German police are investigating an object suspected of carrying an explosive device, which was found near a runway near Ukrainian places at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Wednesday night.

Flights to the airport were temporarily disrupted overnight.

The police said that shortly before midnight, “an unidentified flying object” was sighted. As a result several planes, including a passenger aircraft from Mallorca, were diverted to other airports.

They said an object was then found near the southern runway. Police used an explosive detection robot to help them investigate the item.

A police spokesman told the BBC that the object had been spotted close to where Ukrainian Antonov transport planes were parked.

The German Press Agency DPA quotes security sources who said an explosive device with a detonator was attached to the drone.

The airport’s southern runway, which is a major hub for the logistic group DHL, remains closed. Flights on the northern runway resumed at 13:55 local time, according to the police.

Bild newspaper reported that another cargo plane later collided with an unknown object in mid-air shortly after taking off from Leipzig airport last night. Bild said the plane landed safely at Hanover airport, where minor damage was discovered on the nose section.

Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster has described it as a “very serious security incident”.

There have been a series of unauthorised drone flights in Germany in recent months over sensitive sites including military bases, airports, energy terminals, seaports and logistics companies.

German airports are on high alert. Federal police have warned that the overflights could have been organised by Russian agents.

In July 2024 a parcel burst into flames on the ground at Leipzig airport before it could be loaded onto a DHL cargo plane. There are suspicions it could have been sabotage linked to Moscow.

Russia has denied any involvement in those incidents.

Last year a Chinese woman was convicted for passing on information about flight schedules and cargo movements at Leipzig-Halle airport to a man spying for Beijing.

As of the afternoon of Wednesday, August 5, police, including forensic officers, were still at the scene on Yewdale Avenue in Breightmet, having been called in the early hours of Tuesday.

As the investigation entered its second day, well-wishers left flowers and a teddy bear holding a star-shaped soft toy outside the property as police officers continued their work.

A woman, who police say was in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene, while a 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Platten of Greater Manchester Police’s Major Incident Team said: “My thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the victim at this incredibly tragic time.

“We understand how troubling this news will be, and whilst formal identification has yet to take place, the believed family are being supported by specialist officers.

Officers have been at the scene since the early hours of Tuesday (Image: Phil Taylor)

“A scene will remain in place as officers continue the investigation and we will have an increased police presence in the area.

“I’d like to reassure you that this was an isolated incident that is not believed to pose a wider risk to the public, and we currently have a man in custody in relation to the incident.

“I urge anyone who may have information to support our enquiries to please come forward.”

Officers at the house on Yewdale Avenue (Image: Phil Taylor)

Officers announced on Tuesday morning that they had been called to Yewdale Avenue, a residential street lined with houses, shortly after 3am on Tuesday.

At the scene, they found a woman with “significant injuries”, who was later pronounced dead.

Officers have remained on Yewdale Avenue ever since.

Officers at the scene (Image: Phil Taylor)

Speaking to The Bolton News at the scene, a neighbour said: “They’d just be in there arguing 24/7 and if they weren’t fighting, they’d be doing something else!

“They’d keep to themselves, you’d hear the screaming or else other really loud noises.

“It’s dead quiet mostly round here but when it kicks off it really kicks off.

“It’s just horrible that this has happened, they really need to do more to make sure people are safe.”

The North West Ambulance Service confirmed that they were also called to the scene at around 3.15am on Tuesday.

Officers have appealed for anyone with any information to call them on 0161 856 2270, quoting log 321 of 04/08/26.

Alternatively, members of the public can call independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

TikTok has faced a backlash for not acting faster to remove disturbing footage posted by Perez Hilton appearing to show him self-harming on a TikTok livestream.

The US celebrity blogger was taken for treatment in Miami last night after police received ‘multiple’ calls from concerned fans about his behaviour on the broadcast.

The video is believed to have remained up for 30 minutes before being taken down. Hilton’s TikTok profile has since been suspended. 

Clips taken from the video, which the Daily Mail will not publish, appeared to show Hilton covered in blood while brandishing a knife.

Officers from the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office rushed to the 48 year old’s home, before he was transported to a local hospital.

