British holidaymakers were left disappointed after diners complained about the €37 (£32) Christmas dinner served at the Stag Man Steakhouse in Benidorm, run by self-styled “King of Benidorm” Frank “the Stag Man”

Frank took more than 200 orders for Christmas Dinner(Image: FACEBOOK)

British holidaymakers expecting a lavish festive banquet in Benidorm were left utterly disappointed by their pathetic dinner portions.

Customers flocked to social media to slam the €37 (£32) per person Christmas meals served at the “Stag Man Steakhouse”, operated by self-proclaimed “King of Benidorm” Frank “the Stag Man”. Approximately 220 diners had reportedly reserved tables for the set menu, which Frank had promoted extensively across his social platforms leading up to December 25.

However, images circulated online revealed a measly selection of vegetables alongside a solitary Yorkshire pudding, a lacklustre blob of creamy mash and either a wafer-thin beef slice or turkey drumstick.

The portion size was the main concern (Image: FACEBOOK)

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Frank, who operates several establishments in the popular British holiday destination, responded on social media, insisting the venue was “brand new” and attributing the criticism to a “dodgy couple” who shared a Facebook image that “wasn’t on their plate.”, reports the Daily Star.

One British tourist shared a snapshot of her meal online and fumed: “Stag man Xmas dinner that he thought would be the ‘best in Benidorm’. I think not.

“Food missing, table forgotten about, gravy like jelly, Yorkshire pudding hadn’t even been in oven we don’t think, silly man to think he can take this many people for Xmas dinner, it should have been capped. I’m now siting in a bar eating a toastie for my Christmas dinner.”

Frank is a well known figure in the party town(Image: Frank The Stag Man)

As additional images of customers’ meals circulated online, she continued: “Now I’m the bad one for posting. Sorry if other people are happy but this isn’t my style if Xmas dinner. I’m not a bad person I just want others to know it wasn’t what we was told it was.”

Frank – who resides in the Costa Blanca hotspot with his renowned stag do entertainer partner Jade Benidorm and was present to assist with serving the Christmas meals – responded on his own social media platform.

In a clip posted to Facebook, he stated: “I want to apologise to anybody who felt the meal wasn’t exactly what they wanted from a Christmas dinner. This is a brand new restaurant, the Christmas menu was something we came up with very quickly.

“I think there was a bit of a disconnect between ourselves, well me really and my kitchen. I had an idea of what I wanted to have as a Christmas dinner… I think they just didn’t quite understand what I wanted.”

Customers were not happy(Image: FACEBOOK)

In another video, he continued: “We’ve just taken over two brilliant restaurants. I know there’s a lot of haters that have jumped on the bandwagon. It’s understandable, they’re just jealous as f**k, I’m the stag man for one.

“Two, if you see the restaurants I’ve just taken over are absolutely f**king fantastic. And the things is that we had a dodgy couple that were in there. They waited for us to leave before they even put the photo on Facebook.

“And definitely the photo they put on Facebook definitely wasn’t on their plate. They waited a minute after us leaving the brand new restaurant before sending us a message and it was a very aggressive message. It’s a brand new restaurant.”

His girlfriend Jade chimed in: “They put a post on Facebook, they never spoke to a manager, they never raised an issue in the restaurant. They never raised an issue with us.”

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Volodymyr Zelenskyy is preparing for crucial talks with Donald Trump tomorrow to once again try to bring to an end Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The meeting between the two presidents will take place after hours of air attacks by Russia on Ukraine‘s capital Kyiv on Saturday. At least two people died and more than 30 others were injured, according to authorities.

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A firefighter walks at the site of a Russian attack in Kyiv. Pic: Reuters

Mr Zelenskyy has held discussions with Mr Trump several times this year, most recently at the White House in October, as the US leads the diplomatic push to end the war that has been raging for almost four years.

This time, they will meet in Florida to discuss several issues, including territory, security guarantees and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the Ukrainian leader has said.

Afterwards, he will hold further talks with European leaders.

Mr Zelenskyy said he hopes the “very important” meeting with Mr Trump will be “very constructive”. A 20-point peace framework and security guarantee deal to be discussed “is about 90% ready” and “a lot can be decided before the New Year”, he said.

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Mr Zelenskyy met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Saturday. Pic: Reuters

Ahead of the discussions with the US leader, the Ukrainian president made a pit-stop in Canada to meet the country’s prime minister, Mark Carney.

Mr Carney announced an additional $2.5 ​billion ​of economic ‍aid for Ukraine – and condemned Russia’s latest strikes on Kyiv as acts of “barbarism”.

Explosions boomed across the Ukrainian capital for hours early on Saturday as ballistic missiles and drones hit the city. In a post on Telegram, Mr Zelenskyy said Russia targeted Ukraine with almost 500 drones and 40 missiles of various types.

“There have been many questions these days,” he wrote. “Where is the Russian response to the proposals to end the war, which were made by the United States and the world?”

The strikes left at least a third of the city without power, with private electricity company DTEK reporting around 500,000 families were without power at one point.

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The Russian defence ministry said it carried out a “massive strike” overnight, using “long-range precision-guided weapons from land, air, and sea”, as well as drones, on energy infrastructure facilities “used by the Ukrainian armed forces” and “Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises”.

But several residential buildings were also hit, according to Ukraine’s interior minister Ihor Klymenko.

