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A new restaurant has opened its doors in Benidorm with stunning beachfront views and, whilst some tourists are excited, others have been left less than impressed

Benidorm has long been synonymous with its vibrant nightlife, all-inclusive resorts with so much food and drink, stunning coastline and reliable sunshine, but a new eatery has just landed in the Spanish hotspot, dividing opinion amongst holidaymakers. Harry, who regularly posts insider tips about life in Spain, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about the latest arrival in town.

“Oh my god, this is unbelievable that they’ve done this to Benidorm,” he exclaimed. “Wait until you see this,” Harry teased, building anticipation for what he described as the “nicest beachfront takeaway in Benidorm,” admitting his surprise that the chain had chosen to set up shop there.

He then challenged his TikTok followers on his @harrytokky account to “guess” his location as he swung the camera around to reveal his new go-to spot. The big reveal? The freshly opened Benidorm branch of Taco Bell.

For the uninitiated, Taco Bell is an American fast-food giant known for its Mexican-style fare including tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos and much more. The menu boasts an array of customisable dishes featuring seasoned meats, beans, cheese and fresh toppings.

“Here I am, guys, the brand new Taco Bell, and look at that view,” he raved, showcasing its prime beachfront location. Even though blustery conditions prevailed on the day, the setting still looked spectacular.

“Incredible, right? Apart from the extremely crazy wind,” Harry continued, though if you’re heading to Benidorm during the summer, the weather will probably be far nicer, and queues for the restaurant may well be longer too.

Harry collected his order and showed viewers what he’d purchased. He said: “A massive cheeky Coca Cola, some sauce, we’ve got the fries and the burrito in there. Not bad looking really”.

He then conducted the all-important taste test. Trying the fries first, he declared they were “amazing,” and as he dunked them into what appeared to be a cheesy sauce, he made satisfied sounds of approval.

Next up was the burrito, prompting more “mmm” noises as he said: “It’s definitely worth it, just because of the view,” having secured himself a prime window seat.

He initially rated it “10/10,” before backtracking on his assessment, clarifying: “It’s not actually 10/10, the view’s 10/10. It’s alright, it’s okay, it’s not the best one I’ve had in the world, but I do like a Taco Bell. It’s alright. I’ll take it”.

In the comments section, one person revealed there was a Taco Bell there a few years ago, saying it was “nothing special”. Other users bemoaned the difficulty in finding genuine Spanish eateries in Spain nowadays due to chains like this.

One viewer commented: “Marbella has just had a new McDonald’s and Burger King on the paseo and a Five Guys 100 metres away within the last month. Tough finding a decent Tapas bar now”.

Another person vented their frustration: “It’s Spain, I want Sangria, fish, Gazpacho, boquerones, vino verano, San Miguel, a Spanish waiter in a white shirt, not this c***”.

One woman revealed she and her travelling companion had discovered a favourite spot, writing: “We prefer the Terra Cactus place, been every day since we got here and will go until we leave,” alongside a snap of two mouth-watering pizzas.

The advantage of having familiar chain restaurants in destinations like Benidorm is that fussy eaters always have a reliable option if they’re not keen on sampling the local food.

That said, if you’re willing to be more adventurous with your palate, mealtimes become far more thrilling when you embrace authentic local cuisine in whichever destination you’ve chosen to explore.

Former AC Milan and Sweden footballer Zlatan Ibrahimovic opens the 2026 Winter Olympic Games for the BBC, as he explains what it takes to become “a champion in Milan.”

Follow the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics across the BBC from Friday, 6 February.

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Khan Younis, Gaza – The headlines read that Israel has finally reopened the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, allowing injured Palestinians desperate for medical aid to leave.

However, the reality is that on the first day of the opening, on Monday, Israel only allowed five patients to exit Gaza via the crossing, forcing hundreds, if not thousands, of others to wait.

Mohammed Abu Mostafa is one of the lucky five. The 17-year-old travelled on Monday with his mother, Randa, to southern Gaza’s Khan Younis, and then on to Rafah, which has been closed by Israel for two years as it waged its genocidal war on Gaza, killing more than 70,000 Palestinians.

