The Sutton Bank Star Hub, near Helmsley, will once again host public events after a summer pause, offering visitors a chance to explore the night sky from one of the darkest locations in the UK.

Richard Darn of Go Stargazing said: “The North York Moors is beautifully dark, which is why it was designated as an international dark sky reserve in 2020.

“We want to keep it that way by sharing our passion for the night sky and inspiring people to help protect it.”

The specially designed facility has welcomed hundreds of visitors since opening in 2021, offering telescope viewing and planetarium-style presentations.

Astronomer Richard Darn prepares for action at the Sutton Bank Star Hub (Image: Richard Darn)

A new series of events will begin on August 12 to coincide with the Perseid meteor shower, with nearly 20 sessions scheduled through the season.

Mr Darn added: “The Hub is a fantastic venue and last year we had record numbers taking part in events.

“We saw the sky in all its majesty and pushed the limits by looking at distant galaxies.

“It’s the ultimate outward-bound activity.”

Sessions are suitable for adults and children aged six and over.

The hub is wheelchair accessible, and tickets are priced at under £20, available from: https://tinyurl.com/uux8hert

Club Brugge manager Ivan Leko has confirmed Christos Tzolis is on his way to Arsenal. The Greek international looks set to move to the Emirates Stadium after a phenomenal campaign last season.

Leko confirmed the news, saying: “It’s one fantastic example, someone who was first coming on the training base, last training was like game for him, giving so much for his career.

“Then you get to go to sign for one of the biggest clubs in Europe, big thing for him, big thing for Club Brugge and big thing for Belgian football Good lesson for all young boys that in football you need to work, stop to talk, work, try to do everything to improve yourself day by day.

“On one side I’m very happy for him but very sad for me as we are losing a top player. I am convinced that he will have his minutes that he will show on highest level in Premier League and Champions League that he will show he’s a top player and that he absolutely deserves to be there.”

A perfect family day out which also supports a fantastic charity

The words ‘hidden gem’ are often thrown about too flippantly these days – but when it comes to a family day out, this urban farm truly is just that.

Carrickfergus Urban Farm was established in 1998 by Kilcreggan Homes, an independent charity based that provides housing, day and employment opportunities for adults with a Learning Disability, an autistic spectrum condition or an acquired brain injury.

Considered the “best kept secret” in the area, groups, individuals and families can visit Carrickfergus Urban Farm and Garden centre for free to see up close the pet goats, pigs, pony, poultry, waterfowl, geese and small pets.

The farm was the idea of Linda Bennett, who was a tenant at Kilcreggan, after she discovered that spending time caring for animals made her feel good.

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Knowing others would benefit too, she was motivated to create the much-loved community space where service users can engage in therapeutic activities and demonstrate their skills, passion, and knowledge for what they do.

The farm space was originally an old, derelict site but was improved and made more accessible following a successful grant from Ulster Garden Villages for £70,000.

It was then passed to Kilcreggan by Carrickfergus Council for a peppercorn rent of £1 per year for 100 years.

Open Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 4pm, it is only a short 25-minute drive in the car from Belfast along the shores of Belfast Lough.

If a free, fun, family day out with plenty of lovely animals to pet and meet isn’t enough, the site also features buzzing social enterprises, including a beautiful garden centre and delicious cafe for a lovely browse or a bite to eat.

The Dancing Goat Cafe, located onsite, is a perfect spot to refuel after a busy day on the farm and also support the fantastic work the charity does with people with learning difficulties in the area.

You break the bank to make special memories this summer, so why not add Carrickfergus Urban Farm and Garden Centre to your list – not only for the free family magic, but also to support the amazing work that Kilcreggan do.

To find out more about the farm, see here

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The fires are believed to have been deliberate

Two cars were set alight within an hour in an area of Peterborough. Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue were called to the first car in flames on Green Lane in Millfield, Peterborough at 3.38am on Wednesday, July 15.

A crew from Dogsthorpe attended. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used hose reels to fully extinguish the fire and returned to their station by 4.25am.

