777 pub jili KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Zahir Abdus-Salaam ran for a touchdown and caught another as Western Michigan defeated Eastern Michigan 26-18 on Saturday to become bowl eligible, snapping a three-game losing streak. Abdus-Salaam scored on a 22-yard run for a 23-8 lead in the third quarter and he celebrated by jumping into a snowbank bordering the end zone. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Today’s news headlines and Thought for the Day for school assembly: 25 November 2024In March 2024, The Music Academy, Madras announced T.M. Krishna as the recipient of the prestigious Sangita Kalanidhi award , which is given annually to outstanding musicians. But over the past seven to eight months, there has been an ongoing wave of criticism and backlash directed at Mr. Krishna, posing a challenge to the freedom of expression. Beyond his profession as a musician, Mr. Krishna actively voices his views on social issues such as politics, caste, language, and the role of music, in his speeches and writing. His views have sparked anger among dominant groups, who lack the openness and the tolerance to engage in meaningful dialogue on these topics. They seek to suppress his freedom of expression, employing various tactics to silence his anti-hegemonic perspectives and remove him from the public sphere. The recipient of the Sangita Kalanidhi award also receives the M.S. Subbulakshmi Award instituted by The Hindu . Mr. Krishna had previously written an in-depth article on M.S. Subbulakshmi, MS Understood , which has since drawn criticism, with some accusing him of defaming her, leading to questions about how he could be awarded the honour named after her. M.S. Subbulakshmi’s grandson, Shrinivasan, took the matter to court, stating that the person who insulted his grandmother should not be given an award in her name. The Madras High Court has now delivered its judgement . Related Stories Stalin backs T.M. Krishna’s selection for Sangita Kalanidhi award 2024 A dissonant chord in the world of Carnatic music Sangita Kalanidhi to T.M. Krishna | The Music Academy replies to vocalist duo Ranjani-Gayathri after they withdraw scheduled performance An insightful article The article written by Mr. Krishna is a rare and insightful study of a musician. One approach in literary criticism is to explore the relationship between a writer’s life and their work, and Mr. Krishna applies this brilliantly to music. There is no doubt about M.S. Subbulakshmi’s remarkable personality, but the article delves into whether she was able to fully express it through her music. Her songs serve as the primary evidence. By continuously listening to her songs, the article seeks to uncover whether the artistic excellence in her music was a result of her creative freedom or a compulsion to conform, and seeks reasons in her life for this dynamic. The article divides M.S. Subbulakshmi’s life into three phases, describing how she sang during each period, the kinds of songs she chose, and the reasons behind these choices — all conveyed with a blend of logic and beauty. It also explores various opinions within the inner world of Carnatic music, presenting them as oral evidence. As a singer himself, Mr. Krishna has been able to gather these perspectives, examine them, trace the reasons behind their emergence, and offer his own insights. The family of M.S. Subbulakshmi may take issue with the passages in the article that address her caste and her husband, but there is no transgression in them. Mr. Krishna presents his thoughts in a cultured language. In our society, while religion can be changed, caste remains unalterable. How can the Devadasi background, in which M.S. was born and raised, be concealed? It is a widely acknowledged fact in the public sphere that she was under the influence of her husband, who played a significant role in determining the composition of her concerts. This article is a profound commentary on M.S. Subbulakshmi, a widely admired public figure. Listening to her songs with the understanding offered by this article allows for a deeper experience of her music. Beyond general interest, one can explore the variety of songs she performed. “Some people feel that this article insults her memory. In fact, I have celebrated her in the best possible way,” says Mr. Krishna in the preface to the Tamil translation. Those who have read it carefully can understand it better. The Madras High Court verdict The Madras High Court did not address whether Mr. Krishna insulted M.S. Subbulakshmi in its verdict. It raised no objections to the conferment of the ‘Sangita Kalanidhi’ award by the Music Academy on Mr. Krishna. Instead, the High Court focused on the Sangita Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi Award, which is presented by The Hindu to the recipient of the Sangita Kalanidhi award and includes a prize of ₹1 lakh. In her will, M.S. Subbulakshmi has stated that she did not want any award to be given in her name. Based on this, the judgment ruled that to respect her wishes, a cash prize could be awarded without using her name. The award presented by The Hindu is titled the ‘Sangita Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi Award.’ However, the Tamil media, which confused the ‘Sangita Kalanidhi’ award given by the Music Academy with the ‘Sangita Kalanidhi M.S. Subbulakshmi Award’ presented by The Hindu to the awardee, misreported the verdict. The media mistakenly understood that the Sangita Kalanidhi award is given in M.S. Subbulakshmi’s name. Tamil newspapers, television channels, and social media have wrongly reported that there is a ban on conferring the Sangita Kalanidhi Award in her name. There have also been reports claiming that the High Court has stayed the conferment of the Sangita Kalanidhi award on Mr. Krishna. When the High Court took up the case, it was reported with the same confusion. Some English media outlets also misunderstood the situation. The judgment was not clearly understood due to a lack of basic knowledge about the background of the award. This raises questions about the credibility of the news published by the media. The verdict stated that The Hindu should not use the name of M.S. Subbulakshmi. This raises a few questions. In previous years, the winners of the Sangita Kalanidhi Award were presented with the award in M.S.’s name. What will happen to those instances? The High Court did not provide a judgment on that matter, possibly choosing not to interfere in such past decisions. In the future, when The Hindu awards the ₹1 lakh prize to the recipient of the Sangita Kalanidhi Award, M.S. Subbulakshmi’s name cannot be used. This means that either the name of the award must be changed or it will need to be presented under a different name. Another question arises. Awards are given in the name of M.S. Subbulakshmi not only by The Hindu but also by other organisations. For example, the ‘Eyal Isai Nataka Manram’ of the Government of Tamil Nadu presents the ‘M.S. Subbulakshmi Award’ every year. Singer S. Janaki received the award for 2016 and Vani Jayaram won it in 2020 . Will the High Court ruling apply to such awards as well? The judgment lists several issues named after her but does not address these awards. If someone were to challenge these awards in court, citing the judgment, it could result in them being halted. A wish fulfilled As in the verdict, Mr. Krishna is not affected. He can still receive the Sangita Kalanidhi award. And the cash prize offered by The Hindu can also be awarded. However, M.S. Subbulakshmi’s name can no longer be used for any award. In her will, M.S. Subbulakshmi stated: “After my death, no trust or memorial should be erected in my name. No funds should be raised or given in my name.” If M.S. Subbulakshmi’s wish is to be respected, her name should be removed from all awards and recognitions, in line with this judgment. In the context of conferring the Sangita Kalanidhi on Mr. Krishna this year, and the subsequent court battle, it can be said that her wish has been fulfilled. Mr. Krishna, who celebrated MS through his article, has now honoured her wish. Until now, it was not publicly known that she had written such a thing in her will. The information in the will, written over 25 years ago, has now come to light, reinforcing a dimension of her personality wherein she refrains from placing herself at the forefront. T.M. Krishna has paved the way for this. Both deserve to be celebrated. Perumal Murugan is a writer Published - November 25, 2024 12:16 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Music Personalities / award and prize / music / Carnatic Classical / politics / Caste / language / judiciary (system of justice) / media / Chennai

Netflix signs US broadcast deal with FIFA for the Women's World Cup in 2027 and 2031

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks climbed Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 pulled 0.5% higher after flipping between gains and losses several times during the day. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend to do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise.