Randa told Al Jazeera that she had received a phone call on Monday morning informing her that Mohammed had been included in the first list of wounded patients scheduled to travel, and that they were instructed to head immediately to the Red Crescent Hospital in Khan Younis.

The reopening of Rafah, Gaza’s only land crossing that does not go through Israel, has been much touted as evidence of the progress of the second phase of the United States-backed Gaza “ceasefire” deal.

But events on Monday revealed a different reality, marked by strict security restrictions, complex procedures, and limited numbers being allowed to cross, falling far short of expectations and the scale of Gaza’s accumulated humanitarian needs.

Each of the five patients being allowed to leave was accompanied by two people as per Israeli orders, bringing the total number of travellers to 15, according to information provided to Gaza’s health authorities.

Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the director of Gaza’s al-Shifa Medical Complex, told Al Jazeera that this was the only group that departed, despite prior plans with the World Health Organization (WHO) – the body overseeing coordination between Egypt and Israel – for the departure of 50 patients daily.

Egyptian official sources have told Al Jazeera that 50 Palestinians were also permitted to return to Gaza via the Rafah crossing, though no information is yet available on whether they have actually reached the Palestinian side.

Ismail al-Thawabta, the director of Gaza’s Government Media Office, highlighted just how low these numbers are compared with the approximately 22,000 people needing to leave Gaza for treatment abroad. Meanwhile, about 80,000 Palestinians who left Gaza during the war want to return, he said.

Eye injury

Mohammed was injured in an Israeli air attack a year and a half ago, near where his family had been displaced in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, Randa said. He sustained a direct injury to his eye, severely affecting his optic nerve and ability to see.

“My son has been suffering immensely since his injury. Day after day, his condition kept worsening, and there is no treatment available for him in Gaza,” Randa said, while waiting in the hospital courtyard alongside other patients and their relatives.

Despite her joy at finally being able to accompany her son on his journey, Randa feels a sense of anguish at having to leave four of her six children behind, as she was only permitted to take one child as a second companion.

“What matters to me now is that my son regains his sight and can see again with his own eyes. That is my only concern at the moment,” Randa said.

“I also hope to return to Gaza soon after my son recovers, that the blockade will be lifted, and that all patients will be able to travel, just like my son.”

Israeli restrictions

In the Red Crescent Hospital courtyard, dozens of patients on travel waiting lists expressed frustration over the first-day restrictions at Rafah.

Several patients, including those with amputations, gathered at the hospital, hoping to be permitted to travel to Egypt for treatment.

Despite patients and their families arriving early in the morning with high hopes, Israeli authorities refused to permit more than five patients to leave, leading to widespread dissatisfaction with the complex mechanisms accompanying the crossing’s partial reopening.

The multi-stage security procedure of Palestinians moving through the Rafah crossing begins with the preparation of daily lists of candidates for travel, which are then referred to the Israeli side for pre-travel security screening.

No one is allowed to pass through the crossing or enter it without explicit Israeli approval. The European Union Border Assistance Mission deployed to Rafah is limited to monitoring the process and verifying identities.

Arrivals in Gaza, after initial identity verification at the crossing under European supervision, are subject to additional inspection procedures at checkpoints located in areas under Israeli military control.

Raed al-Nims, the Gaza Red Crescent’s head of media, told Al Jazeera that the organisation was still waiting for updates regarding the transfer of more patients for treatment through the crossing.

He added that a group of patients was successfully transferred to Israel on Monday through the Kerem Abu Salem crossing, in coordination with the WHO.

Desperate need

Ibrahim Abu Thuraya was also one of the five patients allowed to leave Gaza on Monday.

Ibrahim was injured in the early months of the war, sustaining wounds that led to the amputation of his left hand and an injury to his left eye, where shrapnel is still embedded.

“Day after day, my eye condition is deteriorating, and I feel severe pain, especially since the shrapnel is lodged behind it and there are no medical capabilities in Gaza to deal with it,” he said from Khan Younis, before he travelled to Rafah. “Doctors told me that I need to travel abroad.”

Ibrahim was informed on Monday morning by the WHO and Gaza’s Ministry of Health that he had been approved for travel. He will be accompanied by his wife, Samar, and their son.

