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Italy to replace Iran in FIFA World Cup 2026? Trump envoy seeks change: Reports  A top ​envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump has asked ‌FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in ​the upcoming World Cup, the        Financial ⁠Times reported on Wednesday.The plan is an effort to repair ties between Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister ‌Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out amid the American president’s attacks against ‌Pope Leo XIV over the Iran ‌war, ⁠the        FT reported, citing people familiar with ⁠the matter.“I confirm I have suggested to Trump and (FIFA president Gianni) Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World ​Cup. I’m an ‌Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the ‌pedigree to justify inclusion,” U.S. special envoy ​Paolo Zampolli told the        FT.The White House, FIFA, the Italian Football Federation(FIGC) ⁠and Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.Italy suffered a shock ‌in March after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row following a 1-4 penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their qualifying playoff final. Meanwhile, Iran has qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup.Iran reportedly issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was ​prepared for the tournament and planned to participate. Reuters could not immediately verify ⁠the report.Iran had said earlier in April it would ⁠only decide on the national team’s participation in the World Cup once it ‌received a response from FIFA over the relocation of its matches from the U.S. ​to Mexico.Published on Apr 23, 2026  #Italy #replace #Iran #FIFA #World #Cup #Trump #envoy #seeks #change #Reports

Italy to replace Iran in FIFA World Cup 2026? Trump envoy seeks change: Reports

A top ​envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump has asked ‌FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in ​the upcoming World Cup, the Financial ⁠Times reported on Wednesday.

The plan is an effort to repair ties between Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister ‌Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out amid the American president’s attacks against ‌Pope Leo XIV over the Iran ‌war, ⁠the FT reported, citing people familiar with ⁠the matter.

“I confirm I have suggested to Trump and (FIFA president Gianni) Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World ​Cup. I’m an ‌Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the ‌pedigree to justify inclusion,” U.S. special envoy ​Paolo Zampolli told the FT.

The White House, FIFA, the Italian Football Federation(FIGC) ⁠and Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Italy suffered a shock ‌in March after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row following a 1-4 penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their qualifying playoff final. Meanwhile, Iran has qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup.

Iran reportedly issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was ​prepared for the tournament and planned to participate. Reuters could not immediately verify ⁠the report.

Iran had said earlier in April it would ⁠only decide on the national team’s participation in the World Cup once it ‌received a response from FIFA over the relocation of its matches from the U.S. ​to Mexico.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Italy #replace #Iran #FIFA #World #Cup #Trump #envoy #seeks #change #Reports

A top ​envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump has asked ‌FIFA to replace Iran with Italy in ​the upcoming World Cup, the Financial ⁠Times reported on Wednesday.

The plan is an effort to repair ties between Trump and Italy’s Prime Minister ‌Giorgia Meloni after the two fell out amid the American president’s attacks against ‌Pope Leo XIV over the Iran ‌war, ⁠the FT reported, citing people familiar with ⁠the matter.

“I confirm I have suggested to Trump and (FIFA president Gianni) Infantino that Italy replace Iran at the World ​Cup. I’m an ‌Italian native and it would be a dream to see the Azzurri at a US-hosted tournament. With four titles, they have the ‌pedigree to justify inclusion,” U.S. special envoy ​Paolo Zampolli told the FT.

The White House, FIFA, the Italian Football Federation(FIGC) ⁠and Iran’s football federation (FFIRI) did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

Italy suffered a shock ‌in March after the national team missed out on the World Cup for the third time in a row following a 1-4 penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their qualifying playoff final. Meanwhile, Iran has qualified for its fourth consecutive World Cup.

Iran reportedly issued a statement on Wednesday saying it was ​prepared for the tournament and planned to participate. Reuters could not immediately verify ⁠the report.

Iran had said earlier in April it would ⁠only decide on the national team’s participation in the World Cup once it ‌received a response from FIFA over the relocation of its matches from the U.S. ​to Mexico.

Published on Apr 23, 2026

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#Italy #replace #Iran #FIFA #World #Cup #Trump #envoy #seeks #change #Reports

