Striking images reveal depths of Titanic's slow decay

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crkm82enkgko

The UK has seen its coolest summer for nine years, according to latest statistics from the Met Office.

It has also been a season of contrasts, with the north-west of the UK cool and wet, while the south and east have had a more typical UK summer.

The hottest day of the summer was 12 August, when temperatures in Cambridge reached 34.8C. Although we did see some heatwaves recorded in the south, any periods of heat have been fairly short-lived.

This year bucks the trend of the warm summers we have seen in recent years. The last time the UK had a cooler than average summer was back in 2015.

Jack Draper produced a brilliant display to reach the US Open quarter-finals with a straight-set win over Tomas Machac.

The Brit stormed to a 6-3 6-1 6-2 victory in just an hour and 44 minutes as he booked his place in the last eight of a Grand Slam for the first time.

Czech Machac had won the three previous matches between the pair but, after a strong start, was outclassed by a laser-focused Draper on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Draper, the 25th seed, will face the winner of the all-Australian contest between 10th seed Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson in the next round.

"Today I played a decent level," Draper said.

"He was maybe a little bit off his best but I had to stay strong in the points. I lost here last year in the same round so it's nice to come back and do better."

The 22-year-old becomes the first Brit to make the quarter-finals of the men’s singles at Flushing Meadows since Andy Murray in 2016.

With a number of big names, most notably Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, having gone out early, Draper has yet to drop a set in the tournament and has every reason to believe he can go all the way.

This was a statement performance in what has been a breakthrough year for the 6ft 4in left-hander, one that has included his ATP title in Stuttgart and victory over Wimbledon champion Alcaraz at Queen’s.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

Psalm 23:6

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.

1 Peter 3:8

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

John 15:12

Outside the gym on Sunday, survivors of the siege and their families stood under the late summer sun and held aloft photographs of their loved ones while a bell tolled.

The crowds then processed into the gym, where they and local officials lay red and white roses at the foot of an Orthodox cross erected in the room's centre.

On the gym's exterior wall, a large placard hangs, reading: "Remember us? Remember us! As long as you remember, we're alive."

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/survivors-families-mark-20-years-since-russias-beslan-school-siege-2024-09-01/

🙏

Brian Trueman, the writer behind the cartoon series Danger Mouse, has died at the age of 92, his son has said.

Posting on Facebook, Jonathan Trueman said his Manchester-born father had died in hospital on Sunday evening after a short illness.

Trueman had an illustrious career in television and radio, presenting the BBC children's quiz show Screen Test as well as working at Granada TV.

But he was best known for his work with animation company Cosgrove Hall Films - particularly Danger Mouse which started in 1981 and was voiced by Sir David Jason, as well as Count Duckula and Chorlton and the Wheelies.

Trueman attended Stretford Grammar School before spending a year at the University of Manchester.

His other son, Ben, posted on X, external: "Some sad news. My father Brian Trueman, has died. 92 years of happy life."

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez has announced his retirement from international football.

The 37-year-old fought back tears as he confirmed the World Cup qualifier against Paraguay on Saturday (00:30 BST) will be his last appearance for his country.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona forward is Uruguay's all-time leading scorer with 69 goals in 142 appearances, having made his debut against Colombia in February 2007.

"I’ve been thinking about this and analysing this. I believe this is the right time," said Suarez.

"I want to be relaxed when I play my last game with the national team. I'll be just as excited to play as I was in 2007 when I played for my national team for the first time.

"That 19-year old kid is now a veteran player, an older player - however you want to call it - with an incredible history with the national team, that will give his life for the team."

Suarez played in nine major international tournaments for Uruguay.

He was sent off in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final when he handled on the line during the final minute of extra time to prevent Ghana from progressing to the semi-finals.

Ex-Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan missed the subsequent spot-kick and Uruguay won the resulting penalty shootout to reach the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.

In 2011, Suarez led Uruguay to victory in the Copa America in Argentina, finishing as the tournament's second top scorer with four goals.

At the 2014 World Cup, he scored twice to help Uruguay beat England in the group stages but missed the knockout stages after receiving a four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in his side's final group game.

Suarez was also handed a nine-game international ban and missed the 2015 Copa America.

"We did go through difficult moments. There were many," Suarez said during his retirement news conference. "Personally, it was worse for me after my massive mistake in 2014. But there's nothing that I would reproach."