Russia said the strike came in response to Ukraine’s attacks on “civilian objects” in Russia.

Earlier on Saturday, its defence ministry said it had shot down seven Ukrainian drones over the Russian regions of Krasnodar and Adygeya overnight. On Saturday afternoon, the ministry said 147 more drones were shot down over a number of Russian regions.

Poland said it scrambled fighter jets and temporarily closed two of its airports in the east of the country in response to Russia’s attack.

There was no violation of Polish airspace, the country’s armed forces command said on X.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said on Saturday that Russian forces had captured one town in the Donetsk region and one in Zaporizhzhia.

Both areas are heavily contested and key to Russia’s territorial ambitions in the east of Ukraine.

Sky News could not independently verify the battlefield reports.

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Tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians in Gaza, surrounded by tents and debris, are suffering through more winter rains after two years of Israeli bombardment destroyed much of the Strip.

A polar low-pressure system accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds swept across the Gaza Strip on Saturday. It is the third polar low to affect the Palestinian territory this winter, with a fourth low-pressure system forecast to hit the area starting on Monday, meteorologist Laith al-Allami told the Anadolu news agency.

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Many families have been living in tents since late 2023, for most of the duration of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

The enclave is imminently facing freezing temperatures, rain and strong winds, as the authorities warn the downpour could intensify into a full-blown storm.

Mohammed Maslah, a displaced Palestinian now in Gaza City, told Al Jazeera in his rugged tent that he did not have a choice but to stay there.

“I could not find anywhere to live in Gaza, except Gaza Port,” he told Al Jazeera. “I’m forced to stay here because my home is under Israeli control. After just a few hours of rain, we were soaked.”

In Deir al-Balah, Shaima Wadi, a mother of four children who was displaced from Jabaliya in the north, spoke to the Associated Press. “We have been living in this tent for two years. Every time it rains and the tent collapses over our heads, we try to put up new pieces of wood,” she said. “With how expensive everything has become, and without any income, we can barely afford clothes for our children or mattresses for them to sleep on.”

The heavy rains earlier this month flooded tents and makeshift shelters across Gaza, where most of the buildings have been destroyed or damaged by Israeli attacks.

So far in December, at least 15 people, including three babies, died from hypothermia following rains and plunging temperatures, with several buildings collapsing, according to the authorities in Gaza. Aid organisations have called for Israel to allow more shelters and other humanitarian aid into the territory.

Ibrahim Abu al-Reesh, head of field operations for the Civil Defence in the Gaza Port area, said that his teams responded to various distress calls as weather conditions got harsher in places where displaced people set up fragile tents.

“We worked hard to cover some of these damaged tents with plastic sheets after they were flooded by rainwater,” he told Al Jazeera.

Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim Al Khalili, reporting from Gaza City, said that winter has been adding to the suffering of tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians who do not have safe shelters.

“The same misery repeats as each rain fills neighbourhoods with muddy water,” he said.

Ceasefire talks

As Palestinians face dire conditions in Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to visit Washington, DC, in the coming days while negotiators and others discuss the second stage of the ceasefire that took effect on October 10.

The progress in the peace process has been slow. Challenges in phase two of the ceasefire include the deployment of an international stabilisation force, a technocratic governing body for Gaza, the proposed disarmament of Hamas and further Israeli troop withdrawals from the territory.

So far, the agreement has partially held despite Israel’s repeated violations.

Since the ceasefire went into effect, more than 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 wounded, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

It also said the bodies of 679 people were pulled from the rubble during the same period, as the truce makes it safer to search for the remains of people killed earlier.

The ministry on Saturday said that 29 bodies, including 25 recovered from under the rubble, had been brought to local hospitals over the past 48 hours.

The overall Palestinian death toll from Israel’s war has risen to at least 71,266, the ministry said, and another 171,219 have been wounded.

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A man has been arrested after a woman and a man – both aged in their 30s – died in an alleged double fatal stabbing in Sydney.

Police said emergency services were called to the home in Quakers Hill just before 5am on Sunday, responding to reports of a disturbance.

Around half an hour after emergency services responded, police arrested a 47-year-old man after he went to Blacktown police station.

“Officers from Riverstone police area command attended and found a man on the footpath, suffering stab wounds,” police said in a statement.

“A woman, aged in her 30s, was found deceased inside the home. She is yet to be formally identified.”

The man who suffered stab wounds was taken to Liverpool hospital after being treated at the alleged crime scene by paramedics. The man, also aged in his 30s, later died.

“A crime scene has been established, and detectives have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident,” police said.

The police investigation is ongoing.

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The European Union on Saturday called for Somalia’s territorial integrity to be upheld after Israel became the first country to formally recognize the breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state.

Israel’s move, a day earlier, has been denounced internationally, with many African and Middle East nations insisting that Somalia’s borders can’t be changed unilaterally.

Israel officially recognizes Somaliland

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What did the EU say?

EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni said the bloc “reaffirms the importance of respecting the unity, the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.”

“This is key for the peace and stability of the entire Horn of Africa region,” the spokesman said in a statement.

“The EU encourages meaningful dialogue between Somaliland and the Federal Government of Somalia to resolve long-standing differences,” El Anouni added.

Somalia denounces Israel’s ‘illegal aggression’

Somalia’s government reacted with fury at Israel’s announcement, labeling it a direct assault on its sovereignty.

