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TURIN, Italy :Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie scored to lead Juventus to a 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester City on Wednesday, a major blow to the English champions' hopes of clinching a top-eight spot in the group stage of Europe's elite competition. City, who lifted the 2023 Champions League trophy, continued a poor run of form which has brought only one victory in their last 10 games across all competitions. "(Confidence) is a big part of it, obviously it's a mental issue as well. You can see that. You can see that sometimes one action we miss the ball or lose a duel and you can see that we drop immediately," City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan told Amazon Prime. "It has such a big effect on us right now. At the crucial moment right now we are doing the wrong things." Vlahovic scored by the narrowest of margins in the 53rd minute when Kenan Yildiz swung the ball in and City keeper Ederson fumbled the Serb's header from close range and the ball sneaked just across the line, according to the goalline technology. "The whole team played an excellent match, we prepared well and did everything what we had to do," Vlahovic told Amazon. "The result is amazing and can give us a great boost for the rest of the season." City picked up the tempo in a desperate attempt to equalise and sent numbers forward, but Juve capitalised to double their lead against the run of play when McKennie hooked Timothy Weah's cross in with a sumptuous volley in the 75th minute. Pep Guardiola's team squandered several chances, one of the best falling to Erling Haaland late in first half. Kevin De Bruyne sent a beautiful through ball to the Norwegian who got in behind the defence before trying to chip goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio who threw up his arm to block the shot. Gundogan unleashed a blistering strike from long range that Di Gregorio stretched to just push wide. "We have done it really, really well, we didn't lose many balls that happened in the past, and we arrived in the positions," Guardiola said. "But the Italian teams that defend so deep and so compact it is not easy, they are masters of these kinds of situations." With two games remaining in the group phase, Juventus are 14th in the table while City plummeted to 22nd, three places out of automatic elimination from the competition. Since the start of November, City have conceded more goals (21) across all competitions than any other team in Europe's big five leagues, the worst spell in Guardiola's otherwise sparkling managerial career. City, who host Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday, continue their Champions League campaign at Paris St Germain on Jan. 22. Juventus travel to Brugge on Jan. 21.
FORESIGHT VENTURES VCT PLC (FORMERLY THAMES VENTURES VCT 1 PLC) Unaudited Half-Yearly Financial Report 30 September 2024 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS £72.7m Total net assets as at 30 September 2024 1.1p Dividend paid 26 July 2024 42.1p NAV per share as at 30 September 2024 CHAIR'S STATEMENT "I present the Company's unaudited Half-Yearly Financial Report for the six months ended 30 September 2024.” Post-period activity Before discussing the period to 30 September 2024, I would like to welcome our new Shareholders who have been issued shares in the Company as part of the merger with Thames Ventures VCT 2 plc ("TV2”). The merger completed on 15 November following a General Meeting held on 8 November. As part of the merger, the Company has been renamed Foresight Ventures VCT plc, and TV2 has been placed into members' voluntary liquidation. I am also pleased to welcome Andrew Mackintosh, previously a director of TV2, who has now been appointed to the Board of the Company following completion of the merger. The Company's Net Asset Value ("NAV”) per share has been reset to 100.0p and the merger has resulted in an enlarged company with net assets of £110 million. The Board believes this will bring a number of benefits to the Company, such as greater scale to raise and deploy capital into new and existing portfolio companies, as well as improved liquidity for dividends and buybacks. On 15 November, the Company launched an offer for subscription to raise £5 million (with an over-allotment facility of a further £5 million). The promoter's fee will be waived for applications made by existing shareholders of any Foresight VCT. New investors, who do not benefit as existing investors but who make an application by 20 December 2024, will, however, benefit from the offer costs being reduced by 1.0% of the amount subscribed. Net Asset Value and dividends As at 30 September 2024, the Company's NAV per share stood at 42.1p, a decrease of 4.0p (or 8.7%) over the period. After adding back the dividend paid in the period of 1.1p per share, the decrease was 6.3%. The Company's policy is to seek to pay annual dividends of at least 4% of net assets per annum. During the period, on 26 July 2024, the Company paid an interim dividend of 1.1p, taking total dividends paid in respect of the year ended 31 March 2024 up to 2.1p per share, equivalent to 4.1% of the opening net assets of the previous financial year. This took the total dividends paid since the merger with Downing Absolute Income VCT 1 plc, Downing Absolute Income VCT 2 plc, Downing Income VCT plc, Downing Income VCT 3 plc and Downing Income VCT 4 plc in November 2013 to 47.6p per share. The Company offers its Shareholders the opportunity to participate in a Dividend Reinvestment Scheme, whereby they may elect to receive shares, credited as fully paid, instead of receiving dividends in cash. If you wish to participate, please contact the registrar, City Partnership, at the details provided on page 30 of the Unaudited Half-Yearly Financial Report. Investment performance and portfolio activity A detailed analysis of the investment portfolio performance over the period is given in the Investment Adviser's Review. In brief, during the six months under review, the whole portfolio showed investment valuation losses of £9.4 million. Despite this disappointing overall performance, there were some highlights; a total of £2.9 million of proceeds were received from the sale of Data Centre Response Limited, as well as deferred consideration totalling £0.6 million, producing realised gains of £2.2 million. The Investment Adviser also completed two follow-on investments totalling £1.1 million. Responsible investing The Board notes the commitment of the Investment Adviser, Foresight Group, to being a "Responsible Investor”. Foresight places environmental, social and governance ("ESG”) criteria at the forefront of its business and investment activities in line with best practice and in order to enhance returns for their investors. Further detail can be found on page 17 of the Unaudited Half-Yearly Financial Report. Special administration of the Company's custodian of quoted assets As previously reported, since September 2020 the Company has used IBP Capital Markets Limited ("IBP”) as custodian for its quoted investments. Appointing a custodian is a requirement of the FCA, and IBP is an FCA authorised and regulated wholesale broker, providing custody services and access to equity and fixed income securities for non-retail clients (which includes the Company). On 13 October 2023, the FCA published a supervisory notice under section 55L(3)(a) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, imposing