At 4.28am on the same day, less than an hour after the first blaze, firefighters were called to a report a separate incident on Green Lane. The crew from Dogsthorpe arrived to find a second car engulfed in flames spreading to a second vehicle.

Wearing breathing apparatus, firefighters used a hose reel to extinguish the fire. They returned to their station by 5.10am. A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue confirmed the fires are believed to have been deliberately started.

The spokesperson added: “Anyone with information should contact police by visiting www.cambs.police.uk to submit an online report or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”

Indian activist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk, on hunger strike for the past 20 days in Delhi, has been forcibly removed from his protest site.

The 59-year-old had been protesting in support of an online satirical movement called the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) who are seeking educational reforms. The protesters had planned a march to India’s parliament on Monday.

Wangchuk was sitting on hunger strike in the scorching summer, consuming nothing but salt and water. He had lost more than 9kg and was in a lot of pain.

CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke has now begun an indefinite fast in his place. He says the march to parliament will go on and has called for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resign.

Dipke told the BBC he had gone to a friend’s house in the morning to freshen up when policemen turned up and refused to let him leave.

Videos from the protest site on Saturday showed chaos erupting just before 07:30 local time (02:00 GMT) when dozens of police and paramilitary personnel swooped in on the stage where the activist was lying down. Protesters who tried to stop them were pushed away.

They covered him with curtains of bedsheets before removing him from the stage. Minutes later, an ambulance was seen speeding away.

The activist’s wife Gitanjali Angmo later posted on X that she was “at Safdarjung hospital where he has been admitted”.

“Nothing should be administered to him orally or intravenous[ly] without taking consent from me, his family and his doctors who have been monitoring his health for the past 20 days,” she wrote, external.

Dr Charu Bamba, Medical Superintendent of Safdarjung Hospital, later told news agency ANI that Wangchuk was “fully alert and stable”.

“He is somewhat weak due to prolonged fasting and is experiencing mild dehydration; otherwise, all his vital parameters are stable. He is being continuously examined and monitored, and his treatment is under way,” she said.

A top police official told reporters that Wangchuk had been moved “in compliance with [a court] order, and based on health conditions and medical advice”.

“Sonam Wangchuk has been moved to a government hospital for much-needed medical intervention and is currently under medical supervision,” said Sachin Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

He was referring to a Delhi High Court order from Thursday asking the federal government to monitor Wangchuk’s health regularly and provide necessary treatment if needed.

Wangchuk had refused to end his indefinite hunger strike despite growing calls for him to do so. Despite his frail health, he had been insisting that he would participate in Monday’s march to the parliament.

“I’ve grown weak from the outside but I’m strong from within,” Wangchuk told the crowd gathered at the protest venue, Jantar Mantar, a 300-year-old observatory, a couple of days back. His statement was met with cheers and applause.

Among the worst affected departures was easyJet flight U22145 to Dalaman, which was due to leave at 3.50pm but was delayed by one hour and 50 minutes until 5.40pm.

Another easyJet flight to Geneva, scheduled for 11.10am, was pushed back by one hour and 22 minutes, while the airline’s 4.40pm service to Enfidha was delayed by 43 minutes.

Several Ryanair services were also affected.

The airline’s 9am flight to Brussels Charleroi was delayed by 25 minutes, while departures to Rome Ciampino, Faro, Paris Beauvais and Krakow were each delayed by around 25 minutes.

A number of Jet2 and TUI flights, including services to Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Antalya and Paphos, were also running more than 20 minutes behind schedule.

Arriving passengers also experienced lengthy delays.

Virgin Atlantic’s flight from Atlanta, due to land at 8.50am, was delayed by one hour and 46 minutes until 10.36am.

IndiGo’s service from Mumbai was running 47 minutes late, while Ethiopian Airlines’ flight from Marseille was delayed by 47 minutes.

Corendon Airlines’ flight from Heraklion was delayed by 20 minutes.

