World Leaks

A TOP chef who worked in Michelin star kitchens and cooked for the US president has seen the doors of his popular restaurant chained shut.

Tarek Thoma owns a string of successful restaurants in Middlesbrough, but his venue, Oven, is set to be ripped away.

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The Oven Restaurant in Middlesbrough is being repossessed by the landlord[/caption]

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Owner Tarek Thoma created the venue in 2015[/caption]

Chains were spotted wrapped around the doors while eviction notices have been slapped on windows.

It is understood landlords took possession of the £500,000 eatery.

Devastated fans shared their fury on social media, one wrote: “After booking a table at the Oven Restaurant Middlesbrough on Monday for tonight for 14 people for a special occasion we turned up to find the establishment chained up and a possession order stuck to the door.”

Another added: ” “Feel sorry for the staff and owner. Always always nice food and service, one of the better restaurants in Middlesbrough.”

Meanwhile an eviction notice taped to the windows read: “To all and any others this may concern. Take notice that the landlord has this day 2 October, 2024, exercised their right to peaceably re-enter and take possession of this premises known as ground floor, 202-204 Linthorpe Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3QW.

“Any lease or license is hereby determined. This property is now legally occupied by the landlords.

“Any attempt to break into this property will be classed as an attempt to break into this property will be classed as a criminal offence and will be reported to the police.”

Taerek also runs the popular Bazaar, in Captain Cook Square, from which an employee confirmed the downfall of Oven.

A spokesperson for the landlords, Pneuma Group, claimed there had been problems with the tenancy which resulted in the “difficult decision to re-enter our premises”.

Oven was created nearly 10 years ago after opening its doors to hungry customers, and 45 employees, in 2015.

Mr Thoma poured £500,000 into the business, and vowed to provide a Michelin experience for affordable prices.

Outside there is a generous, and stylish seating area, while inside holds enough space for up to 160 people.

The menu offered British, French, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, meaning there was something for everyone.

Dishes were prepared by chefs who learnt from professionals with Michelin star training.

Tarek himself previously cooked for President George and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Tarek, who has also worked at Michelin-starred restaurants including the L’Escargot in London and Chapter One in Kent, previously said: “My staff and I are looking forward to welcoming guests to Oven and serving them with Michelin star-style food at very affordable prices.

“This area of Middlesbrough is becoming a hive of culinary activity and Oven will bring something different to this growing gastronomic scene.”

The Sun contacted Tarek Thoma for comment.

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Fans were devastated to see it go[/caption]

East Bay Times Letters to the Editor for Oct. 4, 2024

LADY Gaga is on screen for only 33 minutes of the new Joker movie — despite getting second billing.

The Poker Face singer’s role was heavily hyped in promotional advertising.

Alamy

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Lady Gaga, director Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix at the London premiere[/caption]

But the 38-year-old star, who plays Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, actually appears in less than a quarter of Joker: Folie à Deux’s 139 minutes.

Early reviews of the film, out in cinemas today, criticise her lack of screen time — calling her “criminally underused”.

It is a sequel to 2019 hit Joker, which won two Oscars, including Best Actor for Joaquin Phoenix, 49, in the title role.

The follow-up, which is part musical, sees Gaga play the love interest of Arthur Fleck/Joker while both are in prison.

Both Gaga and Phoenix perform cover songs during the production.

Last week she released an album called Harlequin featuring their songs. It is being described as a “companion” to the film.

Gaga, however, would love to return to play the role — despite her limited screen time.

She told The Hits Radio Breakfast Show: “I definitely don’t feel done with Lee as a character.

“She’s got so much to say. What an interesting gal.”

ARRIVING at the London Dungeon, I had a pretty good idea of the frights that lay in store.

Or so I thought. Little did I realise I was going to be part of the attraction myself — by going behind the scenes for 30 minutes of make-up that turned me into the Plague Doctor.

Louis Wood

Sun man Tom was turned into the Plague Doctor at the London Dungeon[/caption]

Louis Wood

Tom begin his transformation behind the scenes[/caption]

Nothing prepared me for the shock of seeing myself in the mirror.

With zombie-like eyes and yellow crusted boils all over my face, part of me wondered if I was patient zero for the next pandemic.

At least I looked the part for the horrors that awaited on my tour through London’s dark and depraved past.

After a terrifying drop into dimly lit, plague-infested streets, I suddenly found myself immersed in a plot to kill the King . . .  axe and all.

Things soon turned even more sour. We got caged in the torture chamber, chains and manacles clinking on the wall.

I was then strapped to a chair while the dungeon’s chief torturer brandished all sorts of mean-looking iron instruments.

This was a man who clearly loved his job.

Later, we came face to face with a doctor who seemed to prefer her patients more dead than alive.

Then there was the haunting encounter with a witch that left us a little pale.

Finally, after a chilling run-in with Jack the Ripper, I was more than ready for a drink in the tavern at the end.

But keeping the glass steady while my hands were still shaking wasn’t easy.