Republican senator: ‘We’ll have lots of questions’ for Trump’s controversial picks

France Approves Tax Hikes, Gambling AffectedOver the years, different fashion trends, films and television have influenced the must-have toys of the year - and looking back, they do capture part of what it was like growing up in a certain decade. They were the kind of gifts you couldn't imagine your own children playing with now, or that your parents had to queue up for at 6am to ensure you would get your hands on it. Before there were apps, Xbox consoles or iPhones, most had plush toys, milk caps and interactive pets at the top of their Christmas wish-list. In the 1990s, we saw the arrival of the Teenage Mutant Ninja (Hero) Turtles, the 8-bit Game Boy and, of course, Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear, reported . Here are a number of the must-have Christmas toys of that decade that . Many kids will remember singing the theme tune - "heroes in a half shell" - as they rushed home after school to watch the cartoon and play with their turtle toys. The show followed Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo, brothers trained in ninjutsu who fight evil in New York City. The show's popularity probably sparked a spike in national pizza sales too as it was all the characters ate. The very first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures were heavily based on the original comic series, which had a much darker tone than the later cartoon. And figures amassed 30m sales worldwide. Still popular today, a film reboot is anticipated for 2023. Despite its tiny screen and dull green background, the Nintendo Game Boy was an absolute revelation when it launched three decades ago. For games fans of a certain age, the 8-bit Game Boy is a symbol of their childhood and many will remember the Game Link cable which allowed two Game Boys to be connected together for multiplayer fun. As well as the Tetris theme music from way too many hours spent playing it as a kid. Following the sale of 300,000 upon initial release in Japan, several other versions of the Game Boy consoles were created. The Play It Loud series introduced a range of case colours, with the white version exclusively released in Japan - and it remains the rarest of all the Game Boy Play It Loud models. In the late 90s, many will remember the Pokemon series becoming a staple of the Game Boy. In the Thunderbirds television series, it was the secret headquarters of the International Rescue organisation - but as a toy it meant so much more. In 1992, parents queued for hours in the hope of landing one of these. Thunderbirds had just made a TV comeback and it was in high demand. BBC1's Blue Peter famously ran a make-your-own segment for those unlucky enough not to bag a real one. It used items including a grocery box, newspapers and drinking straws to construct a replica. The island has since had more releases as a children's toy in the 2000s. But 1992 was also the year for WWF action figures from toy giants Hasbro. Based on the famous wrestlers of the WWF including Hulk Hogan, The Undertaker, and Big Bossman, the series came under criticism for the characters cartoon-esque appearance. However, the figures proved very popular, becoming one of the must-have toys of Christmas 1992, and are now very collectable. In March 1959, a doll named "Barbie" launched onto the American toy market - and the rest is history. Over the decades, we've seen different themes and variations of the popular toy doll and in the early 90s, it was one of the must-have Christmas toys in the country. In 1993, they beat all of the competition and perhaps it had something to do with the release of the Barbie Dream Motor Home that year. The Talkboy was another popular one for 1993. They came into existence due to a letter-writing campaign by young fans after seeing the fictional product used by Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. In the classic Christmas film, Culkin's character Kevin McCallister uses the toy to make a reservation at the Plaza Hotel and outsmart his enemies. The toy - which could slow your voice down, play it back or speed it up - became one of the ‘must-have’ products that Christmas, when it was promoted alongside the VHS release of the film. Back in the 1990s, the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers superhero television series hit our screens, which saw kids re-enacting scenes in the playground and arguing over which colour they would be in the group. Spandex suits weren't just invented for stag dos - this American series featured teenagers who would morph into superheroes to battle bizarre baddies. In comparison to some other must have toys at the time, the figures weren't too pricey, but demand was high, making them one of the must have Christmas toys in the UK in 1994. These 'milk caps' became ultra collectable and playgrounds were full of kids swapping them. The idea was you flipped the POGS but most people didn't really bother with the playing - it was all about which ones you had. The game began getting sold commercially under the name POGS in the 1990s, with the name originating from a brand of juice whose caps were used to play the game. POGS amassed 350m sales worldwide. (Image: Mirrorpix) The release of the original Toy Story sent this toy soaring to the top of the 'I-want-one-of-those-mum' chart. Toy Story was released in March 1996 