-Nightmare

Nick movie: 15 Facts about Dr octopus you might not know Time: Cyber Brainwave Netflix / Amazon / HBO: N/A Duration of the movie: 2:53 Trailer:

Music title: ❤ RIYAD RAYANI HADA HALI هذا حالي 🤔 رياض رياني Signer: RIYAD RAYANI رياض رياني Release date: 2024/4/7 Official YouTube link:

A Thai court has ordered the dissolution of the reformist party which won the most seats and votes in last year’s election - but was blocked from forming a government. The ruling also banned Move Forward's charismatic, young former leader Pita Limjaroenrat and 10 other senior figures from politics for 10 years. The verdict from the Constitutional Court was expected, after its ruling in January that Move Forward’s campaign promise to change royal defamation laws was unconstitutional. The court had said changes to the notoriously harsh lese majeste law was tantamount to calling for the destruction of the constitutional monarchy. Wednesday's verdict again serves as a stark reminder of how far unelected institutions are willing to go to preserve the power and status of the monarchy. But the ruling does not mean an end to the reformist movement in Thai politics. The surviving 143 Move Forward MPs are expected to transfer to another registered party and continue their role as the main opposition in parliament. "A new journey has begun. Let’s keep walking together, people," the party said in a message accompanied by a video on its social media platforms. Chaithawat Tulathon, the leader of the opposition and one of the MPs barred from politics, stood up in the chamber and bid farewell to his colleagues, saying it was an "honor" to work with them. This verdict "may raise the question whether Thailand is a constitutional monarchy or an absolute monarchy", said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University. He said it was "deja vu on one hand, and uncharted territory, on the other". This is more or less a repeat of what happened in 2020 when the then Future Forward Party, which had also done unexpectedly well in an election, was also dissolved, and transformed itself into the Move Forward Party. That verdict four years ago ignited huge street protests, led by a new generation of student activists, which lasted for six months and voiced unprecedented demands for the monarchy to be made more accountable. The authorities have since made extensive use of the lese majeste law to prosecute hundreds of protest leaders, including some Move Forward MPs. The law has been widely criticised as stifling freedom of expression in Thailand, and in its manifesto Move Forward had proposed less severe punishments – jail sentences have been as high as 50 years – and a more rigorous process for filing charges. Fears among reformists that Move Forward would not do as well in last year’s election as Future Forward had in 2019 proved unfounded. The party defied expectations to outperform every other party and become the largest in parliament, revealing a strong yearning for change among Thai voters. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crkmdd4vevxo

A man who killed a pet rabbit after claiming the animal had bitten him has been given a suspended prison sentence and banned from keeping animals for 10 years. Andrew West was caught on a hidden camera at a house in Sheffield picking up the grey lop-eared rabbit by his neck and forcefully throwing the animal down towards the ground. The city's magistrates court heard that the 30-year-old was interviewed by the RSPCA and immediately admitted the offence. In mitigation they were told he suffered from severe ADHD and had not not taking his medication at the time. A vet said it was "one of the most disturbing cases of violence" he had seen. The upsetting footage, which was captured from the bedroom of a house in Adrian Crescent in Sheffield on 29 August 2023, was passed to the RSPCA which then launched an investigation. At a sentencing hearing, Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard that RSPCA officers, accompanied by police, had gone to the property on 31 August last year after several video clips had been passed to the charity. In one of them West can be seen grabbing the pet named Milo, and saying to him, “You’re never going to hurt me again, do you understand?” Further footage showed the rabbit, which didn’t belong to him, being flung on the floor by West before being found dead a short time later. The court heard that when he was asked by the RSPCA why he was heard in one of the video clips saying, “Oh yeah you're going to get it," he said this meant he wanted to hurt Milo because he was angry with the rabbit for biting him, but he had not intended to kill it. 'Extremely cruel' In mitigation two references provided to the court attested to his "kind personality" and "love of animals". At a sentencing hearing at Sheffield Magistrates' Court on 26 July, he was handed an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to causing unnecessary suffering to a protected animal. A post-mortem report indicated the rabbit had been suffering from a brain infection called E cuniculi, a common infection in rabbits which can, in some cases, lead to seizures or death. A vet who viewed the video footage and gave written evidence in the case, said: “Regardless of the post-mortem findings we can safely say that the individual in the footage was extremely cruel and violent towards Milo. "Through his callous actions he has blatantly caused a great deal of pain, stress, fear and unnecessary suffering. "This is one of the most disturbing cases of violence towards a helpless animal that I have had the misfortune to witness.” Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnvyyz3m132o