Officials in Mogadishu said they would pursue diplomatic and legal measures to counter what they called an “unlawful” and “deliberate” attempt to legitimize secession.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud accused Israel of violating international norms, insisting Somaliland remains an integral part of Somalia.

Wave of international rejection

Several governments and regional bodies also swiftly rejected Israel’s move. Egypt, Turkey, Djibouti and members of the Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the recognition, warning it risked destabilizing the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea corridor.

The African Union and East African bloc IGAD reiterated their longstanding position that Somalia’s borders are internationally recognized and cannot be altered unilaterally.

Nigeria and several Middle Eastern states also issued statements urging countries to refrain from recognizing breakaway regions.

A joint declaration from more than 20 nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation warned of “serious repercussions” for regional and global security.

The United States said it continued to recognize Somalia’s territorial integrity, including the territory of Somaliland.

Somalia and Somaliland: Here are the differences and issues

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Why has Israel acted now?

Israel framed the step as part of the expanding network of partnerships inspired by the Abraham Accords, which have opened diplomatic and economic channels between Israel and several Arab and Muslim‑majority states since 2020.

The Abraham Accords were mostly signed during US President Donald Trump’s first term in office and with mediation from Washington.

But despite Trump’s return to the White House at the start of this year, no new Arab countries have joined the accords, with the war in Gaza complicating any potential agreements.

Somaliland, which has operated as a de facto state since 1991 with its own institutions, currency and security forces, hopes Israel’s recognition will break decades of diplomatic isolation and encourage other countries to follow suit.

Edited by: Rana Taha

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NEED TO KNOW

• Mariah Carey celebrated Christmas with her 14-year-old twins, Monroe and Moroccan, who towered over her in a festive photo posted on Instagram
• The five-time Grammy winner shares the twins with ex-husband Nick Cannon
• Carey previously posted a series of photos showing her and the twins posing alongside Santa Claus and a reindeer outside of one of her estates on Christmas Eve

Mariah Carey’s twins, Monroe and Moroccan, are all grown up this Christmas. 

On Friday, Dec. 26, the “All I Want for Christmas Is You” singer, 56, shared a photo of herself posing in front of a Christmas tree alongside her 14-year-old twins, whom she shares with ex-husband Nick Cannon. 

While Carey sported a red sequined dress and a pair of black boots, each of her children towered over her while wearing jeans and matching holiday sweaters with their mom’s face printed on the front. 

Just two days prior, Carey gave fans a further glimpse into her family’s Christmas Eve celebrations by sharing a snapshot of the trio posing alongside Santa Claus and a reindeer outside of one of her estates. She also included a family photo of herself and the twins sitting indoors on a sofa next to a smiling Kris Kringle. 

“Christmas Eve 🎅🦌🦌🦌🦌,” Carey captioned the photos. 

Mariah Carey celebrates Christmas Eve with twins Monroe and Moroccan.

Mariah Carey/Instagram

While Monroe and Moroccan are both seemingly taller than the so-called “Queen of Christmas,” they were still quite a few inches shorter than Carey when they joined her onstage last November during their mom’s 2024 Christmas concert series at the Hollywood Bowl. 

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“What do you guys think about taking over the show while I go backstage for a little while?” Carey said onstage at the time before turning to her kids, who excitedly replied, “Really? Seriously, Mom?”

“Yes! Come on, you’re going to be great,” Carey responded, before she summoned her glam squad to walk her offstage. “You know I always need an escort.”

Beyond spending quality time with her kids during the winter holiday season, Carey shared pictures on Instagram of herself and the twins dressed as popular Japanese characters while spending Halloween overseas.

While the “Emotions” singer opted for a Japanese Kawaii-inspired costume this year, wearing a white and blue dress with hot pink hair styled in two ponytails, her kids both wore similar Kigurumi outfits, with Monroe choosing a bright yellow onesie and Moroccan opting for baby blue. 

“Happy Halloween from Japan!!! 👻🇯🇵,” Carey captioned the Oct. 31 post.

In September, the singer-songwriter took her kids on yet another adventure and shared a few snapshots of the trio posing together on the Great Wall of China in Beijing. And while Carey stayed glam in a black dress, oversized sunglasses and heels, she later revealed on X that she ended up regretting her fashion choices. 

“At the Great Wall of China,” she wrote alongside the photos. “Someone should’ve warned me about heels 👠.”

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By DAN WOODLAND, NEWS REPORTER

Published: 21:47 GMT, 27 December 2025 | Updated: 21:57 GMT, 27 December 2025

Ex-England and Premier League footballer Andy Carroll has been charged with breaching a non-molestation order after being arrested at an airport. 

The former Newcastle and Liverpool striker, 36, was arrested in April, with the alleged offences relating to an incident in March. 

Carroll was reportedly pounced on by police shortly after landing in the UK from France at Stansted Airport. 

He was questioned by officers and held for a short period, a source told the Sun at the time of his arrest.

‘It seemed as if an issue was flagged up to the Border Force officers at passport control at Stansted, which led to police being called. He was questioned then taken away,’ they said.

‘It caused quite a kerfuffle as there were lots of other passengers around where he was arrested.’

Essex Police told the newspaper: ‘A man has been charged with breaching a non-molestation order.  Andrew Carroll, 36, of Epping, was arrested on April 27 and the alleged offences relate to an incident in March. 

