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Berlin (dpa) – Rice pudding is genuine soul food, bringing an instant, comforting childhood feeling, like a hug or a warm blanket. And what could be nicer than a portion after a long walk in a hopefully snow-covered wood that tastes properly of winter? This one adds different textures with some apples and nuts, and some extra flavour with tonka bean and a hint of marzipan. Ingredients for at least four people For the rice pudding: 500 ml milk 125 short-grain rice (pudding rice) 20 g sugar 1 vanilla pod a little butter tonka bean For the topping: 2 apples 1 tbsp butter 1 tbsp sugar a little cinnamon mixed nuts of your choice Method Split the vanilla pod and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. Butter the inside of a medium saucepan. Add the milk, the vanilla pod and the vanilla seeds to the pan and warm very slowly over the lowest heat until the milk boils. Add the rice and bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring now and then. Turn the hob down below 1 (on induction hobs use the keep-warm function) and leave the rice to stand with the lid on for 50 to 60 minutes. Stir, then season with a little grated tonka bean to taste. Add more milk if needed. Remove and discard the vanilla pod. Meanwhile, while the rice pudding rests, cut the apples into small pieces. In a frying pan over medium heat, cook the apples with the butter, sugar and cinnamon for a few minutes to caramelize. Set aside. Spoon the finished rice pudding into bowls. Top with the caramelized apple pieces, sprinkle with the nuts and the wintry rice pudding is ready. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn hsk yyzz n1 xlt cwg amc tsn

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Berlin (dpa) – It's not just us humans that need regular washing, but indoor plants too. Leaves need wiping down from time to time, since the dust that gathers on them blocks out light and impedes photosynthesis. Outdoors, any dust is quickly removed by wind and rain, but not so for indoor plants. That's why experts like those at the Plants & Flowers Foundation Holland will recommend wiping dust off the leaves about once a month. For large-leaved plants, use a soft damp cloth and support each leaf with your free hand to be as gentle as possible. An alternative is to place less sensitive plants in the shower or bath and carefully rinse the leaves with lukewarm water. In darker times of year when sunlight is less abundant, it also makes sense to place pot plants as close to the window as possible. If your plant is struggling in the winter, supplementary LED lighting can help prevent it from losing leaves due to a lack of light. There are exceptions that tolerate darkness well, such as the cast-iron plant, spider plant and devil’s vine. They are said to thrive even in winter at some distance from the window. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn jek yyzz n1 cja coh