certain restrictions on IBP. On the same date, IBP applied to the High Court and special administrators were appointed. As noted in the Annual Report, on 19 July 2024, around 80% of the quoted investment portfolio was returned to the Company, meaning normal management and trading of these positions was resumed. The remaining 20% will be returned following the conclusion of court proceedings, the timing of which is currently anticipated to take place in the second half of 2025, unless additional claims are submitted or the outcome of the court proceedings in terms of a final distribution is any different. The Company will communicate with Shareholders if there is any new information which materially impacts the numbers presented in this report. Share buybacks The Company continues to operate a policy of buying in its own shares that become available in the market at a 5% discount to NAV (subject to liquidity and regulatory restrictions). Subsequent to the merger, the Board intends to reduce this target discount to 2.5% in future. During the period the Company purchased 5,522,581 shares for cancellation at an average discount of 5.0%, which represented 3.1% of shares in issue at the date of the last Annual Report. Share buybacks are timed to avoid the Company's closed periods. Buybacks will generally take place, subject to demand, during the following times of the year: Management charges and performance incentive The annual management fee is an amount equal to 2.0% of net assets. There is no change to the management fee or secretarial fee post-merger. From 1 October 2024, the Investment Adviser took over responsibility for management of the Quoted Growth portfolio from Downing LLP. The team at Downing LLP continues to advise the Company on the Yield Focused portfolio under a subcontract agreement with Foresight Group LLP. A new performance incentive scheme was formally approved by Shareholders as part of the merger on 15 November 2024. This scheme, in brief, means a performance fee would be payable to the Investment Adviser at the end of each performance period, subject to a total return hurdle. The fee would be equal to the lesser of: (i) 20% of distributions attributable to the relevant performance period; or (ii) 20% of the increase in the total return which is higher than the hurdle. The Board believes this new scheme will provide additional motivation for the Investment Adviser to drive enhanced shareholder value. Board composition As noted in the Annual Report, Chris Kay resigned as a Director of the Company on 6 June 2024. Post period end, Andrew Mackintosh has joined the Board from TV2 subsequent to the merger. Andrew is chair of UKI2S, a government-backed venture capital fund supporting companies from the UK's scientific research base. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and was awarded a CBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to Science and Technology, and to Enterprise Development, and we are delighted to have him on board. The Board now comprises four Non-Executive Directors, which the Board considers to be an appropriate number for the current size of the VCT. All of the Directors are independent of the Investment Adviser, with the exception of Chris Allner who is considered non-independent by virtue of being a partner at Downing LLP, the previous investment adviser to the Company, which still provides some services to our new Investment Adviser. VCT sunset clause I am pleased to report that new regulations have been made to extend the UK's VCT scheme by ten years to April 2035, following the European Commission's confirmation that they would not oppose the continuation of the scheme. This now removes any recent uncertainty and will help support further investment by the VCT sector in early-stage companies. Outlook At the date of the merger the Company's NAV per share had increased to 42.6p, as a result of valuation uplifts in the Quoted Growth portfolio, as well as favourable exchange rates on our US investments. With an offer for subscription now out to raise further funds, in addition to the cash boost on acquiring the assets of TV2, and a refreshed performance incentive scheme to greater motivate the Investment Adviser, we look forward to seeing an increase in deployment to enhance the portfolio and returns to Shareholders. Whilst the macroeconomic environment has been challenging for the last two years, the Investment Adviser is cautiously optimistic that 2025 will provide more positive conditions for our portfolio companies. The downward trajectory of inflation and interest rates should lead to increasing confidence and encourage investors to return to the market. Atul Devani Chair 20 December 2024 INVESTMENT ADVISER'S REVIEW "We present our Investment Adviser's Review for the six ‐ month period ended 30 September 2024.” Unquoted Growth Portfolio summary At 30 September 2024, the Company held total unquoted investments of £44.4 million, split £34.5 million Unquoted Growth and £9.9 million Unquoted Yield Focused. Details of the Unquoted Yield Focused portfolio performance are set out on page 8 of the Unaudited Half-Yearly Financial Report. The Unquoted Growth portfolio comprises 29 companies, across a range of sectors. Following a challenging period for the year ended 31 March 2024, with the portfolio unfavourably impacted by the downturn of the UK economy, the six months ended 30 September 2024 has been similarly disappointing, resulting in an overall unrealised investment valuation loss of £2.2 million in the portfolio. Investment activity There were no new investments made during the period ended 30 September 2024. The Company made follow-on investments in two Unquoted Growth companies during the period, totalling £1.1 million: FundingXchange Limited (£750,000), a fintech platform delivering SME lenders insights into their portfolios. This investment was made concurrently with a £5.0 million investment from Barclays as part of a £6.0 million round. This transformational investment will allow the company to build on early commercial success and deepen the strategic and commercial relationship with Barclays. Rated People Limited (£375,000), an online marketplace connecting homeowners and local tradespeople. This investment allows the strengthened management team to implement the necessary product and operational changes to enable a return to growth and a cash-generative business model. There was one realisation during the period ended 30 September 2024: DSTBTD Limited (trading as Distributed ) was sold for £1 to ILX Group. No proceeds were returned to the Company, which was a disappointing result for the team, but a favourable outcome to an administration process, which was a real possibility after a proposed funding failed to come together. Key portfolio developments There were some material write downs in the Unquoted Growth portfolio during the period, and some companies have continued to struggle in the challenging macroeconomic environment. However, there have also been some positive movements in valuation. This has resulted in a net total realised and unrealised investment valuation loss of £3.0 million in the period, including £0.7 million in unrealised foreign exchange losses. Of the total investment loss, total losses of £6.5 million were offset by gains of £3.5 million. The most significant movements are noted below. The largest gain in value was in Ayar Labs, Inc , a silicon photonic chiplet developer used in