See the Scottish areas where properties sell the quickest.

A new list of the areas in the UK where homes sell the fastest has been revealed, with Scotland occupying the majority of the top 10. Topping the list is a large town that is popular thanks to its convenient location, with the country’s two biggest cities being within easy reach.

On Tuesday, August 18, Zoopla shared a roundup of the destinations across the UK where homes tend to sell the fastest and slowest. Coming in at number one on the list of the areas where properties sell the quickest is the town of Falkirk in the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

The average selling time in Falkirk in July 2026 was just 11 days according to Zoopla, which is one day less for the area than the year prior according to the property experts. Situated approximately halfway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, it is a popular commuter town amongst those living in Scotland’s two largest cities.

READ MORE: Amazing Scottish home with balconies overlooking river for sale at bargain price

READ MORE: Retro Scottish cottage with boating pond and island hits market

Following behind in second place on Zoopla’s list of the fastest-selling hotspots in July 2026 are Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire, with homes in both selling in 13 days on average. South Lanarkshire, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, and West Dunbartonshire all follow behind with 14 days.

Stirling and Glasgow both place at number eight on the property experts’ roundup of the UK’s fastest-selling hotspots, with homes typically selling in 15 days on average in both cities. Rounding out the top 10 is Clackmannanshire, where the average property is sold in 16 days.

Zoopla state that all of the fastest markets being situated in Scotland is due to the Scottish sales market working differently to the rest of Britain and homes generally being more affordable. Properties in the country are typically marketed as ‘offers over’ a price, with homes having a valuation and home survey available.

On the other hand, Zoopla states that it took 76 days on average to sell a home in Melton in the East Midlands. This marks a 21-day increase compared with July 2025. Overall, around half of the local authorities that were analysed saw an increase in the average number of days taken to sell a property in the past year.

Executive director at Zoopla Richard Donnell commented: “While the national time to sell has barely moved, that stability is masking a real divide opening up between local markets. In areas like Melton in Leicestershire, homes are taking noticeably longer to sell than a year ago, while markets just a short drive away are speeding up.”

Donnell added: “If you’re selling in a slower market, don’t take a ‘wait and see’ approach—talk to a local agent who knows what’s happening street by street, and make sure your home is priced right from day one.”

Zoopla’s “time to sell” research tracked the period from homes being first listed on the market to estate agents reporting sales agreed. Some local authorities were excluded from the research due to small sample sizes.

See below for the full lists of the fastest and slowest-selling hotspots in the UK according to Zoopla.

The fastest-selling hotspot in July 2026 according to Zoopla

1. Falkirk

2. Renfrewshire

2. North Lanarkshire

4. South Lanarkshire

4. East Ayrshire

4. East Renfrewshire

4. West Dunbartonshire

8. Stirling

8. Glasgow City

10. Clackmannanshire

The slowing-selling hotspot in July 2026 according to Zoopla

1. Melton

2. Westminister

2. Teignbridge

4. Torridge

5. Tower Hamlets

5. Isle of Wight

5. Thanet

5. North Devon

9. South Norfolk

9. Elmbridge

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By CHARLIE SPIERING, US POLITICAL REPORTER

Published: 22:05 BST, 17 August 2026 | Updated: 01:46 BST, 18 August 2026

President Trump welcomed teenage lifeguard Ryder Williams and a 10-year-old boy that he saved to the White House on Monday to honor the dramatic rescue on a California beach.

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‘He’s a real hero,’ Trump said to 16-year-old Williams who sat next to the president in the Oval Office.

‘What you did was incredible and everybody saw it,’ he added. ‘It’s unbelievable.’

Williams was filmed by a bystander last month rescuing Nathaniel Rai from the raging surf at Seabright Beach in Santa Cruz, California.

Rai, who was vacationing with his family from Dallas, was in ankle deep water when he lost his footing and was swept by the waves out into the ocean.

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Footage from the scene showed Williams struggling mightily with the waves, his arms wrapped around the boy as waves crashed on both of them and he pulled them to safety.

Trump said he was amazed by the video of the rescue and wanted to honor the young man for his heroism.

