Companies tighten security after a health care CEO's killing leads to a surge of threatsRoss Barkley’s 85th-minute goal gave them victory in Germany after goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran early in each half were cancelled out by Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner. That sent them up to third in the new league phase of the competition ahead of Wednesday’s games and with matches against Monaco and Celtic to come, Villa have an excellent chance of finishing in the top eight. Job done... in the end 😅 — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) That would mean they would avoid a play-off round to make it through to the last 16 and Emery says that is the target. “Today was key. Juventus at home, we were thinking more to win but in the end we accepted the draw because it was important for a point to be more or less in the top 24,” he told Amazon Prime. “Today was a match we were thinking at the beginning was key to be a contender to be in the top eight with the last two matches to be played. “It is going to be difficult and we have to get some more points but we now have the possibility to achieve this option. “We are going to enjoy and try to get top eight but we have to be happy because we are in the top 24 and maybe even the top 16. “We weren’t contenders in the beginning to get there but now we have to accept it.” Leipzig, who are flying high near the top of the Bundesliga, are out after losing all six matches. They did pose a threat to Villa, who inflicted some of their own problems on themselves, notably a rare gaffe from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for Openda’s equaliser. But Emery was happy with his side’s performance. “I try to enjoy and always we want to improve and sometimes it is hard but today the team were performing well, playing seriously and I was enjoying it,” he added. “We tried to overcome the mistakes we made and we did. More or less we were playing consistently. One mistake and they score but then we played very well. “Champions League is very difficult and we have to expect that every team playing at home are feeling strong. We played with consistency and domination.”
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday took credit for building a strong economy out of the ruins of the COVID-19 pandemic — just in time for him to turn it over to President-elect Donald Trump, who is already threatening tariffs that would likely weaken it and bring back inflation. “The bottom line is, in four short years, we’ve come a long way ... from the crisis we inherited,” Biden said in a speech at the Brookings Institution think tank. “I’m not saying it was perfect, but it ends up at this moment the best economy, strongest economy in the world and, for all Americans, doing better.” The Democrat cited the jobs created under his administration, as well as clean energy and infrastructure projects begun all over the country, and said he hoped the man who both preceded him and will succeed him in the Oval Office does not undo them or follow through with his promised tariffs. “He seems determined to impose steep universal tariffs on all imported goods brought to this country, on the mistaken belief that foreign countries will bear the cost of those tariffs rather than the American consumer,” Biden said. “Who does he thinks pays for this? I believe this approach is a major mistake.” Trump, though, appears unlikely to heed that warning. Just after midnight Tuesday, he mockingly called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the “Governor” of Canada, which he called a “State.” During Trudeau’s visit days earlier to the Republican’s South Florida country club home, Trump had reportedly told his guest that if he didn’t want tariffs imposed on Canada, his country should consider joining the U.S. as a new state. “I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. For the three years before the pandemic was declared in 2020, Trump claimed — falsely — that he had brought about the best economy in American history. In fact, it was about the same or, by some measures, not quite as strong as the one built under his predecessor Barack Obama in his second presidential term. More jobs were created in Obama’s final three years than in Trump’s first three. Obama had come into office amid a deep recession caused by 2008’s global economic crisis but, by the time he left, was overseeing an economy with moderate but steady growth, negligible inflation and low unemployment. Similarly, Biden took office just past the nadir of the pandemic, with vaccine distribution just having started but thousands of Americans still dying per day. Just over half of the more than 20 million jobs lost early in the pandemic had come back, but unemployment still stood at over 6%. Four years later, all of the lost jobs have been recovered and 7 million more created. The high inflation that struck during the recovery is back down and near prepandemic levels, and unemployment is close to historic lows. Still, voters made it clear throughout the 2024 presidential election that they preferred their memories of Trump’s economy to what they saw as Biden’s economic realities. The president’s attempts to sell “Bidenomics” in the summer of 2023 flopped, and after Vice President Kamala Harris took his