next-generation AI data centers of the major hyperscalers and cloud-service providers. The valuation increased by £1.9 million, including foreign exchange losses, as a result of a new funding round. Other unrealised valuation gains included: Rated People Limited , an online marketplace connecting homeowners and local tradespeople, increased in value by £596,000. This was due to a follow-on funding round enhancing the Company's share of proceeds on any liquidity event. It is also worth noting that the company is now trading profitably and under new leadership. Carbice Corporation, Inc has developed a suite of products based on its carbon material, used primarily as thermal management solutions to enable greater thermal conductivity. The valuation increased by £401,000, including foreign exchange losses, as a result of the recent closure of a funding round that increases the prospect of growth and, ultimately, a positive realisation for investors. Four other companies in the Unquoted Growth portfolio made up investment valuation gains of £603,000. There were also a number of valuation losses reported in the period. The greatest loss was in Cambridge Touch Technologies Ltd , a company developing pressure sensitive multi-touch technology, which reduced in value by £1.9 million as a result of a challenging funding environment for deep tech companies. As noted above , DSTBTD Limited (trading as Distributed) was sold for £1 to ILX Group during the period. No proceeds were returned to the Company, resulting in a realised loss of £775,000. Other investment valuation losses included: Vivacity Labs Limited , a provider of Artificial Intelligence sensors to monitor and control traffic flows, was written down to nil value in the period, a decrease in value of £960,000, following a new funding round. The investment round (that we chose not to participate in) generated penal terms for shareholders not participating in the funding round and resulted in the write down. Masters of Pie Limited , developer of "Radical”, a software solution that enables remote sharing and collaboration on large data sets, was reduced by £700,000 as a result of a challenging period for the company from a trading perspective. It is hoped that this situation will improve in Q4 2024, albeit the position remains challenging. Virtual Class Ltd (trading as Third Space Learning) , a platform offering personalised online lessons from specialist tutors, decreased in carrying value by £466,000, driven by significant budgetary pressure experienced by UK schools, a key customer group. It is hoped that early international sales (in the US) will somewhat offset challenges in the UK market. Parsable, Inc. , a provider of software to improve operational efficiencies in the industrial and manufacturing sectors, has seen a valuation decrease of £460,000, including foreign exchange losses. During the period, an offer to acquire Parsable was received that, whilst at a valuation lower than we expected, was accepted by the Board, and the valuation has been aligned with anticipated proceeds. Bulbshare Limited , a company that enables brands to build communities from their existing customers to gather consumer insights, was exited post period end. The valuation was reduced by £371,000 in line with the exit proceeds received. Trinny London Limited , a multi-channel female beauty and skincare brand, was reduced in value by £354,000 due to a decline in comparable market valuation multiples. Despite this, the business increased revenue during the period and remains profitable. CommerceIQ , Inc. , the pioneer in helping brands win on retail e-commerce channels, decreased by £221,000 in the period, including foreign exchange losses. Whilst CommerceIQ's revenues increased during the period, market valuations for similar businesses declined and, consequently, the valuation fall is a reflection of wider market conditions. Four other companies in the Unquoted Growth portfolio made up valuation losses of £340,000. Aside from Vivacity Labs Limited, no other investments were written down to nil during the period. Post period end activity After the period end, the Company completed two new investments totalling £1.6 million into Dragonfly Technology Solutions Ltd (£600,000), a predictive analytics business, and Alison Technologies Ltd (£978,000), a developer of an innovative AI marketing insights tool. The Company also completed two follow-on investments totalling £1.1 million into Maestro Media Limited (£750,000) and Virtual Class Ltd (£300,000). The Company received £1.1 million in proceeds from the exit of Bulbshare Limited in October. At the date of the merger, the Unquoted Growth portfolio had seen positive foreign exchange movements totalling £421,000. Outlook Whilst the macroeconomic environment has been challenging for the last two years, we are cautiously optimistic that 2025 will provide more positive conditions for our portfolio companies. The downward trajectory of inflation and interest rates should lead to increasing confidence and encourage investors to return to the market. From an exit perspective, the IPO market is unlikely to open up in the short term, but we are seeing signs that PE and trade buyers will be more active in 2025, offering potential liquidity opportunities for portfolio companies. In addition to the anticipated improved macro environment, we believe the merger with Thames Ventures VCT 2 plc has created a company well placed for success, with a very clear investment mandate (exclusively investing in private technology businesses) and benefiting from more streamlined company reporting and administration. Foresight Group LLP 20 December 2024 Yield Focused portfolio Downing LLP continues to advise the Company on the Unquoted Yield Focused portfolio under a subcontract from Foresight Group LLP. Downing presents a review of the Yield Focused portfolio for the six months ended 30 September 2024. At the period end, the Yield Focused portfolio consisted of seven active investments, all of which are unquoted, with a total value of £9.9 million. Divestment activity During the period, the focus was on investment realisations from the Yield Focused portfolio, which resulted in proceeds of £2.9 million from the exit of Data Centre Response Limited, a provider of power solutions and maintenance services to data centres. There were no new or follow-on investments. Realisations in the period ended 30 September 2024 The Yield Focused portfolio reduced in value by £113,000 during the period, with one company, Data Centre Response Limited, recognising a gain of £494,000 on exit, as noted above, and four companies recognising unrealised losses of £607,000: Pilgrim Trading Limited , an operator and owner of two children's nurseries in West London, decreased in value by £437,000 after two periods of unsuccessful marketing proved the last independent valuation of the business to be unachievable in current market conditions. Consequently, the independent valuation has now been heavily discounted. Kimbolton Lodge Limited , a nursing and care home in Bedfordshire, decreased in value by £67,000 to bring the valuation in line with the anticipated proceeds from a sale process that is currently underway. Doneloans Limited , which holds a portfolio of secured loans, decreased in value by £67,000 driven by the cost of its own funding marginally exceeding interest receivable from its borrowers. SF Renewables (Solar) Limited , which built and operates a solar plant in India, was