People have now criticised TikTok for allowing the footage to be aired – and warned of the potentially harmful effect on viewers, including youngsters using the video platform.

Bertie Aspinall, an advisor to the UK Government on the Online Safety Act, today told the Daily Mail: ‘This is yet another example of extremely harmful content being broadcast to children.

‘We know that livestreams are workarounds for blocking content, and yet Kick, TikTok, Instagram etc all continue to promote it.

A police car outside the Miami home of Perez Hilton on Tuesday night after responding to concerns for his safety

Mr Aspinall is co-founder of SafetyMode.com, an app aimed at helping parents supervise and manage what their children see online. 

He said of TikTok: ‘Many of our users are now abstaining from it entirely. This is a great example of how you need to be able to block content in live time. Like we do.

‘Content like this has no place at all, not just online, but in society and not only is this very sad for the family and individual involved, but it could be the start of another worrying trend that kids should never see.’

A spokesperson for 5Rights Foundation, an international charity campaigning for children’s rights and against digital harms, said: ‘The footage circulating in this case is deeply distressing for anyone.

‘When it comes to protecting children, removing harmful content quickly is important, but preventing foreseeable harm is even more important.

‘Platforms must build in safety by design, effective age assurance and robust risk assessments. These are already legal requirements and regulators must ensure they are properly enforced.’

One X user wrote: ‘Genuinely think TikTok should be held liable in some way for allowing that Perez Hilton feed to last 30 minutes. Absolutely insane.’

Another noted that the platform ‘allowed for many people, including children to come across a live where a man was going through a mental health crisis.’

After last night’s footage was widely shared, Miami police officers spoke with family members on the scene and confirmed Hilton was alone inside before making the decision to ‘tactically disengage’ while monitoring the situation.

Hours later, authorities announced Hilton had been ‘safely recovered and transported by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue to a local hospital, where he is receiving medical attention’.

Deputies rushed to 48-year-old Hilton’s home following ‘multiple’ emergency calls – he is pictured appearing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in February 2021

Police vehicles and sheriff’s deputies were seen outside the Miami neighbourhood where Perez Hilton resides overnight

Meanwhile, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Crisis Response Unit and Licensed Mental Health Professionals remained at the scene ‘providing support and resources to the individual’s family’.

Hilton was alone at his home at the time the video was filmed, deputies have said.

He is a father to three children, who were born via surrogacy. His eldest son was born in 2013, followed by two daughters in 2015 and 2017. 

The Daily Mail has contacted Hilton’s representatives for comment, as well as TikTok.

Hilton’s representatives, Golden Artists Entertainment co-CEOs Dante Rusciolelli and Rebekah Kochan, told TMZ in a statement: ‘We are aware of the concerning content circulating online involving our client, Perez Hilton.

‘At this time, we have not been able to make direct contact with him, despite our ongoing efforts to reach him.

‘Our primary concern is Perez’s health and well-being, as well as the well-being of his family. Until we have confirmed information, we will not speculate or comment further.

‘We appreciate everyone’s concern and ask that his privacy be respected during this time.’ 

The Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office told the Daily Mail that deputies rushed to the residence after calls regarding an individual engaging in alleged self-harm on the platform 

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A person believed to be Hilton was taken from his home and into an ambulance following the incident, in a video shared by BNO News

In the meantime, celebrity friends and fans of the blogger – born Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr – have taken to social media to send him messages, begging for him to seek medical help. 

‘The Perez Hilton video is so upsetting,’ wrote Trisha Paytas. ‘I hope he’s OK. I hope his children are OK.

‘Crashing out on the internet, whether it’s fake or real – is a cry for help.’ 

Jessica Rosado, a singer and the host of Las Vegas Morning Blend, also posted a statement to her Instagram page.

She wrote: ‘As someone who knows Perez personally, I find myself at a loss for words.

‘I know the move to Miami hasn’t been an easy one, but never could I ever have imagined something as dark and deeply disturbing as this. 

‘He is clearly in distress, and as someone who is also in media, I’m not rushing to discuss things I don’t have all the facts on. ‘I’m waiting to hear more from trusted sources.’

In the meantime, Rosado said her ‘love pours out to him and his entire family.’

