Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen still gets asked about the Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma on the first day of 2007. That game had everything. Underdog Boise State took a 28-10 lead over one of college football's blue bloods that was followed by a 25-point Sooners run capped by what could have been a back-breaking interception return for a touchdown with 1:02 left. Then the Broncos used three trick plays that remain sensations to not only force overtime but win 43-42. And then there was the marriage proposal by Boise State running back Ian Johnson — shortly after scoring the winning two-point play — to cheerleader Chrissy Popadics that was accepted on national TV. That game put Broncos football on the national map for most fans, but looking back 18 years later, Petersen sees it differently. “Everybody wants to talk about that Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl game, which is great how it all worked out and all those things,” Petersen said. “But we go back to play TCU (three years later) again on the big stage. It's not as flashy a game, but to me, that was an even better win.” Going back to the Fiesta Bowl and winning, Petersen reasoned, showed the Broncos weren't a splash soon to fade away, that there was something longer lasting and more substantive happening on the famed blue turf. The winning has continued with few interruptions. No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for another trip to the Fiesta Bowl, this time in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year's Eve. That success has continued through a series of coaches, though with a lot more of a common thread than readily apparent. Dirk Koetter was hired from Oregon, where Petersen was the wide receivers coach. Not only did Koetter bring Petersen with him to Oregon, Petersen introduced him to Dan Hawkins, who also was hired for the staff. So the transition from Koetter to Hawkins to Petersen ensured at least some level of consistency. Koetter and Hawkins engineered double-digit victory seasons five times over a six-year span that led to power-conference jobs. Koetter went to Arizona State after three seasons and Hawkins to Colorado after five. Then when Petersen became the coach after the 2005 season, he led Boise State to double-digit wins his first seven seasons and made bowls all eight years. He resisted the temptation to leave for a power-conference program until Washington lured him away toward the end of the 2013 season. Then former Boise State quarterback and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin took over and posted five double-digit victory seasons over his first six years. After going 5-2 during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he left for Auburn. “They just needed consistency of leadership,” said Koetter, who is back as Boise State's offensive coordinator. “This program had always won at the junior-college level, the Division II level, the I-AA (now FCS) level.” But Koetter referred to “an unfortunate chain of events” that made Boise State a reclamation project when he took over in 1998. Coach Pokey Allen led Boise State to the Division I-AA national championship game in 1994, but was diagnosed with cancer two days later. He died on Dec. 30, 1996, at 53. Allen coached the final two games that season, Boise State's first in Division I-A (now FBS). Houston Nutt became the coach in 1997, went 4-7 and headed to Arkansas. Then Koetter took over. “One coach dies and the other wasn't the right fit for this program,” Koetter said. “Was a really good coach, did a lot of good things, but just wasn't a good fit for here.” But because of Boise State's success at the lower levels, Koetter said the program was set up for success. “As Boise State has risen up the conference food chain, they’ve pretty much always been at the top from a player talent standpoint,” Koetter said. “So it was fairly clear if we got things headed in the right direction and did a good job recruiting, we would be able to win within our conference for sure.” Success didn't take long. He went 6-5 in 1998 and then won 10 games each of the following two seasons. Hawkins built on that winning and Petersen took it to another level. But there is one season, really one game, no really one half that still bugs Petersen. He thought his best team was in 2010, one that entered that late-November game at Nevada ranked No. 3 and had a legitimate chance to play for the national championship. The Colin Kaepernick-led Wolf Pack won 34-31. “I think the best team that I might've been a part of as the head coach was the team that lost one game to Nevada,” Petersen said. "That team, to me, played one poor half of football on offense the entire season. We were winning by a bunch at half (24-7) and we came out and did nothing on offense in the second half and still had a chance to win. “That team would've done some damage.” There aren't any what-ifs with this season's Boise State team. The Broncos are in the field of the first 12-team playoff, representing the Group of Five as its highest-ranked conference champion. That got Boise State a bye into the quarterfinals. Spencer Danielson has restored the championship-level play after taking over as the interim coach late last season during a rare downturn that led to Andy Avalos' dismissal . Danielson received the job full time after leading Boise State to the Mountain West championship . Now the Broncos are 12-1 with their only defeat to top-ranked and No. 1 seed Oregon on a last-second field goal . Running back Ashton Jeanty also was the runner-up to the Heisman Trophy . “Boise State has been built on the backs of years and years of success way before I got here,” Danielson said. "So even this season is not because of me. It’s because the group of young men wanted to leave a legacy, be different. We haven’t been to the Fiesta Bowl in a decade. They said in January, ‘We’re going to get that done.’ They went to work.” As was the case with Danielson, Petersen and Koetter said attracting top talent is the primary reason Boise State has succeeded all these years. Winning, obviously, is the driving force, and with more entry points to the playoffs, the Broncos could make opportunities to keep returning to the postseason a selling point. But there's also something about the blue carpet. Petersen said he didn't get what it was about when he arrived as an assistant coach, and there was some talk about replacing it with more conventional green grass. A poll in the Idaho Statesman was completely against that idea, and Petersen has come to appreciate what that field means to the program. “It's a cumulative period of time where young kids see big-time games when they're in seventh and eighth and ninth and 10th grade and go, ‘Oh, I know that blue turf. I want to go there,’” Petersen said. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballWe are well-positioned to grow via key market opportunities at the forefront of global healthcare, including the incoming U.S. administration's aim to "Make America Healthy Again" by tackling chronic disease. Commercial and Community Care-Delivery: Continued expansion with market-leading employer, provider and payvider innovation partners Growth of GLP-1s: Engagement expertise provides unique ability to facilitate sustainable health outcomes and demonstrable ROI to GLP-1 sponsors Rise of Health AI: Unique data sets and capabilities will enrich and accelerate progress of next-gen clinical discovery platforms TORONTO , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Newtopia Inc. (" Newtopia " or the " Company ") (TSXV: NEWU) (OTCQB: NEWUF ), a tech-enabled whole health platform creating sustainable habits that prevent, slow and reverse chronic disease, today announced its third quarter 2024 financial results, operational highlights and filing of its financial statements. These results pertain to the three months ended September 30, 2024 . All amounts are expressed in Canadian dollars, unless otherwise noted. Third Quarter 2024 Financial Highlights: Revenue of $1.0 million Opex reduction of 16% New partnership with US supplemental payvider positions Newtopia for profitability in 2025 "As we have for eleven years, Newtopia continues to prove our unique ability to produce industry-leading patient engagement and to cultivate healthy habits that can prevent, slow and reverse chronic metabolic disease", said Jeff Ruby , Newtopia Founder and CEO. "Most recently, we reported nine-month outcomes from our ongoing trial with Arkansas -based Heartland Whole Health Institute, in which we delivered Newtopia's best-ever engagement rates and weight loss outcomes in both provider and employer environments." "This quarter we also further strengthened our underlying operations, and evolved our offerings to respond to emerging industry opportunities and value-based needs, including the incoming US administration's desire to 'Make America Healthy Again' by tackling chronic disease – something we do better than anyone else in the market", continued Ruby. "Building on the strength of this progress we continue to pursue three significant opportunities to accelerate Newtopia growth in the final quarter of the year and into 2025: (1) expanding our key innovation partnerships with providers, employers and provincial payers, including a new relationship with a US Supplemental Payvider covering millions of employee lives; (2) combining Newtopia's proven habit change platform with GLP-1 drugs for obesity and type 2 diabetes; and (3) partnering with health AI and clinical discovery innovators to improve our collective ability to deliver best in breed outcomes that prevent, reverse and slow chronic disease", Ruby concluded. Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results Revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2024 was $1.0 million compared to $2.4 million in the prior-year period. This decrease is driven by the loss of a client effective June 2024 , in addition to a structural incentive change with an existing client which the Company is actively working to offset. Gross profit for the third quarter was $0.3 million , or 34% of revenue. Gross profit consists of revenue less direct expenses, including the cost of Welcome Kits and labor costs associated with the Company's frontline health coaching team. Adjusted operating expenses for the three months ended September 30, 2024 , totaled $1.3 million , compared to $1.6 million in the prior-year period. The Company posted an adjusted operating loss of $987 thousand , compared to a gain of $21 thousand in the prior-year period. Given the new partnership with a US payvider, Newtopia anticipates returning to profitable growth in the near future. Conference Call The Company will host a conference call November 27 at 5 p.m. eastern time to discuss the third quarter 2024 results in further detail. To access the conference call, please dial (800) 717-1738 (U.S.) or (646) 307-1865 (International) 10 minutes prior to the start time and reference Conference ID number 15026. The call will also be available via live webcast on the investor relations portion of the Company's website located at investor.newtopia.com . A replay of the conference call will be available through December 18, 2024 , which can be accessed by dialing (844) 512-2921 (U.S.) or (412) 317-6671 (International) and entering the passcode 11157569. The webcast will also be archived on the Company's website. About Newtopia Newtopia is a personalized whole health platform helping people create positive lifelong habits that prevent, slow, or reverse chronic disease while reducing healthcare costs. The platform leverages genetic, social and behavioral insights to create individualized prevention programs with a focus on metabolic disease, diabetes, mental health challenges, hypertension, weight management and musculoskeletal disorders. With a person-centered approach that combines virtual care, digital tools, connected devices and actionable data science, Newtopia delivers sustainable clinical and financial outcomes. Newtopia serves some of the largest nationwide employers and health plans and is currently listed in Canada on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSXV: NEWU) and is quoted in the US on the OTCQB ® Venture Market (OTCQB: NEWUF ). To learn more, visit newtopia.com , LinkedIn or X . Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, and forward looking statements, within the meaning of applicable United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), which reflects management's expectations regarding Newtopia's future growth, results from operations (including, without limitation, future production and capital expenditures), performance (both operational and financial) and business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "predicts", "projects", "targets", "plans", "expects", "does not expect", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "anticipate" or "does not anticipate", "believe", "intend" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative or grammatical variation thereof or other variations thereof, or comparable terminology have been used to identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward- looking information. Such statements reflect Newtopia's current views and intentions with respect to future events, based on information available to Newtopia, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information. While forward-looking statements are based on data, assumptions and analyses that Newtopia believes are reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results, performance or developments will meet Newtopia's expectations and predictions depends on a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition of Newtopia to differ materially from its expectations. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee and are based on a number of estimates and assumptions management believes to be relevant and reasonable, whether actual results, performance or developments will meet Newtopia's expectations and predictions depends on a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition of Newtopia to differ materially from its expectations. Certain of the "risk factors" that could cause actual results to differ materially from Newtopia's forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation: the termination of contracts by clients, risks related to COVID-19 including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, non-essential business closures, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters- in-place and social distancing, disruptions to markets, economic activity, financing, supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession; and other general economic, market and business conditions and factors, including the risk factors discussed or referred to in Newtopia's disclosure documents, filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedarplus.ca including Newtopia's final long form prospectus dated March 30, 2020 . For more information on these risks please see the "Risk Factors" in Newtopia's final long-form prospectus dated March 30, 2020 . Should any factor affect Newtopia in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, Newtopia does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release is made as of the date of this news release, and Newtopia undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Key Financial Measures and Schedule of Non-GAAP Reconciliations Unaudited Gross Profit Information- including amortization Reconciliation of Total Operating Expenses to Adjusted Operating Expenses Unaudited Adjusted Operating Loss Newtopia Inc. Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Unaudited) As at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 (Expressed in Canadian Dollars) Newtopia Inc. Condensed Interim Consolidated Statements of Loss and Comprehensive Loss (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, 2024 (Expressed in Canadian Dollars) Newtopia Inc. Condensed Interim Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2024 (Expressed in Canadian Dollars) SOURCE Newtopia Inc.Freeman Chari and the The Edgar Tekere “Two Boy” Phenomenon! [Long Read]

