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Roy Keane issues scathing assessment of 'average' Manchester United team after Ruben Amorim's first game
China opens investigation into Nvidia over potential antitrust violationsThe Congress is in touch with allies to launch a united attack on the Narendra Modi government over the Adani bribery allegations but some of its partners believe that an adverse showing in the Maharashtra and Jharkhand polls might give the Bharatiya Janata Party an edge to counter the Opposition. A floor leader of Trinamool Congress, one of the largest parties in the INDIA group, met a top Congress strategist on Friday to discuss the plans for the winter session of Parliament that starts from Monday. On Thursday, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi demanded Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani’s arrest and a probe after US prosecutors indicted Adani Group companies, its chief Gautam Adani, and seven others for allegedly orchestrating a $265 million ( ₹ 2,029 crore) scheme to bribe Indian officials in order to secure green energy supply deals. Assembly election results will be released on Saturday. A senior Congress leader told HT that the Opposition’s strategy on the issue will be three-pronged. “We will demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the various charges against the Adani group and pressurise the government to remove Sebi chief Madhabi Buch. We will seek the PM’s reply on the latest allegations and organise major protests both inside and outside Parliament on both the Adani issue and to remove Sebi chief Buch.” The Congress leader added that it expected support from Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP), Aam Aadmi Party, and the Left parties. But some of the other parties were less vocal than the Congress over the latest charges against the group. Rashtriya Janata Dal’s official Twitter handle did not post a single tweet on the issue even as its senior Rajya Sabha leader Manoj Kumar Jha retweeted some news on the Adani group on Thursday. Read more: Jagan turned Andhra into ‘Adani state’, handed it over as a ‘blank cheque’: Congress' YS Sharmila Trinamool Congress too, refrained from any official remarks or tweets on the issue. The party’s firebrand MP Mahua Moitra, however, was vocal. “Modi and his Gujju cronies have made India Inc. look like a bunch of chors and thugs. Terrible for our credibility in global markets. Can any large business house now have the guts to speak up?,” she tweeted on Friday. Rahul Gandhi, however, maintained that the “INDIA alliance is united on this issue and we are working systematically” and had assured to raise this issue in Parliament. “We are going to raise this issue. It is my responsibility as LoP to raise this issue. PM is 100% protecting this man (Adani) and this man fully supports BJP. We will reiterate the demand for a JPC. But we want Adani to be arrested. And we want to show that Adani will not be arrested as the Indian PM is standing behind him and protecting him. PM and a network—people in different positions—have hijacked India,” Gandhi said in his press conference on Thursday. When told about how the Opposition’s demands had not been met so far, Gandhi said, “It is not that nothing has happened. PM’s credibility has been destroyed. But what we have done very successfully is that Adani and Modi are the same thing; Modi is corrupt and Adani is his bag man. We will find many people in this network and will expose them. Indians will know who are the people who have hijacked the country. This structure is going to collapse. This is a testament to what we have been saying.” One key Opposition leader, however, underlined that if the BJP-led NDA is able to secure both Maharashtra and Jharkhand, “It will definitely give them a political advantage to tackle our protests. The electoral popularity, after its surprise victory in Haryana, can help BJP politically thwart the Opposition’s charges.” A Congress floor manager, however, maintained that election results will not dampen the Opposition onslaught against the Modi government on the Adani issue. “US prosecutors have charged Adani and his associates of $265 million bribery. On Monday we will corner the government on this issue.”ANKARA Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus addressed ongoing developments in Syria on Monday, highlighting the struggles of the Syrian people under the Baath regime and their fight for freedom. "Türkiye, as a neighbor, will evaluate the developments in Syria carefully, without being swayed by any sentiments, and from the perspective of our national interests," said Kurtulmus during discussions held at Türkiye’s Grand National Assembly in the capital Ankara. "We will strive to fulfill our responsibilities to help build a free and democratic Syria, leaving behind all past suffering," he added. Kurtulmus also emphasized the importance of Syria's territorial integrity, calling it one of Türkiye’s key priorities. He outlined the need for cooperation, unity and integration in the region rather than fragmentation or division. "Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are of critical importance for both the Syrian people and Türkiye’s national interests," he stated. He also reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to supporting a Syria free from terrorism. "Türkiye, as a mature and truly democratic country in the region, will fulfill its responsibility