Suarez would go on to play at the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, while he appeared in five editions of the Copa America.

Retired?

I thought he might have fancied another bite of the cherry.

The ruins of a Greek village that lay submerged for decades have re-appeared after record temperatures caused a major reservoir to partially dry up.

Residents of the village of Kallio were forced to evacuate their homes more than 40 years ago to make way for the Mornos dam in southern Greece, which supplies water to the capital, Athens.

However, drought conditions in recent months caused the reservoir's water levels to drop dramatically - revealing what remained of several homes and a school.

It is only the second time since Kallio was abandoned that the village has been seen, according to a former resident. The first time was in the 1990s during another period of drought.

"You see the first floor that remains of my father-in-law's two-storey house... and next to it you can see what's left of my cousins' house," Yorgos Iosifidis, a 60-year-old pensioner who lived in Kallio as a young man, told the AFP news agency.

The village was made up of 80-or-so houses, a church and a school.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6

A memorial event was held on the Cathedral Square in Tskhinval on the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attack in Beslan.

Comment deleted by Article Creator

R.I.P to all of the victims in the Beslan Siege.

1st - 3rd September 2004

Barratt Developments, the UK's largest housebuilder, saw a sharp drop in profits after it built far fewer homes last year.

It completed just 14,000 in the year to June, compared to 17,000 for the previous 12 months, and says the total will be lower again next year.

Pre-tax profit fell by three quarters for the year, which Barratt blamed on high interest rates putting off housebuyers and inflation pushing up costs.

The completion figures pose a problem for the new Labour government's pledge to "get Britain building".

Chief executive David Thomas said the firm was "well-positioned to meet the strong underlying demand for new homes".

However, the firm forecasts it will only finish between 13,000 and 13,500 new homes next year.

The government has made increasing the supply of housing a priority, pledging to build 1.5 million more homes in England over the next five years.

It has promised to reform the planning process, free up parts of the green belt, and reintroduce mandatory housing targets for local authorities.

Mr Thomas said the firm welcomed the government's proposed reforms of the planning system as a "key lever to increase house building, drive economic growth and tackle the chronic under-supply of high-quality, sustainable homes".

The government hopes changes to planning policy will increase housebuilding, but Barratt's results show the extent to which mortgage rates affect how much it decides to build.

Former cabinet minister Priti Patel has been knocked out of the Conservative leadership contest in the first round of voting by Tory MPs.

The former immigration minister Robert Jenrick topped the poll of MPs with 28 votes followed by Kemi Badenoch on 22 votes.

Third was James Cleverly with 21, fourth was Tom Tugendhat with 17, fifth was Mel Stride with 16 and last was Dame Patel on 14.

Voting will continue in the coming weeks until there are two candidates left, leaving party members to pick one of them to be the new leader.

The winner will replace Rishi Sunak, who stood down as party leader after leading the Conservatives to their worst performance at a general election in July.

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:10

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.

Romans 15:5

Former Scotland rugby player Scott Hastings has confirmed his wife Jenny has been missing since disappearing at a wild swimming spot in the Firth of Forth on Tuesday.

She was reported missing in Wardie Bay, Edinburgh, shortly before 15:00.

A statement released on behalf of the Hastings family says Jenny had "struggled with her mental health for a number of years".

The statement adds: "We know that you all care for us deeply and as soon as we hear any update from the police we will advise you accordingly".

HM Coastguard was alerted to a "report of concern" on Tuesday and a number of lifeboats and helicopters were deployed in the search alongside other emergency services.

The coastguard said the search was stood down later in the evening and she had not been found.

The Hastings family statement says the incident is being treated by the police as a "high risk missing person case".

It says: "The Hastings family are absolutely heart broken.

"Jenny and Scott have a huge following of friends from all walks of life including those that work in the media and we ask that at this moment in time we are allowed to grieve privately with family members.

"For the time being we request that you hold off from messaging us directly and/or posting on any social media until further news.

"We know that you all care for us deeply and as soon as we hear any update from the police we will advise you accordingly.

"We miss our Jenny. She leaves a gaping hole in all our hearts and hope that she is returned to us safely so that we can celebrate her remarkable life".

The statement is attributed to "Scott, Corey, Daniel, Kerry-Anne & Ian".