Celebrity friends and fans of the blogger – born Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr. – took to social media to send him messages, begging for him to seek medical help

‘Thank you to everyone who has reached out with kind words and concern,’ the television host added. 

‘Whether you are close with someone or not, please remember to move with empathy and approach others with the utmost care.’ 

Former politician George Santos wrote on X: ‘Please pray for Perez Hilton folks. He needs the power of prayer and the strength of our Lord and Savior.’ 

Hilton revealed in March he had just emerged from a 21-day hospital stint as he battled sepsis – a result, he said, of taking flu medication on an empty stomach that triggered further health problems.

He underwent two surgeries at the Southern Hills Hospital and Medical Center in Las Vegas.

During his recovery the following month, Hilton wrote of feeling ‘like I should be scared right now, but I’m not. I definitely am worried, though. God show me the way!’ 

The columnist continued on April 8: ‘Perez Hilton is GOING THROUGH IT right now. He asks for prayers and for Christ to intervene – sooner [rather] than later.’ 

Hilton later told the Daily Mail how he found God during his recovery.

Perez Hilton previously revealed that he had spent 21 days in hospital earlier this year after contracting sepsis. Pictured: Hilton in a hospital bed in March

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Hilton said he got sepsis after taking flu medication on an empty stomach

He said: ‘It was God presenting Himself to me, and then doing something that I could only describe as a miracle to heal me. I was still unwell and then God did something.’

He also said that his professed exchange with God allowed him to change his mindset about his 22-year career. 

Hilton had come under fire over the years for his controversial behaviour – including outing gay celebrities and giving certain A-listers nicknames. 

He admitted that he had ‘made a lot of mistakes in the past which are very public’, adding: ‘Which I own. Which I regret, which I have deep shame for, which I’ve apologised for repeatedly, publicly as well as privately.’

But, he added, ‘to have this experience with God and to know that God loves me, and God forgives me, it was very healing, because I then forgave myself’.

Hilton also noted he harbored guilt over ‘all of the mistakes – not even mistakes, they were awful decisions that I made’ in his ‘enfant terrible phase’ as a celebrity blogger, when he ‘knew what I was doing was wrong and I didn’t care’.

He added: ‘It’s like if you’re a drug addict, and you’re stealing from your parents’ money to buy drugs.

‘You know what you’re doing is wrong, and you don’t care. You just want that hit. And that was truly what I was doing.’

For Hilton, the ‘most powerful drug’ was the ‘attention’ he garnered as an online gadfly, ‘and I didn’t care who I hurt in the process’.

Still, his ‘experience with God’ did not inspire a total career change. 

He told of responding to people asking whether he would consider changing professions with: ‘No, because I’m not doing gossip. I do celebrity journalism.’

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org. Or call Samaritans on 116 123 for free in the UK. 

Here’s what to do if your lawn has dried out because of the heatwave

Weeks of hot weather and little rain have left many gardens across Wales looking tired, with once-green lawns fading to dry, crispy, and brown patches. Add in hosepipe bans in some areas, and plenty of homeowners are wondering whether their grass is beyond saving.

But a popular online gardener says the best approach in extreme heat is often the simplest: don’t panic, and don’t rush to ‘fix’ the brown patches, because the lawn may be protecting itself. TikTok creator and presenter Ish, who posts as Gardening with Ish, has been sharing drought-season lawn tips with his followers after noticing the same problem at home.

In a recent video, he explained that what appears to be damage may actually be the grass going dormant. He explained that some people make it worse by intervening too soon.

Ish said the dry, brown layer acts like a protective blanket while the grass ‘hibernates’, helping keep the soil beneath cooler and protecting the roots. Because of that, he advised against removing it during a heatwave, meaning there should be no cutting or scarifying while conditions are harsh.

Instead, he suggested gardeners should give the lawn time to recover naturally, with green growth often returning once rain arrives. The key is letting the roots stay protected until temperatures ease and moisture levels improve.

For parts of the lawn that have stayed green, Ish suggested treating them gently too. He said mowing is fine if needed, but only with the blades set as high as possible, as keeping the grass longer helps shade the ground, retain moisture, and reduce stress during hot spells.