President Donald Trump welcomed lifeguard Ryder Williams to the Oval Office to honor him for his daring rescue of a 10-year-old boy

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Nathaniel Rai listens as President Donald Trump talks to lifeguard Ryder Williams about the man who saved his life 

President Trump speaks to Ryder Williams as members from his lifeguard training team and his mother looks on

‘It’s not my world but I respect that world, I always have, but never maybe as much as I do now,’ Trump said.

The president also gave a special shoutout to Williams’ mother, Shannon, who was standing off to the side.

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‘You did a good job, it’s good genetics, when you look at him, you can see,’ he said. 

Trump also praised Rai for remaining calm during the rescue, allowing William to rescue him.

‘You were very cool,’ he said to the boy who sat with his father and his sister.

‘Your father is the happiest man in the world,’ Trump added to Rai’s father, Sumit.

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The father agreed.

‘It’s incredible what Ryder did, I’m just beyond grateful to him, and Aaron and the rest of the team and even the good Samaritans that were there,’ he said.

Nathaniel Rai, a child saved by 16-year-old lifeguard Ryder Williams off the coast of Santa Cruz, California, last month, sits with his father and sister at the Oval Office

Williams is seen holding on to ten-year-old Nathaniel Rai amid the strong waves

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Fellow lifeguard Aaron Bohnen helped with the rescue after the boys move closer to the shore

‘He’s a real hero,’ Trump agreed, and joked. ‘I don’t know if I’d do it, I wouldn’t, probably, you’re lucky I wasn’t on service that day.’

Williams said he wanted to pursue a career as a firefighter, thanking everyone on his team for training him to act quickly in times of danger.

‘He’s off to a good start, we’ll give him recommendations,’ Trump grinned.

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Reform UK today vowed to make long-term welfare claimants do 20 hours a week of community work – such as cleaning up high streets – in order to keep their benefits.

Robert Jenrick, the party’s Treasury spokesman, unveiled plans to make benefit recipients part of ‘alarm clock Britain’ under a ‘welfare to work’ scheme.

Under the proposals, those who have been out of work for more than 12 months but are deemed fit to work will be made to undertake tasks organised by their local council.

This will include work to clean up high streets and parks, to staff libraries and community centres, and work with local charities, Mr Jenrick said.

‘If claimants refuse to participate or fail to show up, they will face penalties,’ he added. ‘Let me speak plainly, if people who are capable of working refuse to, they’ll get nothing. That’s fair.’

It is part of a package of benefits changes that Reform claims will save taxpayers almost £50billion in welfare spending.

The party also plans to block foreign nationals – including EU citizens with settled status in the UK – from claiming almost all kinds of benefits in the UK.

Mr Jenrick insisted that a Reform government could successfully renegotiate the Brexit deal in order to introduce such a ban for EU nationals.

Mr Jenrick vowed to make long-term welfare claimants do 20 hours a week of community work – such as cleaning up high streets – in order to keep their benefits

Speaking at a press conference in central London on Monday, Mr Jenrick said of the proposed scheme: ‘They will work to clean up high streets and parks, to beautify areas neglected, to carry out minor repairs, to staff libraries and community centres, and to perform many other tasks from an indicative list we have published today. We’ll also let local charities take part.

‘If claimants refuse to participate or fail to show up, they will face penalties. Let me speak plainly, if people who are capable of working refuse to, they’ll get nothing. That’s fair.

‘How can it be that one family on a street, with working parents, strive and work hard, only to help fund the lifestyle of another who chooses to not bother with work at all?

‘This isn’t just an aberration, a small number of isolated cases to be dismissed as a triviality. It is an epidemic that has been allowed to take hold across the country, and spread into a full blown national crisis.

‘My message today to those taking everyone else for mugs: under a Reform government it’s going to stop.

‘Instead, if they are asking their neighbours to fund their lifestyle while they choose to stay out of work, they can give back something in return.

‘If they want to do something else, they can find a job. No more “something for nothing”, but security for contribution. They will become part of “alarm clock Britain”.’

Reform pointed to Department for Work and Pensions figures that showed, at the last count, there were more than 300,000 work-capable adults who were claiming Universal Credit on ‘seeking work’ conditions and had been doing so for more than 12 months.

Mr Jenrick also expressed confidence that a Reform government would be able to  successfully renegotiate Britain’s divorce agreement with Brussels in order to stop EU citizens with settled status in the UK from claiming benefits.