Automotive experts discuss the latest attempts by the Biden administration to protect the U.S. industry from Chinese competition. Ford managed to eke out a small sales gain in the third quarter while most automakers dipped. Plus, suppliers warn that a prolonged port workers' strike could close plants and force layoffs. How do I subscribe? Can't wait to hear the next episode of "Daily Drive"? Subscribe through a podcast app to receive episodes as soon as they are available. If you don't have a podcast app already, here are some options. Link: https://www.autonews.com/daily-drive-podcast/daily-drive-podcast-october-2-2024

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo and defender Neco Williams have been fined for misconduct by the Football Association after last season's defeat by Everton. Nuno has been fined £40,000 and handed a one-game touchline ban, which is suspended until 31 May 2026, while Williams has been fined £24,000. It follows their comments after Forest had three penalty decisions go against them in their 2-0 Premier League defeat at Goodison Park in April. Nuno said the officials had "bad" games while Williams told Sky Sports: "Every single week this happens now. We are getting decisions against us, I don’t know why. Is it because we are a lower, bottom half of the table team?" Both men have also been warned about their future conduct. As part of the Premier League's commitment to improving VAR, BBC Sport understands the league has spoken to clubs and managers about the impact of public criticism of VAR undermining the game - and that there will be a new focus on regulating these public comments. Sources told BBC Sport the Premier League felt it became too easy to blame VAR as a deflection. On the pitch, there were 12 manager touchline bans last season. The FA said in a statement: "It was alleged that the manager and player's comments constitute improper conduct in that they implied bias and/or questioned the integrity of the match officials and/or bring the game into disrepute." A decision by the FA against the club is still to be made, however, after Forest released an angry statement on X - seen over 45m times - just minutes after the final whistle. The club claimed they told referees body the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) that the game's video assistant referee (VAR) Stuart Attwell was allegedly a fan of relegation rivals Luton. The fallout from the game also led to former Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg leaving his role as a referee analyst at Forest. Clattenburg, in the Mail on Sunday, called the decisions a "joke" and said Forest were "feeling victimised". Link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c14zxz3j8nvo

The fencing off of 10 railway arches at Bradford Forster Square station will "definitely be an improvement" for the area, according to the city's civic society. The arches, which had been used by rough sleepers, were closed off at the end of last week by Bradford Council and will eventually be used as art spaces as part of next year's City of Culture. Support organisation Homeless Not Hopeless (HNH) branded the move "heartless". But Bradford Civic Society chair Si Cunningham said many visitors would "really welcome these improvements". Mr Cunningham said: "I think a lot of people who come into Bradford city centre via Forster Square will really welcome these improvements. "For many years now it's been quite a startling arrival into Bradford to see the state the arches have become in recent years. "To see them fenced off is definitely going to be an improvement on the area. "And I think also it will really help those people who have been choosing to live a street-based lifestyle in the city centre too." A Bradford Council spokesperson said the arches were empty and had no one in them at the time the fences were put up. When the work began there was one person sleeping there who "has been offered alternative emergency accommodation and ongoing support". The spokesperson added: “The first stages of planned work to enhance the area near Forster Square railway station has started. "This involves the preparatory work of closing off the railway arches in preparation for installing gates and new lighting to the arches. “Our Homeless Outreach Partnership has been working closely on a daily basis for months with the people who sleep rough in the arches, to help them access the support that is available for them." HNH organiser Steve Richardson said there did not seem to have been any consultation with those sleeping in the archways and the fencing off felt "a bit heartless to us". The council spokesperson said living in the railway arches was "not an appropriate, safe solution for people on the streets, some of whom are the most vulnerable in our society". They added: "Supporting these people is a key priority for the council, and we will continue to work with our many partners and associated services to offer a wide range of support to anyone who needs it across the district.” Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2edgrr94wko

Thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes as large wildfires reach the suburbs of Athens, with some flames leaping as high as 25m (80ft). Homes and properties in nearby towns such as Varnavas as well as northeastern parts of the Greek capital are on fire, including a school in Nea Penteli. With the sun setting, aircraft working to extinguish the flames have been forced to land, making it a ground operation overnight. Residents are complaining there are not enough fire trucks and firefighters to help, as Greek authorities request international assistance. Help is expected from Spain, Italy, Turkey, Romania and Canada, with France also providing a Super Puma utility helicopter and the Czech Republic sending 75 firefighters and 25 vehicles. In unprecedented scenes, people in Athens are wearing masks to protect themselves from the choking smoke that has filled the air, as they try to put out flames. A human chain of firefighters, volunteer firefighters, police officers and citizens are using everything they have to try to put fires out, with some resorting to tree branches. Strong winds are also aiding the rapid spread of fire. Earlier on Monday, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said winds were up to seven on the Beaufort scale, indicating a moderate gale force. Burning pine cones launched from trees by the wind are spreading the fire. After more than 24 hours of fires, thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate, with some refusing to in order to save their homes. A message from emergency services is calling on residents of the capital's northern suburb of Dionysos to evacuate toward nearby Kifissia. Thirty such localised messages have been sent. On Sunday, people in towns and villages, including the historic site of Marathon, were ordered to move to safer areas. More than 700 firefighters, 119 vehicles, and large numbers of soldiers have been deployed to put out the flames, with many volunteers also contributing. One fire is raging around Mount Penteli, famous for its marble quarries, and the adjoining Athens suburb of the same name where three hospitals have been evacuated. The National Observatory of Athens in Penteli is also under threat, as the flames burn through some of its facilities. One blaze - which has engulfed a timber factory - is a particular concern due to the dangerous materials in the surrounding area. There is an out-of-business petrol station next door. In other parts of Penteli, various explosions can be heard, most likely from fuel tanks and residential gas cylinders. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyj80v2wrpo

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Xiaomi outfolding smartphone prototype has been leaked online recently. The prototype, teased by tipster Kuba Wojciechowski, hints at a Xiaomi smartphone with an outward folding ability. The spotted prototype comes with a Snapdragon 855 with X50 modem for 5G support. The tipster has mentioned that “the device was super-secret and very few units made their way into the public”. The patent for the outward folding handset was first spotted way back in 2020. Meanwhile, the Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro internal testing has reportedly begun in different countries in Asia. In a recent leak by tipster Kuba Wojciechowski via Twitter, the prototype of an outfolding Xiaomi smartphone has been spotted. As mentioned earlier, the prototype is said to come with a Snapdragon 855 with X50 modem for 5G support. The tweet also mentioned that the smartphone was “super-secret and very few units made their way into the public”. To recall, the patent for outward folding devices was spotted in 2020 by letsgodigital. Meanwhile, the Chinese company is heading to launch the Xiaomi 13 series and the the Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro internal testing has reportedly begun in different countries in Asia. The smartphones from the Chinese company are expected to launch in early 2023. Xiaomi 13 was reportedly spotted on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) website recently. The Xiaomi 13 and the Xiaomi 13 Pro have been tipped to be equipped with a triple rear camera setup along with a centre-aligned hole-punch cutout on the display to house the selfie camera. The Xiaomi 13 Pro is said to sport a 6.7-inch E6 LTPO display with a 2K resolution. The Xiaomi 13, Xiaomi 13 Pro could sport curved displays. The Xiaomi 13 is expected to measure 152.8 x 71.5 x 8.3mm, while the camera bump takes it to 10.3mm in thickness. https://www.gadgets360.com/mobiles/news/xiaomi-outfolding-device-prototype-leak-tipster-twitter-3535226