Two flights were cancelled altogether.

Scandinavian Airlines cancelled its 9.35am departure from Manchester to Copenhagen, while the airline’s scheduled 8.55am arrival from the Danish capital was also cancelled.

The cancellations were not limited to SAS services.

Riyadh Air’s 8.40am departure to Riyadh from Terminal 2 was also cancelled.

Flight delays can happen for a range of reasons, including poor weather, air traffic control restrictions, technical issues with aircraft, late arrivals of incoming flights and operational pressures during busy holiday periods.

During the summer getaway season, even small delays can have a knock-on effect throughout the day as aircraft operate multiple routes.

Passengers due to travel today are being advised to check the status of their flights with their airline before leaving for the airport, as schedules may continue to change throughout the day.

Andy Burnham will announce plans for new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea when he becomes prime minister on Monday, the BBC has been told.

The Labour Party’s 2024 manifesto – which the new leader said he would follow – had pledged to not issue new licences but to honour existing ones.

At the heart of the debate are two oil fields in Scotland – Rosebank and Jackdaw – which regulators approved in 2022 and 2023 under the then Conservative government, but were overturned in 2025 after a legal challenge.

The announcement will form part of a flurry of policy measures from Burnham, including plans to take water and energy companies under public control and a new council house-building programme.

While details of the new oil and gas plans are not clear, the North Sea row has become increasingly divisive as Labour figures debate the party’s future direction over energy policy.

Some Labour MPs have urged the government to take a more liberal approach, warning that the transition away from oil and gas must protect jobs and the cost of energy bills.

Others have backed the government’s existing approach, arguing that expanding renewable energy is key to improving energy security and reducing the impact on climate change.

Current Energy Secretary Ed Miliband – who is likely to get a senior cabinet role under Burnham – has been a staunch supporter of Labour’s manifesto position, and previously described the licence issued to Rosebank as “climate vandalism”.

Earlier this week, before the leadership nominations deadline, Burnham was issued with a letter from the oil and gas industry and trade unions calling on him – and all other Labour MPs – to “back North Sea oil and gas”.

It stated that support for the oil and gas industry is “a signal that the country remains committed to producing, building and manufacturing.

“It is a signal that government backs the people and places that have powered this country for generations,” the letter added.

Burnham, who returned to Parliament a month ago in a by-election, cemented his status as the sole leadership candidate after being backed by 379 Labour MPs, as well as all 11 trade unions affiliated to the party, earlier this week.

The new Labour leader has said he is finalising his top cabinet jobs before he takes over from Sir Keir Starmer on Monday.

Dramatic images show huge plumes of black smoke rising into the sky after a massive overnight drone attack reportedly set an oil depot ablaze in Russia’s Moscow region.

The Moscow region has been hit by a massive drone strike that has left an oil refinery burning and led to the evacuation of a maternity hospital and apartment block, according to the area’s Governor.

The attack, believed to be a long range assault from Ukraine, caused multiple explosions with 28 reportedly injured.

Andrey Vorobyov, Governor of the Moscow Region, said a total of 48 drones were shot down over the area overnight.

Eyewitnesses shared footage showing flames and explosions at an oil depot in Noginsk. The facility contains 24 storage tanks with a combined capacity of 11,500 cubic metres.

Videos shared online appear to show huge plumes of black smoke rising above the depot as flames engulfed the site.

The depot is understood to be one of the Moscow region’s key fuel storage and logistics hubs, with traders and fuel companies using the site to store and transport petroleum products.

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OpenTable has revealed that 40% of Brits have booked a hotel specifically for its restaurant and has released a list of the top 50 hotel restaurants in the UK for 2026.

The Rise Restaurant at The Grand made it onto the list thanks to its open kitchen that helps to create an “immersive” experience for guests.

The restaurant offers an afternoon tea featuring scones, finger sandwiches, and dainty cakes that you can enjoy while taking in the views of the city.

What is The Rise Restaurant at The Grand like?

The restaurant’s website says: “The Rise Restaurant, Terrace & Bar offers modern British cuisine with locally sourced and freshly prepared dishes.

“The open kitchen and spacious setting creates an immersive and social dining experience for guests.

“Committed to serving the best seasonal and ethically sourced ingredients, Afternoon Tea and Dinner see British favourites offered with a Yorkshire twist from our expert chefs.

“Diners can also expect local beers and ales, a hand-selected wine offering, and signature cocktails.”

The restaurant serves breakfast for its guests, including a breakfast buffet with a range of pastries, omelettes, and traditional fry-up items available to choose from.

You could also go for one of the à la carte dishes such as eggs Benedict, French toast, and oatmeal porridge.

The evening menu offers a variety of mains such as pork cutlet, baked stone bass, and tandoori-spiced monkfish tail alongside a few pasta dishes and burgers.

There are also plenty of desserts for those wanting something sweet, like tiramisu, cheesecake, and sticky toffee pudding with suggested wine pairings.

What do customers of The Rise Restaurant at The Grand think?

On Tripadvisor, one reviewer said: “We were lucky enough to eat at the fabulous Rise restaurant twice during our stay at the Grand.

“What a truly wonderful setting with excellent food, wine and up there with the most attentive / polite staff particularly Quinn and Tyler who both really looked after us.

“Worth a visit and we will certainly be back.”

Another reviewer said: “An impulse booking on the basis that it was 3 minutes from our hotel, which turned into a wonderful evening.

“We had 3 à la carte courses culminating in a tiramisu made at the table, which was outstanding.

“All of the staff were friendly and attentive. I cannot recommend this restaurant highly enough.”

Have you ever been to The Rise Restaurant at The Grand? Let us know in the comments.

A former adult film star who entered rehab seeking help for ketamine addiction will receive a $3 million settlement after a lawsuit alleged she was left permanently incapacitated following a medical emergency at a Malibu treatment center.

A Los Angeles judge approved the settlement on behalf of Litzy Lara Banuelos, known professionally as Emily Willis, who suffered irreversible brain damage after her brain was deprived of oxygen during her stay at Summit Malibu in 2024.

Banuelos, now 27, can no longer move her body and remains in what her attorney described as a profoundly incapacitated state. Court filings say she occasionally opens her eyes or grunts but does not consistently respond to people around her.

The settlement, approved by Santa Monica Superior Court Judge Susan Bryant-Deason, resolves claims brought by Banuelos and her mother, Yesenia Lara Cooper. Judicial approval was required because Banuelos is unable to manage her own affairs.

The agreement came after Banuelos’ attorneys reduced their requested legal fees from $1.2 million to $1 million.

Attorney James A. Morris Jr. said the case was far from straightforward.

“Having lived and breathed this case for nearly two years, I can state with confidence that Ms. Banuelos is significantly injured, but that this case was no slam dunk,” Morris wrote in a court declaration.

He said no one knows exactly what caused Banuelos’ medical crisis or whether Summit Malibu could have prevented her injuries, given what he described as her fragile condition when she entered treatment.

The lawsuit alleged Summit Malibu failed to provide appropriate care, leaving Banuelos with permanent physical and cognitive injuries after suffering an anoxic brain injury.

Summit Malibu denied wrongdoing.

In court filings, the rehabilitation center argued Banuelos repeatedly refused medical advice, declined prescribed medications and refused recommendations that she go to an urgent care center or hospital.

The facility maintained its staff lacked the legal authority to force her to seek outside medical treatment and argued there was no evidence its employees acted negligently. It also noted that Banuelos was regularly monitored during her stay.

Cooper’s lawsuit alleged the facility’s negligence, abandonment and recklessness directly led to her daughter’s irreversible brain injury and permanent incapacity.

Before leaving the adult film industry, Banuelos was one of its best-known performers. As Emily Willis, she was named Penthouse Pet of the Month in May 2019 and won multiple Adult Video News awards, including Female Performer of the Year in 2021.