‘He is due to appear at Chelmsford magistrates’ court on December 30.’ 

Ex-Premier League footballer Andy Carroll who has been charged with breaching a non-molestation order

Carroll earned nine England caps during his career. He is pictured playing for the Three Lions during the Euro quarter-final match against Italy in 2012

He is currently dating make-up artist Lou Teasdale, 41. The couple are pictured at the Debenhams x ASHISH Launch Event on October 8 

Carroll, who earned nine England caps during his career, is currently playing for non-league side Dagenham and Redbridge.

The striker joined the National League South side in the summer, after returning to England following spells at French clubs Amiens and Bordeaux.

He is currently dating make-up artist Lou Teasdale, 41, after parting ways with his estranged wife Billi Mucklow in 2024.

Andy split from his TOWIE star ex Billi, 37, in July last year after a turbulent two year marriage. They began divorce proceedings in September this year. 

Just weeks after their split, he went public with Lou, having reportedly met at Glastonbury in June the same year.

Representatives for Andy Carroll have been contacted for comment. 

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Ex-England, Liverpool and Newcastle United footballer Andy Carroll ‘charged with breaching non-molestation order’

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Julius Grant Jackson, 40, and his daughter Mackenzie Elizabeth Hicks, 20, are facing incest charges in North Carolina after DNA tests allegedly confirmed Jackson had fathered Hicks’ baby boy

Charlie Jones Senior US News Reporter and Alana Loftus Boston reporter

21:49, 27 Dec 2025

Julius Grant Jackson, 40, and his daughter Mackenzie Elizabeth Hicks

A father and his daughter are facing incest charges following DNA tests that allegedly confirmed the man had fathered his daughter’s baby boy.

Detectives Charles Norris and Ethan Core from Erwin Police Department have been conducting witness interviews and gathering evidence in the investigation since 9 May 2024.

This is when Mackenzie Elizabeth Hicks, then aged 18, came to the station alleging her father, Julius Grant Jackson, had sexually assaulted her multiple times starting when she was around 13 years old.

When first speaking with investigators, Hicks claimed, “Jackson was aware of the incidents and wanted to file a report but never did,” according to a search warrant filed in the case.

During the conversation in May 2024, Hicks reportedly told police she was reluctant to proceed with the case as her father could potentially face charges too, reports the Mirror US.

Records show that Mackenzie’s mother reached out to authorities to report that her daughter had been molested by Jackson

Four months later, on 18 September 2024, Danielle Hicks, Mackenzie’s biological mother, contacted Detective Core and revealed that her daughter was pregnant as a result of being abused by Jackson, according to online court records associated with the case.

Mackenzie’s mother allegedly told Core that she suspected some of the sexual encounters between her daughter and Jackson were consensual.

On 25 September, Norris obtained and executed a search warrant for DNA samples from Jackson and Hicks, along with any items that might hold evidentiary value to any crimes.

DNA results from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation confirmed Jackson’s paternity of the son. When police attempted to arrest Jackson, he and his accomplice reportedly fled the scene in Jackson’s lorry, leading to a brief pursuit that culminated in their capture.

During an inspection of the lorry involved in the chase, police reported discovering several high-powered, loaded firearms.

Jackson, now 40, residing at 214 St. Matthews Road in Erwin, is facing charges including felony incest; committing a felony crime against nature; felony fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle; committing a hit and run, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage; resisting a public officer; possessing a fictitious driving licence; and failing to stop for a stop sign or flashing red light.

Hicks, now 20 and living at the same address, has had her bail set at a hefty £1 million. She faces charges of felony incest and committing a felony crime against nature.

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A bus plunged into a ravine along Guatemala’s Inter-American Highway, killing at least 15 people, authorities said.

President Bernardo Arevalo declared three days of national mourning following the crash, which occurred on 26 December near the 174km marker of the highway.

The mountainous area is known as Cumbre de Alaska, in the western department of Totonicapan.

The bus was traveling from Guatemala City to Totonicapan when it lost control and fell approximately 330 feet (100 metres) into a ravine.

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Pic: AP

Emergency crews spent more than two hours trying to rescue the injured and retrieve the bodies of the dead.

Authorities also worked to clear the wreckage, which led to a temporary suspension of traffic along the busy route.

In a message posted online, President Arevalo expressed his condolences to the victims’ families.

Image:
Pic: AP

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“I deeply regret the tragedy that occurred on the Inter-American Highway,” he said.

“From the government of Guatemala, we have been coordinating all necessary assistance for those affected, while standing with those who have lost family members and loved ones.”

Traffic accidents involving public transportation remain a major concern in Guatemala.

Between January and October 2025, the National Transit Safety Observatory recorded 446 accidents involving public transport vehicles, which led to 111 deaths and 623 injuries.

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The Bayeux tapestry will be insured for an estimated £800m when it returns to the UK in 2026 for the first time in more than 900 years.

The Treasury will insure the 70-metre embroidered cloth, which depicts the 1066 Norman invasion and Battle of Hastings, for damage or loss during its transfer from France and while it is on display at the British Museum from September.

It will back the cover under the Government Indemnity Scheme, an alternative to commercial insurance that allows art and cultural objects to be shown in the UK.

The Financial Times reported the Treasury had provisionally approved an estimated valuation for the tapestry with the final valuation expected to be about £800m.

