The business had promoted its CastleCourt outlet as a “paradise for chocolate lovers”

A chocolate shop, which went viral for its luxury Dubai-inspired desserts, has closed its Belfast store less than a year after opening.

Shoppers visiting CastleCourt Shopping Centre this week were met with the shutters down at Taste of Belgium.

The closure comes exactly two years after the company opened its Belfast premises in July 2024, following the closure of its original Newry café in June of that year.

Taste of Belgium built up a loyal following on social media thanks to its extravagant desserts, including its £12 Dubai chocolate strawberries and £8 Dubai hot chocolate, as well as handmade Belgian chocolates and speciality coffees.

The business had promoted its CastleCourt outlet as a “paradise for chocolate lovers”, serving handcrafted Belgian chocolates alongside drinks, desserts and gift boxes.

The move to Belfast came after the owners shut their Newry premises, telling customers at the time they were relocating to a larger site in CastleCourt Shopping Centre.

However, customers arriving at the city centre shopping centre this week found the unit closed.

A spokesperson for CastleCourt Shopping Centre confirmed to Belfast Live that Taste of Belgium has permanently ceased trading at the shopping centre. No reason has been given for the closure.

The business had become one of several local retailers to capitalise on the viral Dubai chocolate trend, with its pistachio-filled chocolate strawberries and rich hot chocolates attracting queues and widespread attention online.

Its website continues to advertise Belgian chocolates and click-and-collect in Belfast, although it is unclear whether this will continue following the closure of the CastleCourt store

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Nishika Samaratunga is believed to be concealing the whereabouts of her two children, five-year-old Blaine Baier and three-year-old Nathaniel Baier, known as Nate

A dad has urged his ex-wife to ‘do the right thing’ after she abducted her two sons and has been on the run in the UK for over three months.

Nishika Samaratunga, a 34-year-old British citizen originally from Sri Lanka, is believed to be concealing the whereabouts of her two children, five-year-old Blaine Baier and three-year-old Nathaniel Baier, known as Nate.

The boys were born in the United States and were being cared for by their father, Ben Baier, who lives near Denver, Colorado.

Blaine and Nathaniel visited their mother in the UK in March as part of court-ordered contact following their parents’ divorce but Ms Samaratunga failed to return them to Mr Baier at a UK airport on March 29, and she and the boys have not been located since.

Mr Baier, 43, has begun High Court proceedings to try to secure his sons’ return, with his lawyers raising concerns that the two boys do not appear to be attending school or nursery and are not receiving medical care.

Mr Baier said: “The collapse of my marriage has been an incredibly trying time, but I never believed that Nishika would abduct Blaine and Nathaniel and then conceal their whereabouts in an effort to keep them from me, uprooting them from their home in Colorado.

“Both our children have autism, and such abrupt changes to their routine are incredibly damaging to their development and health.

“I’m calling for her to do the right thing and return them to me so they can return to their life as normal, and for anyone who knows where they are to help return them to their home. I can only pray for their safe return.”

The High Court has allowed the publication of details of the case to help locate the children.

Mr Baier and Ms Samaratunga married in 2020, with Ms Samaratunga moving to the US, but their relationship broke down in 2024. Ms Samaratunga then applied to a Colorado court to relocate the children to London in August last year but returned to the UK the following month after this was refused.

She made further requests to relocate the children but a Colorado court ordered in October that Mr Baier become their sons’ primary custodial parent.

While the Colorado court ordered that the children must remain in the state, it also ordered Mr Baier to take the children to England so they could spend time with Ms Samaratunga, with a first visit taking place between December and January. But when Mr Baier went to the airport to take his sons back to the US following the second visit in March, Ms Samaratunga failed to return them, in breach of the order of the Colorado court.

The High Court in London has since issued orders against several companies to trace Ms Samaratunga, including JP Morgan Chase, HSBC, Thames Water and the NHS, but no information has become available as to her whereabouts.

A judge in Colorado also authorised American law enforcement to take custody of the children in April, citing a “credible risk that the children are in imminent danger”.

