According to reports, Manchester City have been ‘joined’ by rivals Aston Villa as the Associated Party Transaction ‘row is intensifying’.
At the start of 2023, Man City were charged with breaching over 100 of the Premier League’s Financial Fair Play rules.
This followed a four-year probe into their conduct between 2009 and 2018. If they are found guilty, they could be given a huge fine, points deduction, transfer ban or expulsion from the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola‘s side have insisted on their innocence and fought back against the Premier League in the summer as they campaigned for the removal of APT rules.
While City’s FFP case remains ongoing, their APT hearing has already concluded. They did not force the rules to be removed, but a couple of components of the current regulations were deemed unlawful.
In response, the Premier League have ‘proposed changes to sponsorship rules’. However, Man City subsequently ‘launched another stinging attack’, insisting these rules are also ‘unlawful’.
READ: Man City stars reassigned after FFP ‘expulsion’: Foden to Chelsea as Arsenal land centre-back
The tension between Man City and the Premier League is unlikely to ease anytime soon and a report from The Telegraph revealed Aston Villa have ‘backed’ their rivals.
It is claimed that they have ‘urged the Premier League to postpone Friday’s crucial APT vote’.
‘Aston Villa have rallied behind Manchester City in the intensifying associated-party transaction (APT) row by writing to Premier League clubs “strongly recommending” Friday’s vote is postponed.
‘Telegraph Sport has previously reported how Villa’s ownership has grown increasingly sympathetic towards the Abu Dhabi-owned club’s cause, but a written intervention ahead of the crunch vote is seen by rivals as significant.
‘Three arguments are understood to have been raised by Villa as the club suggest a postponement: fresh potential legal challenges, ongoing uncertainties around the tribunal’s findings and also further changes to the rule book after the introduction of the independent regulator.’
The Times have backed up this report, saying Aston Villa have ‘joined’ Man City in ‘calling’ for Friday’s ‘watershed moment’ to be ‘postponed’.
‘The Premier League intends to press ahead with a vote on Associated Party Transactions (APT) despite Villa joining City in calling for it to be postponed.
‘City are understood to have been in touch with other clubs to try to get the necessary seven votes needed to block it.
‘Villa have written to the Premier League and the other 19 clubs in England’s top flight urging for the vote at Friday’s shareholders’ meeting to be put on hold.
‘However other clubs are determined that it should go ahead and one source said the outcome was “critical to the future of the Premier League”.
‘The row follows the legal challenge by Manchester City against APTs — brought after the league rejected a huge new Etihad sponsorship deal as being not of fair market value — in which the club claimed victory on some key points.
‘The independent tribunal has yet to provide full clarification on the status of the league’s APT rules after its judgment.’
Rafael Nadal ended his professional career with a defeat to Botik van de Zandshulp in the Davis Cup quarterfinals. The Spaniard lost to the Dutch tennis player 6-4, 6-4 in 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Rafael Nadal ended his career with a defeat in the Davis Cup quarterfinals. This was reported by NUR.KZ, according to UNN.
Details
Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal was defeated in the last match of his professional career, opening the Davis Cup quarterfinal match between Spain and the Netherlands. Nadal's opponent was Dutch tennis player Botik van de Zandshulp, who is ranked 80th in the world rankings.
The match ended with a 6-4, 6-4 victory for van de Zandshulp. The match lasted 1 hour and 50 minutes.
For the 38-year-old Nadal, this match was his last at the professional level, as he had previously announced the end of his career.
Bitcoin reached $92,606 after news of Trump Media's talks to buy Bakkt and Nasdaq's plans. Trump promises to create a strategic bitcoin reserve and a supportive regulatory framework for cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin has once again approached a historic peak, helped by a series of events that emphasize the influence of the digital asset industry in the United States under the leadership of Donald Trump, Bloomberg reports, according to UNN.
Details
In particular, it was announced that Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. of the US president-elect is negotiating the purchase of Bakkt Holdings Inc.'s digital asset marketplace, which caused a surge in the shares of both companies.
Other developments included Nasdaq Inc.'s plan to float options on the $43 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust as early as Tuesday and Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s move to spin off its digital asset platform, a sign of how cryptocurrency and its underlying blockchain technology are penetrating the financial system more deeply.