Ever wanted to build a mini-ITX computer with a power-sipping 11th Gen Tiger Lake mobile processor? Now's your chance to do just that. MSI has released a new PRO series mini-ITX motherboard featuring a built-in Core i5-11260H Tiger Lake CPU called the Pro HM570TI-B I526.(opens in new tab) As the name suggests, the board is designed for professionals who want a compact desktop workstation that will be just as power efficient as a laptop. The Core i5 processor inside features six cores and 12 threads with a 4.4 GHz max turbo frequency and a maximum configurable TDP of 45 watts. The board has a decent feature set overall, with support for up to 64GB of dual-channel DDR4 3200MHz memory and two SATA ports for storage devices. Unfortunately there is only one M.2 slot available for wireless cards only. Rear I/O comes in the form of four USB ports, a single serial port, and a HDMI port for display output. There is also an Ethernet port and two dedicated 3.5mm jacks for mic support and audio. But, the strange part of this motherboard is zero information on CPU cooler mounting support. MSI has no information on installing a CPU cooler or what CPU coolers will work with the mobile chip. As a result, you'll need to do this research yourself if you plan on buying this board. But we presume the board is designed for LGA115x or LGA1200/1700 coolers since the spacing between the holes is quite large. Fortunately, or unfortunately, power comes in the form of a DC power brick. Standard ATX or SFX power supplies will not work with this motherboard if you want to build this system inside a standard mini-ITX desktop chassis. As a result, you'll have to look for a case that is designed around DC power bricks to ensure space isn't wasted and the system looks good. MSI's board also lacks support for dedicated PCIe add in board cards, such as graphics cards, with no physical PCIe slots installed on the motherboard. It is somewhat of a bummer, as Intel's Tiger Lake processors aren't slow chips, and already make good gaming chips in mid-range gaming laptops with dedicated mobile GPUs or Thunderbolt graphics card docks. If the board had support for a dedicated GPU, it would be a really cool little gaming machine, that would sip power and generate almost no heat. But, this board wasn't intended for gaming, so we understand why MSI didn't install a PCIe slot. But, if you are courageous enough, you can technically use a dedicated graphics card. All you will need is a M.2 PCIe x4 to PCIe x16 or open x8 or x4 slot that allows x16 cards to be slotted in. Pair this, with a mini-ITX case with vertical GPU mounting support, and you can get a full blown discrete graphics card to work with this motherboard. However, the apparent drawbacks would be no dedicated WiFi/Bluetooth card -- with the slot taken up by the GPU and four PCIe lanes is not fast enough for a lot of desktop GPUs. As a result, you'd need to use a low-end GPU to ensure the PCIe lane bottlenecking doesn't kill most of your GPU performance. We don't know when this motherboard is on sale; MSI hasn't shared a price or estimated availability dates on its website. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/tiger-lake-mini-itx-motherboard-msi

