UN report warns of catastrophic risks to Earth systems
Melting glaciers, unbearable heat and space junk: a month before crunch climate talks in the United Arab Emirates, a UN report published Wednesday warns about irreversible impacts to the planet without drastic...
2023-10-25 17:02
Harry Maguire resurgence extends ‘ridiculous’ Man United streak but the real test lies ahead
As he rose high, demonstrating the aerial power that has made him the most prolific centre-back in English national team history, Harry Maguire’s thunderous header capped a mini personal renaissance that lifted Manchester United off the floor of their Champions League group. There have been times in the last two years when Maguire has felt luckless, but this time fortune favoured him: a status as the match-winner may have been snatched from his grasp when Scott McTominay conceded an injury-time penalty. Yet Andre Onana’s 97th-minute save preserved it. And so the Stretford End ended up singing Maguire’s name. There were twin redemption songs, of the man United signed in the summer and the one they could have sold to West Ham. “Amazing,” Maguire said; he had been a stranger to adulation at Old Trafford. Last-choice centre-back last season, he may now have a run in the team for Erik ten Hag, the manager who stripped him of the captaincy. As Maguire pointed out recently, the numbers support his case. The win percentage he branded “ridiculously high” now stands at 94.1 in his last 17 starts for United: 16 of them have brought victories. There are caveats and the one exception was a traumatic night for him in Seville as United crashed out of the Europa League. They lost on his first three starts for Ten Hag, too. Since then, his status as a back-up has meant he has been spared the tougher tests: he has faced Real Betis, Sevilla, West Ham and Aston Villa, but this season others started against Arsenal and Tottenham, Brighton and Bayern Munich. Arguably, he has not faced an elite team in Ten Hag’s reign. Which, as the Manchester derby beckons on Sunday, may mean Maguire should savour his statistics while he still can. But a personal renaissance has revolved around meaningful contributions, not simply facts and figures. There was the headed assist for McTominay’s 97th-minute winner against Brentford, the man-of-the-match display on his return to Sheffield United and now a Champions League winner against FC Copenhagen. A common denominator may be that each qualifies as relatively limited opposition: United have scarcely dominated against any of them. But if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer miscast Maguire as talisman and captain of United, a willing soul and honest trier has prospered in three successive starts. A run in the side was facilitated first by the absence of Lisandro Martinez, Ten Hag’s chosen upgrade on Maguire, and then all of United’s left-backs, meaning Victor Lindelof was redeployed on the flank. Yet Lindelof began on the bench against Copenhagen, Maguire in the role Ten Hag has long been reluctant to grant him: as a left-sided centre-back. The Dutchman has an innate preference for left-footers there. But he also wants centre-backs who operate higher up the pitch. Maguire was not a natural fit: belatedly, though, he is becoming Ten Hag’s type of defender. “I think so,” he said. “He's playing much more proactive in possession, stepping in, passing vertical, defending also on the front foot, also stepping in, defending forward, very confident in the duels. I think he's dominating in the right moment, putting the question, dominating his opponents. You see he gets rewarded - it's a very good skill from him, his heading, and a very good finish." It was a reward for more than just set-piece expertise. It was Maguire’s prize for obstinacy, for staying when there were reasons to go: that United were reluctant to pay him off may have influenced his decision but he maintained he could win his place back. Ten Hag, too, never forced him out, stripping him of the armband but insisting he remained a valuable squad player. The manager’s position has been nuanced, the defender’s defiant. “This is maybe the most scrutinised club in the world and when you are not quite on your game it gets picked up, it gets analysed,” Maguire reflected. He had a shocking 2021-22 campaign, a bad start to last season. Neither escaped scrutiny. Since then, however, he reflected: “And I am really proud and pleased over the way I have acted over the last six to 12 months.” For now, he has confounded expectations. Stiffer examinations may await, starting with Erling Haaland on Sunday. If he is still in the side, the last five weeks of the year bring Galatasaray, Newcastle, Chelsea, Bayern, Liverpool, West Ham and Villa. They will be the tests if he ranks as a top-class centre-back. For now, though, Maguire is the emblem of this United, labouring to victory with goals from some of their lesser lights. Their last five strikes have come from either McTominay, Diogo Dalot or Maguire. And for the man who has been mocked and maligned, dropped and abused, it was a rare high of late for Maguire. And, whatever his win percentage, there have not been many occasions in the last two years when he was celebrated like this. Read More ‘It was meant to be’: Man Utd dedicate dramatic victory to Sir Bobby Charlton Manchester United vs FC Copenhagen LIVE: Latest Champions League updates Man Utd duo’s heroics offer fitting tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton
2023-10-25 17:01
Biden hosts Australian PM for gala visit amid crises
US President Joe Biden hosts Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a lavish state visit Wednesday where their focus on China risks being...