An HM Treasury spokesperson said: “The Government Indemnity Scheme is a longstanding scheme that allows museums and galleries to borrow high value works for major exhibitions, increasing visitor numbers and providing public benefits.

“Without this cover, public museums and galleries would face a substantial commercial insurance premium, which would be significantly less cost effective.”

The scheme is estimated to have saved UK museums and galleries £81m compared with commercial insurance.

The Bayeux tapestry depicts the Battle of Hastings and events leading up to it. At the battle William the Conqueror defeated Harold Godwinson and became the first Norman king of England.

The cloth consists of 58 scenes and is widely accepted to have been made in England during the 11th century and was probably commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux.

It will be on loan while the Bayeux Tapestry Museum in Normandy closes for renovation until its scheduled reopening in October 2027.

Visitors will have the chance to view it in the Sainsbury Exhibitions Gallery of the British Museum in London between autumn next year and July 2027.

It is part of a major loan agreement between the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced in July. The British Museum will loan the Sutton Hoo collection, the Lewis Chessmen and other items to France in return for the tapestry.

In France, voices from the art and conservation fields have called on President Macron to abandon the project because of concerns transportation would cause irreparable damage to the tapestry.

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At the end of a little side street in the Beirut neighborhood of Ras Beirut, a faded poster points the way. If you follow the sign, head up a steep path to the left and through a heavy door, you’ll find yourself between tall bookshelves. Novels, political analyses, out-of-print editions about the culture and history of the region.

A few steps further, around the corner you’ll enter a second room. And here the atmosphere changes, it’s more dense and colourful. It’s here where poster heaven begins. Fascinating colors, so many faces, and typographies from over a century of trends in print.

There, at the back of the store, sits Abboudi Bou Jaoude, friendly, unassuming, always ready to tell a story. Behind him, Lebanese and Egyptian film posters from the 1960s and 70s, alongside posters from Iraq, Tunisia and Morocco. In between, there are magnets, postcards and coasters. An archive, but one that is alive and ready to evoke memories.

The entrance to Abboudi Abou Jaoude’s shop is hidden in a small side street in Beirut.Image: D. Hodali/DW

“This shop is an archive for Lebanon, but also for the entire region,” Bou Jaoude says. With more than 20,000 posters, his collection is considered one of the largest of its kind in the region. Many of the posters now hang in private homes — and even in the nearby Cafe Kalei, where film enthusiasts sip espresso while gazing at the faces of iconic Lebanese singers Fairuz or a young Sabah.

A life in cinema

“I was already going to the cinema at the age of six,” the 66-year-old says. “My father always took me along, he was the director of various cinemas in Bourj Hammoud, a predominantly Armenian suburb of Beirut.” While other children played football, Bou Jaoude sat in the dark, absorbing the cinema of his city.

Around the age of 14, he began collecting cinematic memorabilia, initially unintentionally, because he always just got posters from the cinemas. This was in the early 1970s.

“Like many teenagers back then, I wasn’t particularly interested in Arab films, I was more into foreign films. But I liked reading Arabic books,” he said.

Beirut, the region’s former film capital

To understand why Bou Jaoude’s archive is so unique, it’s important to know about the role that Lebanon used to play in Arab cinema.

Officially, the first Lebanese film was made in 1929, but local production remained in the shadow of Egypt’s film industry for a long time. With Lebanon’s independence and an economic boom, this changed. The 1960s were a golden era and Beirut became a regional center for literature and film. In 1965, UNESCO opened the Arab Cinema Center in Beirut, a regional hub for film in the Arab world and the first of its kind. In 1971, Beirut hosted the first international film festival in the region.

Beirut also had over 300 cinemas, with new films playing every week. “The cinema was for many a first destination,” says Bou Jaoude. “Before the civil war, people went to the cinema every week.”

All of this came to an abrupt end with the civil war, which went from 1975 to 1990 and nearly destroyed the cinema scene. Bou Jaoude preserved what remained — film by film, poster by poster. Decades later, he compiled this knowledge in a book, a comprehensive documentation of Lebanese cinema through posters from 1929 to 1979.

Abboudi Abou Jaoude has written a book about the movies between 1929 and 1979Image: D. Hodali/DW

An archive of Arab societies

He never thought that one day he would be considered one of the most important collectors in the region. It wasn’t until the 1990s, he says, that he understood the value of these posters. “At the beginning of my collecting, I didn’t realize what I was contributing.”

Today, he sees each poster as a historical document. “These posters are an expression of what society wanted at the time, what it was interested in, and what it wanted to see in the cinema, what it dreamed of.” 

Yet his archive includes much more than just film posters from Lebanon. During his work as a publisher — he founded the Al Furat publishing house in 2000 — he regularly traveled through the region.

One of his most valuable sub-collections comes from Iraq; he has around 4,000 posters from there. “I always made sure to take an extra two or three days to visit local cine (EN): The man saving L… mas. And there, I always asked if I could get a poster.”

Other posters in his collection come from Tunisia, Morocco, Libya and places like the Palestinian refugee camp in Yarmouk, Syria. In the 1960s, when Egyptian films were banned in Syria, small cinemas carefully preserved their posters. “The staff would often sell them to me for a few lira.”