He added: ‘There’s clearly going to be a renegotiation. The deal that was done I don’t believe was a good deal – I think many people would support that.

‘There are a number of points on which Reform has already made clear that we will need to return to our neighbours in the EU and renegotiate upon and this will be one of them.

‘Let’s see, I’m confident that we can do that and we can restore fairness in the process.’

Reform’s deputy leader Richard Tice said: ‘That deal was now seven years ago – by the time of the next general election it might be a decade after the original deal.

‘And that’s what you do with deals, you see which bits are working and which bits are not working. This is one of those bits that’s not working.’

Reform has acknowledged that Britons living in the EU could lose their rights to benefits as a result and they have estimated a cost of £500million for expatriates returning to the UK and claiming welfare after losing their entitlement to support. 

Mel Stride, the Tory shadow chancellor and former work and pensions secretary, said: ‘I introduced reforms to cut the sprawling welfare budget after the pandemic by reducing the numbers on long term benefits and radically overhauling PIP.

‘Labour called them “divisive” and scrapped all of them, allowing the benefits bill to continue spiralling. Robert Jenrick hailed my reforms for making the system fairer and enabling us to cut taxes responsibly.

‘Reform continue to flip flop like they did on the two-child benefit cap, and their fantasy numbers are simply not plausible.

‘Meanwhile, Labour are totally failing to tackle the scale of our welfare problem. Only the Conservatives have a radical and credible plan to cut the welfare bill and get Britain working again.’

A fire had ripped through the couple’s bedroom while they were on holiday

A fire ripped through the bedroom of a couple who had just returned from holiday. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue were called to a house fire in Garton End Road, Peterborough, at around 8am on Saturday morning (August 15).

The owners of the house had been on holiday and just returned home. A fire spokesperson said: “This was a distressing situation to find after being away.

“There was significant damage to the room, however because all the doors in the house were closed, the fire couldn’t spread and burned itself out due to lack of oxygen.

“This shows the importance of closing doors around the home, especially at night or when going away on holiday. This helps protect the home from fire spreading and causing significant damage, as well as protecting people while asleep.”

The cause of the fire was a vacuum cleaner that had been left on charge. The fire spokesperson added: “A vacuum cleaner was left on charge while the couple was away, which had developed a fault that they were unaware of.

“This shows the importance of making sure all electrical devices are switched off before going on holiday, especially battery chargers.”

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The black-tailed godwit, an elegant long-legged wading bird, was spotted and photographed by Northern Echo Camera Club member Paul Borrowdale at WWT Washington Wetland Centre.

Although black-tailed godwits are not considered exceptionally rare worldwide, their status in the UK is very different.

The species is classified as Red under the Birds of Conservation Concern 5, reflecting the dramatic decline of its British breeding population.

Fewer than 60 pairs of the native breeding population are thought to remain, with nesting largely restricted to a small number of wet grassland sites.

The bird is heavily protected and has become the focus of conservation efforts aimed at preventing its disappearance as a UK breeding species.

Black-tailed godwit (Image: PAUL BORROWDALE/CAMERA CLUB)

However, people have a much better chance of encountering a black-tailed godwit outside the breeding season.

Thousands of birds arrive from Iceland to spend the winter around Britain’s estuaries, mudflats and wetlands, while others can be seen stopping at inland waters during spring and autumn migration.

Globally, the black-tailed godwit has a population numbering in the hundreds of thousands and is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

The species can be recognised by its exceptionally long legs and long, straight bill.

During spring and summer, adults are particularly striking, developing brick-orange colouring across the head, neck and chest, together with a greyish back and pale belly.

Their winter plumage is considerably more subdued, with birds appearing predominantly grey above and white underneath.

In flight, another series of distinctive features becomes visible: a black tail, white rump and broad white wingbars, while the bird’s long feet project noticeably beyond the end of its tail.

Black-tailed godwits are taller than the similar bar-tailed godwit and generally have a straighter bill.

They feed in wetlands and estuaries by probing mud and shallow water for worms, insects and other invertebrates, and outside the breeding season they can gather in large, sociable flocks.

Conservation schemes including Project Godwit have worked to protect nesting sites, improve habitat and increase the breeding success of the remaining birds.

Black-tailed godwits are also known for forming long-lasting monogamous pairs. Breeding partners can return separately from migration yet arrive at their nesting grounds within days of one another before raising their chicks together.