in the UK and was an instant hit with kids and grown-ups. And later that year, the toy was the most sought after product for Christmas, with kids keen to get their hands on futuristic space man Buzz Lightyear. The doll sold out so rapidly before Christmas, with such high demand, that emergency stock was shipped to the UK, arriving at selected UK stores in time for December 24, 1996. BBC reports suggested that stores sold out of the Buzz Lightyear doll within 20 minutes of opening on Christmas Eve 1996. The Tickle Me Elmo wasn't that far behind either, with worldwide sales up to one million. The children's plush toy of the Sesame Street character was also a must have and created a lot of hype at the time. (Image: Vincent Cole) Two toys shared the No1 spot in 1997. Teletubbies became a huge hit with the younger generation, who were desperate to get their hands on a plush doll of characters Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa Laa and Po. For parents of a certain age, Christmas 1997 will bring back nightmarish memories of traipsing from shop to shop trying to secure a must-have Teletubby toy for their little ones. The toys, from the hugely popular tots’ TV show, were at the top of the nation’s Christmas wish-list that year, but supplies were limited in certain areas and stores were selling out as soon as the dolls came into stock. But it was older children and teenagers who were obsessed with the virtual Tamagotchi pets from Japan. If you still own an original Tamagotchi they can be worth a lot of money today. The Tamagotchi also made somewhat of a comeback in 2017 after Bandai, the company behind the original, released a special edition of the iconic digital pet to mark its 20th anniversary. The new device is smaller than the original, but retains the familiar egg shape, pixelated LCD screen - and constant need for attention. The interactive pet pipped Yo Yo's to the crown in 1998. The gifts became a huge hit despite only launching in the October and stores around the country were inundated with parents looking to snap one up. The Furby began life speaking its own language, Furbish, and gradually learned English over time. 1.8 million of the toys were sold during their release year, with another 14 million the following year. The Furby is still a popular toy today, having evolved to a more technologically advanced model, featuring LCD eyes and its own mobile app. Everybody wanted a bit of 'Fastest Finger First' back in 1999 and Chris Tarrant took over the nation's living rooms as the interactive board game version of the show became the must-have present. Many will remember playing the game on Christmas day for the first time, and will cringe at the thought that it is now considered a 'vintage' board game. After an initial release in 1996, the Pokémon Nintendo game was another hit in 1999. The game focused on finding, capturing and training creatures known as Pokémon.

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The Baltimore City government helps local non-profits use a financial structure that keeps the public in the dark about some organizations’ finances, even when they receive government money. This practice of “fiscal sponsorship” allows established non-profits to provide various services to smaller non-profits, which are often newly created and not registered with the IRS. These services include handling their finances, which allows the smaller non-profits to avoid filing public tax disclosures. “The IRS must investigate these kinds of arrangements for impropriety and bending of the rules,” said Scott Hodge, a senior policy advisor at the Tax Foundation. “These too-clever partnerships are a sign that federal tax-exempt rules are broken and should be reformed.” Baltimore City has a lucrative network of fiscal sponsors that expanded since the COVID-19 pandemic. Prominent foundations, such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Open Society Institute steered this effort. The collaboration between wealthy foundations, established fiscal sponsors and local non-profits was later boosted by Baltimore City taxpayer dollars through the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF). BCYF was created through a city charter amendment in 2016 and was touted by elected leaders as a plan to support youth-focused community projects after the death of Freddie Gray. The program is funded exclusively by Baltimore City taxpayers but is run through a separate non-profit, meaning there is no regular performance auditing of the fund. There is also no sunset date on the money it receives. A previous FOX45 investigation identified an extensive list of 2022 BCYF grant recipients who did not file tax forms in recent years or are not registered as non-profits with the IRS. Community leaders capitalized on the passage of BCYF to boost the fiscal sponsor network in Baltimore City. BCYF hosted an educational event titled “Understanding Baltimore’s Fiscal Sponsorship Landscape” in January 2021, which it posted on YouTube a month later. The event hosted three panelists: Danielle Torrain of the Open Society Institute; Changa Onyango of Fusion Partnerships, which is a fiscal sponsor; and Candace Chance of The VPI Firm, which provides consulting services. The panelists advocated for government entities and local non-profits to increase payments and coordination with fiscal sponsors in the community, which they said