S&P/TSX composite rises Wednesday while U.S. markets move lowerZelensky insists on a 'just peace' at Trump Paris meeting

Francis' 23 lead NJIT over Navy 69-64The Conservatives have a new plan to bring down the government quickly

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that "several" wounded North Korean soldiers died after being captured by Ukrainian forces, as he accused Russia of throwing them into battle with "minimal protection". Ukraine and its western allies say North Korea has sent thousands of soldiers to support Russia's army, in what is seen as a major escalation in the nearly three-year war following Moscow's 2022 invasion. "Today there were reports about several soldiers from North Korea. Our soldiers managed to take them prisoner. But they were very seriously wounded and could not be resuscitated," Zelensky said in an evening address posted on social media. South Korea's spy agency said earlier on Friday that a North Korean soldier who was captured while fighting in Russia's war against Ukraine had died of his wounds. Zelensky did not specify how many North Koreans had died after being captured by Ukrainian troops. Zelensky had earlier said that nearly 3,000 North Korean soldiers had been "killed or wounded" so far as they joined Russia's forces in combat in its western Kursk border region, where Ukraine mounted a shock incursion in August. South Korea's intelligence service had previously put the number of killed or wounded North Koreans at 1,000, saying the high casualty rate could be down to an unfamiliar battlefield environment and their lack of capability to counter drone attacks. The White House on Friday confirmed the South Korean estimates, saying that Pyongyang's troops were being sent to their deaths in futile attacks by generals who see them as "expendable". "We also have reports of North Korean soldiers taking their own lives rather than surrendering to Ukrainian forces, likely out of fear of reprisal against their families in North Korea in the event that they're captured," National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters. - Putin message to Kim - North Korea and Russia have strengthened their military ties since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A landmark defence pact between Pyongyang and Moscow signed in June came into force this month, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hailing it as a "breakthrough document". North Korean state media said Friday that Putin sent a New Year's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, saying: "The bilateral ties between our two countries have been elevated after our talks in June in Pyongyang." Seoul's military believes that North Korea was seeking to modernise its conventional warfare capabilities through combat experience gained in the Russia-Ukraine war. NATO chief Mark Rutte had also said that Moscow was providing support to Pyongyang's missile and nuclear programmes in exchange for the troops. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Monday that Pyongyang is reportedly "preparing for the rotation or additional deployment of soldiers" and supplying "240mm rocket launchers and 170mm self-propelled artillery" to the Russian army. Pyongyang's involvement in Russia's war against Ukraine had prompted warnings from Seoul. South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, currently suspended, said in November that Seoul was "not ruling out the possibility of providing weapons" to Kyiv, which would mark a major shift to a long-standing policy barring the sale of weapons to countries in active conflict. hs/bjt/mlm/gv/rlpORLANDO, Fla. — It was a season of Iowa State comebacks. And fittingly, that's how it ended for the Cyclones. Game MVP Rocco Becht scored from a yard out on fourth-and-goal with 56 seconds remaining and No. 18 Iowa State capped the best season in school history by rallying past No. 15 Miami 42-41 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday. Becht finished with 270 passing yards and three touchdowns for Iowa State (11-2), a program that entered this season — the 133rd year of Cyclone football — never having won more than nine games in a year. “If you look at this team, it’s really who they’ve been all year,” coach Matt Campbell said. The win marked the fourth time in 2024 that Iowa State got a winning score with less than two minutes remaining. For this one, the Cyclones rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half — with Miami quarterback Cam Ward watching after a record-setting first half — to get win No. 11. Carson Hansen rushed for a pair of touchdowns for Iowa State. And as the MVP, Becht got the honor of choosing which flavor Pop-Tart was to be sacrificed in a giant toaster. “There's only one,” Becht