Bitcoin jumped as high as $92,606 on Monday in the United States before hitting $91,781 as of 6:16 a.m. Tuesday in London (8:16 a.m. Kyiv time), about $1681 below the record set last week. The largest digital asset is up 37% since Trump won the November 5 election on a platform that, among other things, made the United States the world's crypto capital.
"The crypto scene is back on the move," wrote Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Group, adding that Trump Media's play with Bakkt is "another positive piece of upbeat news.
Trump has promised to create a supportive US regulatory framework for digital assets and to create a strategic bitcoin reserve. The timing of his promises and the feasibility of the bitcoin reserve idea remain uncertain.
Such questions are fueling debate about whether bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general can continue to grow. The highest concentration of open interest – or unexecuted contracts – in the options market comes as bitcoin rates are rising, reaching $100,000, according to data from the Deribit exchange.
Katie Stockton, a technical analyst at Fairlead Strategies LLC, said that some signals from chart patterns indicate that bitcoin could rise in the next few weeks to a target of around $98,100. Tony Sycamore, market analyst at IG Australia Pty, expressed a preference for buying bitcoin corrections to $80,000.
The current surge of optimism about cryptocurrencies has dulled memories of the market crash in 2022, when fraud and other risky practices were revealed and platforms including Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX exchange collapsed.
The controversial story was also on display on Monday, when a woman who called herself the "Crocodile of Wall Street" and "Razzleback" in a rap video was sentenced to 18 months in prison for helping her hacker husband launder cryptocurrency he stole from the Bitfinex exchange. The stolen bitcoins are now estimated to be worth billions of dollars.
Addendum
Trump used to be a cryptocurrency skeptic, but changed his tactics after digital asset companies spent significant funds during the election campaign to promote their interests, the publication points out. The US president-elect now has his own crypto projects. The probability of passing a comprehensive US cryptocurrency bill in 2025 has increased to about 70%, Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Government Analyst Nathan Dean wrote in a note.
The cost of the environmental damage caused by the hostilities during the thousand days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been estimated at approximately US$71 billion.
Source: Svitlana Hrynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine, during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), which is taking place in Baku
Details: An additional 180 million tonnes of carbon dioxide has been released into the atmosphere as a result of attacks and forest fires.
Hrynchuk said that the hostilities and forest fires have decreased Ukrainian forests’ potential for greenhouse gas absorption by 1.7 million tonnes over the nearly three years of the full-scale invasion.
In total, the war has already destroyed 3 million hectares of Ukraine’s forests. An area of 139,000 sq km – twice the size of Azerbaijan – has been contaminated by explosive ordnance.
Hrynchuk stressed that Ukraine is actively working on recovery without waiting for the war to end.
"To compensate for the forests lost as a result of forest fires, Ukrainians have planted 555 million trees covering an area of more than 75,000 hectares. And with the help of our partners, 35,000 sq km of land has already been demined," Hrynchuk added.
Background: Last weekend, Russia once again attacked Ukraine's energy system, launching more than 200 missiles and drones.
At a meeting in Warsaw, EU foreign ministers reaffirmed their continued support for Ukraine and the need to strengthen sanctions against russia. Germany will continue to supply drones, and Italy emphasized the importance of financial assistance.
EU foreign ministers expressed their strong support for Ukraine and strengthening of sanctions against russia at a meeting in Warsaw. This was reported by Polskie Radio, according to UNN.
Details
During the meeting, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said that putin's terrorist country remains one of the biggest threats to Europe and the world order. According to him, the kremlin's goal is to destroy European security, so Europe needs to act decisively in the fight against russia's imperial ambitions.
The meeting participants also discussed the need to strengthen transatlantic ties and enhance Europe's defense capabilities against the backdrop of growing threats from russia. Particular attention was paid to further support for Ukraine, in particular in the framework of upcoming international initiatives, such as the G7 conference in Italy.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized the importance of not only military but also financial support for Ukraine, in particular for the restoration of its infrastructure in the face of war. At the same time, German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock noted that Germany will continue to supply Ukraine with drones and other military equipment, as well as actively counter russian disinformation.
In general, all participants agreed that sanctions against the terrorist country should be strengthened, and that a peaceful settlement of the conflict should be based on the interests and will of the Ukrainian people.