was essential to aid Black-led organizations and counter racism. Torrain said local leaders should focus on reforming what she described as a “non-profit industrial complex” that is rooted in a “very exploitative form of capitalism.” “I do view this as not only a racial justice issue but an economic justice issue,” Torrain said. “So when we think about the work of reimagining our local fiscal sponsorship ecosystem and what it can and should look like, it’s a part of the work of actually reimagining economic systems, and reimagining them in ways of being more regenerative and non-exploitative and more restorative and also rooted in our values as people.” Onyango emphasized the need to take advantage of what he described as a flawed non-profit ecosystem. “We know that the non-profit complex overall is a tax dodge,” he said. “The cat is out the bag. To my funding section, I would just ask you to relent on the pettiness, relent on the pettiness, do some research, let go of your fear, undo the racism, so that we can get on with the business of building what we need to build and coming back to the equilibrium of human beings.” Fusion Partnerships secured a $1.5 million grant from BCYF in June 2021, according to documents obtained by FOX45 through a public information request. The grant came six months after Fusion pleaded for more support for fiscal sponsors as a panelist in the BCYF event. The grant document reveals how BCYF leveraged its youth-focused program to boost fiscal sponsors. “BCYF’s multi-year funding investment will allow Fusion Partnerships (Fusion) to sustain and expand capacity by supporting the strengthening of its business model, to support its current portfolio of fiscally sponsored grantees, and to contribute to growing Fusion’s working capital,” the project summary reads. “This investment will bring to fruition BCYF’s plan to invest in Baltimore’s fiscal sponsorship landscape, thereby supporting the success of grassroots organizations who need fiscal sponsorship. This investment also allows BCYF to support an organization that has been a key partner for BCYF grantees. Fusion supports our partners through its fiscal sponsorship, community grants and capacity building programs. This infusion of cash will strengthen those small organizations, bolster the fiscal sponsorship ecosystem, and increase their grantees’ capacity to support the City’s youth and families.” Fusion Partnerships received grants from a variety of other sources within the Baltimore City government as well, according to the Baltimore City Board of Estimates website. The six government grants to the organization over the past two years total $536,780. A number of the grants were earmarked for fiscally sponsored organizations, such as the Baltimore Doula Project and Challenge2Change. A spokesman for Fusion Partnerships previously acknowledged to FOX45 that “some of our partner projects have received funding from BCYF,” but declined to specify those projects. The group did not respond to questions regarding why it needs funds from local organizations and taxpayers. The push to expand the fiscal sponsorship network in Baltimore City continued when the Casey Foundation and Open Society Institute initiated a study in August 2021 titled “Mapping Baltimore’s Fiscal Sponsorship Landscape.” Researchers interviewed local non-profit and fiscal sponsor leaders. The report recommends that grant distributors pay fiscal sponsors in addition to the grants awarded to community non-profits. “These cash reserves could be done as one-time direct investments into specific fiscal sponsors, such as BCYF did with Fusion Partnership,” the report recommended with a likely reference to Fusion Partnership’s $1.5 million contract with BCYF. More grants to fiscal sponsors soon followed. BCYF awarded a $2 million grant in December 2021 to the Fund for Educational Excellence (FFEE), a fiscal sponsor, for its “Baltimore’s Promise Summer Funding Collaborative” program, according to documents obtained by FOX45 in a public information request. FFEE continued to receive grants from BCYF for this summer program, according to additional documents, including $2 million in 2022 and $1.85 million in 2024. A review of FFEE’s non-profit tax forms revealed the group appeared to use its BCYF summer funding award to distribute an extensive list of grants of its own to other non-profits. This trail of payments accounts for a significant majority of FFEE’s dispersed grants. FFEE listed 80 of its 104 grant distributions in its fiscal year 2023 tax form as being for a “summer funding” program. Its fiscal year 2022 tax form listed 66 of its 82 grants under this qualification and fiscal year 2021 listed 52 of its 65 grants. The majority of these “summer funding” grants from FFEE appeared to go to smaller, local non-profits. However, some went to additional fiscal sponsors. FFEE gave Fusion Partnerships $374,022 between fiscal years 2022 and 2023 listed for “summer funding collaborative.” It gave Fusion Partnerships another $575,000 in fiscal year 2021 for “B’more Invested & Summer Grant.” B’more Invested is a non-profit focused on grantmaking that is “anchored” by the Open Society Institute, according to the group’s website. FFEE gave a series of recent grants to Bmore Empowered, a fiscal sponsor whose operations director, Hana Pugh, is married to Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott. Some of these grants appear to be tied to BCYF taxpayer dollars through the summer funding program. A $55,230 grant from FFEE in fiscal year 2023 to Bmore Empowered was listed for “Summer Funding / B’more Invested.” A $13,051 grant in fiscal year 2022 to the group was listed for “Summer Funding Collaborative.” A $150,000 grant in fiscal year 2021 was listed for “B’more Invested.” Another fiscal sponsor, the Maryland Philanthropy Network, received $377,000 from FFEE between fiscal years 2021 and 2023 for B’more Invested, “Summer Grant” and the “healing cities” program. Fusion Partnerships, FFEE and Bmore Empowered did not respond to questions about its fiscal sponsorship operations. BCYF mentioned the Summer Funding Collaborative program in its 2023 grant awardees announcement, stating its goal to “fund different types of summer programs to keep students engaged and reduce summer learning loss so that more youth can reach their full potential.” However, BCYF did not mention FFEE in its description of the program. BCYF listed $8.4 million in grant funding to 60 organizations in its 2023 announcement. It listed $5.25 million in grants to 35 organizations in its 2022 announcement. The Summer Funding Collaborative program has its own website that describes its operations as a “partnership between public, private and non-profit organizations that supports high-quality summer programs serving children and youth from low-income backgrounds in Baltimore City.” David Williams, the president of the non-partisan Taxpayer Protection Alliance, warned this trail of funds from BCYF to fiscal sponsors and then to smaller non-profits exposes a series of transparency concerns. “Every time you go from one non-profit to another, you’re getting less transparency and less accountability of the money,” Williams said. “When you create multiple non-profits, you’re creating a mini army that is marching in lockstep with you. And they look independent, but they aren’t.” Baltimore City did not respond to questions about its funding of fiscal sponsors. The reshaped fiscal sponsorship network in Baltimore City followed years of troubled finances. Strong City, a fiscal sponsor, abandoned its clients in May 2021 after it mismanaged $14 million in assets, as previously reported by The Baltimore Sun. At one point, the organization sponsored more than 150 programs. A 2019 city audit found BCYF had “opportunities for improvement” on its grant distributions. BCYF was restructured as its own non-profit shortly thereafter. The 2019 audit was ordered amid the Healthy Holly scandal that led to a three-year prison sentence for Former Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh.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

Boys Basketball Perkiomen Valley 73, Norristown 53 Senior Jakob Harken erupted for a school-record 51 points on Thursday night, nearly outscoring the opposition by himself in one of the most heat-check performances in recent memory. The Rochester Institute of Technology commit scored 20 points in the first quarter, 13 in the second, eight in the third and 10 more in the fourth. Harken made 15 two-pointers, three triples and was 12-for-15 at the foul line. “Special night for Jakob for sure,” PV head coach Mike Poysden said. “The product of countless hours working on his craft. An exciting game where [...]After 12 incredible years serving the people of California’s 21st Senate District and the 38th Assembly District, the time has come for me to say farewell as your state senator. Due to term limits, I’ll be leaving the state Legislature, marking the end of a chapter I will forever cherish. This moment is bittersweet: I’m filled with gratitude for the honor to serve, yet nostalgic for the work left to do. As I reflect on my journey, I’m reminded of how blessed I’ve been to represent this remarkable community. When I first took the oath of office, I made a commitment to represent our community with integrity, to stand up for our values, and to always put people above politics. It’s been a challenging but deeply rewarding path, and every day, I felt privileged to advocate for the issues that matter to the residents of the Santa Clarita Valley and beyond. Together, we’ve tackled big challenges and celebrated great achievements. My commitment to supporting those who are most vulnerable was a guiding principle throughout my time in office. From advocating for foster youth and championing the rights of disabled individuals to working for stronger protections for animals, I made it a priority to ensure every voice was heard, including those who often go unheard. Whether fighting for better access to resources for disabled individuals, addressing the unique needs of children in the foster care system, or working to strengthen animal rights, I was driven by the belief that compassion and justice must be at the heart of public policy. I owe an enormous debt of gratitude to my family for the sacrifices they made to allow me to do this work. My wife, Vanessa, has been my rock, and our children have stood by us, despite the long hours, missed family gatherings, and countless weekends I spent on the road rather than at home. Public service is not a solo journey; it requires the understanding and support of loved ones who believe in the mission as much as you do. Without them, none of this would have been possible. Vanessa and our family have endured their share of sacrifices, but their faith in me and in the cause we were working for sustained me in the toughest moments. I am so grateful for their love, patience, and understanding. To the readers of The Signal, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for placing your trust in me. Representing you was the greatest honor of my life, and I am forever humbled by the confidence you placed in me. I hope I’ve lived up to the responsibilities you entrusted to me and that my work has made a meaningful difference in our community. I also want to thank The Signal’s owners and staff for their dedication to fair reporting and community service. Our democracy depends on a free and fair press, and in a time when news is often polarized, The Signal has remained a steadfast beacon of integrity. The Signal has kept our community informed, engaged, and connected to one another, and for that, we all owe them our gratitude. As I move on from this role, I do so with immense pride in what we accomplished together. We secured funding for vital projects, championed educational improvements, and created a new water agency, SCV Water. We addressed environmental issues and worked to bring jobs to the district through passage of the Film & TV Tax Credit and the Aerospace Tax Credit. Along the way, we faced obstacles, but with determination and the support of this community, we made a difference. There are, of course, many issues that still need attention, and I leave knowing that the work continues. I am so pleased Senator-elect Suzette Valladares will be our new senator. She will be an incredible advocate for our community. Our state and nation face unique challenges, but I am optimistic about the future. I believe that the spirit of the Santa Clarita Valley — a spirit of resilience, generosity, and collaboration — will continue to inspire leaders who will carry on the work of building a brighter future for us all. As I step back from public office, I do so with a deep and abiding love for this community. No matter where I am in the world, Santa Clarita Valley will always be home. Though I may no longer hold a title, I’ll always be your neighbor and your friend. Thank you for this incredible journey and for allowing me the honor of serving you. I am profoundly grateful for your trust, support, and friendship over these many years. Sen. Scott Wilk represents the 21st Senate District, which includes the Antelope, Santa Clarita and Victor valleys. “Right Here, Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans.

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 Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an “excellent conversation” with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after the president-elect's threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America’s leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City . It was unclear, as Trudeau headed back to Canada from Florida, whether the conversation had alleviated Trump’s concerns. Recommended Videos A person familiar with the details of the leaders' hastily arranged meeting Friday night said it was a “positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.” The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. As he was leaving his West Palm Beach hotel, Trudeau stopped briefly to answer a reporter’s question about the dinner meeting, saying it was "an excellent conversation." Trump’s transition team did not respond to questions about what the leaders had discussed. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Among those at the dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump's pick for commerce secretary; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, in line to lead the Interior Department; and Mike Waltz, Trump's choice to be his national security adviser. Accompanying Trudeau were Canada's public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, and Katie Telford, Trudeau's chief of staff. Trudeau had said earlier Friday that he would resolve the tariffs issue by talking to Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said a day earlier after speaking with Trump that she is confident a tariff war with the United States will be averted. Trudeau said Trump got elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now he's talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said before his leaving for Florida. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. To Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, Trump "doesn’t need convincing that new tariffs on Canadian products would not be in U.S. interests. He knows that, but cannot say it because it would detract from what he has said publicly. His goal is to project the image that he gets action when he talks.” Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. Trump made the tariff threat Monday while citing an influx of migrants entering the country illegally, even though the numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison to those at the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump also spoke about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border are few in comparison to the Mexican border. Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are ready to make new investments in border security. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto.

Matt Gaetz withdraws attorney general nomination