Eugene Diamond has been the first stop for the latest news and sweet treats for decades

Back in August 1979 when Eugene Diamond first started out in business, Margaret Thatcher had been Prime Minister for only a few months and Northern Ireland was a very different place.

Now at the age of 69, the owner of Diamonds Newsagents is emotional as he prepares to bow out after 47 years.

His independent newsagents on Broughshane Street has been keeping the people of Ballymena and beyond up to date with the latest news for decades.

In that time, Eugene has ensured locals are chomping on the latest chocolate, sweets and of course, news.

A well-known face around the Co Antrim town and beyond thanks to social media, his departure marks the end of an era for one of the last of the old school sweet shop owners left in Northern Ireland.

He’s famous for posting images of the front and back pages of newspapers on Facebook and X every day of the week and opens the doors of his shop at 5.30am daily.

In addition to posting the daily newspaper headlines, he was also known for his lively over the counter banter and sharing early morning pictures of Broughshane Street alongside a weather update.

Before finding himself behind the counter of a paper shop, Eugene started off delivering papers as a wee boy. In those 47 years, he witnessed the high points of the newspaper market when major titles sold in record numbers.

But the much loved local retailer has confirmed that Sunday, August 30 will be the final day of opening for his popular Ballymena shop, marking the end of almost 50 years in business.

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Taking to social media to announce his decision, Mr Diamond said: “On Sunday 30th August 2026 this window light that’s shone from early morning on Broughshane Street as last 47 years will go out for good.

“I will retire that evening and Diamonds newsagents will close for good. I’ve loved this job and wouldn’t change a thing,” adding: “It’s been a blast.”

Speaking to Belfast Live ahead of shutting up shop for the final time, Eugene said: “It was a completely different world here in Ballymena back in August 1979. People walked to work; there weren’t as many cars on the road.

“Your average daily newspaper was between 5-7p and the average daily newspaper now is between £1-£2.40 or £3.20 if you want to go as far as The Times. You got two chews for one penny, a Penny Bubbly for a penny. I think milk around that time for a pint was somewhere around 10-12p is now a pound so things in price have moved on big time.”

Inside Diamonds, you’ve also found a staggering variety of sweets and chocolate bars – Eugene has long prided himself on being the first person in Ireland to stock Creme Eggs each year.

“We always did all the staples, the Mars, Rowntrees and a lot of Cadbury’s. We had direct accounts with them and in those days we were the outlet for chocolates when they were targeting a new market. They used newsagents. Everything was launched through newsagents,” Eugene said.

“Wispa and Twirl came along in my time in here and we had to keep them embargoed until the launch date, those things just went through the roof. With potato crisps when I first came in, you would have had cheese and onions, smoky bacon, ready salted and salt and vinegar.

“Then there was this great thing that came along: the Tudor Crisps, which people loved. Tudor spring onion just sold en masse and you would not believe how many boxes we went through every day.”

Eugene added: “I became famous for Creme Eggs too and I’ve always went out of my way to have them early. They were available every year from early to mid November. Most people don’t want to see them until after the Christmas stuff’s gone so I thought it was a great idea and it worked very well for me.

“People actually went out of their way to come here for the Creme Eggs. There was one woman now deceased and her husband who had to come here because, basically, he thought we sold the freshest.

“When Orange Twirl was just launched and it was very hard to get, Eamonn Holmes asked me to keep a box for him because it was a limited edition and then in the end they brought it out all the time.”

Sadly Eugene says ill-health prompted his decision to put his shop on the market last year: “I had taken ill and honestly didn’t know what it was but I was unable to work. Luckily we got a diagnosis of cervical myelopathy, which was impacting on my spine, the bones in the back of my neck.

“I had a bit of surgery to relieve that and I have some pins where the bones were. I’m doing well but to be truthful, the energy levels aren’t there. I’m coming into my 69th year so basically maybe I’m retirement age.”

Since announcing news of the shop’s closure later this month, Eugene has been flooded with messages: “Honestly, people have been more than good. I’ve been inundated by people sending me good wishes, praying for me in every church and chapel in this town and maybe further afield. I’ve been very, very lucky. Customers have just been outstanding.

“Sunday, August 30th will be the final day and we’ll shut up shop that evening. There might be the odd weather picture and newspaper headline on social media but it’ll not be in the montage form anymore because I won’t have the availability of the papers.

