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GENEVA (AP) — Netflix has secured the U.S. broadcasting rights to the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 as the streaming giant continues its push into live sports. The deal announced Friday is the most significant FIFA has signed with a streaming service for a major tournament. The value was not given, though international competitions in women’s soccer have struggled to draw high-value offers. “Bringing this iconic tournament to Netflix isn’t just about streaming matches,” its chief content officer Bela Bajaria said in a statement. “It’s also about celebrating the players, the culture and the passion driving the global rise of women’s sport.” Netflix dipped into live sports last month with more than 60 million households watching a heavily hyped boxing match between retired heavyweight legend Mike Tyson and social media personality Jake Paul. Some viewers reported streaming problems , however. Netflix also will broadcast two NFL games on Christmas Day: the Kansas City Chiefs at the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens at the Houston Texans. That’s part of a three-year deal announced in May. World Cups are typically broadcast on free-to-air public networks to reach the biggest audiences, and the last women's edition in 2023 earned FIFA less than 10% of the men's 2022 World Cup. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had publicly criticized public broadcasters , especially in Europe, for undervaluing offers to broadcast the 2023 tournament that was played in Australia and New Zealand. That tournament was broadcast by Fox in the U.S. “This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the global women’s game,” Infantino said. The World Cup rights mark another major step in Netflix’s push into live programming. It’s recipe that Netflix has cooked up to help sell more advertising, a top priority for the company since it introduced a low-priced version of its streaming service that includes commercials two years ago. The ad-supported version is now the fastest growing part of Netflix’s service, although most of its 283 million worldwide subscribers till pay for higher-priced options without commercial. But Netflix is still trying to sell more ads to boost its revenue, which is expected to be about $30 billion. Netflix executives have predicted it might take two or three years before its ad sales become a major part of its revenue. Netflix expects to spend about $17 billion on programming this year — a budget that the Los Gatos, California, company once funneled almost entirely into scripted TV series and movies. But Netflix is now allocating a significant chunk of that money to sports and live events, a shift that has made it a formidable competitor to traditional media bidding for the same rights. FIFA will likely use the Netflix deal to drive talks with European broadcasters that likely will be hardball negotiations. Soccer finance expert Kieran Maguire, a co-host of The Price of Football podcast, suggested the deal was “a bit of a gamble" for FIFA and “saber-rattling” by Infantino. “(Netflix) get experience of football broadcasting, FIFA can say, ‘we are now partnering with a blue chip organization, so watch out you nasty Europeans,’” Maguire, an academic at the University of Liverpool, said in a telephone interview. FIFA and Infantino also want to raise the price of broadcast deals to help fund increased prize money and close the gender pay gap on the men’s World Cup. At the men’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 32 team federations shared $440 million in prize money. For the women’s 2023 tournament , FIFA had a $152 million total fund for prize money, contributions to teams’ preparation costs and payments to players’ clubs. In FIFA’s financial accounts for 2023 , the soccer body reported total broadcasting revenue of $244 million. In the year of the men’s 2022 World Cup it was almost $2.9 billion. The next Women's World Cup will be a 32-team, 64-game tournament in 2027, played in Brazil from June 24-July 25. The U.S. originally bid jointly with Mexico. The 2031 host has not been decided, though the U.S. likely will bid for a tournament which FIFA is expected to try to expand to 48 teams. That would match the size of the 104-game format of the men's World Cup that debuts in 2026 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup after the U.S. won the two previous titles — in France in 2019 and Canada in 2015. More than 25 million viewers in the U.S. watched the 2015 World Cup final, a 5-2 win over Japan, played in Vancouver, Canada, in a time zone similarly favorable to Brazil. FIFA tried to sign Apple+ to an exclusive global deal to broadcast the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup which is being played in 11 U.S. cities next June and July. Broadcast networks showed little interest in the FIFA club event that will now be broadcast for free on streaming service DAZN, which is building closer business ties to Saudi Arabia. Ahead of the next Women's World Cup, Netflix will "produce exclusive documentary series in the lead-up to both tournaments, spotlighting the world’s top players, their journeys and the global growth of women’s football,” FIFA said. ___ AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Graham Dunbar, The Associated Press