In Abboudi Abou Jaoude’s shop, you can not only buy posters but also coasters, stickers, and postcardsImage: D. Hodali/DW

Sometimes he came across posters that had long been lost in the country they came from. During the time of former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, Egyptian films were banned in Iraq. “So the film reels were simply smuggled through Lebanon to make it look like the film came from here,” he explans.

Between nostalgia and identity

Many visitors to the store are young Lebanese looking for something that connects them to a past they only know from stories, he notes. Others no longer live in the country. “Many have emigrated and are looking for something that reminds them of home or tells them something about their parents’ or grandparents’ past.”

He often sees the reaction in the faces of the people who watched the films in the cinemas or heard about them from their families. “When people come in here and see a poster of the singer and actress Fairuz, they remember a time that many have pushed aside. People have forgotten a lot due to the war.”

The posters of singer and actress Fairuz are especially popular.Image: D. Hodali/DW

When asked if he has a favorite poster, he smiles almost apologetically. “I can’t decide, but I especially like the posters from the 1960s and early 70s.” It sounds like the answer of a man who knows every film, every color, every crease of a poster and wants to preserve them all.

If you head back out onto the street of Ras Beirut, something of this place lingers. The feeling that the past doesn’t fade, as long as someone guards it. That is what Bou Jaoude is doing, albeit quietly, modestly, in a shop that is more of a cultural and emotional archive than a business. 

This article was originally published in German.

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A Long Island man has been arrested for the fatal stabbing of a 23-year-old CVS employee on Christmas Day.

John Pilaccio, 43, of Lindenhurst, is charged with second-degree murder after he allegedly stabbed Edeedson Cine, of West Babylon, in the chest about an hour before the store was set to close, Suffolk County police said Friday.

Officers responded to the scene just before 7 p.m. Thursday at the CVS store at 20 East Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst. The suspect initially fled the scene on foot and Cine was rushed to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, where he was pronounced dead.

Pilaccio was identified as a person of interest based on witness descriptions and surveillance video from outside the store, Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said on Friday.

“It appears this poor kid went to work on Christmas and he was assaulted while he was working behind the counter in the store,” Catalina added.

Cine had worked at the store for about 10 months, according to police and CVS representatives. Investigators have not said what led to the stabbing or whether the suspect and victim knew each other. Pilaccio was taken into custody later that day and is set to be arraigned on Saturday.

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Edeedson Cine was fatally stabbed at a CVS store on Long Island on Christmas, the Suffolk County Police said on Friday (GoFundMe)

“We’re devastated over the tragic stabbing that occurred inside our East Montauk Highway store on Christmas night,” a CVS spokesperson said in a statement. “Edeedson Cine was a valued member of the store team, known for his strong work ethic – his loss will be felt by all of us.”

Cine’s family told CBS News that he was not scheduled to work on Christmas, but that he had picked up an extra shift.

“Why inside of CVS?” Cine’s grandmother, Rose Cine said. “Why where he was working? He just gets up and goes to work – that’s all he does.”

She said her grandson lived with his parents, attended a Seventh-day Adventist church and was “very loving.”

A makeshift memorial was set up outside the store Friday, where community members stopped to honor Cine, who made a lasting impression on customers.

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A makeshift memorial was set up outside the CVS store in Lindenhurst on Friday, where community members stopped to honor Edeedson Cine, who made a lasting impression on customers (Google Maps)

”He would go above and beyond. If you needed something, he would be responsive to you,” customer Margaret Reichling said. “He was always a nice, polite kid.”

A GoFundMe that describes Cine as “a remarkable young man who was taken from this world far too soon,” had raised more than $36,000 by Saturday.

“He had a fierce heart for service, and his love for his family and friends was unwavering,” the campaign read. “That love will continue to live on through all who were blessed to know him.”

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NEED TO KNOW

• Billie Lourd is marking nine years since her mom Carrie Fisher’s death
• In a lengthy post on Instagram, Billie said she will “never stop missing” her mom and reflected on how Fisher “lives on through” the joy she experiences with her kids
• Fisher died on Dec. 27, 2016, at the age of 60 after going into cardiac arrest on a flight

Billie Lourd is remembering her mom, Carrie Fisher, on the ninth anniversary of her death.

On Saturday, Dec. 27, Billie, 33, shared a touching post on Instagram, sharing that she will “never stop missing” her mom and reflecting on how Fisher “lives on through” the joy she experiences with her kids.

After recounting a sweet early morning moment she had with her 3-year-old daughter, Jackson, Billie wrote about the special bond Jackson shares with Billie’s father, Bryan Lourd — and how Fisher is at the heart of it.

“[They are] like 2 old souls that have known each other forever,” she said of Jackson and Bryan. “Watching my dad with my kids is one of the greatest joys I’ve ever known. … Then I started thinking about how this joy wouldn’t be possible without my mom. This joy only exists because she existed.”

“So even though she is not physically part of this joy, she is part of the reason for it,” Billie continued. “Even though she is not alive she lives on through this joy. My grief takes on many shapes – today, right now in this moment, that shape is this joy I get to experience watching my kids with my dad.”

“Thank you momby. I will never stop missing you,” she concluded her post, which featured a 25-year-old photo of Fisher and Bryan with a young Billie, as well as a recent Christmas photo of Bryan embracing Jackson and Billie’s son Kingston, 5.

Fisher, who was perhaps best known for her role as Princess Leia in the original Star Wars trilogy, died on Dec. 27, 2026, after going into cardiac arrest on a flight from London to Los Angeles. “She was loved by the world and she will be missed profoundly,” Lourd said in a statement at the time. “Our entire family thanks you for your thoughts and prayers.”

Adding to Billie’s heartbreak, her grandmother and Fisher’s mother, Debbie Reynolds, died from a stroke at age 84 just one day later on Dec. 28.

Since Fisher’s death, Billie has opened up about the loss of her mom on several occasions. When Fisher was posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles in May 2023, Billie unveiled the plaque alongside Fisher’s Star Wars costar Mark Hamill.

Billie Lourd and characters from ‘Star Wars’ at Carrie Fisher’s posthumous Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in May 2023.

Albert L. Ortega/Getty

For the emotional occasion, Billie wore a dress adorned with an image of her mom as Princess Leia, and took a moment to sprinkle some glitter on Fisher’s star to symbolize how her mother “left a mark of her sparkle on everyone she met.”

“My mom isn’t just Princess Leia,” she said during a speech at the unveiling ceremony. “She is Carrie Fisher. She was an incredible actress who infused her wit and strength into every character she played from her first role at only 16 years old in Shampoo to her last role in Catastrophe.”

In October 2024 — on what would have been her mother’s 68th birthday — Billie posted a tribute on Instagram, sharing that she tries to celebrate Fisher “as much as possible” on her special day each year.

Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd in 2015.

Barry King/WireImage

“Some years my grief makes me feel the warmth of her love, some years it makes me angry, some years I feel numb but today when I woke up I just felt sad. I didn’t want to celebrate, I just wanted my mom,” she wrote.

“60 is too damn young to die,” Billie added later in the post.

Billie shared a similar sentiment on what would have been Fisher’s 69th birthday on Oct. 21. “My mom would’ve been 69 years old today. Which still feels shockingly young because this is the 9th birthday of hers I’ve ‘celebrated’ without her,” she wrote on Instagram.

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Billie went on to express her sadness that Fisher “never got to meet her grandchildren and see them grow into the magical smart hilarious kind creatures they are today.”

“She was a brilliant magical human and I want them to know that,” she added.

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Billionaires are planning to pack up and leave California in protest over a proposed ballot measure seeking to heavily tax the state’s wealthiest residents.

Venture capitalist Peter Thiel and Google co-founder Larry Page are among those plotting to flee, according to The New York Times.

Three companies associated with Page have filed documents of incorporation in Florida, the outlet reports. 

Tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya also confirmed earlier this week that he has given ‘serious consideration’ to relocating to Texas if the measure goes ahead.

‘The inevitable outcome will be an exodus of the state’s most talented entrepreneurs who can and will choose to build their companies in less regressive states,’ Palihapitiya said. 

The threats come in response to a ballot measure proposed by the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West union which was cleared for campaign by the state Attorney General’s Office.

The union proposes hitting Californian’s worth over $1 billion where it hurts most with a five percent tax on every dollar of their vast fortunes.

If the measure gathers enough signatures, lands on the November ballot and wins voter approval, it would affect anyone living in the West Coast state as of January 1, 2026.

Venture capitalist Peter Thiel (pictured)  is among the billionaires reportedly plotting to flee California over a proposed super wealth tax

Two sources familiar with the private discussions told the NYT that Google founder Larry Page (pictured), a longtime Palo Alto resident, had discussed leaving California before the end of the year

Tech investor Chamath Palihapitiya (pictured) confirmed earlier this week that he has given ‘serious consideration’ to relocating to Texas if the measure goes ahead

High-net worth tax advisor David Lesperance (pictured) admitted that nearly all of his clients are ‘taking steps as quickly as possible both to sever California residence and to move assets out of the state’

High-net worth tax and immigration advisor David Lesperance admitted that nearly all of his clients are ‘taking steps as quickly as possible both to sever California residence and to move assets out of the state’, according to the NYT. 

Miami real estate agent Brett Harris also told the outlet that five California billionaires had already contacted him, exploring a move to Florida to ‘offset their risk of exposure to the billionaire tax’.

However, Harris noted, if the measure fails, those same billionaires ‘may end up moving back to California.’

According to the union, the measure aims to tackle the ‘growing gap’ between hefty executive salaries and the real-world challenges faced by patients and frontline staff.

‘At a time when healthcare executives are collecting multimillion-dollar paychecks while patients delay care and frontline workers struggle to make ends meet, it’s clear the system is broken,’ ultrasound technologist Mayra Casteneda said.

‘This initiative is about putting healthcare dollars where they belong – into patient care, safer staffing and expanding access – instead of rewarding healthcare executives for maintaining a status quo that puts profits over patient care.’

One term of the measure would cap pay for executives, administrators and managers at both nonprofit and for-profit hospitals and medical groups at $450,000 per year.

Miami real estate agent Brett Harris (pictured) revealed that five California billionaires already contacted him exploring a move to Florida

Suzanne Jimenez (pictured), the union’s chief of staff, said some ideas in their proposal stem from her belief that California billionaires are the ‘most fortunate people in this state’

California Governor Gavin Newsom described the proposed wealth tax as ‘not pragmatic’

Newsom has even raised funds for a committee dedicated to opposing the measure, which has since received a $100,000 donation from venture capitalist Ron Conway (pictured)

Frontline staff argue that the cap is ample and that investing the excess in the workforce is long overdue. 

Californians with $20 billion in assets would also owe a one-time tax of $1 billion, with five years to pay under the proposed measure.

This means that Page, who is worth roughly $258 billion, would be hit with a $27.5 billion one-time tax, while Thiel, with $27.5 billion, might owe $1.2 billion.

The union said the proposed tax could generate up to $100 million from roughly 200 billionaires, potentially offsetting federal budget cuts, as reported by the NYT.

However, California’s Legislative Analyst’s Office and Department of Finance project that the wealth tax ‘would collect tens of billions of dollars’ in onetime payments. 

Suzanne Jimenez, the union’s chief of staff, said some ideas in the proposal stem from her belief that California billionaires are the ‘most fortunate people in this state’.

‘We looked at how could we generate the revenue to fix this kind of hole, and this group of folks just made sense,’ she told the outlet.

Thiel, who runs a personal investment firm in Los Angeles, has reportedly begun seeking to open Thiel Capital – an office for his firm – in another state, according to three close sources who spoke to the NYT.

The proposal would tax the state’s wealthiest residents a five percent tax on every dollar of their riches

Two sources familiar with the private discussions told the NYT that Page, a longtime Palo Alto resident, had discussed leaving California before the end of the year.

Governor Gavin Newsom and  other Silicon Valley investors have also criticized the measure, with Newsom describing the proposed wealth tax as ‘not pragmatic,’ as reported by the outlet.

A spokesperson said the governor continues to oppose ‘state-level wealth taxes’, arguing they give people an incentive to relocate to another state. 

Newsom has even raised funds for a committee dedicated to opposing the measure, which has since received a $100,000 donation from venture capitalist Ron Conway. 

But tax advisor Lesperance said it would be a lengthy and challenging process for people to successfully claim non-residence in California, according to the NYT.

Known for its aggressive revenue collection, the state’s tax agency considers multiple factors to determine residency: principal residence, voter registration, drivers license information and precise locations of their banks, investments and family members. 

Meanwhile, the state’s Department of Finance warned that California could lose hundreds of millions annually in income tax revenue if these billionaires were to leave, according to the outlet.

The wealth tax debate emerges amid widening income inequality in the United States, which increased consistently over a 33-year span ending in 2022. 

The result is striking, according to data from the Congressional Budget Office. The top ten percent hold 69 percent of the nation’s riches, while the bottom 50 percent share a mere three percent.

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Maps show every county in the UK could soon see snow, while a weather phenomenon which the Met Office says can be ‘extremely hazardous’ is also on the cards for some

Snow (in purple) is expected to hit the UK from January 4(Image: WX Charts)

A rare and dangerous weather phenomenon looks set to impact some parts of the country as maps show a major snowstorm is on the cards.

Every UK county can expect to see some snow, the GFS weather model suggests, as flurries sweep across the country at the start of next month. The data shows snow falling from January 4 to January 7, hitting major cities including London, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

By the evening of January 7, snow coverage maps show almost every inch of the country could see some of the white stuff settled on the ground. However, the maps also suggest that some regions face a weather phenomenon which the Met Office says can prove “extremely hazardous”.

London could see snow on January 7(Image: WX Charts)READ MORE: UK snow forecast maps show eight-inch blizzard to bury major cities within daysREAD MORE: What to know about UK snow bomb bringing ‘one inch per hour’ in just days

Areas marked in orange on the maps indicate “freezing rain” could fall on January 7. The freezing rain is expected in Scotland in the early hours, but could hit the Midlands and possibly parts of Wales by midday. It could then fall in East Anglia and Bedfordshire at around 9pm.

What is freezing rain?

The Met Office describes freezing rain as a “rare type of liquid precipitation that strikes a cold surface and freezes almost instantly”. It forms when snow falls through warmer air, which makes it turn into rain, before falling through colder air again.

Freezing rain (in orange) could impact Scotland on January 7(Image: WX Charts)

This means the droplets become “supercooled” and have a temperature below zero, despite still falling in liquid form. The Met Office explains: “When this ‘supercooled’ droplet hits the ground (which is below zero too) it spreads out a little on landing, and then instantly freezes, encasing the surface in a layer of clear ice. This is why it is called freezing rain.”

Freezing rain is also expected in the Midlands(Image: WX Charts)

Dangers of freezing rain

Freezing rain can pose a number of risks. According to the Met Office, the weight of the ice can bring down trees and power lines. The ice also effectively turns roads and pathways into ice rinks. The national weather agency adds: “The freezing rain can also prove extremely hazardous for aircraft.”

Met Office weather forecast for January

The Met Office says “wintry hazards” are on the cards at the start of January. This could include snow, which may even impact low-lying regions.

Freezing rain can pose a number of risks(Image: WX Charts)

The Met Office forecast for January 1 to 10 states: “An area of low pressure moves through the North Sea at first, which leads to rain and showers spreading south across the UK.

“Thereafter high pressure will likely be centred to the northwest with low pressure to the east, which allows a cold, showery, northerly flow develop for a time. For many this leads to a fairly settled period but there will be some wintry hazards including perhaps snow to low levels to north facing coastal areas at times.

“Showers will likely spread further inland at times and there may be some windier periods with more prolonged rain, however on the whole it will be drier than average. Temperatures will likely be below average for much of the period though it may turn near average or above average later.”

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