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Tesla just increased its spending plan to $25B — here’s where the money is going | TechCrunch<div> <p id="speakable-summary" class="wp-block-paragraph">Tesla CEO Elon Musk kicked off the company’s first-quarter earnings call with a monetary heads-up — or depending on the mindset of the investor, a warning. Tesla’s capital expenditures will skyrocket to $25 billion in 2026, far outpacing its previous annual spend as it races to stay ahead of the competition and transitions to an AI and robotics company, according to its <a href="https://assets-ir.tesla.com/tesla-contents/IR/TSLA-Q1-2026-Update.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener nofollow">first-quarter earnings report</a>.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">That figure, which covers what Tesla plans to spend on physical assets outside of its day-to-day operating expenditures, is three times higher than its annual capex budget in previous years. For comparison, Tesla’s annual capital expenditures were $8.5 billion in 2025, $11.3 billion in 2024, and $8.9 billion in 2023. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tesla had announced in January that it expected capital expenditures to be in excess of $20 billion in 2026, already a substantial increase meant to cover its AI initiatives, including investments in compute infrastructure and data centers, and the expansion and ramp of its manufacturing and R&D production lines, among other items. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">This $5 billion uptick suggests these initiatives will require more money than previously planned. But so far, its quarterly capital expenditure, which was $2.5 billion, was in line with previous quarters, the report shows.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Of course, Musk views this as a positive, a sentiment many other shareholders will likely also share since it positions Tesla as a company investing in its future, namely AI and robotics. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“With 2026 we’re going to be substantially increasing our investments in the future,” Musk said in the earnings call Wednesday. “So you should expect to see significant, a very significant increase in capital expenditures, but I think well justified for a substantially increased future revenue stream.”</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Musk was quick to note that Tesla isn’t the only company raising its capital expenditure budget. Amazon, for instance, has projected <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/02/05/amazon-and-google-are-winning-the-ai-capex-race-but-whats-the-prize/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$200 billion in capital expenditures</a> in 2026, across “AI, chips, robotics, and low earth orbit satellites.” Google is slated to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, up from $91.4 billion the previous year.</p> <div class="wp-block-techcrunch-inline-cta"> <div class="inline-cta__wrapper"> <p>Techcrunch event</p> <div class="inline-cta__content"> <p> <span class="inline-cta__location">San Francisco, CA</span> <span class="inline-cta__separator">|</span> <span class="inline-cta__date">October 13-15, 2026</span> </p> </div> </div> </div> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The increase in Tesla’s capital expenditures is linked to Musk’s desire and ambition to evolve the company beyond building and selling EVs, solar, and energy storage. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some of the capex spend will go toward Tesla’s core technologies such as its battery and AI software, according to Musk. The company plans to invest in AI training, chip design, and “laying the groundwork” for increasing manufacturing production, as well as invest in its robotaxi operations and its new semiconductor research fab in Austin.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Fremont, California, factory will likely suck up some of that capital as the company ends production of the Tesla Model S and Model X and begins building its Optimus humanoid robot at scale. The company said Wednesday it has also cleared ground outside its Austin factory for a dedicated Optimus manufacturing facility.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tesla plans to increase its internal production of Optimus for testing and then “probably” make Optimus “useful outside of Tesla sometime next year,” he said. </p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tesla is also putting money toward strengthening its supply chain “across the board,” Musk said, adding that this covers batteries, energy, and AI silicon.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">All of this spending, which CFO Vaibhav Taneja said will last a couple of years, comes with a literal cost. The company — which enjoyed a brief 4% share price bump due, in part, to an unexpected <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/22/tesla-q1-revenue-rises-driven-by-ev-sales-and-fsd-subscriptions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">$1.4 billion in free cash flow</a> — will head into negative territory later this year, Taneja said.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Tesla shares erased their gains in after-hours trading as Musk and Taneja laid out these plans to investors. Still, Tesla is sitting on loads of cash. At the end of the first quarter, Tesla reported $44.7 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">“While this may seem like a lot, and we will have the impact of negative free cash flow for the rest of the year, we believe this is the right strategy to position the company for the next era,” Taneja said. </p> </div><p><em>When you purchase through links in our articles, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/techcrunch-affiliate-monetization-standards/">we may earn a small commission</a>. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.</em></p>#Tesla #increased #spending #plan #25B #heres #money #TechCrunchElon Musk,Tesla

#LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide">LIVE — Cincinnati vs Inter Miami: CIN v MIA updates; Messi, Suarez start for Herons; form guide  Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look for a fifth consecutive away victory on Wednesday night when they visit an FC Cincinnati side that has been settling too often for ‌draws.Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches.The Herons, who come into the match after a 4-2 win over Toronto, are third in the Eastern Conference standings, while Cincinnati, which drew its previous clash with Charlotte, sits sixth on the table.Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.  #LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide

Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?

Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.

#LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide">LIVE — Cincinnati vs Inter Miami: CIN v MIA updates; Messi, Suarez start for Herons; form guide

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look for a fifth consecutive away victory on Wednesday night when they visit an FC Cincinnati side that has been settling too often for ‌draws.

Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches.

The Herons, who come into the match after a 4-2 win over Toronto, are third in the Eastern Conference standings, while Cincinnati, which drew its previous clash with Charlotte, sits sixth on the table.

LIVE — Cincinnati vs Inter Miami: CIN v MIA updates; Messi, Suarez start for Herons; form guide  Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look for a fifth consecutive away victory on Wednesday night when they visit an FC Cincinnati side that has been settling too often for ‌draws.Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches.The Herons, who come into the match after a 4-2 win over Toronto, are third in the Eastern Conference standings, while Cincinnati, which drew its previous clash with Charlotte, sits sixth on the table.Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.  #LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide

Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?

Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.

#LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide
Deadspin | Report: Netflix close to landing NFL Honors for 2027  Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported.  The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner.  Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC.   Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report.  Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #HonorsFeb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported.

The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner.


Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC.

Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report.

Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #Honors">Deadspin | Report: Netflix close to landing NFL Honors for 2027  Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported.  The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner.  Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC.   Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report.  Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #Honors

The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.

One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.

But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.

Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.

Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.

Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, $3.75 million maximum contract.

Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.

But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.

But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.

The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.

Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.

Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.

Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.

A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.

And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season.

#Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect">The Portland Fire just won their first game, and it was perfect  The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, .75 million maximum contract.Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season.  #Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect

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