Each year a residents’ parking permit scheme is set up in the streets around Heaton Park for the massive Parklife Festival.

The aim is to minimise the impacts on residents as tens of thousands of people descend on the area for a weekend of music.

But figures released after this year’s event suggest that the scheme is not working.

A Freedom of Information request reveals that 414 fines were issued for breaches at Parklife 2026, and 81 of these were later withdrawn.

Residents in the area said the event is ‘out of control’, with a number of people telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service that some event-goers are actively ignoring the parking restrictions because the cost of the fine – particularly when split between four or five passengers – is worth risking.

Two residents living within the parking zone said they have previously stopped drivers to warn them about the restrictions, only to be told the charge each was low enough that it “doesn’t matter”.

Parklife Parking Scheme (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)

Another pair of residents likened the fee to the cost of a beer – £6.30 for a bottle of Corona at the festival – when divided five ways.

Fines start at £70, Bury Council has said. However, these are understood to reduce to £35 if paid within two weeks.

Bury Council issued 344 fines for breaches of the scheme in 2026, with Manchester City Council issuing a further 70.

Of these, 78 and three were cancelled without need for payment by the two authorities respectively.

Bury Council said, while it did not have precise figures, it believes the number of fines handed out this year was a slight reduction from previous years.

Parklife is one of the country’s biggest music events, with around 80,000 people attending each day of the two-day June festival.

This year’s line-up included big names in the electronic, hip hop and pop world such as Skepta, Zara Larsson and Calvin Harris.

“It’s absolutely out of control,” one resident who just gave his name as Michael said. He lives at the edge of the park with his young family.

He added: “They didn’t have enough people monitoring the roads, stopping people, or they’re taking some student, sticking him on there with no instructions, not telling him to refuse cars.”

He believes other places in Manchester should be considered as the location for the festival or, if it stays in Heaton Park, the gates into residential areas should be closed off, and organisers should instead use the entrance by the Sainsbury near Junction 19 of the M60.

The issues extend beyond just parking problems, Michael added.

He said: “They don’t really care about the local residents. People are coming here; they’re taking all sorts of funny stuff; there are unsociable things.

“They’re overusing the resource (Heaton Park), and they need to start looking at using other parks that are in Manchester or taking a field somewhere out in the countryside and turning that into Parklife. It’s gone ridiculous.”

“They’re not bothered about fines,” David Cotton, 69, said.

“If there’s four of them in the car, they’ll just park anywhere, and they’ll just share the fine.”

“If you’re going to get fined £35 and it’s £6 a pint, that’s the cost of five pints, isn’t it?” Joan Hamilton added.

They believe that parking should be set up in Heaton Park itself for events like Parklife.

Ms Hamilton added: “Just spread it out a bit more. I remember going years ago to Bonfire Night, and they had parking in Heaton Park. It took ages to get out, but we had it.”

Catherine Cooper, 79, and Anne Bentley, 75, spoke more positively about the festival and other events held at Heaton Park, saying they love to sit out with a glass of wine and wave at people as they go by.

But they too raised some concerns about the impact the events have locally.

Ms Bentley said: “At 12 o’clock at night when they empty the park, there’s a big massive crowd going down the road. There are hundreds. But they (the organisers) do clean up now, I’ll give them that. They never used to.”

Parking in the area is often difficult, even when events are not on, the ladies said. While residents get a permit through the door ahead of the events, Ms Cooper said, they have ‘never’ had anyone come out to discuss the issues and potential solutions with them.

She added: “We have spoken in the past to cars that come up and we say ‘you’ll get a fine’ and they say ‘oh well, there’s five of us, so it’s only a fiver each. It doesn’t matter’.”

People also use the bushes across the road from their homes as a toilet or a place to do drugs, she said, adding: “It is very unpleasant when you’re sat in your living room watching telly and you look across and all you can see is girls’ bottoms.”

Patrick Boyle, 45, lives and works in the area around Heaton Park. He said the issues are not too bad around his home, but there can be issues around his workplace in Bent Lane.

Mr Boyle, who works at Beech House care home, added: “We’ve had nightmares regarding people coming onto our grounds and urinating. It’s quite noisy, it can be quite disruptive, but it only happens once a year.”