European ministers gather in Warsaw to discuss Ukraine, Trump and securityNov 19 2024, 06:32 AM • 13699 views
Ukraine used ATACMS on Russian territory for first time, according to Moscow, media
Russia claims to capture village near Kurakhove, Kyiv hasn't confirmed
Putin approves Russia's updated nuclear doctrine
Over 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have received training in UK
Denmark to provide over $137 million for Ukrainian defense industry
Zelensky presents resilience plan: 'Ukraine may need to outlive someone in Moscow to achieve all the goals'
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Nov. 19 that Ukraine launched U.S.-made ATACMS missiles against Russia's Bryansk Oblast, according to the state news agency TASS.
This coincides with several Ukrainian media outlets reporting that, according to undisclosed military sources, Ukraine successfully struck a Russian military facility in Karachev, Bryansk Oblast.
If confirmed, this would mark the first instance of Ukraine using U.S.-made long-range missiles on Russian territory since Washington eased the restrictions last week. Kyiv's forces have previously deployed the weaponry only against Russian targets in occupied Ukrainian territories.
The claims could not be independently verified. A Ukrainian military representative declined to comment on the reports for the Kyiv Independent.
Ukrainian officials previously reported an attack with unspecified weaponry against a Russian arsenal in Karachev overnight on Nov. 19, which reportedly stored artillery ammunition, including North Korean munitions, KAB guided bombs, anti-aircraft missiles, and rocket launcher ammunition.
Twelve secondary explosions could be heard at around 2:30 a.m., the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported.
Karachev residents reported explosions and detonations, including an alleged attack on a "military base," as shared in local chats and reported by Russian media outlet Astra. The town lies more than 100 kilometers (60 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
ATACMS missiles have a maximum range of 300 kilometers (190 miles).
In turn, the Russian Defense Ministry claimed that its forces shot down five and damaged one ATACMS missile. Missile fragments fell on a military facility in Bryansk Oblast and started a fire but inflicted "no casualties or damage," the ministry claimed.
Unnamed U.S. officials, as well as a source familiar with the decision, who spoke to Reuters following the decision earlier this week, said that Kyiv plans to conduct its first long-range strikes in the coming days.
Commenting on the reports, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the "missiles will speak for themselves."
Zelensky presents resilience plan: 'Ukraine may need to outlive someone in Moscow to achieve all the goals'
President Volodymyr Zelensky unveiled Ukraine's 10-point plan for internal resilience in an address to the parliament on Nov. 19.
"Ukraine may need to outlive someone in Moscow to achieve all the goals," Zelensky said, according to lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak's Telegram channel. "We do not trade security or sovereignty. We will not give up our rights to our entire territory."
The resilience plan follows some criticism Zelensky received after presenting a victory plan this fall that primarily focused on requests from external partners and lacked domestic reforms.
"While the whole world is waiting for a miracle from Trump, God willing, we should get to work," Zelensky said.
"Ukraine may need to outlive someone in Moscow to achieve all the goals," Zelensky said.
The individual points of the new resilience plan were focused on the country's unity, front-line situation, arms, finances, energy, security, communities, human capital, cultural sovereignty, and veterans, according to Zhelezniak's Telegram channel.
In his presentation to parliament, Zelensky emphasized he is not preparing to lower the mobilization age. Instead, he called for new approaches to management, establishing a military ombudsman, and creating a new contract system for citizens below the age of mobilization. With Ukraine facing sharp manpower shortages, Zelensky has come under pressure both from citizens at home and from U.S. lawmakers abroad to reduce the age of mobilization.
Zelensky also said that Ukraine will produce at least 30,000 long-range drones next year, and noted that Ukraine has already struck targets using their domestically-produced Neptune cruise missiles. In his speech, he set a goal of producing 3,000 cruise missiles.
For veterans, Zelensky proposed new efforts to recruit veterans for public service, creating rehabilitation centers in every community in 2025, introducing 11,000 veteran support specialists in the next year, providing supplementary payments to family physicians treating veterans, and establishing dedicated veteran housing.
Financial aspects of the plan included deregulation, insuring military risks, and increased security for businesses from law enforcement pressures.
Zelensky also proposed a cultural "Ramstein" to reinforce and export Ukraine culture abroad, including helping to establish Ukrainian studies departments in foreign universities.