reduced by £36,000 in line with the exit proceeds received post period end. Outlook With one exit during the period and another shortly after period end, there were six investments remaining in the Yield Focused portfolio at the time of writing. Downing is actively seeking to progress exits from both Kimbolton Lodge and Pilgrim Trading, though the latter is currently looking less likely to materialise. Given current market conditions, sales of the higher value, hotel-related investments, Baron House Developments and Cadbury House Holdings, are expected to take some time to complete. The recovery of value from Doneloans is linked largely to the sale of Pilgrim Trading, which is the lender's largest loan, but additional recoveries are anticipated from other borrowers over the next 12 months. Downing LLP and Foresight Group LLP 20 December 2024 Quoted Growth portfolio For the six months to 30 September 2024, Downing LLP continued to advise the Company on the Quoted Growth portfolio under a subcontract from Foresight Group LLP. From 1 October 2024, Foresight Group LLP took on full responsibility for management of the Quoted Growth portfolio. Investment activity Markets continued to be volatile through the reporting period. The impending Budget dominated market behaviours, particularly the FTSE AIM Index, where fears over an abolition of IHT reliefs on AIM shares adversely affected the market. In the end, this fear was overcooked, and the FTSE AIM All Share rallied 4% on the day of the Budget, as it was announced that reliefs on AIM shares would remain, albeit at half the relief previously enjoyed. Since the Budget, the new concern has been focused on the impact of National Insurance increases, which have weighed heavily on UK Small and Mid-Cap companies. There is a general acceptance that inflation will still be a looming threat and hence interest rates will remain higher for longer. There were no investments or realisations made during the six months to 30 September 2024. Key portfolio developments At 30 September 2024, the Quoted Growth portfolio was valued at £13.4 million, comprising 36 active investments. Over the six-month period, the portfolio produced net valuation losses of £4.7 million, offset by £3.8 million received in dividends from the portfolio. Two companies, valued at £78,000 at year end, have been written down to nil during the period. The most significant loss was incurred in Tracsis plc , a provider of transport technology, which saw valuation losses of £2.4 million during the period due to a profit warning, citing delays on rail infrastructure spend incurred due to the early election. This was exacerbated by contract delays in their US business. This was offset by valuation gains elsewhere in the portfolio, where Anpario plc , a specialist manufacturer and distributor of natural sustainable feed additives for animal health, nutrition and biosecurity, increased by £680,000 net of £46,000 dividends received, reflecting an improvement in trading post supply chain issues experienced during the inflationary period post covid. A net gain of £615,000 was made in Downing Strategic Micro ‐ Cap Investment Trust plc , where special dividends of £3.7 million were made during the period, as part of the managed wind-down of the Trust. Since the period end, a further special dividend of 2.2p, equating to £133,000, has been received by the Company. Meanwhile Cohort plc, the parent company of six businesses providing a wide range of services and products for British, Portuguese and other international customers in defence and security markets, booked an unrealised gain of £558,000. This mirrored profit upgrades, contract renewals and strong financial results. This momentum has continued post period end. As at 17 December 2024, the valuation of the Quoted Growth portfolio had decreased by £226,000 (-1.7%). IBP Capital Markets Limited As noted in the Annual Report, the Company recovered c.80% of its total Quoted Growth portfolio on 19 July 2024, with the remaining c.20% to be recovered following court proceedings, currently anticipated to take place in the second half of 2025. Up until July, the ability to trade the portfolio continued to be restricted and hence there has been limited ability to manage exposures within the portfolio. The Company is now able to trade its positions, having been unable to do so since October 2023. Post-period end activity Post period end, ahead of the Budget, shares were sold in 14 of the Company's Quoted Growth portfolio holdings. Notably, holdings in Anpario plc and Craneware plc were reduced, as well as in Impact Healthcare REIT plc, a non-qualifying holding. As previously communicated to Shareholders, the strategy going forward is to realise the Quoted Growth portfolio over time, which will free up funds to be redeployed into Unquoted Growth holdings. Outlook A number of the Quoted Growth companies in the portfolio have been consistently overoptimistic about hitting milestones for product development, revenues and ultimately profits. Given competition for capital amongst the wider portfolio of venture capital holdings, Foresight took the difficult decision to reduce a number of these positions. Achieving a total sale of individual holdings has not been possible, given that 20% of the Company's Quoted Growth assets are still tied up in the custodian IBP Capital Markets Limited ("IBP”), which remains in special measures. While this is frustrating, as it does not allow portfolio management to be conducted across the entire portfolio should changes need to be made, we are able to make them to substantially all of the holdings. The Quoted Growth holdings have reduced as a percentage of the Company's total assets, but we firmly believe that by making these changes we have increased the overall quality and see an encouraging future, despite an uncertain macroeconomic background. Downing LLP and Foresight Group LLP 20 December 2024 UNAUDITED HALF-YEARLY RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES STATEMENTS Principal risks and uncertainties The principal risks faced by the Company are as follows: In the view of the Board, there have been no changes to the fundamental nature of these risks since the previous report and these principal risks and uncertainties are equally applicable to the remaining six months of the financial year as they were to the six months under review. Directors' responsibility statement The Disclosure and Transparency Rules ("DTR”) of the UK Listing Authority require the Directors to confirm their responsibilities in relation to the preparation and publication of the Half-Yearly Financial Report. The Directors confirm to the best of their knowledge that: a) The summarised set of financial statements has been prepared in accordance with FRS 104 b) The interim management report includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.7R (indication of important events during the first six months and description of principal risks and uncertainties for the remaining six months of the year) c) The summarised set of financial statements gives a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the Company as required by DTR 4.2.4R d) The interim management report includes a fair review of the information required by DTR 4.2.8R (disclosure of related parties' transactions and changes therein) Going concern The Company's business activities, together with the factors likely to affect its future development, performance and position, are set out