Richard Quincey, the attraction’s head of performance, told me: “Each year we know our guests expect more scares than before — and we really think this year we will match that expectation as we celebrate our 50th birthday.

“The team have worked incredibly hard to deliver the scariest seance show yet, and our actors are ready to bring out the most terrifying story we’ve ever told.”

THIS is the shocking moment a huge blast erupted after a British ship was struck in an attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Footage shows the Iran-backed militia launching an explosive-laden drone boat into a British oil tanker in the Red Sea.

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A British ship was struck in an attack by the Houthi rebels[/caption]

EPA

Footage showed a huge blast erupting from the ship in the Red Sea[/caption]

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Black plumes of smoke were seen billowing into the sky[/caption]

The Houthi group shared the clip of a big explosion near the side of the Cordelia Moon, which damaged its port side tank and covered it in clouds of smoke.

On Tuesday, a strike occurred approximately 110 kilometres (70 miles) off the port city of Hodeidah in Yemen, targeting the buoyancy of a Panama-flagged oil tanker.

A captain on a neighbouring ship reported four “splashes” near the vessel, according to the centre monitored by the US Navy, which were most likely missiles launched at the vessel but missed.

The Houthis later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying that eight ballistic and winged missiles, a drone, and an unmanned surface boat were used in the strike.

About 97 nautical miles northwest of Hodeidah, a missile struck a second ship headed for Suez, a bulker flying the flag of Liberia, causing damage, according to maritime security sources and British security company Ambrey.

The crews of both vessels reported being safe.

The conflict between Israel and Lebanon has the potential to escalate into a larger regional conflict, but these attacks marked the rebels’ first on commercial vessels in weeks.

It also followed the Houthis’ Monday threat of “escalating military operations” against Israel following the apparent downing of an American military drone over Yemen by their forces.

On Sunday, oil tanks in Yemen exploded in a massive fireball as Israel bombed the Houthi rebels in revenge strikes.

Footage showed the gigantic fireball rip shoot into the sky after IDF jets hit the fuel while it was being stored at a port.

It then dissipated into black smoke in the sky but a massive blaze continued to burn at the port and secondary strikes erupted.

Four were reportedly killed and 33 injured, local media said.

Last November, 25 forgotten sailors of the hijacked British-Israeli Galaxy Leader cargo ship were taken captive by the Houthi pirates.

The $50million vessel was hijacked by the Iran-sponsored Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on November 19.

Its entire international crew were taken hostage in what the gunmen clinging to the sides of a helicopter screamed was revenge for Israel’s war in Gaza.

The car carrier was pulled back to Hodeidah in the Houthi-controlled north of Yemen as a trophy to taunt the West and supporters of the militants flocked to the site to share in the spoils of war.

A LISTENING device was found in Boris Johnson’s loo just days after it was used by Israel’s leader Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu.

In his new memoir Unleashed, BoJo writes that Mr Netanyahu used his Foreign Office bathroom during a meeting in 2017.

AFP or licensors

A listening device was found in Boris’ loo just days after it was used by Israel’s leader Benjamin Netanyahu[/caption]

Soon after, a bug was discovered during a security sweep — raising questions of a spying plot.

Mr Johnson described the washroom as “a secret annex . . . a bit like the gents in a posh London club”.

His book recounts: “Thither Bibi repaired for a while, and it may or may not be a coincidence but I am told that later, when they were doing a regular sweep for bugs, they found a listening device in the thunderbox.”

It is unclear whether the Israeli Embassy in London was confronted at the time about the bug.

Asked yesterday by The Telegraph for more information on the incident, ex-PM Boris replied: “I think everything you need to know about that episode is in the book.”

It comes as Mr Johnson is set to be grilled on his memoir revelations in an ITV interview tonight at 7pm.

A BBC interview with the ex-Tory leader was cancelled after politics presenter Laura Kuenssberg accidentally sent him her briefing notes.

She admitted the “embarrassing” blunder.

Kuenssberg tweeted: “While prepping to interview Boris Johnson tomorrow, by mistake I sent our briefing notes to him in a message meant for my team.

“That obviously means it’s not right for the interview to go ahead.

“It’s very frustrating, and there’s no point pretending it’s anything other than embarrassing and disappointing, as there are plenty of important questions to be asked.

Unleashed is due to hit bookstores next Thursday.

The 20-year-old Hayward resident was charged with possessing or distributing child pornography.

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Claudia Sheinbaum, la presidenta de México, anunció recientemente que a mediados de 2025 se implementará un innovador programa social denominado “Farmacias para el Bienestar“. Este nuevo esfuerzo tiene como objetivo distribuir medicamentos esenciales de manera gratuita, poniendo un enfoque especial en las necesidades de los adultos mayores. Durante un discurso en la toma de protesta […]

La entrada Claudia Sheinbaum anuncia ‘Farmacias para el Bienestar’ con medicamentos gratuitos para adultos mayores se publicó primero en Verás.

The bill had near-unanimous, bipartisan support in the state legislature.