In regards to unity, Zelensky reportedly restated that the country will not hold any elections until martial law is lifted, and said that further aspects of the plan will be developed in detail in coordination with civil society members, business leaders, and experts.
Russia claims to capture village near Kurakhove, Kyiv hasn't confirmed
Russian forces claim to have taken the front-line village of Novoselydivka in Donetsk Oblast on Nov. 19.
Ukraine has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.
Novoselydivka lies some 7 kilometers (4 miles) north of Kurakhove, an important stronghold of Ukrainian forces in the area that has seen increasingly heavy Russian assaults in the past months.
If confirmed, this will be the latest village that the Russian forces took in their attempt to encircle Kurakhove by driving their forces towards Konstiantynopil with a north-south pincer movement.
With the best Ukrainian brigades holding Russia's Kursk Oblast, Russian troops move forward along the Donetsk front line at a rate not seen since the early weeks of the war.
The victory of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in early November adds further uncertainty to Kyiv's military prospects to hold its defenses across the 1,200-kilometer-long (750 miles) front line as doubt over Washington's future military aid looms.
Outgoing President Joe Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to use Western-supplied ATACMS to strike targets deep inside Russia may help in the short run but will not change the general course of the war, observers said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin approved updated principles of Russia's nuclear deterrence policy, according to a presidential decree published on a government website on Nov. 19.
The revised doctrine outlines scenarios that could justify a nuclear strike. It implies that this could include "aggression against the Russian Federation and its allies by a non-nuclear state with the support of a nuclear state" and large-scale non-nuclear attacks, such as those carried out with drones.
Putin first proposed changes to the nuclear doctrine during a Sept. 25 Security Council meeting on nuclear deterrence. He claimed that Russia does not need a preventative strike as part of its nuclear doctrine "because, in a retaliatory strike, the enemy will be guaranteed to be destroyed."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the changes should be seen as a "certain signal" to the West.
"This is a signal that warns these countries of the consequences if they take part in an attack on our country by various means, not necessarily nuclear," Peskov told the state-run RIA Novosti on Sept. 26.
Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has repeatedly issued nuclear threats against Ukraine and the West.
The threats have failed to materialize, and Russia continues to wage its all-out war without using its nuclear arsenal.
Over 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have received training in UK
More than 50,000 Ukrainian recruits have undergone training in the U.K. as part of the British-led Operation Interflex since June 2022, the U.K. Defense Ministry announced on Nov. 19.
"Kosovo, Romania, and Estonia are the latest nations to join this global effort, standing united for freedom and resilience," the Defense Ministry said on X.
The project, also supported by 10 other partner countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Australia, provides essential military training to Ukrainian recruits at various facilities.
Operation Interflex, led by the U.K., is one of the key programs aimed at preparing Ukrainian troops to defend against Russian aggression.
Ukrainian service members have also been receiving military training under other initiatives led either by national governments of partner countries or the EU.
British soldiers have been warned that Russia may be using spies and drones to gather intelligence on Ukrainian service members trained in the U.K., according to a report by The Times on Aug. 5.
Denmark to provide over $137 million for Ukrainian defense industry
Denmark will allocate 130 million euros ($137.5 million) for the development of the Ukrainian defense industry, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Nov. 19 during a joint press briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Frederiksen came to Kyiv on Nov. 19 in a surprise visit and met Zelensky on the 1,000th day of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"It is important to me that our own industry, not only in Denmark but in all neighboring countries, can visit Ukraine and learn from your experience and your ability to expand and develop your production lines," Frederiksen said.
Denmark became the first country to offer to donate arms to Ukraine via direct purchases from the Ukrainian defense industry, as Kyiv's defense budget does not match the capacities of domestic weapons production.
According to the president, the Ukrainian defense industry has already attracted over $1 billion in line with this financing model from partners, including Norway, which recently joined.
Zelensky added that Ukraine should open the defense industry to full cooperation with partners.
Denmark, one of Kyiv's key supporters throughout Russia's full-scale invasion, announced on Oct. 18 a new 2.4 billion kroner ($350 million) military aid package for Ukraine.
This was Denmark's 21st military aid package since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Copenhagen previously provided Ukraine with a military aid package worth around $115 million in August.
Russian troops shelled a settlement in Zaporizhzhia region, targeting a residential area. The consequences of the attack are currently being investigated, and local residents are asked to observe safety measures.