in the Strategic Report of the Annual Report. The financial position of the Company, its cash flows, liquidity position and borrowing facilities are described in the Chair's Statement, Strategic Report and Notes to the Accounts of the 31 March 2024 Annual Report. In addition, the Annual Report includes the Company's objectives, policies and processes for managing its capital; its financial risk management objectives; details of its financial instruments; and its exposures to credit risk and liquidity risk. The Company has adequate financial resources at the period end and holds a diversified portfolio of investments. As a consequence, the Directors believe that the Company is well placed to manage its business risks successfully. The Directors have reasonable expectation that the Company has adequate resources to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. Thus they continue to adopt the going concern basis of accounting in preparing the half-yearly financial statements. The Half-Yearly Financial Report has not been audited nor reviewed by the auditors. On behalf of the Board Atul Devani Chair 20 December 2024 UNAUDITED INCOME STATEMENT For the six months ended 30 September 2024 30 September 2024 (Unaudited) 30 September 2023 (Unaudited) 31 March 2024 (Audited) All revenue and capital items in the above Income Statement are derived from continuing operations. No operations were acquired or discontinued in the period. The Company has no recognised gains or losses other than those shown above, therefore no separate statement of total recognised gains and losses has been presented. The Company has only one class of business and one reportable segment, the results of which are set out in the Income Statement and Balance Sheet. There are no potentially dilutive capital instruments in issue and, therefore, no diluted earnings per share figures are relevant. The basic and diluted earnings per share are, therefore, identical. UNAUDITED RECONCILIATION OF MOVEMENTS IN SHAREHOLDERS' FUNDS For the six months ended 30 September 2024 premium
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Rasheed Bello had 20 points in Purdue Fort Wayne's 87-81 victory over Drexel on Monday. Bello added eight assists for the Mastodons (4-2). Corey Hadnot II went 6 of 7 from the field (3 for 4 from 3-point range) to add 15 points. Jalen Jackson had 13 points and went 6 of 13 from the field. The Dragons (4-3) were led in scoring by Cole Hargrove, who finished with 19 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Kobe Magee added 15 points and three steals for Drexel. Shane Blakeney finished with 12 points. Jackson scored nine points in the first half and Purdue Fort Wayne went into halftime trailing 37-35. Bello scored 15 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
rack the spine of your 2025 planner and start filling in some dates, because we’ve rounded up all the biggest new and returning shows of next year. 2024 has seen the death of plenty of TV shows, some by design—like Larry David’s long-running , the vampire comedy , and the most unlikely spin-off hit of all time, Then there were those that had the rug pulled out from under them, like the Star Wars series , Netflix’s Greek god epic , and Taika Waititi’s fan-favorite . Still, where some TV doors close, new browser windows open, and next year looks to be packed to the rafters with big-budget swings like a new prequel and a positively stacked Apple TV+ originals slate, as well as highly anticipated returning faves like , , and We’ve narrowed down the shows we think will be on everyone’s lips in 2025. Jan. 2 Just days before Christmas in 1988, the UK saw its deadliest terror attack in history when a Pan Am flight was blown up over the small Scottish town of Lockerbie, killing 270 people. In , Colin Firth takes on the role of Jim Swire, who lost his daughter in the explosion and became the spokesperson for families who lost loved ones on board. He believes the government is covering up what really happened on the flight, but as 36 years of history reveal, the story is never clear. Jan. 9 If the title of Netflix’s gritty new drama implies something dangerous and evil, well, that’s the idea. chronicles the birth of the American West, with all the perils and violence that came with warring cultures and religions vying for dominance. Taylor Kitsch leads Peter Berg's series as a traumatized man traversing the terrain, with the always excellent Betty Gilpin as a mother looking for a guide across the country. They hope for freedom, but in the frontier, the best they can ask for may be survival. Jan. 9 Noah Wyle as an ER doc? In 2025? It’s more likely than you think. sees Wyle return to the fluorescent-lit hospital halls as the chief attendant at a Pittsburgh hospital. More than , each episode of the series follows one hour in Wyle’s 15-hour shift and aims to show the relentless conditions for modern-day healthcare workers in America, from crammed waiting rooms to nursing shortages. Jan. 22 After the sob-fest that was , we’re grateful that Leo Woodall’s follow-up series looks to be more adrenaline-spiking than tear-jerking. follows Woodall’s Edward Brooks, a math genius (hence the reference to prime numbers) on the brink of a major breakthrough who senses someone may be trying to thwart his discovery. He and the FBI agent sent to spy on him (Quintessa Swindell) will attempt to unravel the conspiracy at the heart of both of their work. Jan. 26 If there are three things that the average TV viewer loves, they are medical dramas, police procedurals, and innovative spins on recognizable IP. Enter , the new series about Sherlock Holmes’ doctor sidekick, which bills itself as part medical mystery, part detective show. Morris Chestnut takes the mantle of John Watson (following Lucy Liu’s run in the character’s last primetime procedural outing in ), who, after the death of Sherlock Holmes, sets up his own practice dedicated to strange and unusual medical issues. Jan. 28 Sterling K. Brown is teaming back up with creator Dan Fogleman for this series centered around the murder of the President of the United States (played by James Marsden, always a joy to see pop up in things). Brown plays the head of security, who just so happens to have been the last person to see him alive after being let in on something top secret and potentially world-altering. Cue the intrigue, espionage, gripping mysteries, and Brown doing what he does best: expertly playing a character we don’t know whether to root for or against. Feb. 16 ’s birthday bash has been a full-season affair so far, with legacy hosts and returning cast members galore. The actual big five-oh celebration for Lorne Michaels’ comedy brainchild will be a three-hour live special dedicated to the sketch show’s half-century run. Details so far are thin on the ground, with no word yet on who will take on hosting duties and who from the show’s illustrious run will be back for some nostalgic commemoration. Based on the show’s 40th anniversary special 10 years ago, we can certainly expect a carousel of big names and multiple musical guests. Feb. 20 , Netflix’s upcoming political thriller, marks Robert De Niro’s first step into the world of prestige TV, an impressive feat to hold off on considering so many of his A-list peers have made the jump over the last few years. He’ll be joined by Jesse Plemons, Dan Stevens, Lizzy Caplan, and Angela Bassett in the series, about a beloved and former United States president (De Niro, naturally) as