Patrick Boyle, 45, Heaton Park Resident. (Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)

However, he believes it is down to festival-goers to sort the problems rather than the organisers, saying people need to be a bit more “respectful of the area”.

When it comes to the permit scheme, he felt the greater difficulty is if you need to get a taxi because they are not allowed down some of the blocked-off roads.

On the fines, he added: “To be quite honest with you, with the cost of travel like trains and stuff like that, it probably nine times out of 10 will be cheaper to take the fine than to pay for travel, so I can completely understand that.

“Especially if you’ve got say five people in your car, you just split the fine between the five of you.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted Bury Council, Manchester Council and Parklife management company Engine No.4 for comments.

Bury Council said the permit scheme was run under the direction of Manchester Council, adding there was a debrief each year to discuss changes for future events.

Manchester council said Engine No.4 was in charge of managing the scheme and the query was better directed to them.

The LDRS had not received a response from Engine No.4 at the time of publication.

Waitrose had the shortest average shelf life of six UK supermarkets with 7.7 days, according to a new Which? investigation, with Tesco coming a close second

Waitrose has been named the worst supermarket for sending out online orders with short shelf life on perishable food.

The posh grocer had the shortest average shelf life of six UK supermarkets with 7.7 days, according to a new Which? investigation.

It was worst on average for several products, including scones, bread, fresh pasta sauce, fresh tagliatelle, houmous and pork sausages.

In some examples, Which? found two packs of Waitrose beef mince and a pack of chicken thighs arrived with a use-by date the day after delivery.

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Tesco was the next worst, with an average of 8.8 days shelf life on its fresh food. One shopper received fresh pasta sauce and pork sausages both with 3.4 days of life left – far below the seven and five days’ life Tesco says shoppers should expect for these products.

Sainsbury’s had an average shelf life of 10.2 days. Three items, sweetcorn and two packs of basil, had a best-before date on the day of delivery.

The typical shelf left for Ocado was 10.4 days. Which? found two packs of honey roast ham had more than 20 days left – however, one shopper received basil that was in date but black and wilted.

Morrisons performed well overall, but one substituted raspberry trifle had less than four hours until it expired. In contrast, Which? found one shopper received houmous with 24.38 days left. One mystery shopper however, received an opened pot of pineapple from Morrisons that had leaked over other groceries.

Which? found that Asda delivered the freshest groceries overall. Five shoppers received beef mince with at least 18 days left before its use-by date, while one pack of cod had seven days remaining.

A tomato and mascarpone pasta sauce ordered by Which? from Asda had an average of 33.6 days remaining.

Which? used 12 mystery shoppers to order the same list of 29 fresh groceries from Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. More than 2,000 perishable items were ordered and delivered.

Researchers then added the number of full hours remaining from the time of delivery to midnight on the use-by date for each item and calculated an average time per supermarket.

Average remaining shelf life ‘use by’ per supermarket

• Asda – 11 days
• Morrisons – 10.4 days
• Ocado – 10.4 days
• Sainsbury’s – 10.2 days
• Tesco – 8.8 days
• Waitrose – 7.7 days

Reena Sewraz, Which? retail editor, said: “When you pay for a supermarket delivery, you expect your fresh food to have a reasonable amount of time left on it.

“Our investigation found a striking difference between supermarkets, with some shoppers getting several days’ less time to use their groceries than others – and in some cases, just hours.

“It’s particularly hard to swallow when you’re paying premium prices but getting food with a much shorter shelf life.

“Supermarkets need to make sure their freshness promises actually deliver, so shoppers aren’t left having to change their meal plans, rush to use food or throw away groceries they’ve paid for.”

A spokesperson for Ocado said: “We are proud of our Fresh+ promise, making us the only UK online grocery retailer to offer a life guarantee on all fresh products.

“Our promise guarantees a minimum number of days of freshness on products ranging from fruit and veg to bread and milk, ensuring customers can trust Ocado to deliver the freshness they are looking for on each and every delivery.

“If customers aren’t 100% happy with a product’s freshness, they can easily arrange an immediate refund online or through our app.”

A spokesperson for Tesco said: “We work hard to select the freshest items with the longest expiry dates for all our Grocery Home Shopping delivery and Click + Collect orders and we highlight any items that have a shorter shelf life than we would like as part of our Freshness Guarantee.