spot in the White House race, the Democratic campaign largely stopped trying to sell the public on Biden’s accomplishments. Many voters felt their wages had not kept up with the rising costs of groceries and housing. Though official measurements are complicated, they broadly show that this was true in 2021 and 2022 but not true for the latter two years of Biden’s presidency. Nonetheless, Trump, once again, will be handed a strong economy as he enters office. Early in his first term, he quickly began claiming that the economy he’d been criticizing as horrendous during his campaign was instead the best the country had seen in ages. It’s unclear whether and when Trump might start claiming that the current economy, which he similarly suggested was horrible in this year’s campaign, is instead terrific, all thanks to him. But what is clear is his intent to impose tariffs on foreign goods, on an even larger scale than he did the first time around. In his initial term, Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum to help American makers of those metals, but set a wide range of tariffs on products from China, which in turn triggered retaliatory tariffs on American goods. That hurt both farmers and manufacturers, and caused business investment to fall for two straight quarters in 2019, a warning sign of an impending recession. Trump’s administration was scrambling to unwind the trade war ahead of the 2020 election when the pandemic began and sent the economy into free fall. This time, Trump is vowing tariffs against China again, as well as possibly imposing tariffs on Mexico and Canada — the two largest trading partners of the U.S. — in apparent violation of the trade agreement that he himself once signed. Biden’s top economic adviser, Jared Bernstein, said implementing across-the-board tariffs would certainly reverse the positive trends in the economy and bring inflation. “How quickly does that happen? Quite quickly,” he told reporters at the White House, adding that it would be a matter of months, not quarters. “The president’s speech today is the best advice I can give to any member of the incoming president’s economic team,” Bernstein said.New York Red Bulls faces Orlando City SC in the MLS Eastern Finals on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, (11/30/24) at Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando, Florida How to watch: Fans can watch on Apple TV+ , via a subscription to the MLS Season Pass. Here’s what you need to know: What: MLS Eastern Finals Who: New York Red Bulls vs. Orlando City CS When: Nov. 30, 2024 Time: 7:30 p.m. ET Where: Inter&Co Stadium TV: N/A Live stream: Apple TV+ Here’s a recent AP story on MLS: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Luis Suarez is going to play alongside Lionel Messi for at least one more year. Suarez and Inter Miami have agreed on a one-year contract extension for the coming season, the team announced Wednesday. The financial terms weren’t disclosed. Suarez made $1.5 million this year in his first Inter Miami season, one in which the Uruguayan striker scored 20 goals — tied with Messi for the team lead — in Major League Soccer regular season play and a team-best 25 goals across all competitions. “I’m very happy, very excited to continue for another year and to be able to enjoy being here with this fanbase, which for us is like family,” Suarez said in comments distributed by the team. “We feel very, very connected with them, and hopefully, next year, we can bring them even more joy.” Inter Miami set MLS records for points (74) and winning percentage (.765) during this MLS regular season, one in which the club went 22-4-8 and captured the Supporters Shield. The club failed to get out of the first round of the playoffs, falling to Atlanta United in the best-of-three series. The contract extension for Suarez, who turns 38 in January, keeps the Inter Miami core of stars with Barcelona ties together. Suarez plays at Inter Miami alongside Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, a group that teamed up with the powerhouse Spanish club in past years. And newly named Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano — his hiring was made official on Tuesday — also played with that foursome at Barcelona. RECOMMENDED • nj .com Orlando City vs. Atlanta United LIVE STREAM (11/24/24): Watch MLS semifinals online | Time, TV, channel for p Nov. 24, 2024, 1:30 p.m. 2024 NCAA DI men’s soccer tournament quarterfinals TV schedule: live streams, bracket, channels for every game Nov. 30, 2024, 7:00 a.m. “In 2024, Luis brought to Inter Miami all of the elements that make him one of the greatest strikers of all time,” Inter Miami football operations president Raul Sanllehi said. “He performed at an elite level for us, and we’re excited to see that continue next season. Luis was not only our leading scorer this season, but also a leader for the group. His impact cannot be understated.” Suarez has represented Uruguay in the last four World Cup competitions. He’s played for Liverpool and Atletico Madrid, among other clubs, and has earned a slew of honors — Dutch player of the year, FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball, Premier League Player of the Season and World Cup All-Star Team among them. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust.