His overall advice was to hold off on normal lawn routines until the weather breaks. Ish said gardeners can return to regular mowing and feeding once the whole lawn has bounced back.

And while he noted watering can help where it’s allowed, his main point was that, during heat and drought, leaving brown areas alone and cutting higher on greener patches gives grass the best chance of recovering.

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RHS shares similar advice on its website. A guide focused on lawn care for drought said: “Grass growth will start to slow down in dry conditions, so mow less often and raise the cutting height to let the grass get longer, which should encourage deeper rooting. Close cutting in dry weather can weaken the grass and make it more vulnerable.

“Also let the clippings fall back into the grass to act as a mulch and hold in moisture. If grass growth stops, then take a break from mowing.”

The first time I saw it, I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking at. A northern white-cheeked gibbon at Shanghai Zoo was holding and caressing a mouse that had wandered into its enclosure. It wasn’t trying to eat it or chase it away. Instead, the gibbon treated the tiny rodent with remarkable gentleness. I couldn’t stop wondering why.

Years later, while studying wild black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys in the mountains of south-west China, I watched playful juveniles repeatedly trying to climb onto the backs of domestic pigs. Again, these weren’t the kinds of interactions I expected to see between different species.

A new study my colleagues and I conducted brings together 427 documented cases of primates interacting with other species, spanning several decades from the 1970s to 2025. Our findings reveal that these encounters are far more widespread than scientists had realised.

Over the years, I had begun collecting reports of similar encounters from scientific journals, photographs, videos and observations shared by other primatologists. What initially seemed like a handful of quirky anecdotes gradually turned into a much broader pattern. These interactions appeared to represent a surprisingly widespread aspect of primate behaviour.

This behaviour may shed light on one of the defining features of our own species: our extraordinary relationships with other animals.

I’ve long been interested in how tolerance evolves, not only between members of the same species but also between strangers more generally. Humans are unusual in the degree to which we cooperate with unrelated people. We are perhaps even more unusual in the close relationships we form with other animals.

Scientists have long known that different animal species often associate with one another. Monkeys, for example, can improve their predator detection or increase foraging opportunities when they move around as a mixed-species group. Another example is how birds frequently follow monkeys through forests to feed on insects disturbed by their movements.

But our study focused on social interactions.

The cases we reviewed involved 88 primate species and their interactions with 127 other animal species. The diversity of these species was astonishing. It included mammals such as sheep, tapir, deer, domestic pigs, cats and dogs, as well as owls, lizards, toads and even insects.

The most common behaviour was play and grooming. But we also found reports of primates carrying, huddling and sharing food with and occasionally adopting members of another species. Most interactions were initiated by the primates themselves.

One of my favourite examples is the now well-known case of Japanese macaques grooming and riding on the backs of sika deer. It remains a remarkable example of two very different species repeatedly interacting peacefully over long periods.

I was also fascinated by some of the less familiar observations, such as a langur attentively stroking a squirrel, a silverback gorilla carefully cradling a tiny wild bushbaby, a bonobo gently holding a mongoose pup and macaques grooming stray dogs.

Many of these interactions may provide benefits similar to those seen within species. Grooming can help remove parasites, improve hygiene and reinforce social bonds. Play contributes to the development of motor coordination, social skills and cognitive flexibility.

Some interactions happen where primates and other animals spend time together because of shared foraging opportunities or protection from predators. For example, tropical primates form associations with other primate species and jointly forage in the tree canopy. In these cases, social interactions, such as grooming or play, may simply emerge from repeated contact and social familiarity.

Yet not all observations fit this pattern. Why would a langur stroke a squirrel, or macaques groom stray dogs? Such interactions suggest that primates may possess a broader capacity for social flexibility, curiosity and tolerance towards other species than researchers previously appreciated.

We also found consistent patterns in who interacted. Young primates were much more likely to play with members of another species, whereas adult females were more often involved in grooming. This mirrors well-established age and sex differences in many primate societies, where juveniles spend much of their time playing and females often invest more heavily in caregiving.

It would be tempting to describe all these encounters as examples of friendship. But the reality is more complicated. Some primates carried infants of another species in ways resembling adoption or caregiving, yet rough handling or neglect sometimes resulted in injury or death. We also documented cases where primates appeared to abduct a young animal from its group, while a small number of interactions were clearly abusive, involving violence.