Meta has announced what it calls a "breakthrough" in a specific area of game-playing AI: software called Cicero that is the first AI to achieve "human-level performance in the po[CENSORED]r strategy game Diplomacy". Diplomacy is originally a board game, which has many official and unofficial digital successors, and the reason that it's such an interesting choice is that the core of the game is negotiation: that is, it's a multiplayer game where the players have to constantly bargain with one another. The post announcing Cicero acknowledges various AI 'victories' over humans (fact check: Deep Blue lost to Garry Kasparov before beating him several years later, after which IBM refused a rematch), but says "truly useful, versatile agents will need to go beyond just moving pieces on a board". Thus Cicero is intended to be able to negotiate, persuade, and work with human players to achieve strategic goals in the same way a human would. Diplomacy has long been seen as one of the grand AI challenges for exactly these reasons. You need to understand other players' motivations, adjust strategies on-the-fly, and ultimately win them over to your side. Well… Cicero played on webDiplomacy.net, an online version of the game, and "achieved more than double the average score of the human players and ranked in the top 10 percent of participants who played more than one game." In fact: "Cicero is so effective at using natural language to negotiate with people in Diplomacy that they often favored working with Cicero over other human participants." Part of the achievement is that Cicero has not been built on the traditional self-play reinforcement method through which AIs learn games (by playing millions of games against itself or humans and crunching the data). Meta says it incorporates two main elements: "strategic reasoning, as used in agents like AlphaGo and Pluribus, and natural language processing, as used in models like GPT-3, BlenderBot 3, LaMDA, and OPT-175B". An especially crucial part is that Cicero can recognise which players it needs to win over, and come up with a strategy to get them on-side. The software "runs an iterative planning algorithm that balances dialogue consistency with rationality", predicting players' future moves based on dialogue before coming up with a plan that incorporates these predictions. It's not going to take over the world just yet: Cicero is only capable of playing Diplomacy, though of course Meta's ambitions for this software extend far beyond an old board game. The company reckons this could have a big impact on AI chat assistants, allowing them to for example hold learning conversations and dialogues that teach humans new skills. "Alternatively, imagine a video game in which the non player characters (NPCs) could plan and converse like people do—understanding your motivations and adapting the conversation accordingly—to help you on your quest of storming the castle." Now that is kind of interesting: maybe Edge magazine was right about Doom. What if you could talk to the monsters? You can read more about the technical side of Cicero and find the research paper here, or watch it play against some human experts(opens in new tab). Link: https://www.pcgamer.com/now-zuckerbergs-building-ais-to-destroy-us-meatbags-in-grand-strategy-games/

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Nick movie: Trailer kingdom of the planet of the apes (2024) Time: Film Zona Netflix / Amazon / HBO: N/A Duration of the movie: 1:21 Trailer:

Music title: Ed Sheeran - Give Me Love | LIVE Signer: Songkick Release date: 2012/30/7 Official YouTube link:

The Falkland Islands government has decided not to award a £120m project to Harland & Wolff despite previously naming the firm as the preferred bidder. In March, the shipbuilder said it had been successful in a competitive bidding process "subject to agreeing final contract pricing". On Tuesday, the firm said a final commercial agreement had not been possible. Harland & Wolff is under financial pressure after making large losses in recent years. Last week it agreed a new $25m (£19.5m) loanwhich it said would support the "ongoing stabilisation" of the business. It also said it was closing its Isles of Scilly ferry service with immediate effect. Last month the firm had an application for a £200m government loan guarantee rejected after ministers decided it would be too risky for taxpayers. The Falklands project would have involved building, transporting and installing four floating pontoons at the island’s main port. The company said: "Following a detailed review process, the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) have decided to cease further contractual negotiations with Harland & Wolff regarding the port replacement project. "Despite productive discussions, FIG and Harland & Wolff were unable to reach a mutually acceptable commercial position. "FIG acknowledges the effort and commitment demonstrated by Harland & Wolff throughout this process." Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8rxx17x2zgo

The family of a modern pentathlete have paid tribute to a hard-working "very genuine young man", after he missed out on a place in an Olympic final by one place and two seconds. Charlie Brown, 21, had been called up as a late replacement for injured team-mate Myles Pillage. Brown, a University of Bath student, said he was putting his Shropshire hometown "Cleobury Mortimer on the map" and Team GB had been "amazing". Father Martin Brown stated his son was almost "a competition animal". The student, who also has connections with Kidderminster in Worcestershire, began studying and training at the university in 2021 and studies sports management and coaching. The five sports are shooting, running, swimming, fencing and showjumping. Following the Olympic semi-final, mother Liz Brown said: "[He] absolutely loves people, noise. When he went on that platform, we just said to ourselves 'that is Charlie's arena, that's just what he absolutely loves'. "He's just very grounded, [a] lovely lad. I am gonna say that, because I'm his mother, but he actually is a very genuine young man." She added: "It's like watching a three-hour penalty shootout and even if you don't support the teams, then you add in your emotion for your team, it's just... emotionally draining." The competitor's father said his son had always given it his all "in anything he's done and he just applies himself and just loves competition". He stated: "The fact that we've been in pony club and stuff like that, he's a good rider, he's a good runner, he can swim well. "He's had good coaches throughout his career." Asked about showjumping on Friday, Charlie Brown said he was "really proud of that round". He added: "Horse riding's something [that's] really special to me, as I grew up with horses. My whole family rides. "All the support from back home's been amazing. Everyone... [from] Shropshire, they're amazing people and it's nice to represent them as well as the whole nation." Questioned about what it had meant to have the Team GB logo on his chest, Brown replied: "That's something that I get quite emotional about. "I've always wanted to be an Olympian since I was younger and I've got all my family and friends watching me." Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx28y49rev2o

