Bengaluru, June 23: The Karnataka government on Friday invited Tesla Inc, the world's largest electric car maker, to invest in the state, saying it is the ideal destination for the company's expansion into India, and that the authorities here are ready to support the company and its ventures and provide the necessary facilities.
Tesla said earlier this week that it is looking to make a significant investment in India.
After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the US, Tesla chief Elon Musk said he saw India as holding more promise than any other large country around the globe. He said he plans to pay a visit to the country in 2024.
"I am confident that Tesla will be in India and we will do so it as soon as humanly possible," Musk told reporters after the meeting. "We don't want to jump the gun on an announcement, but I think it's quite likely that it will be a significant investment, a relationship with India."
India, the world's third-largest energy consumer, is pitching as an alternate destination for investment for US companies in a bid to capitalise on the growing chill between Beijing and Washington.
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State Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said if Tesla considers setting up a plant in India, Karnataka, with its great potential and capabilities, is "The Destination".
As a progressive state and a thriving hub of innovation and technology, Karnataka stands ready to support and provide the necessary facilities for Tesla and other ventures of Musk, including Starlink (a low Earth orbit satellite internet provider), the minister said.
Karnataka, Patil said, is focused on being the hub for technology and 'Manufacturing 5.0', to propel the state for the next two decades.
Karnataka is the ideal destination for Tesla's expansion into India, he said, adding that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and he extended their invitation to Tesla in "words and spirit".
#Karnataka: The Ideal Destination for #Tesla's Expansion into #India
— M B Patil (@MBPatil) June 23, 2023
As a #progressive state & a thriving hub of #innovation & #technology, Karnataka stands ready to support and provide the necessary facilities for Tesla and other ventures of @elonmusk, including #Starlink.… pic.twitter.com/XUBk4c1Cnw
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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.