he leads the investigation into a catastrophic cyberattack. Feb. 23 Move over David Attenborough, is coming for your bag. Hanks takes on narrating duties for this expansive docuseries that shows the beauty of nature spanning the most remote parts of both North and South America. The series was filmed over five years, taking viewers from the top of the world in the Arctic to the bottom in the Antarctic. Feb. 23 If there’s one thing that L.A. has in abundance, it’s lawyers. So it makes sense that the first spin-off of the wildly popular, Meghan Markle-starring series about NYC attorneys that after it ended in 2019, would decamp for the West Coast. The series stars Stephen Amell as a federal prosecutor from New York who moves to Hollywood to represent some of Los Angeles’ most powerful clients. Maggie Grace will also star. March 4 It’s been a long, long road to get us to ’s release. The long-awaited solo return for Charlie Cox’s blind superhero outside of the short-lived Marvel-Netflix partnership was first announced in 2022, but by 2023 it was undertaking a massive creative overhaul with ’s Dario Scardapane brought in as showrunner. The show, which has been billed as a continuation of the character’s initial three-season Netflix run rather than a reboot, will bring back series originals Cox, Vincent D'Onofrio as villain Kingpin, and Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson as Foggy Nelson and Karen Page to the gritty streets of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen. March 14 is another crime novel adaptation set to hit the small screen next year. screenwriter Peter Craig’s 2009 story will star and Wagner Moura as a duo that runs a grift posing as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to realize they’ve stumbled across the biggest narcotics corridor on the East Coast. Ridley Scott will executive produce. March 20 So far, Netflix’s more than $100-million deal with Shonda Rhimes has given us the bodice-ripping behemoth , its spin-off , and the Anna Delvey miniseries . The newest jewel in the crown is , a murder mystery set within the walls of the White House. Described as an “upstairs, downstairs, and backstairs” story, the series stars Uzo Aduba as the eccentric detective alongside Giancarlo Esposito and Randall Park. March 26 The sign of truly making it in Hollywood isn’t an award or a mansion in the hills, it’s wracking up enough caché to get , Ron Howard, Charlize Theron, Zac Efron, and Kathryn Hahn to berate you on screen. stars Seth Rogen as a movie studio head on the brink of existential crisis as he tries to toe the line between making art and “movies with a capital M.” The trailer alone is like a rolodex of big-name cameos playing heightened versions of themselves, which, when executed well, can be delightful. April 11 Jon Hamm as a somewhat sociopathic businessman conning his way through New York? We think we’ve seen this one before. In , Hamm will lead his first TV series since and suit back up as a hedge fund manager who, after losing his job and marriage, starts stealing from the wealthy residents of his suburb. Naturally, the con gets out of hand, and when he steals the wrong thing from the wrong house, his new life of petty crime starts to unravel. The series will also star Olivia Munn and Amanda Peet. April 16 Another series in Apple TV+’s loaded slate is , starring and executive-produced by . The surrealist comedy is set in 1969 and revolves around a quirky family in L.A. Oyelowo plays its patriarch who, after being released from prison, tries to curry favor with his wife and kids who resent his absence and have seemingly built a strange life around lofty pursuits and odd hobbies in the time he’s been away. The show is created by Paul Hunter, dubbed one of the most influential hip-hop music video directors of all time. Unsurprisingly, early images of the series look gorgeous. Summer TBA The franchise has had a long and storied existence in cinema (the latest installment, , came out this year), but will be its first live-action iteration on TV. They’ve brought in the big guns for the xenomorph’s small-screen debut, roping in series creator Noah Hawley to helm the (space) ship. The series is a prequel to the original 1979 Ridley Scott film starring Sigourney Weaver and takes place on Earth after a mysterious vessel containing a dangerous entity (three guesses for what it might be!) threatens life as we know it. TBA Owen Wilson is pitching on the green in , a comedy about golf. He stars as Pryce Cahill, an ex-pro golfer who, after having his career prematurely cut short, becomes the coach for a troubled but talented 17-year-old. If you’ve seen (2016) or (1984), you might get a sense of what we’re in for. There’s still a lot of mystery around this series, but we do know that Timothy Olyphant and Judy Greer will also star. TBA Taron Egerton will team back up with creator for , a fictionalized take on the true-crime podcast of the same name about the hunt for an arsonist who seemed to confess their crimes in a novel manuscript. Egerton will star as an enigmatic arson investigator on the hunt for two serial arsonists terrorizing the area. The series will also star Jurnee Smollet, John Leguizamo, and Rafe Spall. TBA Jason Momoa wears multiple hats in a series he wrote, executive produced and stars in. It tells the story of the bloody and brutal colonization of Hawaii from the indigenous point of view, and Momoa stars as the warrior Ka'iana, known as the "most famous Hawaiian in the world.” TBA The universe continues to expand its reach. Along with , 2025 will see another prequel come our way. The series is set 100 years before ’s Targaryen turf war and is based on the novellas in George R. R. Martin’s original series. It revolves around a naive knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his squire known as Egg. Martin will write the series and has said it will have a different tone to its successors but it’s still Westeros so “No one is truly safe.” TBA “ ” is extending its run into 2025 with , a comedy series Powell co-created with Michael Waldron based on Eli Manning’s character of the same name. Taking inspo from Manning’s ESPN docuseries in which he went undercover during college football tryouts, Powell will play a disgraced college quarterback who tries to get a second shot at his big break by disguising himself on a new college team under a different identity (bad wig and prosthetics included!). TBA For those pleading for the return of good old-fashioned classic rom-coms, you may be in luck with , Tina Fey’s remake of the 1981 Alan Alda and Carol Burnett comedy, which was a love story about friendship as much as it was a romance. The story follows three couples who vacation with each other each season, but their harmony is thrown off balance when one of them gets divorced and brings a new partner into the fold. Fey will lead the show and reunite with her co-star Steve Carrell. Elsewhere in the cast, we have Will Forte, Colman Domingo, Kerri Kenney-Silver, and Erika Henningsen. TBA The snapshots of the child-murdering sewer clown Pennywise’s history that we got in (2017) and (2019) inform the story of , the prequel series about Maine’s most haunted town. Taking place 27 years before Stephen King’s original novel (because Pennywise only shows up in 27-year intervals), the show will explore the town’s first sightings and experiences with the dancing clown. Set in the 1960s, expect all the hallmarks of King’s penchant for vintage