“We were in the level of the old fashioned newsagents. People came in, they had a yarn and communicated with us. We always had great craic and never anything too heavy. There was some laughter here over the years. I really appreciated them all, every last one. Great people.”

And when asked what he plans to do first in his retirement, Eugene replies with a smile: “A holiday.”

Video: Justin Kernoghan

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A fresh wave of US tariffs on a wide array of Canadian goods has come into effect as of midnight on Saturday after a last minute break down in trade talks.

Announcing the suspension of negotiations shortly before the Friday night deadline, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he would impose reciprocal tariffs on US goods “dollar for dollar”.

Carney said “last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal”.

Trade negotiators had been engaged in intense talks since July, after President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 50% levy on nearly $20bn (C$28bn) of Canadian imports by 19 August.

Trump had temporarily paused those tariffs earlier in the week, saying the two sides were close to signing a trade deal that was “very good” for both countries.

But minutes before a deadline for a deal, Carney said that while “important progress” had been made in the talks it was “not enough to meet our objectives for Canadians”.

“As a result, this evening, I have decided to suspend trade negotiations with the U.S. and have directed negotiators to return to Ottawa,” he said.

“Last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal.”

After Carney’s announcement US trade representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement: “Tonight, Canada declined to finalize the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier this week.

“Despite the US offer to Canada to receive the best treatment of any major exporter to our market, new demands and walk backs of other commitments by Canada have upended the careful balance reached in the past days,” the statement on X said.

The breakdown in talks marks a significant shift in tone from earlier in the week, when both US and Canadian officials sounded optimistic that a trade deal beneficial for both countries was within reach.

Negotiators were reportedly discussing a deal that would reduce US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium from 50% to 25%, and on Canadian autos from 25% to 15%.

In exchange, Carney had asked Canadian provinces to restore US alcohol to store shelves.

Tensions between the two major trading partners have been simmering since Trump returned to office in January last year and unleashed a wide-ranging global programme of tariffs, upending decades of free trade between Canada and the US.

Now that talks have broken down, Canada will be hit with new 50% US tariffs imposed by Trump using a Depression-era law called the Tariff Act of 1930.

They will be applied on a range of goods, including wine, dairy, cement, clothing and hockey equipment.

They are in addition to existing tariffs the US had already imposed on Canadian steel and aluminium, autos and lumber.

Doug Ford, the traditionally outspoken premier of Canada’s largest province Ontario, said “the prime minister has my full support for a strong response—tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar,” following Carney’s announcement.

Canada has been engaged in on-again, off-again trade negotiations with the US for over a year in pursuit of a deal that would see the US drop or reduce tariffs on these key sectors.

The US, meanwhile, has been asking for a number of concessions from Canada, including removing its remaining retaliatory tariffs on American autos and adjusting its dairy quotas to allow greater access for US cheese producers.

It has also asked for the ban on US alcohol sales, imposed last year by most Canadian provinces in retaliation to Trump’s tariffs, be removed.

Businesses and stakeholders on both sides of the border had pushed for a deal to be reached, arguing that the new US tariffs on Canada will be harmful to both countries.

The US Chamber of Commerce said earlier in the week in a statement that “higher tariffs would damage both economies, drive up costs for US families, further disrupt critical supply chains, and risk the 13 million American jobs that depend on trade under the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement”.

A recent poll by Canadian firm Abacus Data suggested that around 36% of Canadian would support retaliating to US tariffs, while another 30% would want the Carney government to continue negotiating.

Retaliation risks upsetting the Trump administration, with trade representative Jamieson Greer saying the US is “not going to tolerate” counter-tariffs.

“We’ll take action,” he told reporters last week.

Rachel Rebecca Photography officially opened its doors in Northallerton, offering newborn, family and studio photography, as well as wedding services on location. 

Rachel, who grew up in Ingleby Barwick, Stockton, first discovered her love of photography while at school before moving on to study at York St John University.

After specialising in wedding photography and building up her portfolio, Rachel has taken the next step by launching her own dedicated studio at Register House.

Inside the new studio. (Image: Rachel Rebecca Photography)

The new space will focus on newborn photography, family portraits and other studio sessions, while Rachel continues to take bookings for weddings across the region.

Rachel said opening her own studio was a major milestone after years spent developing her photography career.

She said: “Photography has been part of my life since I was at school, and it’s still just as exciting to me now as it was back then.

“Getting to open my own studio and build something that’s truly mine feels like such a huge step, and I can’t wait to welcome families and couples through the door.”