They added that Ms Samaratunga had “engaged in activities indicating a planned abduction” and had “unilaterally prevented the children’s court-ordered return”. This meant the children were “presently physically and emotionally endangered”.

Amy Rowe, partner at Hunters Law LLP, representing Mr Baier, said: “The court has rightly recognised the deeply harmful impact of abduction on Blaine and Nathaniel. These are two very young, vulnerable children and every day that they remain missing increases the concern for their welfare. It is imperative that they are found and returned home safely as soon as possible.”

Those with information concerning Ms Samaratunga and the boys’ whereabouts can contact Amy Rowe or Safina Mitha at Hunters Law confidentially.

Ramsay MacDonald also spent two non-consecutive periods as prime minister, from January to November 1924 and June 1929 to June 1935, adding up to 2,480 days – though for the period from 1931 to 1935 he was a member of the short-lived National Labour party, having been expelled from the official Labour party after forming a coalition government.

It could become one of the largest airports in Europe

Brand new photos show upgrades at London Stansted Airport ahead of a huge transformation. The airport is speeding up work on changes that will see new passenger facilities added.

Plans were announced in October 2024 and detailed designs have been developed since. Work has also been undertaken to enable the progression of the scheme, which could see the terminal capacity grow to serve more than 40 million people per year.

The next phase of development begin later this summer with the construction of new “skylink” walkways. This is to connect the terminal to existing satellite buildings, enabling Stansted’s track transit people mover system to then be decommissioned. This will enable the terminal building to be extended in later phases.

The showpiece part of the transformation is the three-bay extension to the existing terminal, creating a more spacious area with new shops, bars and restaurants. Once complete it is thought it will make Stansted the largest single-terminal airport in Europe.

A series of projects have already been completed or started, including a new domestic arrival building, an enlarged security hall, and a new airside access security facility.

Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s managing director, said: “This year has already been another exciting period for everyone connected with London Stansted as we continue to welcome a record number of passengers, new airlines and routes and drive forward the airport’s transformation programme.

“We have real momentum behind our vision for London Stansted and a strong platform to build upon having joined the big league of airports last year when we passed the 30m passengers a year milestone and securing planning permission to serve up to 51m passengers a year.

“This presents us with a great opportunity to develop and optimise the infrastructure of the airport as we continue to grow passenger numbers and secure links to even more global destinations over the next couple of decades. We sit at the heart of the Innovation Corridor that runs from London to Cambridge and onwards to Peterborough and is growing at a rapid pace.”

He continued: “This economic success is underpinned by excellent international connectivity, so our ability to increase passenger numbers coupled with our investment plans will bring new opportunities for growth across the Corridor.

“We have made great progress on enabling works to set the scene for the next stage as we now ramp up work and move to the delivery phase that will shape the airport of the future. We are unique among major airports in operating a single terminal, which means we can give people a simple, efficient and seamless experience, which we know they value, whether travelling for business, leisure or to visit friends and family. These exciting plans mean we are able to retain all those benefits, while introducing an array of new facilities and giving us the space we need to grow.

“Given the strong economic performance of our region, our ability to grow passenger numbers by making best use of the available runway capacity and the investment in new facilities, I’m confident the airport’s future is looking very bright.”

This is the moment an ex-Labour candidate, who said she hoped Ann Widdecombe suffered an ‘extremely painful death’, nodded along as her friend said: ‘If people don’t show love, show bullets.’

Heather Herbert, a transgender web developer at Aberdeen University, relished in the ‘good news’ of the former Tory MP’s death in a vile post on Bluesky on July 10, one day after Ms Widdecombe was found dead with serious injuries at her cottage in Haytor on Dartmoor.

Both police and her employer launched an investigation after the comments – posted before news of the murder probe broke – were reported by members of the public.

Police Scotland initially said the information had been assessed and ‘no criminality’ had been established.

However, in an update yesterday afternoon, a spokesperson for the force said: ‘We received reports on Saturday 11 July 2026 relating to a post made online.

‘Following further assessment, additional enquiries are being carried out.’

Now, a video has resurfaced which appears to show Ms Herbert nodding along as her friend endorses violence against people who don’t ‘show love’ to transgender people.