“If customers are not happy with any items at the time of delivery or collection, they can hand them back for a full refund.”

A spokesperson for Waitrose said: “We are committed to offering the freshest and highest quality products, reflected in our growing online grocery sales.

“And in response to increasing customer demand for products with simpler ingredients, we have removed preservatives from some of the items in this analysis where they are common, including our houmous.

“Our online grocery pickers are trained to choose the longest dated products they can, and our most recent customer survey showed that the vast majority of our online customers rated the shelf life of our products as good or excellent.”

A spokesperson from Asda said: “Freshness matters to our customers, so it’s great to see Which? find that Asda delivers the freshest groceries overall.

“We’ve worked hard to improve our online delivery service and availability, and we’re committed to making sure customers get fresh, quality produce and outstanding value, every time they shop with us.”

The Venus and Jupiter bond only intensifies, bringing a happy-go-lucky vibe. Today is all about peace and love.

Sagittarius, Libra and Scoprio, this cosmic placement may make you emboldened. Approach something, or someone, you have been wary of.

Use the bright energy that has been afforded to you over the past few days to provoke real change. You have the power.

Ahead, you’ll find all star signs’ horoscopes for today: Tuesday August 18, 2026.

Like checking your horoscope every morning? You can now sign up to our free daily newsletter to get a personalised reading for your star sign delivered straight to your inbox.

To order your unique personal horoscope based on your time, date and place of birth, visit patrickarundell.com.

Aries

March 21 to April 20

This week’s feelgood factor, created by the lovely joust between relator Venus and luck-maker Jupiter, continues, but is tested by the complex blend between the Moon and deep Pluto. Unfortunately, a friend may find your successes difficult, or might it be you who is feeling left in the shade? It may be best to try and think the best today, however wary you are.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aries

Taurus

April 21 to May 21

You may find that however obliging you try to be, someone you encounter in a worldly or professional situation may prove unyielding or be unappreciative. In fact, it can seem that they take some strange enjoyment from not meeting you halfway. If so, see this quickly, but then try to detach yourself. What’s really showing up here is your developing confidence.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Taurus

Gemini

May 22 to June 21

In recent weeks you have seen you finding your voice and expressing your ideas with added sparkle. However, this has probably mainly been when you feel mentally switched on and curious. So today, when someone reminds you of the need to attend to a routine issue, one that doesn’t grip you, you may find yourself tensing up, resenting it or pushing back.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Gemini

Cancer

June 22 to July 23

Even if you like to keep your household expenditure on an even keel, you may have been tempted by something rather hard to resist. If your budget allows, why not? But if you share your finances with another person, things could get complex if they don’t have the same yearning or desires. To help, consider whether this item has a practical benefit.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Cancer

Leo

July 24 to August 23

Life has felt sunny and vibrant, and rightly so. For with such an impressive posse of planetary players in your sign, your natural charisma has been turned up to max. Continue to strut your stuff, Leo, but also know that the Moon’s journey through the intense Scorpio creates some complexities from nowhere, and sadly jealousy may be at the root of some of this.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Leo

Virgo

August 24 to September 23

The desire to withdraw and enjoy some peace may be stronger than usual. Yet even in the calmest surroundings, a conversation or message could stir up old dormant feelings. Before reading too much into someone’s words or motives, pause. True, they may have felt a little jarring, but don’t add oxygen by responding in kind. Take time to ruminate on this.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Virgo

Libra

September 24 to October 23

With Venus, your ruling planet, continuing to enjoy such an uplifting link with Jupiter, here is every reason to embrace life’s pleasures and enjoy good company. Even so, today’s lunar angle to Pluto suggests that one person’s reaction could leave you wondering where you stand. It may be that their insecurities or mood are behind this, so please try to rise above this.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Libra

Scorpio

October 24 to November 22

With the Moon in your sign briefly but powerfully clashing with your modern ruler Pluto, this can trigger raw emotions that run deeper than those around you realise. Part of the issue is that you see undercurrents that others miss. Trust your instincts but accept you can’t control how things will play out. This can still be a successful time, if you shrug off such distractions.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Scorpio

Sagittarius

November 23 to December 21

The upbeat influence of Venus and Jupiter continues to encourage you to widen your horizons and surge ahead with optimism. Yet fleetingly today’s more intense influences suggest that a private worry or lingering doubt could cloud your thinking. Rather than letting this concern dampen your spirits, remind yourself just how much progress you’ve already made.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Sagittarius