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Working with nature and conserving resources are important, say experts. London (PA Media/dpa)  – If you’ve failed in previous years to stick to your New Year’s resolutions, whether it’s losing weight, giving up drinking or quitting smoking, perhaps it’s time to look to the garden to turn over a new leaf. Sustainability – minimising environmental impact, working with nature and conserving resources such as water – is a key focus of horticultural experts in 2026 and beyond, so perhaps think about realistic New Year’s resolutions to aid sustainability, which you could simply adopt as a new way of gardening. “Sustainability is about working with the available resources in your garden and making use of everything. Rather than seeing something as a waste item that needs to be binned or taken to landfill, just think, ‘What can I do with this? What can I turn it into?’” says Kim Stoddart, editor of Amateur Gardening magazine. Here are some ideas for realistic resolutions to help you garden more sustainably in 2026. Grow from seed “The joy, satisfaction and lower resource input needed to create plants for your garden can achieve amazing results for something as simple as a few seeds and some time,” suggests Peter Jones, Eden Project director of horticulture. Go peat-free It’s so easy. If you don’t have time or space to make your own compost, just opt for peat-free varieties of compost in your garden centre or nursery. You will help to protect native peatlands and wildlife in the process. Don’t dig Opt for the ‘no dig’ method, which not only will give you less backache but can benefit the environment, as you are not forking over and releasing carbon into the atmosphere. If you want to suppress weeds in winter, place a layer of cardboard on the area you want to cultivate, which will decompose naturally, and then cover it with organic matter such as compost, and grow your plants in that. No need to dig at all. Grow what you want to eat “Try and grow a few of your favourite things, be it a tomato, or a French bean. A meal with food metres, not food miles, is a joy with the benefit of greater sustainability,” says Jones. Buy local If you want to reduce the carbon footprint caused by air miles and long-distance transportation, think about where your plants come from before you buy. Native plants may be the way to go, or those grown near or at your local nursery, or even if you have a neighbour who will pass you a cutting or some seedlings, at least you know it hasn’t travelled far. Choose the right plant for the right place A little research to find out what soil you have and the situation – sheltered, sunny, shady, exposed – will help you choose the right plant for the right place. “Don’t try to fight your environment and plan to plant at the best time to ensure success,” Jones suggests. Grow your own cut flowers So many beautiful flowers that can be grown in the UK are imported from abroad. Take a moment to consider what flowers you can grow at home which may be good for cutting, including roses, echinacea, peonies and dahlias, as well as shrubs such as forsythia and witch hazel, which provide excellent cutting material in winter and early spring. Be patient, though, as many perennials grown from seed won’t flower in the first year. Go native Just growing a few native plants on your plot such as bugle, chives, primrose, cowslip, cornflowers and ox-eye daisy is superb for biodiversity and will attract all sorts of pollinators and wildlife to your garden. These plants are also likely to thrive, as they have adapted to life in our climate and ecosystem. Companion plant If you have a problem with whitefly on your tomatoes, cucumbers and kale, plant French marigolds with them because their scent will deter the pests or attract the predators. So rather than using chemicals you can handle the problem naturally. Similarly, grow pungent plants such as leeks and garlic among carrots to deter carrot fly, or plant sacrificial crops such as nasturtiums, which cover the ground and tempt aphids away from brassicas such as Brussels sprouts. Save water With climate change ever present, try to make a few changes to help save water. It may be setting up a water butt from the down pipe of the roof of your home, your garden shed, greenhouse or other structure using a rainwater diverter, the RHS suggests. For those who don’t have that facility, increase the water-holding capacity of your soil by adding organic matter to it, whether as a mulch or digging it in, it adds. Reduce waste Why not re-use bits and pieces instead of sending cast-offs to landfill? It might involve utilising a piece of old furniture as a garden prop, plant holder or ornament, creating novelty containers out of tin cans, colanders, rain boots and old sinks, re-using plastic pots time after time for seeds and seedlings and recycling cardboard boxes to use as weed suppressants instead of non-biodegradable plastic membranes. Revive your tools You may have left your tools out in the rain and think that they are beyond saving, but have a go, suggests Stoddart. “Look after your tools. If you have high-quality tools – a lot of the good makes use really good-quality steel – that look really rusty, you can sand them down and bring them back. Take them apart, give them an oil, give them a sharpen and you’ll be amazed how much you can transform those tools. “There’s a beauty around looking after things, upcycling, repurposing, making things last for longer and not feeling that you have to keep buying something, that feels really good.” The following information is not intended for publication dpa pa mls

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Berlin (dpa) – They are considered the oldest dumplings in China and have inspired similar dishes like gyoza elsewhere in Asia. Jiaozi are a great choice for a first attempt at making dumplings at home, says Stefan Leistner, a food blogger and specialist in teaching Asian cuisines. That's because the thin dough is easy to shape and fill, he said. He likes to prepare the Chinese parcels as follows. Ingredients for about four servings: For the dough: 200 g wheat flour 120 ml water 1/2 tsp salt For the filling: 250 g minced pork 100 g pak choi two spring onions three shiitake mushrooms one piece of ginger (about 2 cm) one clove of garlic 1 tbsp light soy sauce 1 tsp dark soy sauce 1 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine 1 tsp cornflour one egg salt pepper For the dip: 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 1/2 tsp chilli oil Method: First knead the flour, water and salt into a smooth dough, then leave to rest for one hour. For the filling, finely chop the vegetables, squeeze out any liquid, then mix with the minced pork, egg, spices and sauces. Roll the dough out thinly, cut out circles, fill and seal. Pan-fry the dumplings in a little oil until golden brown, add a splash of water, cover and cook for about five minutes. Mix the dip and serve with the jiaozi. The following information is not intended for publication dpa/tmn hpz yyzz n1 xlt cwg lue