Most interactions were probably of relatively short duration. However, there are some reports of cases that lasted for weeks. For example, the adoption of a marmoset by a capuchin monkey.

In zoos and other human-care settings, some species appear to form long-lasting relationships with animals of other species. In 2017, a macaque living in an Israeli zoo called Niv adopted a chicken and treated it like it was her own baby.

Our study found these interactions were not more common among great apes – they occurred across all major primate lineages.

These unusual encounters are more than fascinating natural history.

As forests become increasingly fragmented and wildlife is forced into closer contact with people, livestock and domestic animals, opportunities for cross-species interactions are changing rapidly. Primates now encounter dogs, cats and other human-associated animals more often than they once did.

Some of these interactions may be benign or even beneficial. Others could increase the risk of diseases spreading between wildlife, domestic animals and humans. Understanding when and why different species tolerate one another therefore has important implications for both conservation and public health.

The findings may also help improve animal welfare. Zoos increasingly house compatible species together, and understanding which species are more likely to form positive relationships can help managers make better decisions.

Perhaps most interesting of all, our findings suggest that some of the ingredients (curiosity, tolerance, caregiving and play) underlying those relationships may have deep evolutionary roots.

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By SHANNON MCGUIGAN, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 12:48 BST, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 13:46 BST, 5 August 2026

Hordes of Jeremy Clarkson fans have descended on the Cotswolds as daytrippers visit his Diddly Squat Farm shop during the summer holidays.

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Swathes of former Top Gear presenter’s fans stood diligently in long-stretching queues today as they patiently waited to visit the famed farm shop.

Meanwhile, dozens of cars began filling the fields as more visitors flocked in, as families prepared to spend a day enjoying the holidays.

One queue could be seen stretching from the shop all across the upper perimeter of the car park into the neighbouring field.

Some eager fans were seen sitting down on the floor with their pets as they waited for an opportunity to browse the shop shelves.

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Diddly Squat’s fans flocking to stand and wait in lengthy queues comes amid a reignited planning war between Clarkson and West Oxfordshire District Council.

Amid the ongoing success of his television series, Clarkson’s Farm, the broadcaster has made a bid to extend his ‘temporary car park’ until 2030.

Permission to add parking spaces at Diddly Squat farm was initially granted on appeal in June 2023 to help deal with an influx of customers.

However, there was a deadline to return the land to its original use in June of this year.

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Clarkson’s team have since applied for planning consent to extend the permission until December 31, 2030. The application currently remains under consideration.

Hordes of Jeremy Clarkson fans have descended on his Cotswolds Farm as daytrippers visit his Diddly Squat Farm shop during the summer holidays

Swathes of former Top Gear presenter’s fans stood diligently in long-stretching queues today as they patiently waited to visit the famed farm shop

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One queue could be seen stretching from the shop all across the upper perimeter of the car park into the neighbouring field

More fans of the ex-Top Gear host patiently wait as they prepare to visit Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop today in the Cotswolds

Some eager fans were seen sitting down on the floor with their pets as they waited for an opportunity to browse the shop shelves

Meanwhile, dozens of cars began filling the fields as more visitors flocked in as families prepared to spend a day enjoying the holidays

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The Planning Inspectorate initially approved the car park extension. However, plans for a permanent restaurant were refused.

Mr Clarkson’s representatives insisted the original conditions need to be amended as series six of his Amazon Prime show has already been commissioned and is set to air in the summer of 2027.

When the original permission was granted on appeal, the second series had just been aired, and the length of impact on the surrounding area wasn’t clear, they said.

The representatives added: ‘Season five will air this year and season six has been commissioned and will air in summer 2027. Three further years to monitor and review thereafter seems appropriate.’

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It comes as Diddly Squat immediately became jammed with two-hour waits to get in after opening the temporary car park on agricultural land in August 2023.

At the time, Mr Clarkson personally oversaw the construction and was spotted at the site wearing a hard hat and a high-vis jacket as he inspected the works.