said. “Cinnamon roll.” Ward passed for three touchdowns in his final college game, while Damien Martinez rushed for a career-high 179 yards for Miami (10-3), which dropped its sixth straight bowl game and lost three of four games to end the season — those three losses by a combined 10 points. "Disappointed that we couldn't pull out a victory," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “These guys have always fought and always competed and this was no exception. ... It's painful. It's as painful as it gets when you don't win. But there's a lot to build on.” NEBRASKA 20, BOSTON COLLEGE 15: Dylan Raiola passed for 228 yards and a touchdown as Nebraska built an 18-point lead through three quarters and hung on for its first bowl victory since 2015. Raiola hit Emmett Johnson with a 13-yard TD pass on fourth down with 3:02 remaining in the third quarter for a 20-2 edge and the Cornhuskers (7-6) held on for the win at Yankee Stadium. Raiola completed 23 of 31 passes in front of a sizable Nebraska crowd that celebrated the team's first bowl win since topping UCLA in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl and first winning season since 2016. Raiola completed passes to 10 receivers, including Jahmal Banks, who finished with four receptions for 79 yards. Grayson James finished 25 of 40 for 296 yards as Boston College (7-6). ARIZONA BOWL MIAMI (OHIO) 43, COLORADO STATE 17: Kevin Davis had a career-high 148 yards rushing and two touchdowns on just nine carries, and Jordan Brunson also ran for two TDs to help Miami (Ohio) wrapped the season at 9-5 by beating Colorado State (8-5) in Tucson, Ariz. Davis scored on a 4-yard run with 12:35 left in the third quarter, Matt Salopek forced a fumble that was recovered by Silas Walters and quarterback Brett Gabbert's first rushing touchdown of the season — a 10-yard scramble that capped a 47-yard drive — made it 22-3 about 2 minutes later. UCONN 27, NORTH CAROLINA 14: Joe Fagnano threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns to help the Huskies (9-4) beat the Tar Heels (6-7) at Fenway Park, embarrassing incoming coach Bill Belichick's new team in his old backyard. Mel Brown rushed for 96 yards for UConn and Skyler Bell caught three passes for 77 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown that gave the Huskies a 10-0 first-quarter lead. Chris Culliver returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, but that would be Carolina's only production in the first half. TCU 34, LOUISIANA 3: Josh Hoover passed for four touchdowns as the Horned Frogs (9-4) routed the Ragin' Cajuns (10-4) in Albuquerque. Hoover was 20 for 32 for 252 yards with an interception. Eric McAlister had eight catches for 87 yards and a TD for the Horned Frogs. TCU's defense also had a solid day, holding Louisiana-Lafayette to 209 yards, including 61 on the game's final possession. LATE FRIDAY LAS VEGAS BOWL USC 35, TEXAS A&M 31: Jayden Maiava threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to tight end Kyle Ford with eight seconds left to give Southern California the victory over Texas A&M (8-5) in the Las Vegas Bowl. A graduate of Liberty High School in nearby Henderson and a transfer from UNLV, Maiava helped the Trojans (7-6) overcome a 17-point deficit. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

LA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record sixth MLS Cup championshipPASSENGERS flying from Birmingham Airport can now travel back in time to the era of a beloved Birmingham-based TV series, with the opening of a new Peaky Blinders-inspired bar and restaurant. The ‘Shelby & Co. Bar and Restaurant’, or ‘Shelby’s’ for short, is the first of its kind in a travel location and will form a key part of Birmingham’s departure lounge with space for 290 diners, the airport has said. In keeping with the era of the popular show, the bar displays the 1920s throughout its design and offers an extensive food and drinks menu that showcases local breweries and gins, providing an authentic taste of Birmingham. The restaurant, which is operated by the SSP Group, has an extensive menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering dishes such as burgers, fish and chips, breakfast classics and bespoke, Brummie-inspired cocktails. The newest food and drink spot at the airport offers both waiter service as well as order-at-table technology, allowing customers short on time to dine quickly. Cathy Granby, Business Development Director for SSP UK & Ireland, said: “Over the past 12 months, one of our key focus areas has been expanding our bespoke airport bar and restaurant concepts. “Shelby & Co. really does bring this hugely popular show to life. “What better way to celebrate all this city has to offer than bringing a flavour of Peaky Blinders to Birmingham Airport.” Richard Gill, Commercial Director of Birmingham Airport, added: “We are delighted to be the first airport to welcome Shelby & Co. “This bespoke, innovative bar and restaurant is a fantastic addition to our departure lounge, ensuring our passengers have a unique chance to sample Shelby’s first-hand when travelling through Birmingham Airport.” It opened earlier this month, on December 18, and aims to provide passengers with “an authentic Peaky Blinder’s experience”.