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Some people claim that without Coca-Cola, there would be no Santa Claus as we know him today. From Saint Nicholas to Sinterklaas and 19th-century illustrators, the look and legend of Santa Claus have roots that stretch much further than 1930s soda advertising. Berlin (dpa) – "Coca-Cola did not create the legend of Santa Claus." The myth that the many-named gift-bringer of Christmas was invented by a soda brand is so persistent that even Coca-Cola has had to step in to clear up the facts. After all, most people picture Santa as an older, bearded, white-haired and portly man in a red and white suit – in other words, precisely how Coca-Cola depicted him in its 1930s advertising. However, while the company may not have invented him, it admits its advertising did help shape and spread the contemporary image of Father Christmas. Coca-Cola explains that from 1931 the company’s commissioned illustrator Haddon Sundblom established the image of a warm-hearted, portly man in a red and white coat. This depiction, distributed internationally in advertisements and posters, then became the visual standard in various portrayals of Santa. he real roots of the modern Santa reach much further back. Historically, the figure is based on Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop from what is now Turkey. In medieval Europe, legends spread about Saint Nicholas, patron of children and the poor, giving rise to numerous regional traditions. The figure is said to have reached North America in the 17th century via Dutch immigrants. Their "Sinterklaas", carried by early settlers in Nieuw Amsterdam, evolved into "Santa Claus" in the English-speaking world. Because many Protestant congregations in North America rejected the veneration of Catholic saints, the gift-giving later shifted from St Nicholas Day on December 6 (the death day of Saint Nicholas of Myra) towards Christmas (December 24 or 25). In the 19th century Santa Claus took on a literary form. Writer Washington Irving described him as a jolly, chubby Dutchman as early as 1809. A decisive influence came from the 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas", which for the first time brought together key elements such as the reindeer-drawn sleigh, the night-time visit via the chimney and the distribution of presents. Towards the end of the 19th century illustrators refined the visual appearance. German-born caricaturist Thomas Nast developed the visual features from 1863 for US news magazine "Harper’s Weekly". He created a sturdy, bearded man in varying red and white versions, who was depicted as living at the North Pole, supported by helper elves and dealing with wish lists. The Nast images, which are still used today, were picked up by Coca-Cola's illustrator. Haddon Sundblom’s warmly rendered Santa – human, friendly, approachable – gave the figure a unified look. With the spread of US pop culture after World War II, this version of Santa Claus became established worldwide and has lasted until today. The following information is not intended for publication dpa mfl yyzz a3 sik

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Two cities, two love interests and, right in the middle of it all, Emily in Paris – or rather, in Rome. The hit series is back on Netflix and promises plenty of drama to help you escape your world-weariness and winter blues. Paris (dpa) – For Emily Cooper, it's all Dolce Vita for her time in Rome in the new episodes of "Emily in Paris" — or rather, in Rome. The usually uptight perfectionist finally letting go in the season now available on Netflix. At least for a moment. Of course, both small and big dramas return to the ambitious marketing woman played by Lily Collins. Although boss Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu) had actually assigned Emily to run the Rome office last season, the familiar team suddenly shows up in the Eternal City. On top of that, the mother of Emily’s new boyfriend Marcello (Eugenio Franceschini) and the most important client of the new outpost politely refuses to accept Emily’s pitches, and has to admit he doesn't know what anything in this country means. Naturally, things are not all rosy with Marcello either, and then Gabriel turns up, the man Emily yearned for forever but with whom things were always complicated. The drama is set to Italian music, pastoral excursions and gorgeous coastal images — and yes, hopping from Rome to the sea for a quick event stretches belief for anyone who knows the area, but ah well. Series creator Darren Star, who invented "Sex and the City", has said the new season shows Emily in a different light, in a new situation and with dramatic experiences. The woman from Chicago does indeed seem more mature and deeper — at least at times. Then there are scenes where Emily whines and pouts, with endless little problems and misfiring communication. Collins told Harper’s Bazaar the series offers something therapeutic to audiences with all its laughter and fun. For distraction and entertainment that may be true, but as a model for romantic relationships the series is hardly ideal. You end up wishing Emily had more self-confidence, and wishing for a strong female lead who is not thrown off course the moment a partner has an ex he does not hate and who — heaven forbid — is also attractive. Then again, "Emily in Paris" is no relationship guide, and thrives on maximizing the drama. Things heat up for other people too, with this season again giving other characters more space. There are family clashes, several men squabbling over the same woman, secrets, hurt feelings, a potentially consequential affair and hasty decisions, as well as two people in Emily’s circle unexpectedly developing feelings for each other. In between, plenty goes downhill fast. One thing you can say for the fifth season of "Emily in Paris": it is not boring. Fans can look forward to extravagant outfits again, and even a princess makes an appearance. The big question for many will be whether Emily really stays in Rome, and whether some shooting also took place in Venice. The trailer makes clear Paris will still play a part in Emily’s life, since her best friend Mindy (Ashley Park), her ex and friend Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) and, of course, chef Gabriel remain rooted there. Fans will have to wait to see what it all means for Emily’s love life and career. This much can be said: At least one of the men interested in her does not give up as quickly as it might first seem. The following information is not intended for publication dpa rbo xxde coh

