Warren Buffett Stock On 44% Run Clears Entry (Live Coverage)PNC Financial Services Group Inc. cut its stake in shares of Hillenbrand, Inc. ( NYSE:HI – Free Report ) by 2.0% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 297,913 shares of the company’s stock after selling 5,955 shares during the quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. owned approximately 0.42% of Hillenbrand worth $8,282,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Hillenbrand by 3.5% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 8,702,418 shares of the company’s stock worth $437,645,000 after purchasing an additional 290,275 shares during the period. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Hillenbrand during the first quarter valued at $3,285,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new stake in shares of Hillenbrand in the third quarter valued at about $627,000. Raymond James & Associates lifted its stake in Hillenbrand by 4.3% in the second quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 392,196 shares of the company’s stock worth $15,696,000 after acquiring an additional 16,323 shares during the period. Finally, Tidal Investments LLC bought a new position in Hillenbrand during the 1st quarter worth about $281,000. Institutional investors own 89.09% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth HI has been the subject of several recent research reports. DA Davidson restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $33.00 price target on shares of Hillenbrand in a report on Friday, November 15th. KeyCorp lowered their target price on Hillenbrand from $45.00 to $40.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Hillenbrand from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, one has assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $44.67. Hillenbrand Trading Up 2.5 % NYSE:HI opened at $33.81 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $28.45 and a 200 day moving average of $35.81. The company has a quick ratio of 0.83, a current ratio of 1.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.28. Hillenbrand, Inc. has a 52 week low of $25.11 and a 52 week high of $50.58. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.37 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -11.03 and a beta of 1.38. Hillenbrand ( NYSE:HI – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 13th. The company reported $1.01 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.93 by $0.08. Hillenbrand had a positive return on equity of 14.86% and a negative net margin of 6.63%. The firm had revenue of $837.60 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $793.38 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $1.13 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Hillenbrand, Inc. will post 3.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Hillenbrand Increases Dividend The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 16th were issued a dividend of $0.2225 per share. The ex-dividend date was Monday, September 16th. This represents a $0.89 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.63%. This is an increase from Hillenbrand’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.22. Hillenbrand’s dividend payout ratio is -29.77%. Hillenbrand Company Profile ( Free Report ) Hillenbrand, Inc operates as an industrial company in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Advanced Process Solutions and Molding Technology Solutions. The Advanced Process Solutions segment designs, engineers, manufactures, markets, and services process and material handling equipment and systems comprising compounding, extrusion, and material handling equipment, equipment system design services, as well as offers mixing technology, ingredient automation, and portion process; and provides screening and separating equipment for various industries, including plastics, food and pharmaceuticals, chemicals, fertilizers, minerals, energy, wastewater treatment, forest products, and other general industrials. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Hillenbrand, Inc. ( NYSE:HI – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Hillenbrand Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Hillenbrand and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

The Columbus Blue Jackets and David Jiříček, their sixth overall pick in 2022 , have had a strained relationship for a little over a year . Trade speculations have been circling since the offseason, but ramped up when it was reported that Jiříček being traded was a matter of “when, not if.” The standoff came to a head this afternoon when the Minnesota Wild acquired Jiříček along with a fifth round pick in exchange for prospect Daemon Hunt, a second-round pick in 2027, Colorado’s third-rounder in 2026, and Toronto’s fourth-round pick in 2026 . Columbus will also receive Minnesota’s first round pick in 2025, unless it’s a top five draft pick. If it is, Columbus will get Minnesota’s 2026 first-round pick instead This is, by far, the biggest trade of the 2024-25 NHL season. Here are my grades for both teams involved in the trade. Minnesota’s Grade: A It sure seems like the Wild are trying to establish themselves as a serious contender. Superstar forward Kirill Kaprizov will need a new contract at the end of the 2025-26 season , and trades like this will just give him more reasons to re-sign with Minnesota. For a competitive team, that first rounder they traded away is inconsequential if it leads to Minnesota’s first ever Stanley Cup. Daemon Hunt– a 22 year old defenseman taken in the third round in 2020– is a good prospect, but Jiříček is a great one. When Jiříček joins the NHL team, he’ll help bolster their defense. Columbus’ Grade: B- There are a few ways to look at this. On one hand, Columbus received a solid defensive prospect in Daemon Hunt. They also acquired a king’s ransom worth of draft picks. To get first, second and third-round picks is no small feat. But it feels like they should have gotten more for him. The publicity of the situation likely decreased Jiříček’s value, because every team in the league knew that he would soon be on the way out of Columbus. On the other hand, it never should have gotten to this point. Jiříček was a highly touted prospect, and for good reason. His development was blocked in favor of icing defensemen with far less upside. But what’s done is done, and David Jiříček is now the property of the Minnesota Wild.

