Hundreds of books have been left strewn across the pavement by council-employed contractors outside a former library in south London.

The books were pictured by local news website Inside Croydon, external in large piles outside Broad Green Library, which closed late last year as part of cost-cutting measures at Croydon Council.

Mayor Jason Perry apologised, saying the way the books had been treated was "unacceptable" and promised action against the contractors responsible. It is understood they were employed by the council to clear out the building.

He said the former library building, which is being repurposed into an Asian Resource Centre, had also had squatters living in it.

In a video posted on social media on Saturday, the Conservative mayor said: "It's just absolutely terrible what has happened to this building and yesterday we saw even worse things - of books being thrown out on the pavement.

"The way that these books were being treated was just unacceptable and we will be dealing with our contractors accordingly."

The introduction by a council of a so-called "fat tax" for wider burial plots at one of its cemeteries has been criticised by residents and a funeral director.

At Danescourt cemetery in Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, it will cost families £2,700 if they need to buy a 6ft wide plot, a 20% increase on the cost of a standard 5ft grave.

Funeral director Ross Hickton said the decision was "not really acceptable or fair" and labelled it a "fat tax".

A spokesperson for the City of Wolverhampton Council said it was responding to an increase in demand for larger graves, with obesity rates of 33.3% in the city compared to a national average of 25.9%, according to a 2021 survey, external.

Wolverhampton resident Rosemarie McLaren said she felt the move was "discrimination, it's not acceptable".

"Someone like me who's a bit bigger, is going to be charged [more] because I'm fat," she added.

Neighbours star Steffan Denis has joined the line-up for this year's Strictly Come Dancing.

Dennis, a long-serving cast member in the Australian TV soap, having played Paul Robinson since its first episode in 1985, was added to the line-up for Strictly's 23rd series on Thursday.

Artificial intelligence has invented two new potential antibiotics that could kill drug-resistant gonorrhoea and MRSA, researchers have revealed.

Phil McNulty's Premier League predictions

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c70771lq88zo

A new takeover deal has been agreed between Morecambe owners Bond Group and prospective buyers Panjab Warriors in a bid to save the beleaguered National League club.

The Shrimps are currently suspended from the league and had their first three games postponed because of concerns about the club's ability to meet their financial obligations.

Panjab Warriors have previously had their takeover approved by the EFL in June, following the club's relegation from League Two, but a chaotic summer has followed.

That has included Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy writing to owner Jason Whittingham urging him to sell the Shrimps, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer urged everyone involved with the club "to do the right thing".

"This agreement reflects the willingness of both sides to compromise in the best interests of Morecambe FC, its supporters, and the wider community," Panjab Warriors and Bond Group, led by Whittingham, said in a joint statement., external

"It paves the way for continued stability and a positive future both on and off the pitch.

"Final legal documentation will now be prepared, with immediate steps being taken to inform key stakeholders, including the National League and the club's management team.

"Both Panjab Warriors and Bond Group would like to thank all parties involved for their patience and support during this process, and we look forward to a new chapter in the club's history."

King Charles III and Queen Camilla have joined World War Two veterans for a remembrance service to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.

Some 33 men now aged between 96 and 105, who served in military in the Far East and Pacific, were the guests of honour at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Wreaths were laid by the royal couple before a flypast featuring the RAF's Red Arrows and a national two-minute silence.

The event heard moving accounts and memories from veterans and civilians caught up in the war. Earlier, the King released an audio message in which he hailed the courage and sacrifice of the veterans.

VJ Day, or Victory over Japan Day, is commemorated on 15 August each year and marks the date in 1945 when Japan surrendered to Allied forces, bringing World War Two to an end after nearly six years.

An estimated 71,000 soldiers from the UK and the Commonwealth died fighting in the war against Japan, including upwards of 12,000 prisoners of war held in Japanese captivity.

Events to commemorate the 80th anniversary will conclude with a reception for veterans at Windsor Castle later in the autumn.

R.I.P

The 104-year-old WW2 veteran who moved the Queen to tears

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1kzwwk30wro

Premier League: Newcastle fail to convert numerous chances at Aston Villa

Failing

Premier League: Newcastle held by 10-man Aston Villa

The Greenland national team suffered a huge setback in their quest to play official international matches when their recent application to join Concacaf, the governing body for football in North and Central America, was rejected. However, the authorities and players are determined to carry on their fight for recognition.

BBC Sport has been in Greenland covering the Greenlandic Football Championship for the first time. A documentary on the events will be released later in 2025.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/videos/c3dpn1ry00no

Britain's last surviving World War Two Victoria Cross recipient, John Cruickshank, has died aged 105.