Enemy troops attacked a settlement in Zaporizhzhia region. This was reported by the head of the Zaporizhzhya RMA Ivan Fedorov, according to UNN.
Details
According to preliminary information, the rocket attack targeted a residential area.
The consequences of the attack are currently being clarified, and the details of the incident are still being investigated.
Residents are urged to stay in safe places and take precautions.
The enemy fired on Zaporizhzhia region: 410 attacks in 10 settlements in a dayNov 14 2024, 05:04 AM • 43485 views
Former porn star Stormy Daniels has denied any plans to leave the United States after Trump's victory. Judge Juan Merchant postponed the decision in the case of paying her $130,000 for her silence.
The investigating judge in Donald Trump's case has yet to rule on Stormy Daniels v. Trump. Meanwhile, the adult film star herself has spoken out about her alleged departure from the United States following Trump's recent victory in the presidential election.
Written by UNN with reference to Newsweek and SWI.
Details
The case of Trump and bribing porn actress Stormy Daniels is back on the agenda. It was expected that on Tuesday, the New York prosecutor's office would make a decision on the course of the criminal case in which the tycoon was found guilty. But Judge Juan Merchant again postponed the decision.
Daniels, meanwhile, spoke out about the claims that she was going to leave the United States after Donald Trump's recent victory in the presidential election.
Context
A few days after the election, Stormy Daniels received questions from X users along the following lines: “Have you bought a plane ticket yet or are the GoFundMe donations dry? I'm asking all those who believed you when you said you'd leave if Don returned.
It should be noted that in June 2024, Daniels' former manager, Dwayne Crawford, launched a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of his client to raise funds to move her to a safer place to protect her family after a series of threats.
But recently, the export star answered speculation about her “escape” from the United States.
I never said anything about leaving. I just booked another tour for January, as my last shows were sold out. I don't know on what planet more than a million dollars is considered “dried up”, but that's okay
– Daniels replied.
For reference
The president-elect was found guilty last May of 34 counts of “aggravated accounting fraud” for paying $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged extramarital affair in 2006, which the 78-year-old tycoon has always denied.
The verdict in the Daniels-Trump case was supposed to be delivered on November 26. However, it was suspended by Judge Juan Mershan at the request of the prosecutor leading the investigation, Alvin Bragg.
In the days after the election, it was reported that Donald Trump's legal team had recently tried to negotiate a reduction in the substantial legal fees Daniels owed him, allegedly in exchange for her silence before his return to office in 2025.
Recall
Pornographic actress Stormy Daniels told in court about her meeting with Trump.
Stormy Daniels and Trump's lawyer clash in deposition : the former president's defense considers the porn actress' testimony questionable.
It has been suggested that Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has “definitely” had “conversations” about leaving the Premier League holders.
Guardiola‘s long-term future is in doubt as he has entered the final year of his Man City contract.
In the summer, the Man City boss was mooted as a potential replacement for former England boss Gareth Southgate, but the FA opted to appoint Thomas Tuchel.
The Spaniard has also been mentioned as a candidate for the Brazil job and it remains to be seen whether he will commit his future to Man City.
The 53-year-old has been with Man City since 2016. He has helped them win the Premier League six times and the Champions League once.
Before this international break, Man City endured a rare rough patch under Guardiola as they lost four games in a row across all competitions. They were beaten by Tottenham Hotspur, AFC Bournemouth, Sporting Lisbon and Brighton. This run places them sixth in the Premier League form table.
READ: F36Skive: Can you name all 51 Premier League clubs since 1992?
However, nothing has been confirmed and former Man City financial advisor Stefan Borson says Guardiola has “definitely spoken to Brazil”.
“We know he has had conversations with them before,” Borson told Football Insider.
“I think [Brazil] are one of the options should he end up leaving City.
“Clearly, being out of contract will make things easier in that there will be no compensation to pay, so it would just be a negotiation between him and Brazil.
“I think it’s slightly surprising that we haven’t heard anything so far during this international break.
“This would be the time when you would expect Guardiola if he was going to stay at City, I think this would be the week that you would expect it to happen.
“We will have to see, but he definitely has spoken to Brazil, so we know that it is a possible option after City.
“The question is whether it will be now or at some other point in the future, but I definitely think the story is true.”
The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov