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Rome (dpa) – US actor Kevin Spacey is set to return to screens this year in a new role on Italian television – as one of the main characters in the comedy series "Minimarket." The streaming platform RaiPlay plans to release the first five episodes on December 26. In the series, Spacey, 66, plays an Oscar winner and imaginary friend of a law graduate who dreams of TV stardom. The career of the former Hollywood star, who gained fame for films like "American Beauty" and TV shows like "House of Cards," took a hit in 2017 after allegations of sexual assault were made against him. In a London criminal court trial, Spacey was acquitted on all charges. Next year, he is expected to face three civil lawsuits in London over the same allegations. In June 2024 Spacey said on the programme Piers Morgan Uncensored that he was heavily in debt and would lose his house in Baltimore through foreclosure. By his own account he has many millions in debts and can no longer pay his bills. After his acquittal he sought to rebuild his career. In May 2025 he was honoured with a lifetime achievement award on the sidelines of the Cannes Film Festival. In October 2024 he posted a photo from a shoot in Phoenix, Arizona, without naming details of the project. In 2021 he appeared on camera in Italy for the film "L'uomo Che Disegnò Dio" ("The Man Who Drew God") by director Franco Nero. The following information is not intended for publication dpa brd xxde sl nca wjh coh

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Overflowing with twists, secrets, and deliciously unhinged drama, "The Housemaid" turns Freida McFadden’s novel into a captivating cinematic soap opera with Amanda Seyfried as a manic matriarch and Sydney Sweeney as the street-smart newcomer. Los Angeles (tca/dpa) – The movie equivalent of a soapy, trashy beach read, "The Housemaid" is a madly enjoyable romp that makes the most out of its talented cast and takes audiences on a thrillingly unpredictable joyride. For a date night or a girls night out during the stressful holiday season, audiences would be hard pressed to find anything else this devilishly delightful. This overflowingly juicy adaptation of Freida McFadden's 2022 novel stars Amanda Seyfried as Nina Winchester , a wealthy Long Island wife and mother who hires Millie Calloway ( Sydney Sweeney ) to lend a hand around the house and to help take care of Cecelia (Indiana Elle), the grade school-aged daughter she has with her husband Andrew ("It Ends With Us'" Brandon Sklenar ). Millie, near destitute and trying to rebuild her life after some childhood, er, speed bumps — we learn early on that she's on probation, but the details of her past are purposely slow to emerge — desperately needs the work. At first, all seems dreamlike with the new gig, until Nina starts freaking out on Millie, blaming her for things she didn't do and playing head games with her new helping hand, who is living in the attic of the Winchester's lovely family home. Andrew isn't around often, but when he is, he's apologetic to Millie for Nina's erratic behaviour. We learn Nina has some dark secrets of her own, and it's not long before Andrew grows closer to Millie, and they share late nights watching Richard Dawson -era "Family Feud" episodes in the family viewing room, which only further stokes Nina's ire. Mt. Clemens -raised director Paul Feig ("A Simple Favor," "Bridesmaids"), working from a sharp script by Rebecca Sonnenshine , works these elements — the emerging rivalry between Nina and Millie, the budding attraction between Millie and Andrew — into a sudsy lather. The three principal cast members, meanwhile, lean all the way into their parts — Seyfried as the manic, uptight wife and mother who is prone to psychotic outburtsts; Sweeney as the kindhearted but street smart bombshell; Sklenar as the handsome husband and mama's boy ( Elizabeth Perkins is Evelyn, his doting mother). Of course, like any good page turner, "The Housemaid" has much more up its sleeve than first meets the eye, and the fun of the movie is watching it unspool in gloriously unhinged ways. Much has been made of Sweeney in recent months — about her box office appeal, about her media image, about her future career prospects. Only those that haven't been paying attention would undersell her talent, and her work here should do a lot to lift her out of the financial doldrums of her last few projects. But Seyfried is the rock here, and the Oscar nominee — she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for 2020's "Mank" — gets to have a blast while playing all manner of crazy. Between this and her work in the upcoming "The Testament of Ann Lee ," the one-time "Mean Girl" has blossomed into a wholly captivating leading lady. The twists and turns in "The Housemaid" are way too delectable to spill. But they help it make for a highly entertaining moviegoing experience, a popcorn movie just begging for extra butter. The following information is not intended for publication tca dpa coh