to guide the Syrian people toward democracy. "Another priority is to establish a Syria entirely free from terrorist organizations which have destabilized the region through external support for many years," he added. Kurtulmus also stressed that future peace in Syria depended on maintaining unity and stability. He also noted that an essential priority for Türkiye was the "honorable and safe return of the refugees who have been hosted in our country for many years." "Türkiye will cooperate with the new Syrian government to ensure the safe and dignified return of refugees in Türkiye, Lebanon and Jordan," he emphasized. Türkiye’s expectation, according to Kurtulmus, is to see a Syria that no longer suffers and is united under a democratic system. "We wish the new era in Syria brings peace and prosperity to the Syrian people," he said. Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz also spoke during the discussions. "The establishment of trust, along with the improvement of the economic and political environment, will enable our Syrian brothers and sisters to return safely, honorably and voluntarily to their homeland,” he said. *Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul
Illinois quick hits: Durbin to chair hearing on Trump deportation planVAR goes down in Man United's clash at Ipswich for six minutes - including when hosts equalised - after a fire 110 miles away at Stockley Park A fire alarm at Stockley Park led to Man United's clash with Ipswich being halted Ipswich netted during VAR's six minute outage, but the goal wasn't controversial Will Ruben Amorim be Man United's saviour? LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off! Available wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday By BEN WILLCOCKS Published: 17:28 GMT, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 18:01 GMT, 24 November 2024 e-mail 68 shares View comments Ruben Amorim 's first match in charge of Manchester United against Ipswich was bizarrely halted after a fire alarm occurred at Stockley Park. Stockley Park, which is 110 miles away from Ipswich's home stadium Portman Road, is where the Premier League 's video assistant referees make VAR decisions remotely, communicating with on-field officials over the course of each match. The fire alarm, which went off in the 37th minute while United were leading Ipswich 1-0, caused the game to pause temporarily. Captains Bruno Fernandes and Sam Morsy were called to the middle by match referee Anthony Taylor, who explained the situation before deciding to carry on with his assistants Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn - and without the use of VAR. Moments later, Ipswich winger Omari Hutchinson levelled the scoreboard with a stunning strike in the 43rd minute. The new Manchester United boss can have no complaints with the superb equaliser, at least as far as VAR is concerned, as there was no contentious issue for the video technology to review, had it been working. Ruben Amorim's first Man United match was halted after a fire alarm occurred at Stockley Park The Portuguese manager's side were leading 1-0 before VAR went down during the match The home side equalised during the six minute spell without VAR, heading into the break at 1-1 #IPSMUN The match will be operating without VAR until further notice due to a fire alarm at the VAR Hub at Stockley Park. — Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) November 24, 2024 Refereeing chiefs PGMOL will have breathed a huge sigh relief over the uncomplicated nature of Hutchinson's goal, given they have been at the centre of several controversial matters already this campaign. VAR was back up and running after Hutchinson's celebration, leading to the two sides heading in 1-1 at the break. Fans reacted mockingly to VAR's outage on social media. 'Best league in the world,' one fan posted disparagingly on X. 'Amazing news,' a second added. 'Is this a joke?' another said, accompanying his post with a crying emoji. Referencing the famous chant often heard on the terraces on matchday, a fourth said mockingly: 'Is there a fire drill?' Shortly after the initial stoppage, a statement from the Premier League Match Centre said on social media platform X: 'The match will be operating without VAR until further notice due to a fire alarm at the VAR Hub at Stockley Park.' Omari Hutchinson (right) scored the stunning equaliser while VAR was down for six minutes Fans poured to social media to mock the incident, as one labelled the outage 'amazing news' Marcus Rashford, who had been trusted by Amorim to lead the line for United, opened the scoring early on with a smart tap-in, making the Portuguese manager only the second permanent boss in Premier League history to score inside two minutes during his first match in charge. The other, who also managed Manchester United earlier in his career, was David Moyes who achieved the feat with Everton back in 2002. Manchester United were 13th in the Premier League table upon Amorim's arrival at Old Trafford, having slipped as low as 14th before the sacking of former manager Erik ten Hag. Club legend Ruud van Nistelrooy was instilled as the Red Devils' interim boss and underwent an undefeated run before Amorim opted to relieve him of his coaching duties upon arriving in Manchester. Ruben Amorim Share or comment on this article: VAR goes down in Man United's clash at Ipswich for six minutes - including when hosts equalised - after a fire 110 miles away at Stockley Park e-mail 68 shares Add comment
