Narayana Murthy warns of climate change-driven migration to Bengaluru, Pune
Pune: Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy has cautioned that climate change could lead to mass migration to urban centres like Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad in the coming decades. Speaking at an event in Pune on Friday, he highlighted how rising temperatures and extreme weather could render certain rural areas uninhabitable, forcing millions to relocate to cities already grappling with infrastructure challenges.
"Within the next 20-25 years, many rural parts of India may become uninhabitable, triggering a significant migration to places like Bengaluru, Pune, and Hyderabad," Murthy remarked during an award ceremony.
Murthy also warned that these urban centres face their own issues, such as pollution, traffic congestion, and resource shortages, making them increasingly difficult to live in. "These cities are heading toward becoming unlivable," he said.
He called for urgent collaboration among corporates, political leaders, and bureaucrats to address climate change and mitigate its impacts. He stressed that proactive measures were essential to prevent rural-to-urban migration from overwhelming urban infrastructure.
Despite the challenges, Murthy expressed optimism about India’s ability to respond effectively. "I am optimistic that we will make progress by 2030," he said, urging timely intervention and collective action to tackle climate and migration crises.
India’s rapid urbanisation and growing population have already strained urban centres. The anticipated climate-driven migration could further exacerbate these challenges, intensifying demands on infrastructure and resources.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
