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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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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

The Round of 16 begins on Saturday, the Fourth of July here in the United States, with Canada taking on Morocco in Houston. Later in the day Saturday tournament favorites Kylian Mbappé and company will look to get by a Paraguay side that is coming off a stunning upset of Germany in a match in Philadelphia.

Sunday has a pair of intriguing matches, with Brazil taking on Erling Haaland and Norway before Mexico plays host to England in Mexico City. And then on Monday the United States joins the fray, going up against Belgium in Seattle.

Here are the teams that are moving on to the Quarterfinals, out of the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Morocco became the first team to book a spot in the Quarterfinals, with a 3-0 victory over Canada on Saturday.

Azzedine Ounahi recorded a brace in the second half to give Morocco a 2-0 lead, and Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal in stoppage time for good measure to solidify Morocco’s position in the Quarterfinals. They will wait on the winner of Saturday evening’s match between France and Paraguay.

France will face Morocco in the Quarterfinals, following a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.

Paraguay did their best to frustrate — and even stifle — Kylian Mbappé and company. But substitute Desire Doue won a penalty in the 69th minute, which was then converted by Mbappé to take France to a 1-0 lead.

Frustration boiled over after the final whistle, however:

But Les Bleus are moving on, and Paraguay are headed home.

Erling Haaland’s brace propelled Norway to a 2-1 win over Brazil. For Brazil, it is their earliest exit from the World Cup since 1990. As for Norway, this is the first time the Scandinavian side has reached the Quarterfinals, having been knocked out of the Round of 16 twice before, first in 1938 and most recently in 1998.

“Maybe this will write history in Norway,” Haaland said after the win. “Everyone just need to enjoy themselves. This is just an insane day. It’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history. Just enjoy it, embrace it and enjoy the moment.”

They will meet England or Mexico for a spot in the Semifinals.

#World #Cup #teams #reached #Quarterfinals">World Cup 2026: What teams have reached the Quarterfinals?  The Round of 16 is underway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and now teams are booking spots in the Quarterfinals.The Round of 16 begins on Saturday, the Fourth of July here in the United States, with Canada taking on Morocco in Houston. Later in the day Saturday tournament favorites Kylian Mbappé and company will look to get by a Paraguay side that is coming off a stunning upset of Germany in a match in Philadelphia.Sunday has a pair of intriguing matches, with Brazil taking on Erling Haaland and Norway before Mexico plays host to England in Mexico City. And then on Monday the United States joins the fray, going up against Belgium in Seattle.Here are the teams that are moving on to the Quarterfinals, out of the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.Morocco became the first team to book a spot in the Quarterfinals, with a 3-0 victory over Canada on Saturday.Azzedine Ounahi recorded a brace in the second half to give Morocco a 2-0 lead, and Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal in stoppage time for good measure to solidify Morocco’s position in the Quarterfinals. They will wait on the winner of Saturday evening’s match between France and Paraguay.France will face Morocco in the Quarterfinals, following a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.Paraguay did their best to frustrate — and even stifle — Kylian Mbappé and company. But substitute Desire Doue won a penalty in the 69th minute, which was then converted by Mbappé to take France to a 1-0 lead.Frustration boiled over after the final whistle, however:But Les Bleus are moving on, and Paraguay are headed home.Erling Haaland’s brace propelled Norway to a 2-1 win over Brazil. For Brazil, it is their earliest exit from the World Cup since 1990. As for Norway, this is the first time the Scandinavian side has reached the Quarterfinals, having been knocked out of the Round of 16 twice before, first in 1938 and most recently in 1998.“Maybe this will write history in Norway,” Haaland said after the win. “Everyone just need to enjoy themselves. This is just an insane day. It’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history. Just enjoy it, embrace it and enjoy the moment.”They will meet England or Mexico for a spot in the Semifinals.  #World #Cup #teams #reached #Quarterfinals

2026 FIFA World Cup, and now teams are booking spots in the Quarterfinals.

The Round of 16 begins on Saturday, the Fourth of July here in the United States, with Canada taking on Morocco in Houston. Later in the day Saturday tournament favorites Kylian Mbappé and company will look to get by a Paraguay side that is coming off a stunning upset of Germany in a match in Philadelphia.

Sunday has a pair of intriguing matches, with Brazil taking on Erling Haaland and Norway before Mexico plays host to England in Mexico City. And then on Monday the United States joins the fray, going up against Belgium in Seattle.

Here are the teams that are moving on to the Quarterfinals, out of the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Morocco became the first team to book a spot in the Quarterfinals, with a 3-0 victory over Canada on Saturday.

Azzedine Ounahi recorded a brace in the second half to give Morocco a 2-0 lead, and Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal in stoppage time for good measure to solidify Morocco’s position in the Quarterfinals. They will wait on the winner of Saturday evening’s match between France and Paraguay.

France will face Morocco in the Quarterfinals, following a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.

Paraguay did their best to frustrate — and even stifle — Kylian Mbappé and company. But substitute Desire Doue won a penalty in the 69th minute, which was then converted by Mbappé to take France to a 1-0 lead.

Frustration boiled over after the final whistle, however:

But Les Bleus are moving on, and Paraguay are headed home.

Erling Haaland’s brace propelled Norway to a 2-1 win over Brazil. For Brazil, it is their earliest exit from the World Cup since 1990. As for Norway, this is the first time the Scandinavian side has reached the Quarterfinals, having been knocked out of the Round of 16 twice before, first in 1938 and most recently in 1998.

“Maybe this will write history in Norway,” Haaland said after the win. “Everyone just need to enjoy themselves. This is just an insane day. It’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history. Just enjoy it, embrace it and enjoy the moment.”

They will meet England or Mexico for a spot in the Semifinals.

#World #Cup #teams #reached #Quarterfinals">World Cup 2026: What teams have reached the Quarterfinals?

The Round of 16 is underway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and now teams are booking spots in the Quarterfinals.

The Round of 16 begins on Saturday, the Fourth of July here in the United States, with Canada taking on Morocco in Houston. Later in the day Saturday tournament favorites Kylian Mbappé and company will look to get by a Paraguay side that is coming off a stunning upset of Germany in a match in Philadelphia.

Sunday has a pair of intriguing matches, with Brazil taking on Erling Haaland and Norway before Mexico plays host to England in Mexico City. And then on Monday the United States joins the fray, going up against Belgium in Seattle.

Here are the teams that are moving on to the Quarterfinals, out of the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Morocco became the first team to book a spot in the Quarterfinals, with a 3-0 victory over Canada on Saturday.

Azzedine Ounahi recorded a brace in the second half to give Morocco a 2-0 lead, and Soufiane Rahimi added a third goal in stoppage time for good measure to solidify Morocco’s position in the Quarterfinals. They will wait on the winner of Saturday evening’s match between France and Paraguay.

France will face Morocco in the Quarterfinals, following a 1-0 victory over Paraguay.

Paraguay did their best to frustrate — and even stifle — Kylian Mbappé and company. But substitute Desire Doue won a penalty in the 69th minute, which was then converted by Mbappé to take France to a 1-0 lead.

Frustration boiled over after the final whistle, however:

But Les Bleus are moving on, and Paraguay are headed home.

Erling Haaland’s brace propelled Norway to a 2-1 win over Brazil. For Brazil, it is their earliest exit from the World Cup since 1990. As for Norway, this is the first time the Scandinavian side has reached the Quarterfinals, having been knocked out of the Round of 16 twice before, first in 1938 and most recently in 1998.

“Maybe this will write history in Norway,” Haaland said after the win. “Everyone just need to enjoy themselves. This is just an insane day. It’s one of the most insane days in Norwegian history. Just enjoy it, embrace it and enjoy the moment.”

They will meet England or Mexico for a spot in the Semifinals.

#World #Cup #teams #reached #Quarterfinals

Catch the live score and updates from the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Mexico and England. | Photo Credit: AFP

বিবার মেক্সিকো সিটিতে অনুষ্ঠিতব্য ফিফা বিশ্বকাপ ২০২৬-এর শেষ ষোলোর ম্যাচে মেক্সিকো ও ইংল্যান্ডের লড়াই নিয়ে ‘স্পোর্টস্টার’-এর লাইভ বাংলা ব্লগ ও ধারাভাষ্য আপডেট-এ আপনাদের স্বাগতম

#মকসক #বনম #ইলযনড #লইভ #ফফ #বশবকপ #শষ #ষল #MEX #ENG #আপডট #পরথমরধ #শর">মেক্সিকো বনাম ইংল্যান্ড লাইভ ফিফা বিশ্বকাপ – শেষ ষোলো; MEX vs ENG আপডেট, প্রথমার্ধ শুরু  Catch the live score and updates from the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Mexico and England. 
                                                                          | Photo Credit:  
                                      AFP
                                                                      
                        Catch the live score and updates from the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Mexico and England.
                                                  | Photo Credit:  
                          AFP
                                              বিবার মেক্সিকো সিটিতে অনুষ্ঠিতব্য ফিফা বিশ্বকাপ ২০২৬-এর শেষ ষোলোর ম্যাচে মেক্সিকো ও ইংল্যান্ডের লড়াই নিয়ে ‘স্পোর্টস্টার’-এর লাইভ বাংলা ব্লগ ও ধারাভাষ্য আপডেট-এ আপনাদের স্বাগতম  #মকসক #বনম #ইলযনড #লইভ #ফফ #বশবকপ #শষ #ষল #MEX #ENG #আপডট #পরথমরধ #শর

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