Capricorn

December 22 to January 21

Someone else’s expectations could leave you feeling under pressure, particularly if money or responsibilities are involved. While you are usually willing to shoulder your share, today is a reminder that healthy boundaries matter too. Just know that the support and encouragement from good friends is more valuable than appeasing such a hard-to-please person.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Capricorn

Aquarius

January 22 to February 19

With Pluto continuing its powerful journey through your sign, today’s awkward square to the Moon may make you aware of differences between your own ambitions and someone else’s expectations. You are likely feeling very driven at the moment too, and impatient for things to progress at your pace, but this could feel testing to the routines or pace they are used to.

Head here for everything you need to know about being an Aquarius

Pisces

February 20 to March 20

This week’s lovely Venus and Jupiter sextile continues to create the potential for warmth and goodwill, especially through small, thoughtful gestures. And yet, today’s Moon vibes hint that an old anxiety or hidden concern could briefly surface. If so, don’t dismiss this; rather, acknowledge it is part of you, but know not one everyone can see or realise is there, Pisces.

Head here for everything you need to know about being a Pisces

Your daily Metro.co.uk horoscope is here every morning, seven days a week (yes, including weekends!). To check your forecast, head to our dedicated horoscopes page.

Check out the tarot horoscope reading for the month of August here.

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MORE: Daily horoscope August 17, 2026: Today’s predictions for your star sign

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Firefighters remain at the scene of a fire that started at a nature reserve nine days ago

Villagers have said a large fire at a nature reserve is a “huge loss” to the area – as they praised “hero” firefighters who continue to battle the blaze nine days on. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service were first called to the fire at Holme Fen Nature Reserve on August 8.

Since then, firefighters have faced “unprecedented pressure” as they continue to deal with the fire, including the fifth heatwave of the summer last week. Residents in Holme described the fire as “terrible” and said it has had a severe impact on the nature reserve. Villagers have also experienced smoke blowing over into the village.

Janice Osborn said the fire has “destroyed” some of the nature reserve, adding that the fire has caused a “huge loss” to Holme. Janice added: “We have had a lot of smoke blow over, but it’s not as bad as compared to the people that live closer.

“We find it worse in the evening, around 9 to 10pm. It wasn’t fun when it was 36C, but that’s a small fry compared to what the firefighters are facing.”

One mum, who asked not to be named, also said the smell and smoke has been “worse at night”. She said: “The last two nights we have had to keep everything closed. It’s not a constant though. When my kids went to a holiday club in Peterborough recently, it smelt more over there.”

The woman said it’s “reassuring” to have the firefighters on scene. She added: “In that heat, I don’t know how they do it. I feel bad complaining about the heat.” She said she also finds it “really sad” that Holme Fen has been affected.

She said: “I have seen the drone footage and there is like a big gaping hole in the middle of it. It’s going to take a long time to recover.”

One woman who lives in Vicarage Road, and asked to remain anonymous, said the smoke has stopped her and her husband going for their usual walks. She said: “It’s like having a bonfire next to you. We’ve had to close our windows from time to time. It’s impacting our walking as we walk a lot.

“In the village, we can’t go out as it gets onto your chest, and then it’s going on in the nature reserve so we can’t go there. It’s terrible for the little creatures. [The firefighters] are working their socks off, but whether they win the battle is another thing.”

A spokesperson for Holme Fen said: “Visitors are asked to stay away to keep the roads clear for emergency services and because the site is unsafe. Peat fires can spread underground and are notoriously difficult to extinguish.”

Long-term resident Robert S, who asked not to include his full surname, said it is “very sad” as a lot of the nature reserve has been “destroyed”. He added: “Whatever the cause it, it’s not good at all. The firefighters have had a lot to deal with.

“The smoke has fanned over here, it’s caused a bit of a stink at night. We were trying not to keep the windows open, but it was hard in the 30 degree plus heat.”

Another man, who did not want to be named, described the smell of smoke as “horrendous”. He added: “We have to give enormous gratitude to the firefighters, especially in the weather we’ve had. If they didn’t have the resources they’ve had, it could have been a lot worse.”