Watch in Peace: Best Wireless Headphones for TV LoversSocial media users are misrepresenting a report by the Justice Department inspector general’s office, falsely claiming that it’s proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report’s finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here’s a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That’s false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau’s informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day’s events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office’s counterterrorism division told the inspector general’s office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report’s findings. “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!” reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray’s resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray’s announcement Wednesday that he at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. Asked for comment on the false claims spreading online, Stephanie Logan, a spokesperson for the inspector general’s office, pointed The Associated Press to a about the report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI’s involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.” — Find AP Fact Checks here: . By Melissa Goldin, The Associated Presshas unveiled a teaser for her upcoming Netflix special, , set to air during the Christmas Day game between the and . The promo video comes amid allegations against her husband, , who has been accused in a civil lawsuit of sexually assaulting a minor alongside in 2000. Beyoncé teases Holiday magic Unfazed by the legal controversy, , 43, showcased her festive spirit in the teaser for her Christmas special. Dressed in a feathered white ensemble and a cowboy hat, the music icon struck playful poses beside a cactus. A dramatic moment in the clip featured her mimicking a finger-gun shot to light up the cactus, setting the stage for a whimsical holiday performance. The special will be part of halftime performance during the December 25 game in Houston, her hometown. Meanwhile, the allegations against have reportedly prompted the NFL to reassess its partnership with his company, . The two entities have collaborated since 2019 to revamp the Super Bowl halftime show and address social justice issues. While no formal action has been taken, insiders suggest the may distance itself from Jay-Z if the legal proceedings result in further fallout. The lawsuit against the music mogul, refiled on Sunday in New York's Southern District, alleges the assault occurred after the MTV Video Music Awards. , 55, has categorically denied the claims, calling them an attempt at "blackmail" and expressing concern about their impact on his family, particularly his eldest daughter, . Despite the public scrutiny, has not been implicated in the lawsuit. The couple, married since 2008, share three children-Blue Ivy and twins Rumi and Sir-and have long been considered an R&B power couple, though their relationship has faced challenges in the past, including admission of infidelity. As legal proceedings unfold, continues to focus on her career, using her platform to deliver entertainment while maintaining a neutral stance on her husband's legal troubles.

It is difficult to comprehend the cruelty inflicted on Sara Sharif . She was beaten, burned and tortured by the very people who were supposed to care for her. The ultimate responsibility for this act of evil will always rest with her father and stepmother. But the authorities face serious questions as to why they did not do more to protect Sara. The local council, social services and police were aware of concerns about her family but failed to rescue her from a living hell. It’s a depressingly familiar story. Sara joins Logan Mwangi , Star Hobson, Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and dozens of other children killed by their parents or step-parents. In all these cases warning signs were missed, concerns raised by relatives were ignored and the agencies failed to share vital information. And after all these cases the same words were uttered: “Never again.” For Sara’s sake it must be never again. Lessons must be learned and changes made. Never again should an innocent young child die in such inhumane, horrific circumstances. Sportswashed The custodians of the beautiful game have struck a dirty deal by awarding the 2034 men’s World Cup to Saudi Arabia. The country should have been barred from bidding for the honour on the grounds of its appalling human rights record. This is a country which muzzles the media, bans protests, authorises mass executions and treats women as second class citizens. Instead of taking a stand, Fifa fast-tracked the bidding process, turning what should have been an open contest into a coronation. It has colluded in the worst form of sportswashing – using football to divert attention from the Saudi regime’s tyrannical practices. Roads to ruin Drivers are being warned the roads could be busier than ever this Christmas. Anyone travelling should make sure they leave in good time. You wouldn’t want to be late for the traditional family argument.ECONSE CELEBRATES THREE YEARS OF HELPING ATLANTICANN MEDICAL INC. MANAGE THEIR GREENHOUSE WASTEWATER