The flight lieutenant, from Aberdeen, earned the honour for an attack on a German U-Boat while piloting a Catalina flying boat in June 1944.

He was the last to die of 181 people who received the country's highest military honour for their actions in the conflict.

Flt Lt Cruickshank's family said he died last week and a funeral would be held in private.

The veteran was badly injured in the attack on 17 June 1944 while protecting British vessels in the Norwegian Sea.

Navigator John Dickson was killed while his co-pilot and two others members of the crew were seriously injured.

He never returned to operational flying and left the RAF in 1946 for a career in banking.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross – the highest recognition for valour that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth Armed Forces – on 29 August, 1944.

Flt Lt Cruickshank was praised for setting an example of "determination, fortitude and devotion to duty" when the honour was bestowed on him by King George VI.

He rarely talked about his experiences, saying in 2008: "You don't get involved in that kind of thing thinking of any decorations or any recognition. It was regarded as duty."

Bob Kemp, Flt Lt Cruickshank's friend of more than 30 years, told BBC Scotland News he was a "great RAF icon".

He added: "John was an amazing character, very quiet, but with a terrific sense of humour."

In 2013, Flt Lt Cruickshank was given the opportunity to fly in an aircraft similar to the one he piloted during the war.

Last year, when he was 104, a Catalina flying boat was flown over Flt Lt Cruickshank's home in Aberdeen to mark 80 years since he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

New Zealand held off a second-half fightback to beat Argentina 41-24 in their Rugby Championship opener and return to the top of the world rankings for the first time in four years.

Winger Sevu Reece and substitute hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho each scored two tries for the All Blacks who replace world champions South Africa, who were beaten 38-22 by Australia in Johannesburg, as the number one team in the world.

The visitors were 10-0 ahead inside the opening 10 minutes in Cordoba thanks to Beauden Barrett's penalty and Reece's first try.

Pumas winger Rodrigo Isgro went over to reduce the deficit to three points, but quickfire tries from Ardie Savea, Cortez Ratima and Reece again put New Zealand 31-10 ahead at the break.

Argentina launched a spirited recovery after the break, with Tomas Albornoz powering over 11 minutes after the restart.

And when Billy Proctor was sent to the sin bin, Joaquin Oviedo's try reduced the deficit to seven points and raised hopes of a famous comeback win.

But substitute Taukei'aho snuffed out those hopes with two tries in the final 12 minutes to seal an All Blacks victory.

"We talked about starting well and I think we did that. We finished the second half quite strong - it was a bit of a statement there," said All Blacks captain Scott Barrett.

"In the second half we were a little bit slow and probably a little bit of indiscipline fed their game, which was disappointing and allowed the crowd to get in behind them.

"They threw a lot of punches at us and I'm pleased the guys who finished the game were able to win some arm wrestles, get some territory and most importantly come away with a good win."

The defeat extends Argentina's winless record on home soil against New Zealand to 15 matches.

The two sides meet again in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

Lower Hutt

Moan Utd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iun3RtbCE6A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9NhncU5_CE

A woman dubbed the "Ketamine Queen" has agreed to plead guilty of selling the drugs that ultimately killed Friends actor Matthew Perry.

Jasveen Sangha, 42, will plead guilty to five charges in Los Angeles, including one count of distributing ketamine resulting in death or bodily injury, according to the Justice Department.

The American-British dual-national originally faced nine criminal counts. Federal prosecutors called her Los Angeles home a "drug-selling emporium" and found dozens of vials of ketamine during a raid.

Perry was found dead in a back yard jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home in October 2023, with an examination finding his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine.

Sangha is one of five people - including medical doctors and the actor's assistant - who US officials say supplied ketamine to Perry, exploiting his drug addiction for profit, and leading to his overdose death.

They include: Dr Salvador Plasencia and Dr Mark Chavez, two doctors who sold ketamine; Kenneth Iwamasa, who worked as Perry's live-in assistant and both helped purchase and inject the actor with ketamine; and Eric Fleming, who sold ketamine he'd gotten from Sangha to Perry.

All five have since agreed to plead guilty to charges in the case. Sangha's criminal trial had been pushed several times and currently was scheduled to begin next month.

She is expected to appear in federal court in the coming weeks to formally enter her guilty plea as part of the agreement with federal authorities.

Her attorney, Mark Geragos, told the BBC in a statement that "she's taking responsibility for her actions".

Some reports claim Oleksandr Zinchenko to Fenerbahce is all but done.

6G networks are expected to be developed and released by the early 2030s. The largest number of 6G patents have been filed in China.