TimeLeft: Can a new app help me make friends with strangers over dinner?Emily Mester When Hurricane Milton was approaching Florida last month, a mom in suburban Tampa went viral on TikTok for her refusal to obey evacuation orders. When talking about feeling safe staying in her home, she said: “My husband built this house commercial. It’s residential, but it was built commercial-grade.” She wielded the phrase like a crucifix. It’s not hard to see why commercial-grade is a balm to apocalyptic fears. The phrase evokes both the familiar landmarks of consumer life and the infrastructure built to withstand its relentless churn. Commercial-grade is the conveyor belt that delivers your airport Krispy Kreme and the system that supplies oxygen when you’re 30,000 feet in the air. Tricked-out bunkers that only the wealthy can afford speak to both senses of the term. They boast state-of-the-art air and water filtration systems, bullet- and blast-resistant walls and, nestled inside all that industrial muscle, the kind of commercial-grade fun their occupants might miss while the world burns: bowling alleys and movie theaters, lazy rivers and go-kart courses. These last amenities reveal the aspirational side of commercial-grade. It’s classic rich-guy stuff, and when the media talk about homes such as Candy Spelling’s Los Angeles manor, it’s not the most expensive features they usually cite but the commercial ones, like its gift-wrapping room. It does feel undeniably luxe, making the commercial residential. There’s a reason that most children don’t fantasize about owning a modest ranch home. They dream of an abundance that is bulletproof, fortress-like: getting locked inside a Costco, sleeping in the Mattress Emporium, having everything you need wrapped around you like a hug. And though even a child knows you can’t live in a store forever, the fantasy becomes achievable if you bring the store home. You can have a soda machine in the kitchen and a McDonald’s in the foyer, just like Richie Rich. A certain kind of affluent adult still nurses this dream. My dad’s parents — middle-class but pathologically frugal — wouldn’t even buy him a baseball glove, and he will forever be correcting this sense of deprivation. When he finally got a house with a guest room, the first thing he did was stock it with a minibar and one of those hotel-style luggage stands. He’s got the same set of steak knives that they gave you at a Lone Star Steakhouse, the exact sheets you sleep on at a Hyatt, and attics, garages and storage spaces filled with backups of everything he needs. For him, the American dream isn’t Rolexes and Ferraris. It’s inventory. But why is Richie Rich’s in-home McDonald’s more thrilling than an assistant who can fetch a Big Mac at any hour? Isn’t a vending machine that dispenses free soda just a refrigerator with extra steps? For many people, it’s so much more exciting to pantomime a purchase without having to pay a dollar, to cut out the transaction but keep the rest. This proposition is particularly seductive to people for whom a purchase is a fraught, wincing thing. Their dream of prosperity isn’t a store where you can buy anything you want but a store where everything is free because you already bought it. This distinction becomes especially striking in light of supply-chain shortages that continue to reverberate years after the COVID-19 lockdowns. During the pandemic, many Americans had the rattling experience of being able to afford something, but not being able to buy it. It makes sense, then, that the delight of the in-home pinball machine lies not just in unlimited gameplay but also in never having to scrounge for a quarter. Ray Oldenberg coined the term “third space” to describe the public spaces — cafes, parks, stores, churches — that are essential in fostering a sense of community outside of home (the first space) and work (the second). But as the cubicle class sees the second space fold into the first, the third space seems to be following suit. Why go to a park when you have a yard, or to a cafe when you can have barista-quality espresso in your kitchen? When anything you need can be brought to your door, there’s no need to go to a store. Essentially, we have the store at home. I want to deride this impulse as isolationist, a symptom of everything that’s wrong with America, but also, I get it. In my city, it takes me 30 minutes to walk to my favorite grocery store. Naturally, I wish it were closer. I begin to wish it were a 15-minute walk, but then I’d wish it were only five minutes away, or better, across the street, or best, on the ground floor of my building, so I wouldn’t even need to step outside. You begin with reasonable comforts: an in-unit washer and dryer, a little patch of green, a smooth commute. But if you follow this optimization to its logical end, if you design your perfect city, your perfect home, you can quickly find yourself alone in a bunker. Once Hurricane Milton had passed, more than 120 homes in its path had been leveled. Tropicana Field needed a new roof, but it had survived, as had the hospital. And, after a 10-day absence from TikTok, the Tampa mom posted a serene video from her back porch, the sun setting over the Gulf. The storm may have been biblical, and their home may have suffered some leaks, but she had been right: Commercial-grade prevailed. Emily Mester is the author of the forthcoming book “American Bulk: Essays on Excess.”