The boss of Koenigsegg isn’t sold on restomods. We’re talking creations like Singers, Eagles and that Eccentrica Diablo thingy. Coolest cars in the world? Not according to the man who invents three new types of gearbox before you’ve eaten breakfast. “I think it shows the lack of desirability within modern car space” he told us at Top Gear’s ‘Boss Level' meeting of hypercar minds. “I think, 'what's driving this?'. It's like everyone is looking back to the good old days. And that I think is what disturbs me a bit. “We should be able to create that feeling and emotion with who we are today and what we do today,” he added. “And it just seems to be lacking somehow given that all of that [restomod culture] needs to happen." The Koenigsegg founder was quick to note the work done by restomod companies themselves is hugely impressive, citing Porsche 911 specialists Singer as a prime example. “I've seen Singer at The Quail [during Monterey Car Week] now for probably ten years. They really pioneered the po[CENSORED]rity among the broader audience and have done a fantastic job at it. “It’s a difficult question, right? Does it take away from the purity of the original or is it the other way around? I dunno, difficult to say.” The hypercar bosses we’d invited along for a chat tended to disagree. Mate Rimac is all in on reborn retro cars, explaining: “I love restomods. Actually I'm very close also with the Singer guys. I have a Turbo on order. “For me, my journey started with an E30 BMW 3 Series. I always wanted an E30 M3 and luckily now I could afford one. I love driving that car and I love looking at it. It's beautiful… but even the most basic cars today are better at steering or braking or even acceleration.” Turns out Mate has an idea how to solve that, though. “I would love to have a restomod E30 with a V10,” he grins, nodding when we ask if that would be the V10 from the E60 M5. “Sure, with a manual,” he adds. “That's one project I want to do.” Stateside, John Hennessey also has his eye on the restomod scene. “I'm a big fan, whether it's American muscle, whether it's some of the classic Italians, I think it's a very cool art form,” he tells us. “I just wish I could afford more of 'em. I mean the really nice ones are between half a million to $2 million, and I'd have one of each of 'em.” So, would Hennessey ever decide to reboot some classic Americana? “We’ve looked at doing restomods in our mo dification business – if I had additional staff and resources. I won't say what cars we would want to restomod, but I've got a few ideas…” Want to hear more of what the makers of the world’s fastest car had to say about the past, present and future of fast cars? Then subscribe to the Top Gear YouTube channel for the two-part ‘Boss Level’ film, download the Top Gear magazine podcast, and don’t miss Link: https://www.topgear.com/car-news/interview/heres-why-christian-von-koenigsegg-doesnt-restomods

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal's players have told him they "want more" this season as they look to deny Manchester City a fifth consecutive Premier League title. The Gunners have finished second to City in the past two league campaigns, and were just two points behind Pep Guardiola's side last season. On the evening after the final match of last season against Everton, Arteta and Arsenal held a gathering in central London that was attended by owner and co-chairman Josh Kroenke, players with their families and club staff. "All the players were saying to me, 'we’re going to be better, we’re going to do it, we want more,'" said Arteta. "They are the ones driving that ambition, so that's always positive." Arsenal face Wolves at Emirates Stadium in their first match of the season on Saturday, and Arteta says his side are relishing the start of their title bid. "We are really excited," he said. "We've been missing the competition for many weeks, too long for us. "We're so willing to start, really enthusiastic about it. "We had a really challenging pre-season. The team has looked really sharp, really at it and desperate to play." No teams in the Premier League have been able to improve their points tally in five consecutive seasons, but that may be what Arsenal need to achieve to become champions for the first time since 2004. The season-by-season improvement so far means Arsenal have gone from totting up just 56 points in 2019-20 to posting 89 points last season. Former England captain Alan Shearer gave his thoughts about Arsenal's title prospects in his BBC Sport column, where he said that "the one thing they are missing... is a goalscorer". Shearer explained: "If Arsenal sign a top striker then I would back them to go on and win the league." Arteta sees his team as a long way from the finished article, and efforts are ongoing to strengthen the squad as the manager backs the group to grow stronger. "We're still very far from perfection," said Arteta. "This team still has levels to reach and they give me the reasons to believe that because I see the way they train and the way they play every day. "I believe there is still big room to improve." Link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cx2l0gkk2y0o