LOS ANGELES — Until he sustained a season-ending knee injury last week in the Western Conference final, Galaxy playmaker Riqui Puig was having a tremendous season. So I heard. I watched Puig play only twice this year, once in the Galaxy's season-opening 1-1 draw with Inter Miami and a second time in his team's Fourth of July defeat to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. Outside of short highlight clips on social media, I never saw the former Barcelona prospect, not even when he assisted on the goal that sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup final. That wasn't a reflection of my interest. Some of my friends will make fun of me for publicly admitting this, but I like Major League Soccer. I covered the league in my first job out of college and have casually kept up with it since. I take my children to a couple of games a year. My 11-year-old son owns Galaxy and LAFC hats but no Dodgers or Lakers merchandise. When flipping through channels in the past, if presented with the choice of, say, college football or MLS, I usually watched MLS. But not this year. While the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will be shown on Fox and Fox Deportes, the majority of games are now exclusively behind a paywall, courtesy of the league's broadcasting deal with Apple. MLS Season Pass subscriptions were reasonably priced — $79 for the entire season for Apple TV+ subscribers, $99 for non-subscribers — but I was already paying for DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayStation Plus and who knows what else. MLS became a casualty in my household, as well as in many others, and the possibility of being out of sight and out of mind should be a concern for a league that is looking to expand its audience. Which isn't to say the league made a mistake. This was a gamble MLS had to take. Now in the second year of a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with Apple, MLS did what Major League Baseball is talking about doing, which is to centralize its broadcasting rights and sell them to a digital platform. Regional sports networks have been decimated by cord cutting, making traditional economic models unsustainable. The move to Apple not only increased the league's broadcast revenues — previous deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision were worth a combined $90 million annually, according to multiple reports — but also introduced a measure of uniformity in the league. The quality of the broadcasts are better than they were under regional sports networks. Viewers know where to watch games and when, as every one of them is on Season Pass and most of them are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time either on Wednesday or Saturday. "That's been fueling our growth and driving our fan engagement," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday at his annual state of the league address. Apple and MLS declined to reveal the number of League Pass subscribers, but the league provided polling figures that indicated 94% of viewers offered positive or neutral reviews of League Pass. The average viewing time for a game is about 65 minutes for a 90-minute game, according to Garber. In other words, the League Pass is well-liked — by the people who have it. The challenge now is to increase that audience. The launch of League Pass last year coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi, which presumably resulted in a wave of subscriptions. But the league can't count on the appearance of the next Messi; there is only one of him. MLS pointed to how its fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded television than any other U.S. sports league, as well as how 71% of its fans are under the age of 45. The league also pointed to how it effectively drew more viewers to the Apple broadcast of Inter Miami's postseason opener with a livestream of a "Messi Cam' on TikTok, indicating further collaborations with wide-reaching entities could be in its future. Garber mentioned how Season Pass is available in other countries. The commissioner also made note of how Apple places games every week in front of its paywall. "What we have, really, is a communication problem," Garber said. "This is new, and we've got to work with Apple, we've got to work with our clubs and we've got to work with our partners to get more exposure to what we think is a great product." The greatest benefit to the league could be Apple's vested interest in improving the on-field product. MLS insiders said Apple has not only encouraged teams to sign more high-profile players but also pushed the league to switch to a fall-to-spring calendar more commonplace in other parts of the world, reasoning that doing so would simplify the process of buying and selling players. The on-field product is what matters. The on-field product is why MLS continues to face competition for viewers from overseas leagues. The on-field product is why the league hasn't succeeded in converting every soccer fan into a MLS fan. And ultimately, if casual viewers such as myself are to pay to watch the Galaxy or LAFC on a screen of some kind, the on-field product will be why. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!EPL: I’m really frustrated – Man Utd manager, Amorim

The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their Week 17 contest against the Detroit Lions on Monday at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. Several 49ers offensive linemen were absent from practice on Thursday. In addition to those already on injured reserve—tackles Trent Williams and Jaylon Moore—guards Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford, along with tackle Colton McKivitz, were also unavailable. Banks is out for the remainder of the season after suffering an MCL injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan expressed hope that Burford, who was injured against the Miami Dolphins, might be ready to play on Monday night. However, it sounded like a long shot. McKivitz was limited during Wednesday's practice due to a knee injury, so missing Thursday's session raises additional concern. https://twitter.com/mattbarrows/status/1872755113250677031 Linebacker Dre Greenlaw also did not practice and is not expected to return this season. On a positive note, running back Isaac Guerendo (limited) and defensive end Nick Bosa (full) participated in practice, signaling that both should be ready for Monday night's matchup against the Lions. The 49ers will hold one more practice—on Saturday—before the game. Below are Friday's practice participation reports for both the 49ers and Lions, which were provided by the 49ers Communications staff. San Francisco 49ers Friday Practice Did Not Participate In Practice G Aaron Banks (knee), DE Robert Beal (ankle), G Spencer Burford (calf), LB Dre Greenlaw (calf), FB Kyle Juszczyk (illness), T Colton McKivitz (knee) Limited Participation in Practice S Ji'Ayir Brown (ankle), DE