The heavy rain and thawing snow caused river levels to rise. As a result, roads began to flood with Bacup and Ramsbottom among the worst affected areas. Many business owners were forced to close their doors and faced a night of agnosing worry to see how the flood water impacted their business. Andrew Jones only opened Bacup Bargains (The Hub) on Wednesday. The not-for-profit business, which sells new and used goods and reinvests them back into the business, lost around £100 in stock due to flood water. Andrew said: “We had to close around 12pm because there was no way anyone was getting anyway near us. Andrew Jones ,founder of Bacup Bargains (The Hub) (Image: Andrew Jones) “We have survived and spent Sunday morning doing a bit of a cleanup and clearing the drains outside the shop. “We probably lost around £100 in stock with clothes we have had to use as sandbags to keep the water out. “We covered up the electric box which is good because at one point the water was rising to the box.” Andrew, who lives in nearby Stacksteads, said he has never seen flooding as bad as this. He said: “I have never seen it this bad. Early Sunday morning [was also] terrible. The roads were still flooded with water and you couldn’t even get to the building. The water doesn’t look very clean. “We were worried about this all Saturday night.” The business, which also has a community space called The Hub, aims to help people who feel lonely and want a chat. It also aims to signpost help for people with financial issues, those struggling with mental health issues and those who are homeless. Andrew said he aims to be back open on Monday (November 25). Flooding at Freshair on Burnley Road, Bacup (Image: Charli-Mae Sutcliffe) said they had to use towels to stop the flood water from entering the salon. The 22-year-old said: “[The bad weather] started around 12pm and got progressively worse. “I used towels to put at the back of the door and a man stopped to give me some items to help, including a large piece of wood was used to block the water. “I imagine the flooring will be damaged. It is the last thing we needed especially with Christmas right around the corner. I’m worried to go back in case the shops a mess and the floor is ruined a week before the Christmas rush starts.” Paul Sullivan, owner of Paul Sullivan Leather on Market Street, said his shop was not flooded, as it is on an upper floor, but said he has not seen weather like this in his eight years of trading. He said: “It was snow and ice when I first went to work and then it started raining. It was absolutely tipping down. “Cars seemed to be struggling on the road. “When I opened the shop door waves were crashing over the threshold and I had never seen anything like that. Luckily, we are based on the first floor so can operate but accessibility and footfall [was] a a real issue. “It is an old building and the rain was so heavy that drips of water were coming through the ceiling and windows. It was terrible and awful and just the last thing the town needs. But we will bounce back, we always do.” Mario's Italian restaurant, on Market Street in Bacup remained open but said the cellar flooded. The Waterloo bar, on Rochdale Road in Bacup, said it sustained “significant water damage”. READ MORE: Pictures as streets and fields in East Lancashire flood Posting on Saturday, a spokesperson said: “Due to recent flooding, The Waterloo has sustained significant damage. Sadly we are closed until further notice. “We are working to assess the damage and repairs we need to make. will keep you updated as we make progress. “We thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time.” The Duckworth Arms, on Whalley Road in Ramsbottom, was also forced to close on Saturday. It has since reopened. Bury councillor Gareth Staples-Jones praised efforts from volunteers who helped clear drains. He said: "Hoofing effort from volunteers today at Nuttall Park cleared most of the drains and water, lots of mud and silt remain. "We’ve moved most of the big logs out the way from the paths and playground, and emptied the community base to clean off bits which sadly did get a bit damp! "The big tree that has fallen on the telephone wire has been scheduled in with the trees team, they’ve already dealt with the most dangerous ones." Rossendale councillor, Alyson Barnes, said: "The Environment Agency and Lancashire County Council [have been] clearing culverts and gullies today. "[The council] has an additional Road Sweeper on hire at the moment for the leaf fall season so we will have two road sweepers and two footpath sweepers out tomorrow. "They will be focussing on the main areas of the town centre which experienced flooding and main Roads in Rawtenstall, Haslingden, Bacup and Whitworth before working outwards to the other areas. "[Clearners] will also be out in Bacup, Rawtenstall and Haslingden helping with the cleanup before moving out to the surrounding areas. "The Green Spaces Teams will be starting with drain clearance and gully clearance in the main parks and will be called in to the other areas once we have more of an assessment [on Monday morning]."