vignettes, including the looming fear of the Cold War as well as whatever monsters live beneath the sewer grates. TBA Liz Moore’s novel topped multiple year-end critics lists and was named one of Barack Obama’s favorite books of the year when it was released in 2020, so naturally, it is heading to the small screen with an adaptation. Amanda Seyfried will star in the series which follows a beat cop working as the opioid crisis grips the streets of Philadelphia. Her sister, who she’s more or less estranged from, battles on the fringes of addiction and the latest danger that sweeps the city, a killer who targets sex workers. TBA After Mindy Kaling wrapped up her Netflix high school rom-com last year, questions turned to where she’d go next. The answer is not very far. She is back with the streamer for her next creation, , a Kate Hudson-starring series about a woman who inherits the top seat of her family business—one of the biggest basketball franchises in the country. Sitcom lovers will rejoice at the show’s supporting cast, which includes Drew Tarver, of the sublimely hilarious , Brenda Song, whose renaissance the internet is cheering on enthusiastically, and Max Greenfield, who’s not playing Schmidt from but who will always be Schmidt in our hearts. TBA If you, like seemingly the rest of the world in 2024, decided to rewatch and now yearn for more of Lena Dunham’s specific lens on the world of friendship and romance, you’re in luck! She’s back with , a series she’s written with her husband Luis Felber, about a New Yorker who moves to London after a painful breakup and meets a handsome and kind local. Considering Dunham herself moved from the Big Apple to the other side of the pond and married a hot Brit, we sense there could be some autobiographical license. If the premise wasn’t enough, Dunham has roped in Meg Stalter, consistently one of the funniest people on screen (watch !) and Season 2’s hunky nerd Will Sharpe. We’re so back, baby! TBA Although Netflix’s mononymous David Beckham 2023 docuseries focused on the footballer’s ascent to “Golden Balls” status, it was his wife Victoria, the fashion designer and former Spice Girl, who came out as the real star. The series reminded viewers that behind the pout, Victoria has always had a razor-sharp wit and isn’t precious when it comes to joking about herself (as seen in her previous satirical reality show ). Unsurprisingly, the streamer has jumped on that goodwill and greenlit another series, this time focused on Victoria and her shift from extravagant pop star to quiet luxury fashion mogul. Jan. 9 The most gripping reality TV series out there, is thankfully returning very early on in 2025. Happy New Year to us! The show where celebrities are pitted against each other in a high-stakes party game of Mafia, in which some are designated secret “traitors” who are vying to get others eliminated to steal the top prize, is heading back to the Scottish Highlands with Alan Cumming as host (we would riot if not!) and the likes of Bob the Drag Queen, Chrishell Stause, Dorinda Medley, and Tom Sandoval competing in the mix. Jan. 17 The wait between Seasons 1 and 2 of Ben Stiller’s high-concept workplace drama felt longer than that stretch between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the office on any given Wednesday, but finally, it’s upon us. Adam Scott is back as Mark, an employee of , where employees can separate their work memories from their real-life memories. Season 1 gave us plenty of mysteries about what Lumon is actually up to; let’s hope Season 2 gives us some answers before it clocks out for the end of its shift. Jan. 23 After its first season launched as one of the most watched shows in Netflix’s history, it was only a matter of time (a month, to be exact) before was greenlit for a second (and third) series. Gabriel Basso’s FBI agent Peter Sutherland is back for more explosive twists and turns as he gets further immersed in Night Action, a secret organization full of danger. Jan. 30 semi-autobiographical comedy series about his life as a Palestinian refugee in Houston is back for a second season. The show, which is co-created by Ramy Youssef, will pick up with Mo’s continued attempts at seeking asylum in the U.S., but in Season 2 he’s stranded across the border in Mexico without a passport. Feb 14 What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with a bit of survival-based cannibalism? Season 2 of , the dual-timeline series about a group of teens who got stranded in the wilderness, created even more tension and questions than its first outing. In Season 3, it looks like the team is getting hunted by someone who knows their secret—but everyone who knows the story is “us or dead.” Feb. 16 The third installment of Mike White’s resort-based murder mystery is one of the most anticipated shows of 2025, especially after the in late 2022. Following from Hawaii and then Italy, this series takes place at the White Lotus branch in Thailand. Naturally, White has cobbled together a killer (literally, perhaps) cast including Parker Posey, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, and Lisa from the K-pop girl group Blackpink. April 22 spin-off shows haven’t had the most success lately, but among the expansive galaxy’s offerings. The show chronicles the events leading up to 2016’s , with intelligence officer Cassian Andor anchoring the series. While Season 1 took place over a single year, Season 2 will span four years. Spring TBA It will have been almost three years since the last season of by the time Season 6, the show’s last, lands in our laps next year, but the creators have promised that the wait will have been worth it. Season 5 left us with an unlikely team-up and an increasingly authoritarian threat in Canada. TBA ’s popularity has bubbled over like a pot of boiling water since its debut. Its second season swept every award going and while its third season was met with a more mixed bag of reviews, it's still one of the most talked about shows on TV right now—not least because it's banging out seasons in a way we haven’t seen in decades. Four seasons in four years? We forgot we could live like this! TBA satirical anthology about technology’s chokehold on us will be back for a seventh season, so be prepared to start looking at your cell phone or air fryer with some suspicion again. The series will include Emma Corrin, Paul Giamatti, Rashida Jones, Cristin Milioti, and Chris O’Dowd. TBA Apple TV+’s answer to is the story of five ambitious high-society American women navigating the culture clash of 1870s London. Greg Wise and Leighton Meester will be joining the show’s second season. TBA Never has a TBA been more TBA than when it comes to , Sam Levinson’s dive into the drug-addled, sex-fueled lives of teenagers. While its cast, including Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, and Sydney Sweeney, have entered bonafide Hollywood A-list status began in 2022, Levinson has confirmed that the show will be back for a third season that’s due to start filming in January. It’s said there will be a time jump from last season, meaning the characters will have aged out of being teenagers. TBA Julian Fellowes’ , set in late-1800s New York, proves that great drama can be found anywhere, even in high-society quibbles over who has the superior opera house. Season 3 will see an evolving New York, where the old guard has been usurped and new socialites run the town. became one of the most popular and gripping shows with its 2023 debut, putting to bed the idea that video games can’t be successfully adapted to the screen and solidifying Pedro Pascal’s “Internet Daddy” status. Season 2 will be based on the game’s second installment, , meaning we’re time-jumping a few years into the future with Bella Ramsey’s Ellie being 19 rather than 14. TBA Rian Johnson has truly cornered the market in whodunits or, as he calls , a howcatchem. will return as Charlie Cale, a case-of-the-week Las Vegas detective, pointing fingers at all manner of big-name guest stars. Kumail Nanjiani, Katie Holmes, John Mulaney, Ego Nwodim, and Sam Richardson will all pop by this season. TBA It’s been so long since ’ last season that we’re almost ready to bring “Running Up That Hill” for its second cultural renaissance just to feel something. Still, the wait will hopefully be worth it as we get ready to say goodbye to Hawkins, the Upside Down, and all the characters who are definitely still supposed to be 15-year-olds despite this show nearing its 10th anniversary. After Hawkins gave way to Vecna’s destruction last season, the gang will have to pool together one last time to save their town from its biggest villain yet. TBA Season 1 launched to unprecedented levels of popularity in 2023, usurping ’ chokehold when it came to streaming numbers. Its second installment has a lot to live up to, but if Jenna Ortega’s sardonic take on the classic pigtail-braided character has taught us anything, it’s that we should never underestimate The Addams Family (and that black really does look good with everything). TBA Will finally get what’s coming to him? That’s the question we’ll all be asking as we head into ’s final season. After murdering his way through New York, California, and London with varying degrees of success, Penn Badgley’s stalking serial killer is back on home turf, although this time he’s got a multi-millionaire wife to hide behind.DETROIT -- Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will not be charged with a crime after he was found with a gun in a car driven by his brother, a prosecutor said Monday. The gun on the floor was registered to Williams, but he didn't have a concealed-carry permit. His brother did. Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Michigan law is “far from clear” when applied to the 1 a.m. traffic stop on Oct. 8. “We really could not recall any case that had facts that mirrored this case,” she said. Williams was riding in a car driven by his brother when Detroit police stopped the vehicle for speeding. Williams said one of two guns in the car belonged to him and was registered. But without a concealed-pistol license, known as a CPL, a Michigan gun owner typically must place the weapon in a closed case while in a vehicle. A violation is a felony. In this case, Williams' brother had a permit. “The CPL holder here was the driver and had care, custody and control of the car," Worthy said. “Guidance is needed for the future on how many weapons can a valid CPL say that they have control over.” Williams obtained a CPL on Nov. 6, a month later, attorney Todd Flood said. “My client is thankful and humbled by the hard work Kym Worthy and her team put into this matter,” Flood said. During the traffic stop, Williams was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car before officers released him with his gun instead of taking him to a detention center. Williams, a first-round draft pick in 2022, has 29 catches for 602 yards and four touchdowns this season. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
( MENAFN - Live Mint) A Police case has been filed against poll strategist-turned Political leader Prashant Kishor, leaders of his Jan Suraaj party, a few coaching centre owners and 700 unknown protesters over the student protests in Bihar held on Sunday. Kishor and others have been been accused of "unauthorisedly" gatherin g people, instigating them and creating a law and order problem, according to reports. Kishore joined the students protesting against the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) examination, and slammed the treatment of students by the Bihar government on December 29. He accused the Bihar governmen of turning democracy into "lathi-tantra," and emphasised the right to protest of the students in public spaces. Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party, the police said, held a protest march without permission and led the crowd near Patna's Gandhi Maidan, which turned violent, breaking police loudspeakers and clashing with magistrates and police officers on duty. "Despite repeated requests by the administration, these people violated the guidelines of the administration and disrupted public order," the police said. Police were seen using batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd of students gathered to protest against BPSC aspirants. The protesting students in Patna are demanding the cancellation of the Integrated Combined (Preliminary) Competitive Examination (CCE) 2024 conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) on December 13 The students gathered at Gandhi Maidan before marching towards JP Golambar, intending to proceed to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's residence. They wanted to meet him and discuss the issue. MENAFN29122024007365015876ID1109040138 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.When Ponipate Loganimasi opted to play rugby rather than attending university, his father Joeli Kalougata made him follow his heart. And in less than two years with the national sevens side, Loganimasi has stamped his mark on the international rugby arena. Not only he won an Olympic silver medal with the men’s rugby sevens side this year, he was the only Fijian player named on the World Rugby Men’s Sevens Dream Team of the Year, which was announced yesterday. Loganimasi’s breakout year continued during the World Rugby’s Pacific Nations Cup in September when he debuted for the Flying Fijians in the final against Eddie Jones’ Japan where he scored two tries, in their 41-17 win. The Fijians retained the PNC title. He signed with the Fijian Drua in October. Born and bred in his mother’s village in Nabua, Koroalau, Cakaudrove, the 26-year-old is originally from Lovoni in Ono-i-Lau. Speaking from Savusavu yesterday, Kalougata was proud of his son’s achievement. His family advised him to follow his older siblings’ footsteps to continue his studies at Brigham Young University (BYU), Utah, United States of America but he opted otherwise. “My only advise to him was to depend on God to lead Him for all his rugby plans,” he said. “He is just a different breed of player from playing sevens locally, to the national side, Olympics, Flying Fijians and now the Drua in a short span and we can only thank God for that. “If you ask for God’s guidance you should take the first step – train hard, be humble, a good listener then God will lift you before others. “And if rugby will put food on the table for you – I’ll support your decision – those were my advice to him.” He added that Loganimasi is also a Coca- Cola Games gold medallist; he won the 200m event during his junior year at Navatu Secondary School. He also played rugby and indoor basketball during high school. Other players on the dream team are Selvyn Davids (South Africa), Antoine Dupont (France), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (France), Terry Kennedy (Ireland), Nathan Lawson (Australia) and Matías Osadczuk (Argentina). Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj