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New Data Shows Over 65,000 Turning to Homelessness Services in NSWDETROIT — That new-coach bump that teams get, the Red Wings definitely got one game later. The Wings rolled to a 4-2 victory Sunday over Washington, 48 hours after losing coach Todd McLellan's debut against Toronto . All those areas the Wings wanted and needed to get better, for one game, they looked like an improved team while earning McLellan his first victory as head coach of the Wings. They contained an offensively dangerous team like Washington. The penalty kill blanked Washington's potent power play twice. The Wings exploded for a season-high four first period goals, with Patrick Kane earning a goal and assist to give him 1,300 career points (the 38th NHL player to reach the milestone). Alex DeBrincat scored two goals, and Lucas Raymond and Kane had the other goals, while goaltender Alex Lyon stopped 26 shots. The victory ended a four-game losing streak, and gave the Wings (14-18-4) some positive news after a tough week. Washington's Alex Ovechkin opened the Capitals scoring with a first period goal, his 17th goal in 19 games this season (he returned from injury Saturday) and the 870th of his career. Ovechkin is 24 goals from tying Wayne Gretzky for the all-time record. Nic Dowd added a third-period goal, at 10 minutes 27 seconds, cutting the Wings lead to 4-2. McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde on Thursday and has been running a crash course, along with his assistant Trent Yawney, on how he wants the Wings to play. "The situation, like I said (Friday) is brand new for me," said McLellan, who has never taken over a team in the middle of the season. "The foot is on the gas pedal right now and it hasn't come off. I'm trying to learn on the fly right now myself, like how much do we share with them, how much can they absorb before we are getting in the way and we're becoming a problem.? We can overload them and go the other way instead of moving the train forward. "But we’ll figure all this out as we go.” Saturday's practice was the Wings' first full one with McLellan . It was intense, educational, and McLellan definitely got points across loud and clear to a team that soaked in the knowledge. Like McLellan alluded to, the last few days have been a whirlwind behind the scenes. "The Red Wings have their video staff and we're trying to blend stuff together," McLellan said. "The amount of time it takes to flip stuff around, the video coaches did an unreal job (for Saturday's practice) in a stressful situation just to get us ready for a meeting. You don't have that when you're planning for training camp because you've got six month, three months probably, to get prepared. "We had three hours. But the on-ice part of it was good." The Wings came out flying Sunday against a Washington team that played in Toronto 22 hours before. DeBrincat scored his first goal only 3 minutes 19 seconds into the game deflecting Ben Chiarot's shot from the point past goaltender Charlie Lindgren. They quickly pushed the lead to 2-0 on Kane's power-play goal at 6:44. Kane got the puck on the flank and cleanly beat Lindgren. Kane earned point No. 1,300 at 12:35, assisting on DeBrinat's second goal, and 15th of the season. Kane found DeBrincat alone out front, and DeBrincat buried the puck past a beleaguered Lindgren. Raymond capped the Wings' charge with his 15th goal, tying DeBrincat for the team lead, at 14:18 of the first period. Raymond got the puck near the hashmarks with the Capitals (24-10-2), and Lindgren, scrambling. Lindgren was prone on the ice and unable to get himself up, Raymond patiently snapping a shot over Lindgren. The Wings killed two Washington power plays in the second period, which were prime opportunities for the Capitals to get back in the game. ©2024 www.detroitnews.com . Visit at detroitnews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Christmas cactuses, a popular festive house plant, not only add beauty to homes but are also long-living plants that can thrive for decades with the right care. Gardener Tracey Besemer from Rural Sprout has found an ideal solution for maintaining their health and encouraging vibrant blooms – it's all about using the correct fertiliser. She shared her accidental discovery: "After years of trying different fertilisers formulated for houseplants, mostly choosing what happened to be in stock at the garden centre each time I ran out, I stumbled across a great fertilising solution for my Christmas cactus quite by accident." The best choice turns out to be Schultz African Violet liquid plant food, traditionally used for African Violets, but beneficial for other houseplants. To fertilise your Christmas cactus, simply mix a few drops with a litre of water and apply it directly to the plant. Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp Tracey advises: "I had the most prolific blooms on my cactus that I've ever had - that's what happened. From that point on, it became my go-to fertiliser for blooming houseplants." Regular feeding every two to four weeks during the growing season – alternating with watering sessions – helps to avoid salt build-up in the soil, reports the Express . When considering fertiliser for Christmas cactuses , a blend containing equal measures of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium is commonly recommended, as these are crucial nutrients for plant survival. For Christmas cactuses in particular, a fertiliser with higher phosphorus is beneficial because it's the key nutrient needed for flower production and maintaining robust plants. Tracey explained: "It's such an important nutrient for so many different processes: cell division and growth (which increase during the blooming phase), sturdy root growth, energy storage and transfer, and even respiration – all of these plant processes require phosphorus. ”. Optimal fertilisation time for Christmas cactuses is critical to avoid damaging newly formed buds by overfeeding. Fertilise only during their active growth phase, typically around February or March, and not before the cactus enters its six to eight-week dormancy period prior to budding. Following these guidelines should result in larger, more abundant blooms each festive season for years ahead.Will the "Fateful Eight" Stocks Outperform the "Magnificent Seven" in 2025?