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With visuals so stunning they feel almost tangible, "Avatar: Fire and Ash" delivers yet another mesmerizing journey to Pandora, pushing the boundaries of 3D technology. But will the franchise’s repetitive storytelling and wooden dialogue leave audiences emotionally adrift? Los Angeles (tca/dpa) – It happens early on, the first time “Avatar: Fire and Ash” took my breath away with its visual effects. It was something simple — waves gently lapping in the foreground as characters spoke — but the cerulean water was so vivid, so seemingly tangible that I shifted backward in my seat to avoid getting wet. The latest “Avatar” entry, like its predecessors, is full of stunningly beautiful imagery like this, all brought to life with the most impressive 3D technology I’ve ever experienced in a movie theater. But also like 2009’s “Avatar” and 2022’s “Avatar: The Way of Water,” that’s almost all that “Fire and Ash” has going for it, with a blandly generic plot and insipid dialogue that includes this winner: “When you ride the beast, you become the beast.” “Fire and Ash,” once again directed by James Cameron , with a script from Cameron, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver , takes place shortly after the events of “The Way of Water,” with Jake Sully ( Sam Worthington , somehow even less charming this time around) and Neytiri (a criminally underutilized Zoe Saldaña) still grieving over the death of their son Neteyam. Lo’ak ( Britain Dalton ) blames himself for his older brother’s death; Neytiri is questioning her faith in Eywa, the Na’vi deity that governs the global consciousness of Pandora, the moon on which they live. It’s rather dour, but understandably so. And then there’s the matter of the Sky People (aka humans), who are still set on colonizing Pandora after ruining Earth for humanity, even if the indigenous population keeps halting their advances. (Most humans on Pandora continue to lack any depth or subtlety, single-mindedly focused on taking over the moon without any regard to the morality of the situation — including being OK with killing sapient whalelike creatures to harvest them so humans can stop aging.) The plot, in essence, is a direct continuation of “The Way of Water,” with Stephen Lang reprising his role as Col. Miles Quartich, who leads the charge against Jake and his family both to help colonize the moon and because he hates Jake and Neytiri for killing his former human self. (His consciousness was implanted into an Avatar body — a hybrid between human and Na’vi — in the second movie.) This time around, though, Quartich pairs up with the Mangkwan clan, aka the Ash People, a group of Na’vi that reject Eywa after losing their village in a volcanic eruption, and are basically pirates. Their leader, Varang ( Oona Chaplin ), who at one point claims “I am the fire!”, wants to cover the world in flame. In that, Quartich sees a means to an end. Not that it matters much, because at this point, I’m not sure anyone sees an “Avatar” movie for the story. It’s a good thing, then, that “Fire and Ash” is such a technical knockout, from its visuals to costume and sound design. The world of Pandora is vibrancy incarnate, brimming with eye-popping gorgeousness: a flying creature’s gossamer wings, painted in cotton candy hues; glittering bioluminescence wherever you look; a cultlike celebration cast in shadow and fire. Every visual element is masterful, from the smallest detail (a Na’vi’s ear twitching) to the largest (an enormous fireball descending from the sky). And the action is fierce, kinetic and basically nonstop in “Fire and Ash.” The ending sequence goes on a bit too long (as does the movie in general, at 195 minutes), but it’s all generally entertaining, if you forgive the fact that the spectacle replaces the story for the most part. For a franchise that roots its characters’ traditions in song, it’s a shame each new entry feels so one note, and a repetitive one at that. But it’s par for the course for “Avatar” at this point. If you liked the first two movies (which jointly made $5.2 billion at the box office, so it’s fair to say many did), you’ll enjoy “Fire and Ash,” which should be seen in 3D on the biggest screen possible. Just don’t be surprised if the only thing that sticks with you is that water, gently lapping at the screen. The following information is not intended for publication tca dpa coh

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