And as the summer holidays were in full swing, the new car park quickly proved totally insufficient to cope with the legions of fans arriving.

Staff were soon forced to open another field where a further 100 cars could park on grass just a five-minute walk away.

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It comes amid reports Clarkson had applied for a host of trademarks to expand his business ventures amid his show’s huge success.

In April, The Sun reported that Jeremy was trademarking Diddly Dunkers, a nod to his Diddly Squat Farm.

It was said to be part of a product range which is also set to include clothes and homeware.

His Hawkstone Brewery is also said to have made trademark applications for new drinks including Arrowhead, Midsummer, Knollbury Fort and Firelight.

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The Daily Mail reapproached Jeremy Clarkson’s representatives for comment. 

Choosing the best new SUV for your needs can be difficult, especially if you plan on using it for towing. A vehicle’s maximum tow rating is an important consideration, but it only tells part of the story. The best towing SUVs combine stable handling, strong braking, and enough power to keep you moving on hills and mountain grades. Ideally, they also offer advanced technology features that simplify hitching and maneuvering while remaining comfortable and easy to live with day to day.

With this in mind, Edmunds’ auto experts researched which SUVs across different size and price categories are the best picks for towing, whether it’s a fishing boat to the lake, a camper to the mountains, or a car or horse trailer. All prices below include destination charges and are for the least expensive version of the vehicle that qualifies for its maximum towing capacity.

Fully redesigned for 2026, the entire RAV4 lineup now features a hybrid powertrain that delivers peppy acceleration and excellent fuel economy. Toyota’s revamped compact crossover also scores upgraded tech and a more upscale cabin. Although the base LE trim is limited to a 1,750-pound tow rating, SE and higher trims can tow up to 3,500 pounds when equipped with all-wheel drive. That’s enough to pull a small boat, travel trailer or an open trailer for a couple of motorcycles or watercraft. All-wheel drive is optional on the SE and XLE Premium trims, while the Woodland, XSE and Limited trims come standard with it.

RAV4 SE, properly equipped: $37,695

The Pathfinder is Nissan’s versatile SUV that’s bigger than the Rogue but smaller than the full-size Armada. Updated styling and new technology for 2026 enhance its appeal. And when properly equipped, it also boasts a class-leading tow rating of 6,000 pounds. That’s enough to pull a midsize travel trailer, a midsize boat, or a car hauler for a relatively lightweight vehicle. SV and SL trims optioned with the Premium package and all-wheel drive achieve this rating, while the Rock Creek and all-wheel-drive-equipped Platinum trims include the necessary equipment as standard.

Pathfinder SV, properly equipped:$45,785

Outfitted with a gusty turbocharged six-cylinder engine and a class-leading tow rating of up to 10,000 pounds, the roomy Grand Wagoneer does a great job of balancing everyday needs with robust towing capacity. This is enough to pull larger travel trailers with dual axles, large boats, or enclosed trailers for vehicles or horses. You’ll need to get a four-wheel-drive model fitted with the optional Heavy-Duty Trailer-Tow package to get the vehicle’s max tow rating. The Grand Wagoneer also offers features to make towing easier and safer, such as an integrated trailer brake controller that allows you to adjust the trailer’s brakes for smooth and appropriate stopping power.

Grand Wagoneer, properly equipped:$71,785

If you’re looking to get a superb mix of luxury and towing capability, the Lincoln Navigator should easily satisfy. Impressive next-generation infotainment tech and an array of creature comforts make it a standout in the luxury class, while its powerful turbocharged V6 is ideal for families that want to haul in style. Navigators with four-wheel drive and the Heavy-Duty Trailer Tow package can tow up to 8,700 pounds. The Navigator also offers advanced towing features like Pro Trailer Backup Assist, which features a control knob that you can use to help steer the trailer while reversing.

Navigator Premiere, properly equipped:$96,640

This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. Bradley Iger is a contributor at Edmunds.

Power wasn’t restored until the early hours of Wednesday (August 5)

More than 600 households lost power after an electrical substation caught fire. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue were called to a fire at an electricity substation in Bridge Place, Godmanchester at around 9pm on Tuesday (August 4).