US urges push for Syria de-escalation

Night after night, Georgians have filled the broad central avenue that runs past parliament, in such great numbers there is barely space to move, on the road or the pavement either side. They come to Rustaveli Avenue draped in flags, the blue and gold of the EU and the red and white of the George Cross, and accuse their increasingly authoritarian government of ditching their European future for a return to the sphere of their Russian neighbour. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, fervently denies any link to the Kremlin, but its actions in recent days have raised big questions about this country’s future with the West. Not only has the party presided over a bitter fallout with the EU, it has just seen the US suspend Georgia’s hard-won strategic partnership too. In a country of only 3.7 million people, these are dangerous as well as momentous times. One Georgian Dream supporter spoke of his country sitting at the edge of an abyss. Through the night, whistles and the honk of vuvuzelas are occasionally punctuated by the crackle of protesters’ fireworks aimed at the imposing parliament building and the riot police standing guard with water cannon and tear gas. For the first four nights, police waited until towards dawn before moving in to reclaim the street by force. But on Monday night they advanced far earlier, pushing protesters elsewhere. Police have counted more than 100 injuries among their own force, while protesters in detention have endured beatings and serious facial and head injuries, according to lawyers, and dozens of TV reporters have come under attack. “The scale of people being hunted down and beaten individually, so they have to be treated in clinics, has never been seen before here,” says Lasha Dzebisashvili, professor of politics at the University of Georgia. Georgia’s public rights defender, Levan Ioseliani, says police have engaged in “brutality” and abused their authority with impunity. Government supporters argue police have come under intolerable attack from stones and fireworks. It is a constitutional crisis with no obvious way out, unless one side blinks first. Will the government back down, or the protests fizzle out under pressure from police? “No negotiations,” says Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, claiming without foundation that the protests are funded from abroad. One couple say they will turn out every night in December until Georgian Dream changes tack and calls fresh elections, to erase a vote just over a month ago marred by a string of violations ranging from bribery to multiple voting. Both sides accuse the other of lacking legitimacy. The protesters, spurred on by a figurehead pro-Western president and four opposition groups, say the government is illegitimate; the opposition won’t enter parliament because of the “falsified elections”. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, says it won the vote fair and square and insists it’s the largely ceremonial president, Salome Zourabichvili, who has no legitimacy. Her time in office is almost up, so why is it she is the one who plans to stay on to maintain stability, it asks. All the while neighbouring Russia trains a close eye, comparing events to Ukraine’s “Maidan”, when its unpopular president was ousted by pro-EU protesters in February 2014 and Russian troops and their proxies moved in to seize parts of the country. “We’re losing our country,” says Nika Gvaramia, an opposition leader from the alliance Coalition for Change, and Georgians are facing a stark choice between either a European Georgia or Russia. As he speaks, the protests are in full swing around the corner from his party HQ, and colleagues point to a CCTV video from inside their lobby a few days ago, showing a protester being beaten by police. “We’re shaking this government. The rallies will go on for as long as needed. We have no other option. It’s a liberation fight. We know who we’re fighting with, and that’s Russia.” The words “No to Russia” were daubed in big black graffiti on the front of the parliament building over the weekend and you can find the same kind of message on walls all over Tbilisi in varying degrees of bluntness. It is also a message that carries different meanings here. Georgian Dream’s highly controversial laws targeting civil society and LGBT groups this year have been branded Russian-style as well as anti-democratic. The president has spoken of Georgian Dream’s election win as a Russian special operation, and there was an outcry afterwards when it emerged that a Russian called Alexander Malkevich who had set up a propaganda network in occupied