Leonard Floyd (shoulder), RB Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring) Full Participation in Practice LB Tatum Bethune (knee), DE Nick Bosa (hip, oblique), DT Jordan Elliott (knee), S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist), LB Dee Winters (chest) Detroit Lions Friday Practice Did Not Participate In Practice RB David Montgomery (knee) Limited Participation in Practice CB Terrion Arnold (illness) Full Participation in Practice G Graham Glasgow (knee), WR Kalif Raymond (foot), LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck) This article first appeared on 49ers Webzone and was syndicated with permission.Liverpool shines in Champions League, dumping Real Madrid down the table. Dortmund rises to 4th Liverpool stayed perfect in the Champions League. A 2-0 win at Anfield dumped title holder Real Madrid into an almost unbelievable 24th place in the 36-team standings. Liverpool's second half ghoals came from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo, either side of Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé having a penalty saved. Borussia Dortmund, is up to fourth place after beating Dinamo Zagreb 3-0. Monaco missed a chance to go second losing 3-2 at home to Benfica. The best comeback was at PSV Eindhoven. Te home team trailed Shakhtar Donetsk by two goals in the 87th minute of a 3-2 win. Daniel Jones is signing with the Vikings after his release from the Giants, AP source says A person familiar with the decision says former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is signing with the Minnesota Vikings. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement hasn’t been finalized. Jones will join Minnesota’s practice squad less than a week after the Giants released the former No. 6 overall draft pick. Sam Darnold has helped the Vikings start 9-2. Jones joins Nick Mullens and Brett Rypien in Minnesota’s quarterback room. Rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy had season-ending knee surgery in August and a second procedure on his knee earlier this month. LIV Golf will hire sports and entertainment leader Scott O'Neil to replace Greg Norman, report says Scott O'Neil is set to become the next CEO of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. The Athletic is reporting the move for the former head of the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils. O'Neil recently was CEO of Merlin Entertainments. The company that owns resorts like Legoland announced O'Neil was leaving for a new opportunity. O'Neil would replace Greg Norman at LIV Golf. Sports Business Journal reported last month that Norman would move to a different role that has not been announced. Norman has been CEO of the rival golf league since it launched in 2022. The PGA Tour and Saudi backers are still negotiating an investment deal. West Virginia knocks off No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in overtime in the Battle 4 Atlantis NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Javon Small scored five of his 31 points in overtime and Tucker DeVries added key free throws late in regulation and finished with 16 points as West Virginia beat No. 3 Gonzaga 86-78 in the Battle 4 Atlantis. Small’s layup with under 2 minutes left in OT gave West Virginia a 79-75 lead. After a Gonzaga miss, Sencire Harris hit two free throws to make it a six-point lead. With 27.1 seconds left, Harris made a steal and scored on a dunk for an eight-point lead, putting the game out of reach. Braden Huff scored 19 points and Khalif Battle 16 for Gonzaga (5-1). Two companies drop McGregor after civil jury ruled he must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her LONDON (AP) — Two companies have cut ties with Conor McGregor after a civil court jury in Ireland ruled last week that he must pay nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) to a woman who accused the mixed martial arts fighter of raping her. Proximo Spirits, the owner of Irish whiskey brand Proper No. 12, will no longer feature McGregor’s name or image. Video game developer IO Interactive ended its collaboration with McGregor, who had played a character in a game. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. Staley counsels some South Carolina fans to keep calm after No. 4 Gamecocks 1st loss in two seasons COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Dawn Staley is not in panic mode, even if some of famous “Fams” are following her team's first loss in two seasons. The Gamecocks had won 85 of their previous 86 games, including a program record 43 in a row before falling to UCLA 77-62 this past Sunday. South Carolina slipped from No. 1 to No. 4 in the rankings while the Bruins took over the top spot. Still, it caught Staley by surprise that some supporters were worried about the November loss. Staley said the defending national champions are still finding their way. Thanksgiving Weekend Sports Guide: Your roadmap to NFL matchups, with other games, times and odds The long sports-filled Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many Americans enjoy gathering with friends and family for good food, good company and hopefully not too much political conversation. Also on the menu — all the NFL and college sports you can handle. Here is a roadmap to one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, with a look at marquee games over the holiday and how to watch. Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley prepare for earliest matchup ever between 1,300-yard running backs Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry combined for 395 yards rushing on back-to-back nights at SoFi Stadium as the dynamic playmakers keep proving that investing in running backs can pay off in the right situation. Next, they will play on the same field at the same time when Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles take on Henry and the Baltimore Ravens in the first matchup ever between two 1,300-yard runners in Week 13 or earlier. Before this year, no player had rushed for at least 1,300 yards and 10 TDs in the first 12 weeks of the season since Shaun Alexander in 2005 as teams moved away from bell-cow backs and diminished the importance of the position. Raiders will start O'Connell at quarterback when they visit the Chiefs HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O’Connell will start at quarterback when the Las Vegas Raiders visit their AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs on Friday. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce says O’Connell had progressed well after breaking his right thumb on Oct. 20 in a game against the Los Angeles Rams. Gardner Minshew broke his left collarbone on Sunday in a game against the Denver Broncos and is out for the season. The Raiders could have gone with Desmond Ridder to replace Minshew. Luis Suarez signs to stay with Messi and Inter Miami for 2025 season 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.