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal's players have told him they "want more" this season as they look to deny Manchester City a fifth consecutive Premier League title. The Gunners have finished second to City in the past two league campaigns, and were just two points behind Pep Guardiola's side last season. On the evening after the final match of last season against Everton, Arteta and Arsenal held a gathering in central London that was attended by owner and co-chairman Josh Kroenke, players with their families and club staff. "All the players were saying to me, 'we’re going to be better, we’re going to do it, we want more,'" said Arteta. "They are the ones driving that ambition, so that's always positive." Arsenal face Wolves at Emirates Stadium in their first match of the season on Saturday, and Arteta says his side are relishing the start of their title bid. "We are really excited," he said. "We've been missing the competition for many weeks, too long for us. "We're so willing to start, really enthusiastic about it. "We had a really challenging pre-season. The team has looked really sharp, really at it and desperate to play." No teams in the Premier League have been able to improve their points tally in five consecutive seasons, but that may be what Arsenal need to achieve to become champions for the first time since 2004. The season-by-season improvement so far means Arsenal have gone from totting up just 56 points in 2019-20 to posting 89 points last season. Former England captain Alan Shearer gave his thoughts about Arsenal's title prospects in his BBC Sport column, where he said that "the one thing they are missing... is a goalscorer". Shearer explained: "If Arsenal sign a top striker then I would back them to go on and win the league." Arteta sees his team as a long way from the finished article, and efforts are ongoing to strengthen the squad as the manager backs the group to grow stronger. "We're still very far from perfection," said Arteta. "This team still has levels to reach and they give me the reasons to believe that because I see the way they train and the way they play every day. "I believe there is still big room to improve." Link: https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cx2l0gkk2y0o

The head of South East Water said the company had been "caught on the hop" by the speed of climate change. David Hinton, the firm's chief executive, told BBC South East greater demand than had been expected was partly to blame for recent outages. He said lifestyle changes, with more people working from home, were also a factor. After outages for more than a week in parts of Kent and Sussex in June 2023 the company is being investigated by the industry watchdog Ofwat over possible failures in maintaining supply. "I think it's caught everyone on the hop" said Mr Hinton, "it's really gone way ahead of what we've predicted. "We've had one in 40 year, one in 500 year, we had one in 200 year weather events in the same year. No-one was predicting that kind of effect." Mr Hinton said plans have had to be modified with more investment needed. "We've just put in a business plan to Ofwat with a considerable amount of extra resilience funding in that. "We're looking to really get ahead of climate change. We were fine up until 2020 and resilience was good, we've just seen a big change in the weather." South East Water is based in Snodland, Kent, and has 2.2m customers across Sussex, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. A consultation was launched in July into increases in bills, with the company wanting a rise of £51 but Ofwat saying it should be just £18. A final decision will be announced in December. "Most of that gap in the funding is on resilience" said Mr Hinton, "and we've been in dialogue with Ofwat since they made that announcement. "I really hope we can close that gap because we really do need it. I want bills to go up enough to be able to fund the investment. "If customers really want us to invest they're happy to pay for us to invest, and those who can't pay will be supported." South East Water is constructing a £39m treatment works on the site of a former print works in Aylesford. Due to be completed by summer 2025, it will serve the Maidstone area and, the company said, help to prevent future supply interruptions. Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg5pd57ppro