Rachel said her biggest hope is to create a welcoming and comforting environment for her clients, where they can feel completely at ease throughout the process.

She added: “I wanted to create a space where people feel completely at ease as soon as they walk in, especially with newborn sessions where every little detail matters.

“Whether it’s a new baby, a family portrait or a couple getting ready for their big day, I want every client to leave with photos they’ll treasure forever.”

The studio’s first customers are already sharing feedback about their first photoshoots with Rachel.

Rebecca Gooding said: “She put us at ease and the photos are amazing. I can’t stop looking at them.”

The business celebrated its opening with a launch event earlier this month and is now taking bookings for studio sessions as well as wedding photography across the region.

Rachel hopes the new studio will help her continue growing the business while capturing precious moments and milestones for families to look back on for years to come.

The charges follow 12 simultaneous warrants executed on Wednesday, August 19.

Six people have been charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, namely cocaine and heroin.

They are Nicolette Brown, 55, of Raikes Way; Connor Hilton, 28, of Canada Street; Arif Mohmed, 48, of Drysdale View; George Smalley, 32, of Raikes Way; William Harris, 31, of Ashdene Crescent; and Muhammed Hasham, 20, of Hurst Street.

All six have been remanded in custody ahead of a scheduled appearance at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today (August 21).

Mohammed Blial-Hussein, 20, of Rishton Lane, has been charged with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

Salman Tailor, 28, of Middlebrook Drive, has been charged with conspiracy to money launder and participate in the activities of an organised crime group.

Both have also been remanded in custody ahead of a scheduled appearance at Manchester Magistrates’ Court today.

The charges follow the warrants carried out as part of the serious organised crime investigation.

Ivanka Trump has been flaunting her enviable physique all summer long.

The First Daughter, 44, has spent the last few months jet-setting around the globe to glamorous destinations like Iceland and the Bahamas.

She has been documenting the trips online with her millions of social media followers, and in many of the photos, the mother-of-three showcased her incredibly toned figure in tiny bikinis and skin-tight dresses.

Ivanka has worked extremely hard to achieve her impressive abs, previously detailing her strict diet and vigorous workout regimen. 

And throughout her lavish summer, she’s made sure to maintain her active lifestyle.

Earlier this month, Ivanka shared stunning pictures of her family’s getaway to Iceland, posing in an ice-blue bikini while swimming in the Blue Lagoon with her flat stomach and washboard abs on full display.

In another picture posted this week from her Iceland trip, the First Daughter showcased her svelte figure in a black one-piece swimsuit as she enjoyed a dip in a spa.

The swimsuit featured a large, deep cutout in the back and left her toned arms and long legs on full display. 

In another picture posted this week from her Iceland trip, the First Daughter showcased her svelte figure in a black one-piece swimsuit as she enjoyed a dip in a spa

In June, after she attended her brother Donald Trump Jr’s wedding to Bettina Anderson in the Bahamas, she showed off her rock-solid abs once again, posing in a silky, see-through two-piece set over her navy blue bikini.

She has also been a big fan of strappy dresses this summer, showing off her long legs in various resort-inspired designs by Cara Cara and Donde Esteban. 

While attending Michael Rubin’s star-studded white party in the Hamptons this year, she opted for a figure-hugging, low-cut, white fringe gown.

So, how does the jet-setting mother-of-three achieve such an enviable figure while staying so busy?

Well, it appears that Ivanka still manages to stay active even while on vacation.

Shoehorned between photos of her enjoying beach trips, yacht rides and spa days, the blonde beauty has shared numerous snaps of herself participating in various sports.

She has posted pictures of her and her family swimming, hiking, playing golf, doing archery and even fishing.

In addition to participating in energetic activities, Ivanka has previously said that she works out four days a week, focusing on weight and strength training. 

She also showed off her rock-solid abs while posting pictures from her brother Don Jr’s wedding this June  

She’s also been a big fan of strappy dresses this summer, showing off her long legs in various resort-inspired designs by Cara Cara and Donde Esteban

Shoehorned between photos of her enjoying beach trips, yacht rides and spa days, the blonde beauty has shared numerous snaps of herself participating in various sports 

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Ivanka (above last year) is a big fan of strength training 

In the past, she’s taken to Instagram to share insight into her daily workouts 

Ivanka said on Instagram that she used to ‘focus primarily on cardio, yoga, and Pilates,’ but after moving to Miami, she said she ‘shifted her focus to weightlifting and resistance training’

‘Something that I think has been a massive change for me since I moved to Miami, I started prioritizing exercise,’ Ivanka revealed during an appearance on the Skinny Confidential Him and Her podcast in January last year. 

‘Initially, that took the form of yoga and Pilates, these things that I had done at various points of my life, but now I had the ability, because I was on my own schedule, to make them more consistent and a more regular part of my life.

‘Gradually, I started doing more resistance and weight training, and that’s when I saw a massive difference.

‘That’s when I really noticed a massive change for me, and my body composition fundamentally changed.

‘I got stronger, I got leaner and I could kind of get away with it because I’m really tall, so I can look lean even if I wasn’t strong.’

She added: ‘Yoga and Pilates, while I enjoy them a lot more than resistance training, I was not able to develop muscle through them. I really needed this… It’s been life-changing.’

She said what really worked for her was the simple exercises, like ‘pushes,’ ‘pulls’ and ‘deadlifts.’

In addition, Ivanka and her whole family enjoy the practice of jiu-jitsu, a type of self-defense martial arts. 

She wrote: ‘I believe in a strength training approach built on foundational, time-tested and simple movements – squats, deadlifts, hinges, pushes, and pulls’

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In addition to working out, Ivanka has previously said she prioritizes her wellness routine. Above, with her husband, Jared Kushner, in September last year

In September 2024, she shared more insight into her daily workouts via Instagram.

‘I believe in a strength training approach built on foundational, time-tested and simple movements – squats, deadlifts, hinges, pushes, and pulls. These are the cornerstones of my workout, emphasizing functional strength for life,’ she wrote at the time. 

‘Weightlifting has enhanced not just my strength but my overall athleticism and resilience.’

Ivanka said that ‘prioritizing form’ was also ‘essential’ to her, adding: ‘Only then do I add weight.’

‘I also incorporate a couple of short (ten-minute), high-intensity interval training sessions (such as sprints) each week to keep my cardiovascular fitness sharp and dynamic,’ she continued.

In addition to working out, Ivanka also prioritizes her wellness routine, as she explained during her appearance on the Skinny Confidential podcast.

Before a workout, she said she always adds amino acids and electrolytes to her water, which can help to balance the fluids in your body. 

Before she goes to bed, she likes to take magnesium and uses the $35 Skinny Confidential Mouth Tape to ensure a good night’s sleep. 

As for her diet, Ivanka admitted in 2016 that before she became a mom, she didn’t focus on eating healthily at all.

Instead, she confessed to Shape magazine that she consumed food ‘like a teenager,’ feasting on ‘carbs three times a day, usually in the form of pasta or pizza.’

She also never cooked meals at home, as she once told Oprah: ‘Until I got married, the only pieces of cookware I owned were a couple of pots and a George Foreman grill from college.’

But after getting married and welcoming her daughter Arabella in 2011, all of that changed.

She began focusing on a protein-rich diet, and in October 2024, she revealed on Instagram that she ‘consumes between 30 to 50 grams of protein per meal.’

‘Slowly, I started to actually enjoy, if not crave, these healthier options. Now healthy eating is the norm for me, especially at breakfast and lunch,’ Ivanka told Shape in 2016. 

The Channel 5 presenter was announced as leading the 2026 Carers UK Awards earlier this week, which seeks to “shine a spotlight” on the contribution of unpaid carers, but the decision was met with outrage on social media.

Campaigners had criticised the decision and said Vine should be replaced as he “attacks disabled people for clicks”.

Mike O’Brien, a campaigner for unpaid carers, said Carers UK had “chosen to stab us all in the back” by choosing Vine as the host.

“This man has made clear his hate for disabled people, the vulnerable and unpaid carers, yet you chose him to host the awards ceremony,” he wrote on Twitter/X.

“I sincerely hope you see the error of your ways and the anger you have caused within the unpaid carer community and change your minds about this awful decision.”

Following the backlash, Carers UK announced that Vine would no longer be hosting the event.

Jeremy Vine (Image: Channel 5/PA)

A spokesperson for Carers UK said: “Following discussions with Jeremy Vine, we’ve made the decision that he will no longer be hosting this year’s Carers UK Awards.

“Jeremy has been incredibly supportive of Carers UK including through his radio show, and we’re grateful for that support.

“But after listening carefully to our community over the past couple of days, we’ve agreed that the focus of the evening should stay entirely on celebrating carers and the individuals and organisations that support them, without the risk of other content becoming a distraction.”

Vine also took to Twitter/X to address the controversy.

“Because I host debates about welfare, benefits etc I see I was a controversial choice to be the (obviously unpaid) host of the prestigious @CarersUK awards so I’m very happy to stand aside and give someone else the honour of doing it,” the broadcaster said.

“I originally said yes to support a friend who watched her husband die in a long and painful process, and I didn’t want to let her down. I see her as a heroine.

“I’m not a campaigner, and guests on my shows know I have to be impartial, but I’m very much aware of the vital role unpaid carers play. I believe we’ve only ever covered them sympathetically.

“I wish @CarersUK well with their excellent event and will cheer the winners from a distance.”

Earlier this week, on August 16, Vine’s programme on Channel 5 ran a segment in response to Reform UK’s policy announcements on benefits, titled: “Reform right to call for cuts to disability benefits?”

Another Facebook video from August 18 had the caption: “Should benefits claimants clean the high street?”

After a spate of heatwaves, it’s finally happening: the sides of my road are lined with crunchy autumn leaves, and the weather, finally, is turning a little cooler.

Just as the Great British Bake-Off is set to hit our screens again, plums, apples, and blackberries come into season. The nights are getting longer; turning your oven on feels more bearable as the sweltering heat dissipates.

That means one thing, home cooks: it’s almost time for Prime Baking Season.

If you’re looking for some inspo to get back into the kitchen, we’ve tried and tested plenty of recipes from culinary guru Mary Berry (why waste time with anyone but the best?).

Here are nine of our favourites:

By ALEX HAMMER, US MEDIA CORRESPONDENT

Updated: 04:57 BST, 22 August 2026

Johnny Depp could be set for a triumphant return to Hollywood after his turn as iconic miser Ebenezer Scrooge scored well during an early test screening, according to a new report.

Puck’s Matthew Belloni made the revelation on Friday. He cited an August 11 test screening of ‘Ebenezer’ attended by Paramount studio heads Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg in Paramus, New Jersey.

Sources also told Belloni, widely seen as Hollywood’s go-to source for insider information, that the ‘A Christmas Carol’ spinoff scored well overall.

But the ‘real interest’ revolved around Depp, 63, whose last major studio film role came as the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter-inspired ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.’

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The film was released in 2018. Legal battles with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, lost Depp the role in 2020. 

Pirates of the Caribbean showrunners distanced themselves from the star, at the time. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed the actor was in talks to reprise that role at an event late last month.

All eyes were thus on Depp last week. ‘And much to the relief of the Paramount execs – and, to a certain extent, the rest of Hollywood – they loved him,’ Belloni wrote.

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Johnny Depp could be set for a triumphant return to Hollywood after his turn as iconic miser Ebenezer Scrooge scored well during an August 11 screening

Depp scored an 86 out of 100 as the Dickensian character, according to Belloni, when the accepted average for a male lead is around 67.

Depp also scored extremely well with women over 35 – a demo some suspected may have been less kind considering Heard, 40, alleged the actor physically and sexually abused her over the course of their relationship, Belloni noted.

Depp scored at least 90 percent in the demo, sources told the Puck founder, adding that he confirmed the numbers ‘with three sources.’ 

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‘In fact, talking to producers and studio execs over the past few weeks, the possibility of a Depp comeback is shaping up as a major narrative for the fall,’ he wrote.

A jury found that Heard defamed Depp on three counts with her claims, which were launched in a 2018 Washington Post opinion piece. The Edward Scissorhands star was subsequently awarded $10.35 million in damages. 

Ebenezer – headed by relatively small-time horror director Ti West – hits theaters in November. 

The movie boasts a roughly $40 million budget.  

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Depp, in-character and in-costume, appeared at Comic-Con in San Diego last month to plug the film.

Depp – seen in character last January – last appeared in a major studio film in 2018, as the main antagonist in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.’ The film was released in 2018. Legal battles with his ex-wife, Amber Heard, lost Depp the role in the now-trilogy in 2020

Belloni noted that the strategy, to some, came off as desperate, considering Depp’s situation.

‘Instead, it played exactly as Paramount hoped: This guy is about the characters, not the wine glasses he may or may not have thrown at his ex.’

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Belloni ended the update reiterating how ‘other studios are monitoring this situation closely.’