eastern Ukraine had been given accreditation to cover the vote. But none of that proves Russian interference, even if the billionaire driving force behind the party, Bidzina Ivanishvili, made his money in banking and steel in Russia, and critics believe he must still have contacts there. A high-ranking Georgian Dream figure told the BBC back in October that Georgia had said no to Moscow a long time ago and that the "Russia card" was being used by the opposition to attack her party. “Knowing a little bit of Georgian history... no government would be that stupid to start thinking about that,” said Maka Bochorishvili. Russia did fight a war with Georgia only 16 years ago. She has since become Georgia’s foreign minister, the new face of this country’s diplomacy. The crunch moment for Georgia and its relationship with the West came last Thursday, when the prime minister declared that the government had “decided not to put the issue of opening negotiations with the European Union” on the agenda for the next four years. Within hours, Russia’s Vladimir Putin had seized on his comments. “I admired their courage and character, which they showed when defending their point of view,” he said, stressing that Russia had no direct relationship with Tbilisi. Kobakhidze has even used the same kind of language as the Kremlin, accusing the opposition of planning a Ukraine-style "Maidan" revolution. However, his point was that Georgian police would ensure it did not happen. Thomas de Waal, a Caucasus specialist at Carnegie Europe, believes it’s a mistake to see any kind of close friendship with Russia. “It’s a business relationship - there’s no diplomatic relationship. Things are going on behind the scenes but they’re more afraid of Russia than wanting to join Russia.” Whatever the extent of contacts, Moscow is bound to prefer Georgian Dream, who have within a short period trashed Georgia’s links with the EU and US, to a passionately pro-Western opposition. The nightly protests show no sign yet of abating, despite temperatures falling close to freezing, and there is no indication yet of a resolution. Georgia has seen protests before, but not like this, says Lasha Dzebisashvili. Public servants from all walks of life have signed letters and petitions, and several ambassadors have resigned, including Georgia’s ambassador to the US, a clear blow for the ruling party. The long stretch of Rustaveli Avenue is where this story will play out in front of parliament in Tbilisi, but the protests are being felt in other towns and cities too, including Batumi and Poti on the Black Sea, Zugdidi in the north-west and Kutaisi. On Sunday night, a large crowd of protesters formed outside the public broadcaster, demanding that the president be given airtime rather than the usual pro-government fare. It didn’t happen and gradually the protesters marched towards the centre of the capital, halting the traffic and chanting “Georgia, Georgia”. Nika Gvaramia and his fellow opposition leaders believe the clear way out is for free and fair elections, not under the existing election commission but under the auspices of the EU and US: “If Georgian Dream is sure they won the elections, let’s go with new ones.” That seems highly unlikely as it would require an implicit admission that the original vote was unfair. GD supporter and university lecturer Levan Gigineishvili believes they just need to hold out for a new president in the US: “I think a great way out of this will be [Donald] Trump coming to power and then everything will change.” But 20 January is a long way ahead and this small state in the Caucasus will not be top of his agenda. And Georgia’s business sector for one will not be happy with a continuing stalemate or with the government doing lasting damage to ties with the West.LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Austin Seibert choked back tears taking responsibility for missing the extra point that would have tied the score in the final minute. Jeremy Reaves choked back tears blaming himself for a missed assignment that led to a kickoff return touchdown. And John Bates choked back tears talking about moving forward from his costly fumble. All of those late mistakes contributed to the Washington Commanders' third consecutive loss , 34-26 to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in a game that was wholly unremarkable until fourth quarter chaos. The teams combined to score 31 points in the final four minutes, the most in an NFL game in more than a decade, and the Commanders (7-5) came out on the wrong end of it in a defeat that further endangers their playoff chances. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.