Great Republic of Zimbabwe - The story of (Cde) Bishop Lawrence Jasi Kazembe popularly know as Vakuru Vekare is one that has often been kept in the shadows, yet it is a story that needs to be told, for it is woven into the very fabric of our Nation's struggle for freedom, unity, and progress. A true Revolutionary, Bishop Kazembe is not merely a Religious Leader but a patriot who stood in the trenches when the darkness seemed to swallow the hope of our beloved Great Republic of Zimbabwe. This is the man who, at a crucial turning point in our history, championed the first diaspora campaign in support of HE President Dr ED Mnangagwa during the most perilous of times, from 2017 and before. A time when it was not only dangerous to speak the name of President Mnangagwa but when to do so was considered an act of high treason. A time when the world was blind to the truth and when betrayal seemed to have been the order of the day. Bishop Kazembe's house was burned to the ground, his car reduced to rubble, and his life turned upside down. Yet, he did not falter. He chose to stand firm, even when it meant fleeing for his life and living in exile. It was in those dark hours, when the future of Zimbabwe seemed uncertain, that Bishop Kazembe, along with many other unsung heroes, continued to fight for the *Second Republic*. His commitment, his sacrifices, and his unshakable belief in the cause of liberation have remained steadfast – but now, his story must be heard. A Revolutionary Among Us Bishop Kazembe is not just a name but a symbol of resilience. When others turned their backs, he remained a stalwart of the Revolution, reaching out to fellow revolutionaries in exile, ensuring that the flame of hope never died. He helped bring together those who stood by President Mnangagwa during the darkest political hour of this Nation. He was a voice for the voiceless, a beacon of hope when many believed all was lost. A Call for Support: Let's Give Back to Our Heroes As we move forward, let us not allow the stories of our heroes to fade into obscurity. Let us rise to the occasion and ensure that Bishop Kazembe's contributions and those of many others with similar cases are recognized, that their sacrifices are honored, and that they receive the support they rightfully deserves. This is not just a call for recognition; it is a call for action. We must come together, as a Nation, to support those who have given so much for our freedom and prosperity. The time is now for us to repay the debt owed to our true Revolutionaries, to ensure that their legacies are preserved for generations to come. Let us stand with Bishop Kazembe, as he stood with us in our darkest hour. Let us ensure that no Revolutionary suffers in silence. The time for action is now. Together, we can honor the sacrifices made by our heroes and continue to build a Great Republic of Zimbabwe that reflects their dreams and their vision. Conclusion: Let's Honor Our Own The story of Bishop Kazembe pis one that speaks to the heart of every true Zimbabwean. It is a story of resilience, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to the cause of liberation. It is time that we, as a Party, come together to honor him and support him in his time of need. Let us not allow his sacrifices to be in vain. Let us ensure that his legacy is carried forward and that his struggles are acknowledged. The time is now for us to act. Let us give back to those who have given so much for the prosperity of our country. A Better Tomorrow As we move forward, let us remember that the struggle for a better the Great Republic of Zimbabwe is not just about political power but about ensuring that those who fought for this freedom are recognized and supported. Bishop Kazembe's story is a reminder of the sacrifices that have been made, and it is a call to action for us to do our part in building a better future for all. honoring-bishop-kazembe-revolutionary-who-needs-our-support