In the clip, which was filmed and posted in May last year, Ms Herbert is in conversation with a friend known as Poppybear Hackett.

Former Scottish Labour candidate Heather Herbert, a web developer at Aberdeen University, relished in the news of Ann Widdecombe’s death online

Poppybear Hackett said: ‘What the f*** does it matter what the colour of your skin is, what your sexual orientation is. You know, why don’t we all just show some love.

‘And if people don’t show love, show bullets.’

The video comes after Ms Herbert shared a post on Bluesky on the day of Ann Widdecombe’s death calling it ‘good news’.

She wrote: ‘And some good news for once. I hope it was an extremely painful death.’

In another post, Ms Herbert said: ‘And I hope she was handcuffed to the bed as she screamed in agony.’

Ms Herbert later doubled down, insisting she was ‘glad [Ms Widdecombe] was dead’ – even after deeply distressing details of the 78-year-old’s murder emerged.

The hard-Left has been condemned for seeking to use Ms Widdecombe’s death to score political points. 

Aberdeen University was quick to distance itself from her comments, with rector Iona Fyfe saying: ‘I’d like to condemn any comments which glorifies violence of any sort, against anyone.’

Ms Herbert said she hoped the former Tory MP, 78, suffered an agonising death 

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Ms Widdecombe was killed in her home on Wednesday last week, and discovered 24 hours later

Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Peter Edwards, said the university has a zero-tolerance approach to ‘violence or hateful behaviour’, and gave his assurance the comments were being investigated ‘as a priority’.

Yesterday, the Scottish Greens launched a probe, confirming they have opened an investigation given Ms Herbert’s association with the party.

The activist joined the Scottish Greens in late 2021 after previously being a member of Scottish Labour.

Ms Widdecombe was found dead by her gardener at her cottage in Haytor on Dartmoor at around 11.40am on Thursday after sustaining serious injuries.

A 28-year-old white British man from Rotherham was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday.

On Monday, specialist officers from Counter Terrorism Policing took over the investigation into the death of the former minister.

Laurence Taylor, leading the investigation, said that it is believed the political veteran was the victim of a ‘targeted attack’ and confirmed officers are still looking into any ‘motivation’ behind her death. 

Mr Taylor said: ‘We are still working to understand the extent of any planning or preparation, and the motivation that sits behind that attack.

‘I don’t want to comment further on that motivation or preparation at this stage of our inquiries.’

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a man in his 20s was arrested on Tuesday after a post on X warned the Reform UK leader: ‘I am going to shoot you in the head if you win’.

The suspect is understood to have described himself as a terrorist on social media.

The post on X was made on May 8, on the day of the local elections, but the suspect was only arrested yesterday – almost two months later, and six days after Ms Widdecombe was found dead in the kitchen of her remote Dartmoor bungalow.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police told Mr Farage this morning that a male had been arrested on suspicion of sending a threatening communication.

He has since been released on bail.

Mr Farage revealed yesterday that he gets 30 death threats a week. Reform UK said it has recorded 1,577 threats against him since February, including 597 death threats.

The figures include multiple threats from a number of individuals whom the party believes are ‘fixated’ with the idea of killing him.

Cheese toasties can often come out of the pan burned with the cheese still hard, but there is a simple method to make them crispy and melty using an everyday ingredient most people have in their kitchen.

Cheese toasties are the ultimate comfort food, whether enjoyed alongside tomato soup or simply as a speedy lunchtime treat. They are among the easiest meals to prepare, yet they can develop an unpleasant charred texture when made with butter.

It may seem natural to reach for the butter when making a toastie, but it contains milk solids that burn very easily under heat, meaning the bread cooks far more quickly than the cheese. What typically happens is that people notice the bread beginning to smoke and remove it from the heat, only to find the cheese remains unmelted while the bread is slightly burnt.

Award-winning cook and former caterer Julie Blanner has revealed that the secret to achieving a crispier toastie lies in ditching the butter in favour of mayonnaise.

Julie said: “Did you know? Mayo is the secret to the best grilled cheese! It seals in delightful flavour, adds a delicious crisp to every bite, just before you sink your teeth into creamy, melted cheese!”.