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue remained at the scene on Monday (August 17). Area commander Wayne Swales said firefighters are continuing to “battle the conditions” at Holme Fen.

He added: “Although temperatures have reduced from during the week, it has still been hot on the fire ground, but crews have stood up to the challenge exceptionally. Thanks to the fantastic teamwork from all crews across the county and the incredible support from our National Resilience colleagues from all over the country, we look to be a better position.

“Steady progress has been made and we are discussing our tactics regularly to try and hopefully start to scale back our firefighting. We will know more over the next day or so.”

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on Monday that oil drilling in northern and northeastern coastal regions could be “a passport to the country’s future” after visiting a Petrobras offshore drilling vessel following a find announced last week near the mouth of the Amazon River.

Petrobras, Brazil‘s majority state-owned corporation, said on Friday that it had detected hydrocarbons during exploratory drilling about 180 kilometers (112 miles) off the coast of Amapa state. The country’s coastal regions near the mouth of the Amazon are known as the Equatorial Margin.

The exploratory drilling began in October. Environmental and Indigenous groups have since sued the Brazilian government and Petrobras to halt exploration, arguing the licensing process failed to properly consult traditional communities, underestimated spill risks and did not adequately assess climate impacts. The company has long argued it has never caused spills in its drillings.

“When I say ‘passport,’” Lula said, “I’m not denying my commitment to the fight for a day when we no longer need fossil fuels, because Brazil will continue to be the king of biofuel innovation and will remain a major player in renewable energy.”

Lula, who faces what is expected to be a tight election in October for a fourth term as president, spoke at an official event in the municipality of Oiapoque in Amapa after visiting the vessel.

Lula has pushed both for drilling and alternative energy

Under Lula, Brazil has backed the need to transition away from fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas that heat the planet and impact its climate.

The position was touted at the U.N. climate summit Brazil hosted last year, and also in other forums, such as an April meeting in Colombia that focused on shifting away from fossil fuels. At the same time, the country is ramping up new drilling investments.

The Equatorial Margin is believed to hold significant oil and natural gas reserves, and preliminary estimates suggest the basin could contain up to 10 billion barrels of oil, with a potential value of about 3.8 trillion reais ($720 billion).

“All of our studies indicate substantial potential. This discovery confirms our findings, and we will continue exploring,” the Petrobras president, Magda Chambriard, said Monday about the latest find. The company still needs to conduct further research to determine how much oil the area contains, she added.

Still, according to Shigueo Watanabe Jr., an energy expert with the Brazilian nonprofit ClimaInfo, commercial drilling remains a distant prospect at this stage. Determining whether extraction would be commercially viable would require further research that could take up to a decade.

Lula’s announcement appears to follow a political calendar

Lula spoke in Oiapoque a day after kicking off his election campaign at the Vila Euclides Stadium outside Sao Paulo — a city where he rose to political fame 47 years ago as a metalworkers union leader during the country’s 1964-1985 military dictatorship.

The leftist leader, who is running against Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro — the lawmaker son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro — said Chambriard, the head of Petrobras, has told him the new-found oil is of high quality.

Lula, wearing the orange uniform of oil workers, held up a small bottle of black crude oil that he described as “blessed,” and said that he would like to keep it in a safe.

At stake, he said, are both “the interests of the country and the interests of the company,” referring to Petrobras.

“And Amapa’s right not to end up as merely an exporter of acai and tucunare,” he said, referring to the region’s top products, the coveted berries and the freshwater fish.

Displayed behind him was a huge photo of Lula from his visit to the drilling vessel earlier Monday, showing the president holding up both hands stained with black crude — a gesture he famously made in 2008, when he announced the discovery of vast offshore oil reserves in southeastern Brazil.

Back then, Lula was at the height of his popularity. Now, he has become a polarizing figure, with opinion polls showing that nearly half of Brazilians approve of his administration, while a similarly large share disapprove of it.

Breno Rodrigues de Messias Leite, a political scientist and professor at the Federal University of Amazonas, said Lula’s Monday trip sends an important message to voters, especially in northern Brazil and its state capitals, where he has faced criticism.

“For the Amazon, the possibility of gaining access to some of the world’s largest oil reserves changes the equation,” Leite said.

“Lula wants to be reelected, and he wants the states in the northern region, especially Amapa, to have an electorate that is favorable to him,” he added.

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