2023-10-25 17:01
Australia state visit to feature talk of submarines and tech partnerships — and a lavish dinner
President Joe Biden is hosting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a state visit that's intended to deepen the partnership between the two allies
2023-10-25 17:01
Director of controversial Jennifer Lawrence Netflix movie responds to criticism
The director of the controversial Jennifer Lawrence comedy No Hard Feelings has addressed the criticism aimed at the film, and given a pretty clear response. Gene Stupnitsky has spoken about the age gap between the two main characters, which has attracted some backlash on social media. The sex comedy movie was released earlier this year and has now found a new audience after landing on Netflix. The film focuses on Lawrence's character Maddie who discovers a lucrative job for the summer; dating an introverted 19-year-old, Percy – played by Andrew Barth Feldman, before he goes to college. Social media users have criticised the age gap between the characters – but Stupnitsky shut down the backlash in a series of interviews. The filmmaker spoke about another of Lawrence’s movies, Silver Linings Playbook, which features a similar age gap between the characters played by Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. Speaking at the film premiere in New York, Stupnitsky said: “It goes the other way too. We took great pains to be careful about the ick factor because it could go that way... We took a humanist approach and I think that's all you can ask for." Feldman also spoke during an interview with Vanity Fair, saying: "Because what is a comedy if it’s not at least a little controversial?" He added: "But Percy is an adult. I am an adult, and this is a cringe comedy. It should make you uncomfortable. I’m disinterested in a movie, and specifically a comedy, about people who are perfect and make the right decisions all the time.” He went on to say: "[We were so thoughtful about it throughout. Constantly, every day talking about what it meant and how it would manifest in a truthful way. "And I think people are going to be surprised with not just how funny it turns out to be, and how uncomfortable it maybe makes them, but also how beautiful this relationship is and how heartfelt it is." It comes after Lawrence has left viewers of her new film No Hard Feelings stunned by a fight scene on a beach in the new film where the Oscar-winning Hollywood A-lister is completely naked. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
2023-10-25 17:01
Mikel Arteta makes worrying admission over Gabriel Jesus injury
Mikel Arteta gives an injury update on Gabriel Jesus after Arsenal's 2-1 win over Sevilla in the Champions League.
2023-10-25 17:00
Scientists zoom in on Betelgeuse, show why it hasn't exploded yet
The colossal star Betelgeuse — so giant that it would reach to Jupiter in our
2023-10-25 17:00
This TikTok trend parodies famous songs with cringe Gen Z slang
Do you what skibidi means? What about gyatt? Rizzler? Baby Gronk rizzing up Livvy? I
2023-10-25 17:00
Score 1TB of cloud storage for life for $120
TL;DR: Through Oct. 31, a 1TB lifetime subscription to Koofr Cloud Storage is on sale
2023-10-25 17:00
Entertain your dog or cat with The Wicked Ball, now $28
TL;DR: Meet your four-legged friend’s new favorite toy: the fully automatic Wicked Ball from Cheerble.
2023-10-25 17:00
This refurb iPad Air, Beats, and accessory bundle is just $115
TL;DR: For only $114.99, you can get a refurbished iPad Air, open box Beats headphones,
2023-10-25 17:00
NSYNC's Lance Bass hints more new music is to come from
Lance Bass has confirmed NSYNC are not done yet.
2023-10-25 17:00
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