Butter has a low smoke point, meaning the water within it evaporates rapidly when heated, causing the milk proteins to break down and produce smoke.

It will begin to burn before the cheese has had a chance to melt, leaving you with a toastie that remains hard on the inside, while the outside becomes excessively greasy as the butter soaks into the bread.

However, mayonnaise contains oils that are capable of withstanding high temperatures, making it far easier to cook with and ensuring the bread crisps evenly, so every part of the toastie turns a perfect golden brown.

Toasties will cook at a more gradual pace, giving the cheese sufficient time to melt, resulting in a gloriously gooey sandwich with an impeccably crisp exterior.

How to make tastier cheese toasties

You will need:

• Two slices of bread
• Two slices of cheese
• One tablespoon of full-fat mayonnaise

If you’re aiming to create the ultimate toastie, it’s worth knowing that combining two or more cheeses will typically produce a superior melt compared to using just one variety.

Cheddar remains the classic toastie choice due to its rich flavour, though because it is aged for a longer period, it doesn’t always melt as smoothly and can turn oily if used in excess.

For optimum results, pair cheddar with a cheese boasting a higher moisture content, such as mozzarella, Gruyère or Emmental. This combination strikes the ideal balance of flavour, creaminess and stretch, delivering a wonderfully melty toastie.

Additional toppings, sauces or seasoning can also be incorporated if desired, though take care not to overfill, as cheese expands when melting and could spill out into the frying pan.

Method

1. To start, place a frying pan over a medium heat and allow it to warm up for one minute. There is no need to add olive oil or any other cooking fat, as the mayonnaise will provide sufficient coverage to toast the bread.
2. In the meantime, prepare the toastie by placing the cheese inside the bread. Feel free to add any additional toppings or seasonings, but take care not to overstuff the sandwich, as the cheese may seep out during cooking.
3. Press the two slices of bread together, then apply a thin coating of mayonnaise to the outside of each slice before placing it straight into the pan.
4. Allow it to cook for approximately two minutes until the bread turns a golden brown colour. Use a spatula to gently press down on the sandwich, as this will help achieve a crispier finish.
5. Flip the toastie over and cook the other side for a further two minutes.
6. Once cooked, leave the toastie to rest on a plate for one minute, as this allows the cheese to firm up slightly so it won’t spill out when you slice into it.

Works to repair a sinkhole “the size of a family car” have been paused due to an issue

Work to repair the Milton Road sinkhole have been paused due to an issue that needs investigating, according to Cambridgeshire County Council. Part of the road has been closed since June 22 after the large sinkhole opened up.

A county council spokesperson has confirmed an “unknown source of water” was discovered during excavations. Works to repair the sinkhole have now been paused for further investigation.

The works to dig out and fill the hole, which is “the size of a family car”, will be delayed until the issue is resolved, the spokesperson said.

Work to repair the Milton Road sinkhole began on Tuesday, July 14, after collaboration with Anglian Water. The repairs involve the council’s contractors pouring concrete into the sinkhole to create a slab, before letting it dry out and harden.

Digging out and filling in the hole will take several more days to complete, allowing again for time to dry out. The area will then be resurfaced.

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “Works to repair the sinkhole, are underway but while excavating, the team discovered a new, unknown source of water, which needs investigating further. Works have paused while this issue is resolved.”

The council is currently unable to confirm the reopening date. Milton Road between Hurst Avenue and the Elizabeth Way roundabout can still be accessed on foot or bike. It will be reopened to motor vehicles once safe.

Olive oil is a versatile and healthy ingredient that can be used in a variety of dishes, but with so many different types of olive oil available, it can be confusing to know which one to choose

Olive oil is a kitchen essential across the globe, renowned for its health benefits, culinary versatility, and deep roots in Mediterranean tradition. It has numerous applications — from being used in vinaigrettes, marinades, and dishes featuring vegetables and meats, to desserts and baked goods.

This nutritious fat is a plant-based oil produced by pressing or crushing fresh olives.

Yet, with supermarket aisles brimming with countless bottles and tins, it can be difficult to work out which olive oil to select. And that’s before tackling the vital question: what sets olive oil apart from “extra virgin” olive oil?

Are olive oil and extra virgin olive oil the same?

Put simply, no. While both originate from the humble olive, the distinctions lie in the production techniques, flavour, growing regions, and overall quality, reports the Express.

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Extra virgin olive oil is the finest-quality olive oil available. It is an unrefined oil, which means it is created by cold-pressing whole olives without any extra heat or chemicals.

This method preserves the purest flavours and aromas, capturing the true character of the olive.

Extra virgin olive oil is completely free from defects, has an acidity level of less than or equal to 0.8%, and, when stored properly, boasts exceptional taste and aroma.

The flavour of your extra-virgin olive oil will vary depending on the variety of olive. It can span from buttery and herbal to peppery and bitter.

Conversely, regular olive oil is a lower-grade product composed primarily of refined olive oil. Occasionally, producers will process the olive paste through the mill several times to extract additional oil, which reduces the quality of the end product.

As regular olive oil doesn’t need to meet stringent manufacturing or taste requirements, it is considerably more economical than extra virgin olive oil.

On the whole, regular olive oil possesses a more neutral flavour profile compared to extra-virgin olive oil. It is also typically paler in colour and aroma.

While extra-virgin olive oil is superior in quality to regular olive oil, there’s room for both varieties in your kitchen.

Can different oils be substituted for each other?

Put simply, yes. If a recipe calls for olive oil, which many recipes do, you can choose either extra-virgin or regular olive oil.

The decision is yours and largely comes down to personal preference. Both varieties of olive oil work well for baking and cooking, though bear in mind they have different smoke points.

As a general rule, it is advisable to use the more flavourful extra-virgin olive oil for dipping bread, in dressings, dips, and raw dishes, as well as for final flourishes, enabling the flavour to truly shine through.

A homeowner has lost a bitter planning row after her neighbours built a platform that she has compared to an ‘East German lookout tower’.

The 65-year-old, who does not wish to be named amid tensions with her neighbours, said she has largely been left in darkness after the ‘eyesore’ was built in the garden.

Initially, in 2024, when the neighbours moved in, there was a staircase, but they later replaced it with new steps, a larger platform and a 1.8-metre-high screen.

Retrospective planning permission was granted for it last November as Brighton & Hove City Council found it did not pose ‘significant harm’ to nearby properties.

Despite no officer site visit being undertaken, they determined that refusal to grant permission for the previously ‘unsafe’ staircase could not be justified.

The central issue acknowledged by the local authority was a higher platform, which they outlined could be mitigated by 1.8-metre-high privacy screens on the terrace.

‘The larger terrace would result in a slightly greater degree of loss of light and outlook than the original,’ the report read.

‘But given the relatively modest scale overall and the distances to neighbouring properties, this would not be to an unacceptable extent.’

However, the decision has left a woman living in an adjacent property furious, as she claims the loss of light has killed her plants.

‘I went into my garden, and people were there… and then suddenly there was this structure,’ the homeowner told the Daily Mail. ‘Inside I was thinking, “My god”.’

She claims the structure (pictured) has caused a loss of light in her garden, causing her plants to die. The 65-year-old also compared it to an ‘East German lookout tower’ 

The woman, who lives in Brighton, said the towering structure has ‘changed the whole way’ she looks at her garden.

‘It’s changed the whole way I look at my garden now,’ she added. ‘It’s changed the whole way I feel about living there.’

‘I had a palm tree, and it lived in that corner of the garden, happily growing, but it got a bit too big. So I cut it back.

‘And then suddenly, after the structure had gone up, I thought, there’s something wrong with my plant, and it died. It died because of the lack of light.’

She said that she could previously see the sun on the wall from her kitchen, but that is no longer the case.

‘I think it’s had an effect on the value of my property,’ she said. ‘I still get light, but less than I had before, because [of] that structure.’

The 65-year-old also described the development as ‘ridiculously out of proportion with the amount of space that they’ve got,’ adding there is no room for a washing line.

‘It looks like it hasn’t been thought through well. They’ve just gone ahead and done it and think that it looks great.’

She claims to now avoid her neighbours ‘like the plague’.

‘I haven’t spoken to them since that day when I went into the garden, and they put the structure up,’ she said.

Meanwhile, one of the objections against the ‘overbearing structure’ was that the noise disturbance of ‘constant up and down the stairs’ would impact them.

They said that their ‘right to enjoy the home will be affected’ and would ‘create an unacceptable level of disturbance’.

They also claimed its ‘poor design’ would have a negative impact on the property, arguing the structure is ‘out of character with the existing building’.

Another objection said the raised platform/sundeck with space for tables and chairs completely changed the structure’s ‘dynamic and function’.

‘This balcony, or so-called “increased landing”, now has more far-reaching and invasive views into neighbouring gardens and windows,’ the objection read.

‘It has been changed into an outdoor entertainment space and kitchen extension for fine days, which compromises the privacy of surrounding neighbours.’

They also alleged the screens were not 1.8 metres high on one side as detailed in the plans, complaining that it was made ‘from flimsy split bamboo canes’.

‘Such material would not be robust enough to survive many winters and would require being constructed from more hard-wearing materials,’ it said.

‘In addition, the appearance and quality of the structure reflect its hasty construction. It is too large for the space that contains it.’

Retrospective planning permission was granted for the structure on November 21, 2025, by Brighton and Hove City Council.

The local authority found the plans ‘would not give rise to unacceptable material impact on individuals or identifiable groups with protected characteristics.’

A spokesperson for Brighton & Hove City Council said: ‘When considering planning applications, objections or concerns raised by residents are considered.

‘This application was a modest proposal for a staircase replacing a previous staircase of the same scale and size and to enlarge the accompanying platform. 

‘It fell within planning guidelines and was not something which warranted refusal.’

By JADA BAS, REPORTER

Published: 01:48 BST, 16 July 2026 | Updated: 02:55 BST, 16 July 2026

A dental nurse has been banned from driving after she pulled into traffic without stopping and ploughed into a couple.

Horrifying dashcam footage showed Halle Bae Osborne-Holland, 22, turn her car into the major road in Swanley, Kent, instead of stopping at the junction and waiting for a clear entrance.

Christopher Collins, 22, and Rebecca Good, 21, were travelling on a motorbike which crashed into the car and saw the pair propelled up into the air while debris and shattered glass were scattered in the road.

The collision happened in August last year and left the couple seriously injured.

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Ms Good, a student, was left stuck under the car until members of the public lifted it away and she was airlifted to a hospital in London for specialist treatment.

The student suffered a fractured thigh bone and had to have splints in her leg. The injury resulted in her having to defer her university course for a year.

Mr Collins was rushed to the same hospital by ambulance and suffered a serious hematoma (a blood clot) in one of his legs which left him unable to work for a significant period of time.

He has undergone three surgeries to drain the pooled blood under his skin.

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Halle Bae Osborne-Holland, 22, has been banned from driving after she pulled into traffic without stopping and ploughed into a couple

Horrifying dashcam footage showed the moment the dental nurse sent the pair on the motorbike flying

Osborne-Holland turned her car into the major road in Swanley, Kent instead of stopping at the junction and waiting for a clear entrance

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The collision happened in August last year and left the couple seriously injured

KentOnline reported Mr Collins wrote a victim impact statement which was read by the prosecutor at Medway Magistrates’ Court.

He said: ‘I had to have a [month] off work, and I can’t sleep at night.

‘The confidence I gained in the five years I was riding has been taken away in five seconds. I no longer have a bike and feel a prisoner in my own home.’

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Victoria Aked, prosecuting, told the court: ‘It’s obvious [ Osborne-Holland] didn’t take a second to stop when she left the forecourt… She didn’t think of anyone; they could be dead today.’ 

Osborne-Holland admitted two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.

She has been banned from driving for a year and placed on a 12-month community order, where she will have to do 100 hours of unpaid work.

She was also made to pay a victim surcharge of £114 and £85 court costs.

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