Gretchen McKay | (TNS) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PITTSBURGH — Many Americans consider social media a scourge, but for a home cook, it can be a fun and informative place to get help deciding what to eat. Sure, some of the recipes would-be influencers recommend are in fact pretty abominable — check out @chefreactions on TikTok, Instagram or X for many, many examples — but I have stumbled across some pretty good recipes on many occasions, too. Related Articles In season: The universal joy of carrots Quick Fix: Horseradish Crusted Snapper with Arugula Pasta The pasta-bilities are endless Make these luscious desserts for your next holiday get-together 3 recipes to help you through the busy holiday season One that’s been going viral for a while and but only recently caught my eye shines a spotlight on the creamy, tomatoey dish known as Marry Me chicken. There are probably as many recipes for Marry Me chicken on social media as there are cooks. (Delish claims to have created the video recipe for the original dish, also known as Tuscan chicken, in 2016.) But in my opinion, the best variations hang their chef’s hat on a sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and cream. Yum! This rich and luxurious entree is a definite step above the “engagement” chicken that caused a similar stir when it made its debut in Glamour magazine in 2004. That proposal-worthy recipe — saved for posterity in the 2011 cookbook “100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life” — featured a whole chicken roasted with lemon and herbs. Awesome for sure, but not nearly as swoon worthy. I’ve been married for a very long time, so I’m not looking for a dish that will get me engaged. But who wouldn’t want applause when they put dinner on the table? That’s how Delish’s original recipe made it into the latest installment of “Dinner for Four for $25.” Usually when I’m building these economical meals, I do all my shopping in one store. This time, I shopped over the course of a weekend at some of my favorite haunts to see if that made a difference. (And no, I didn’t factor in the cost of gas, but maybe should have!) First stop after downing my Saturday morning latte and Nutella mele at a street-side table at Colangelo’s in the Strip District: Wholey’s Market, where I found boneless chicken breast at the bargain price of $3.89 per pound. I then crossed the street and headed down the block to Pennsylvania Macaroni Co., where I found several varieties of sun-dried tomatoes to chose from. I went with a jar of Ponti sun-dried cherry tomatoes for $5.09 — a definite splurge when your budget is only $25, but an ingredient I knew would deliver plenty of flavor. At Aldi, I found a bag of five huge lemons for $3.89, or 78 cents apiece, and a nice package of fresh broccoli for $2.28. A bargain, considering I would only use about two-thirds of it. The German supermarket chain known for its low prices and no-frills shopping experience (you have to deposit a quarter to get a shopping cart) also had butter — a main ingredient in my sandwich cookie dessert — on sale for $3.99 a pound. A bag of powdered sugar was pretty cheap, too, at just $2.09 for a two-pound bag. “Shopping” my pantry for ingredients I always have on hand, including garlic, olive oil, spices, rice, molasses and vanilla, once again helped keep costs down. Total bill: $24.38, or 62 cents under budget. Not bad when you consider the homemade dessert recipe makes more oatmeal sandwich cookies than a family can/should eat at one sitting. PG tested Sun-dried tomatoes could be considered a splurge item because even a tiny jar is expensive, but their concentrated, sweet and tangy tomato goodness add so much flavor to a dish! They are certainly the star of this chicken dish that has been making the rounds on social media platforms. Some say the entree is so good, you’ll get a marriage proposal out of it. At any rate, the Parmesan cream sauce that gets spooned on top of the chicken and rice will certainly make your diners swoon. This original recipe from Delish.com is a pretty easy dish to get on the table in quick fashion. Just remember to use a dry pot holder to take the pan out of the oven because it will be very hot; I very stupidly used a damp dish towel and now have another cooking scar. 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Fresh basil, torn, for serving, optional Cooked rice, for serving Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Generously season chicken with salt and black pepper and cook, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. In same skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stir in garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan; season with salt. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven. Bake chicken until cooked through and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife, 10-12 minutes. Arrange chicken on a platter. Spoon sauce over. Top with basil, if using, and serve with cooked rice. Serves 4. — delish.com PG tested Broccoli is a reliable veggie when you need a little something extra to round out a meal and don’t want to spend a fortune. Here, it’s blanched until crisp-tender and then tossed with lemon juice and zest and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I used lemon olive oil (already on hand) for an extra burst of citrus flavor. 1 large bunch broccoli, separated into florets 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter 1 clove garlic, minced Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon 1 pinch (or two) red pepper flakes Flaky salt and freshly ground ground black pepper, to taste Place broccolini in a large skillet with about 2 inches of water; bring to a boil and cook until bright green, 1-2 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli; cook and stir until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice and zest over broccoli and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Serves 4. — Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette PG tested Remember how if you were lucky when you were a kid you got an individually wrapped Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie in your lunchbox? These soft and chewy oatmeal cookies sandwiched with vanilla buttercream taste exactly the same. Actually, they’re better because they’re not made with corn syrup and artificial flavorings, but rather real butter and brown sugar. It’s important to let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack. Otherwise they will fall apart. The icing is very sweet, so you might want to reduce the amount of powdered sugar. For cookies 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon molasses 1 large egg, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt For filling 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 3 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 teaspoons vanilla Pinch of salt Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. In stand mixer outfitted with whisk attachment add butter, brown sugar and molasses and beat on low speed until combined. Gradually increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with spatula, then add egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Add flour, oats, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Use a 1/2 -ounce cookie scoop tor tablespoon measure to portion out equal amounts of dough. Roll the dough in your hands to smooth the edges, then place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Bake until cookies have puffed up and are set and firm around the edges but still somewhat soft in the middle, 9-11 minutes. Remove sheet pans from oven and allow cookies to rest on the pans for 5 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cookies have cooled, make filling. In stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, until creamy and fully incorporated, about 45 seconds. If filling is dry, add a small splash or two of cream. Assemble cookies. Using a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the bottom side of one cookie, then place second cookie on top to sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and serve. Makes 16 sandwich cookies. —”Sweet Tooth” by Sarah Fennel (Clarkson Potter, $35) ©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
President Emmanuel Macron is to name a new prime minister on Friday, aides said, after days of deadlock over finding a candidate to replace Michel Barnier whose ousting by parliament pushed France into a fresh crisis. Barnier was toppled in a historic no-confidence vote on December 4 and there had been expectations Macron would announce his successor in an address to the nation even a day later. But in a sign of the stalemate in French politics after inconclusive legislative elections this summer, he did not name his successor then and has now missed a 48-hour deadline he gave at a meeting meeting of party leaders on Tuesday. On Thursday, Macron left France on a day-long trip to key EU and NATO ally Poland but shortened the visit in an apparent bid to finalise the appointment. "The statement naming the prime minister will be published tomorrow (Friday) morning," said an aide to to the president, asking not to be named, late Thursday just after Macron touched down from the trip to Poland. "He is finishing his consultations," the aide added, without giving further details. - 'Stuck' - Whoever is named will be the sixth prime minister of Macron's mandate after the toppling of Barnier, who lasted only three months, and faces an immediate challenge in thrashing out a budget to pass parliament. Each premier under Macron has served successively less time in office and there is no guarantee for the new premier that they will not follow this pattern. Macron remains confronted with the complex political equation that emerged from the snap parliamentary polls -- how to secure a government against a no-confidence vote in a bitterly divided lower house where no party or alliance has a majority. All the candidates widely floated so far have encountered objections from at least one side of the political spectrum. "They are stuck," said a person close to Macron, asking not to be named and lamenting that "each name gets blocked." "No one is in agreement around the president," added the source, expressing hope Macron will surprise everyone with an unexpected choice. Macron's rumoured top pick, veteran centrist Francois Bayrou, raises hackles on the left -- wary of continuing the president's policies -- and on the right, where he is disliked by influential former president Nicolas Sarkozy. Beyond Bayrou, prime ministerial contenders include former Socialist prime minister Bernard Cazeneuve, current Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, a Macron loyalist, and former foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. Another name being discussed in the media is Roland Lescure, a former industry minister, but the nomination of the former Socialist risks inflaming the right. - 'Fresh wind' - These "are names that have been around for years and haven't seduced the French. It's the past. I want us to look to the future," Greens leader Marine Tondelier said. "The French public want a bit of enthusiasm, momentum, fresh wind, something new," she told France 2 television. Polls indicate the public is fed up with the crisis. Just over two-thirds of respondents to one Elabe poll published on Wednesday said they want politicians to reach a deal not to overthrow a new government. But confidence is limited, with around the same number saying they did not believe the political class could reach agreement. In a separate IFOP poll, far-right National Rally (RN) figurehead Marine Le Pen was credited with 35 percent support in the first round of a future presidential election -- well ahead of any likely opponent. She has said she is "not unhappy" that her far-right party was left out of the horse-trading around the government, appearing for now to benefit from the chaos rather than suffer blame for bringing last week's no-confidence vote over the line. In a critical looming moment, Le Pen on March 31, 2025 faces the verdict in an embezzlement trial on charges she denies. If convicted, she could lose the chance of standing in the 2027 elections and with it her best chance yet of winning the Elysee. burs-tgb-sjw/rlpIs Mark Gastineau a Pro Football Hall of Famer? Former Jets 'Sack Exchange' teammate not sureSuspect in the UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Killing Struggles, Shouts Entering Courthouse
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) says she was assaulted at a foster youth advocacy event earlier this week; witnesses say it was just a handshake. Whatever the truth, the South Carolina Republican sure would be a lot happier if the media stopped reporting on it. Mace told far-right influencer Benny Johnson Thursday she believes the reporting amounts to defamation, and warned that media outlets covering the story better watch their backs. “I have a warning for any media outlet that says I wrongly, falsely accused this guy of physically accosting me, of assaulting me,” she told Johnson. “That is defamation. And so I would be walking on eggshells if I were you,” she said with a giggle. The congresswoman also accused anyone who disputes her characterization of the interaction of “victim-shaming.” “This guy came in for what I thought was going to be a friendly handshake, and I know the difference between a passionate handshake and a violent one, and here I sit here today with an injury from it,” she said. Mace also shared a photo of herself wearing an arm sling and a brace on social media Thursday. The photo was immediately ridiculed by Natalie Johnson, a former Mace staffer, who called it “a pathetic ploy for attention.” “This is the same woman who told staff, myself included, during Jan. 6 that she wanted to get ‘punched in the face’ by a rioter so she could get on TV,” Johnson said on X, formerly Twitter. While Mace says she was “physically accosted,” witnesses speculate it’s what James McIntyre, the man who shook her hand, said ― not how he acted ― that set Mace off. McIntyre, the co-founder of a foster care advocacy group, reportedly told Mace, “trans youth are also foster youth, and they need your support.” Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. Elliott Hinkle, a foster youth advocate and consultant on foster issues who was at the event, told The Washington Post that McIntyre reached out with both hands to shake Mace’s hand while delivering his message. Mace has become increasingly fixated on anti-trans legislation. “It didn’t look like an assault or intended aggression,” Hinkle said. Capitol Police arrested the 33-year-old after the incident. McIntyre, a co-founder of the Illinois chapter of Foster Care Alumni of America who was named “Public Citizen Of The Year” in 2019 by the Illinois chapter of the National Association Of Social Workers, has pleaded not guilty . Related From Our PartnerArizona WR Tetairoa McMillan to enter 2025 NFL Draft
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (TSXV: PTF) Pender Growth Fund Inc. (the “Company”) today announced its financial and operational results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2024. Financial Highlights (Unaudited) Net income was $5,815,990 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 (September 30, 2023 – Net loss $97,003) due to positive investment performance in the quarter. Net income per Class C common share (“Share”) was $0.80 for the three months ended September 30, 2024 (September 30, 2023 – Net loss per Share $0.01). The Company’s total shareholders’ equity increased by $39,630,185, from $69,886,178 at December 31, 2023 to $109,516,363 as at September 30, 2024, due to net income from positive investment performance of $40,612,249 during the 9 months, offset by shares repurchase of $982,064 under the Company’s Normal Course Issuer Bid (“NCIB”). Shareholders’ equity was $15.10 per Share as at September 30, 2024 (December 31, 2023 – $9.48). 7,250,429 shares were outstanding as at September 30, 2024 (December 31, 2023 – 7,368,229), a decrease of 117,800 shares as a result of shares repurchase under the NCIB, which was renewed on February 15, 2024. At September 30, 2024, 75.1% of the investment portfolio was made up of public companies and 24.9% of private companies and Net Assets were 38% publicly listed companies, 12.5% private unlisted companies, and 49.5% cash and other assets net of liabilities. Management Expense Ratio (“MER”) before performance fees was 2.39% for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, down 0.06% compared to 2.45% in the third quarter of 2023. Portfolio Highlights The completion of the sale of Copperleaf in the third quarter of 2024 and the resulting injection of $70 million cash, substantially changed the Company’s portfolio. At June 30, 2024, the Company’s Net Assets were 95.7% publicly listed companies, 13.3% private unlisted companies and (-9.0%) cash and other assets net of liabilities. At September 30, 2024, Pender’s Net Assets were 38% publicly listed companies, 12.5% private unlisted companies, and 49.5% cash and other assets net of liabilities. Since the Copperleaf closing, Pender has been deploying cash into opportunities that it believes show promise and by September 30, 2024, the portfolio included $58 million of cash. By October 31, 2024, the cash balance was $35 million and by November 15, 2024, a further $8 million had been deployed into investments, and the Company’s Net Assets were 49% publicly listed companies, 28% private unlisted companies and 23% cash and other assets net of liabilities. In October, subsequent to the quarter end, the Company closed the purchase of four private technology companies from Pluribus Technologies. The acquisition was made by Pender Software Holdings (or “PSH”) a new entity owned 86% by Pender, with the balance owned by Acorn Partners Inc. (“Acorn”) and its principals. Acorn (www.acorncappartners.com) is a Vancouver based company that invests in tech companies and provides advisory services to clients. The four software companies acquired are each cash flow positive and stable. PSH is leaving existing management in place to facilitate a focus on operational excellence with strategic support and access to capital managed by Pender and Acorn. Ampere Chan, the founder and CEO of Acorn is the CEO of PSH. Pender intends to use PSH as a vehicle for investing in additional software companies. We believe this new enterprise has great potential. We believe that the Company continues to be well-positioned today to pursue its investment objectives and we continue to find attractive investments opportunities as valuations in micro and small cap stocks in North America remain attractive despite the recent rally this year. Investment results may be affected by future developments and new information that may emerge about broad economic conditions, inflation, central bank measures, geopolitical risks, market risk, unexpected judicial or regulatory proceedings, geopolitical and other global events, factors that are beyond the Company’s control. While macro events have driven investor sentiment, we have remained focused on our bottom-up fundamental research to identify companies that can thrive in a wide range of economic scenarios. We believe that this environment provides compelling opportunities for long-term focused investors and that the Company is well-positioned to continue to pursue its investment objectives. As always, this quarter we worked closely with our private portfolio companies and certain of our public portfolio companies. Other Highlights We continued to acquire shares of the Company in the market under our NCIB because we believe the shares are trading at a discount to their intrinsic value. On February 15, 2024, the Company launched a new NCIB, under which the Company may purchase a maximum of 630,188 shares, or 10% of the Company’s public float on launch date, during the one-year period ending February 14, 2025. We encourage you to refer to the Company’s MD&A and quarterly unaudited financial statements for September 30, 2024, the annual audited financial statements for the year-ended December 31, 2023, and other disclosures available under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.ca for additional information. About the Company Pender Growth Fund Inc is an investment firm. Its investment objective is to achieve long-term capital growth. The Company utilizes its small capital base and long-term horizon to invest in unique situations, primarily small cap, special situations, and illiquid public and private companies. The firm invests in public and private companies principally in the technology sector. It trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “PTF” and posts its NAV on its website, generally within five business days of each month end. Please visit www.pendergrowthfund.com . For further information, please contact: Tony Rautava Corporate Secretary Pender Growth Fund Inc. (604) 653-9625 Toll Free: (866) 377-4743 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release may contain forward-looking statements (within the meaning of applicable securities laws) relating to the business of the Company and the environment in which it operates. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as “believe”, “anticipate”, “project”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “will”, “may”, “estimate” and other similar expressions. These statements are based on the Company's expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections and include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company’s decreased portfolio risk and future investment opportunities. The forward-looking statements in this news release are based on certain assumptions; they are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the factors discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company's annual information form available at www.sedarplus.ca . There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Readers, therefore, should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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