“I have suffered greatly for two full years just to be able to leave for treatment, and there are thousands of wounded like me,” he said. “I hope the crossing will be opened permanently.”

OLIVIA Attwood has broken her silence on her split from husband Bradley Dack.

Last weekend, The Sun exclusively revealed how Olivia, 34, had split from her footballer spouse after a ‘breach of trust’ on his part.

The TV star took to Instagram on Saturday to share her first post about her marriage breakdown.

Alongside a picture of boxes in her new apartment, she wrote: “I keep opening Instagram to post but I don’t know what to say or do? lol.

“Vulnerability is not my bag!!!! Especially on social media, it feels very much like bleeding in shark infested waters.

“I cry myself to sleep then business as normal when the alarm goes off at 5am and it has been like that for a long time.

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“But also so much change in such a short amount of time (you know I hate that) (Taurus).

“I never expected to be moving into this apartment alone. And I’m in over my depth for sure.”

But despite her pain, Olivia showed she still had a lot of love for Bradley, 32.

She continued: “I want to be happy. I want Brad to be happy. Just one day at a time. For both of us & anyone else who needs to read this.”

Olivia then concluded: “Normal programming and chatting will resume asap. PS. Thank you, I feel your love immensely.”

Earlier this week, The Sun revealed how Olivia had left the marital home she shared with Bradley to move into her new apartment.

The star the showed fans around the huge space on her social media accounts but failed to mention the split at the time.

Olivia and Bradley first dated before her stint on Love Island in 2017, which she has confessed she joined as revenge for his cheating on her.

But they reunited and filmed a reality series for ITV2, Olivia Meets Her Match. 

Their lavish wedding in 2023 is said to have cost £200,000 — with £30,000 on her dress.

Their split comes just months after the couple weathered a “really bad summer”.

Radio 2 DJ Vernon Kay has spoken about meeting up with fellow Children in Need fundraisers has he spends more time looking back at his illustrious and eventful career

BBC Radio 2’s Vernon Kay fought back tears after opening up about a difficult time and admitted that the pain of his latest challenge was worth it for the amount of money they raised for Children in Need.

Children in Need is the BBC’s annual fundraising extravaganza and part of their fundraising efforts sometimes sees celebrities taking on gruelling physical challenges.

In 2023, Vernon Kay completed an ultra marathon, running 116 miles from Leicester to his home town of Bolton over four days. It comes after Vernon revealed a BBC legend brutally snubbed him over a stint on an ITV show.

Appearing on BBC Radio 2 at the end of his mammoth journey he told host Zoe Ball: “I’m absolutely exhausted, absolutely spent, physically, mentally. Is there anyone here who can replace a knee?”

Speaking about his work for Children in Need in 2026, Vernon talked about talking to fellow fundraisers Patrick McGuinness and Sarah Cox and how all three became emotional discussing what they’d done.

In 2025 Patrick completed a 300-mile cycling challenge for Children in Need whilst Sara Cox ran, jogged, and walked 135 miles over five days last year.

He told listeners: “I was with Patrick McGuinness and Sara Cox last night, yesterday afternoon, we were talking about Children In Need.

“Very emotional for all three of us I’ll be honest with you, every time each time one of us talked about what we’d done for children in need you could see us all welling up.

“But it’s not because of what we did but because of what you did, so once again thank you for that. The pain was worth it.”

This isn’t the first time Vernon has talked about important moments from his past as he recently looked back 29 years and shared a moment which he says changed his life.

The Bolton-born broadcaster said in a social media video discussing his modelling career and how it was getting scouted as a youngster that changed his life. His modelling work helped spark a career in broadcasting.

Following a stint as a magazine model Vernon, now 51, moved into presenting and went onto host shows such as T4, All Star Family Fortunes, and shows on BBC Radio 1 and Radio X.

Writing in a post on Instagram alongside a photo of himself, he said: “Dec96 Got scouted by @selectmodellondon @jameslnoel and it’s the day that changed my life! [heart emoji].

“Taking a look back at my modelling days….kind of a pivotal moment for me [crying laughing emojis]. This is the one picture people always throw at me but I don’t think it’s THAT bad. #BlueSteel.”