The road was closed off while firefighters dealt with the blaze. A fire spokesperson said: “At 9.05pm on Tuesday, two crews from Huntingdon were called to a substation fire on Bridge Place in Godmanchester.

“Wearing breathing apparatus, firefighters used a hose reel to extinguish the fire and cleared the smoke using a positive pressure ventilation fan. The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental.”

Cambridgeshire Police put a cordon in place and handed over the incident to UK Power Networks (UKPN) at around 11.45pm.

A UKPN spokesperson confirmed 641 customers lost power. The spokesperson added: “UK Power Networks engineers responded to a high voltage network fault in the Godmanchester area of Cambridgeshire on Tuesday evening at around 8.47pm.

“Engineers rerouted power to 641 customers in stages as quickly as possible by 1.22am. Some further customers experienced a brief interruption to their power of just a few minutes. We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

Do you want more of the latest Cambridgeshire news as it comes in from across the county? Sign up to our dedicated newsletter to make sure you never miss a big story from Cambridge or anywhere else in the county. You can also sign up to our dedicated Traffic and Crime newsletters for the latest updates on the topics you are most interested in.

Alongside hundreds of new homes, the development would provide vehicle and cycle parking and open space including a children’s play area

A land developer is hoping to build up to 400 homes in a Cambridgeshire village. Granta Land Limited has proposed to build hundreds of homes on land between Hinton Way and Mingle Lane in Stapleford.

Stapleford is a quaint village around four miles from Cambridge. An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) application request has been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council ahead of a formal outline planning application.

The new homes are proposed to be built across a 26.27 hectare site which is currently agricultural fields. Around two thirds is managed grassland and the remaining third is in agricultural use.

If the proposals are given the go-ahead, the development would provide up to 400 new homes including affordable housing, a local facility, vehicle and cycle parking and open space including a children’s play area. The design is still evolving due to it being in the early stages of the proposals.

The proposed site is accessible by vehicles via a private farm track off Hinton Way. The road also provides footways and access to Shelford village centre and local amenities including schools, a health centre, shops, restaurants, and cafes. The homes would be situated around 800 metres from Shelford railway station offering regular train services to stops including Cambridge South, Cambridge, Cambridge North and London.

The site is fully situated within flood zone one and almost the entire site has been identified as being at ‘very low’ risk of surface water flooding.

The buildings would be up to 2.5 storeys in height. Two vehicular, cycle and pedestrian access points off Hinton Way are also proposed alongside an anticipated cycle and pedestrian access off Mingle Lane.

Additionally, a pedestrian and cycle crossing is being considered to link the development with the adjacent approved Strawberry Fields care village and countryside park.

The hot weather has seen a surge in Brits purchasing fans – but this one could pose a safety risk

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Brits who have snapped up a particular fan during the hot weather are being urged to stop using it immediately as it could pose a health and safety risk. The 9-inch B&Q table fan is being recalled due to a ‘potential safety issue’.

B&Q states that the fan, which was on sale from March 2026 to July 2026, has ‘an electrical component may overheat leading to a fire or electric shock risk’. It continues: “If you have purchased one of these models during the time period above, please stop using it immediately and return to your nearest B&Q store.”

Anyone with any questions is being asked to visit their local store or contact the DIY giant’s customer services team. The recall alert was issued on Tuesday, August 4.

The UK’s Office for Product Safety and Standards reiterated the warning on social media. Ranking the risk level as ‘medium’, it said: “The product presents a risk of electric shock and fire as there is a fault within the oscillation mechanism that can damage internal wiring.

“Corrective action: The product has been recalled from end users by B&Q.”

On a social media post, it urged people to ‘stop using it immediately’ and to ‘return it to your nearest B&Q’ before sharing ‘this post with friends and family who may have this product’.

The product was manufactured by Kingfisher International Products Limited in China and is described as ’23cm (9”) white table fan sold by B&Q between March 2026 and July 2026′.

Product recall details

Product: B&Q Table Fan

Model: FT23A

Barcode: 5063022605689

Batch numbers: 25W50, 26W05, 26W11

Manufacturer: Kingfisher International Products Limited

Country of Origin: China

Product Description: 23cm (9”) white table fan sold by B&Q between March 2026 and July 2026