Month: January 2026

On July 2, 2024, a mamón tree fell on Delcy Rodríguez. The accident caused injuries to her right arm, which she frequently wore bandages on. That day, Rodríguez was in Cumanacoa, in eastern Venezuela, overseeing the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl, a gust of wind brought down the enormous tree on top of her and some of her equipment.

The accident was announced by Nicolás Maduro at a public event, in the midst of the campaign for the presidential elections of July 28 of that year. With a discordant sense of humor that has aged poorly, he said: “Delcy, while working in Cumanacoa, was hit by a missile. But she recovers from everything.”

And the statement seems true. Because a year and a half later, we see her—quite recovered—being sworn in as acting president of Venezuela after, indeed, American bombs fell on Caracas to remove Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, the woman who occupies the presidential seat in Miraflores with the unexpected backing of the United States, is one of the figures with the greatest accumulation of power within the Venezuelan ruling party and a key operator of the state’s political, repressive, and economic apparatus.

Delcy Rodríguez has been presented as a moderate, a technocrat, a “different” chavista because of her studies in France and England and her fluent English. The first is not true. This is confirmed by American columnist Eva Golinger, who spent several years in Venezuela alongside Hugo Chávez, and by former Turkish diplomat Imdat Oner, who served in Caracas and recalls a meeting with ambassadors in 2015 when Rodríguez was foreign minister: “She arrived two hours late and started yelling at the US and European diplomats. She is a radical chavista, in terms of ideology,” he told La Hora de Venezuela.

What Delcy Rodríguez is, observers and analysts agree, is pragmatic. In fact, her greatest rise within the chavista power structure has occurred since she began to pull the strings of the economic agenda. Over the years, she has become more than just the vice president: she is a central operator of the system, the figure to whom is called upon when it is necessary to confront, execute, close ranks, and secure economic lifelines.

Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez was born in Caracas on May 18, 1969. Her political biography cannot be understood without a later date: July 25, 1976, when her father, Jorge Antonio Rodríguez, died in police custody after being arrested for his involvement in the kidnapping of American businessman William Niehous. The death—attributed to torture and mistreatment—became a breaking point for the family and, over time, a key element of the chavista narrative about the 1958-1998 governments. For Delcy and her brother Jorge, that history of victimization served as both a wound and a compass: politics as reparation, as justice, as revenge. In fact, she once uttered on television: “The Bolivarian Revolution, the arrival of our Commander, was our personal revenge.”

In a government where trust is managed as a scarce resource, Delcy has remained for a fundamental reason: she serves to hold the edifice together when it creaks.

Furthermore, Delcy is not just Delcy. She is part of a duo that, for years, has operated as the backbone of the revolutionary government: alongside her brother Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, they have both been described as “political twins” of chavismo. They share origins, narratives, and ambitions.

This family alliance explains their strength. In a government where trust is managed as a scarce resource, Delcy has remained for a fundamental reason: she serves to hold the edifice together when it creaks.

That’s why, when the economy hit its lowest point and needed a boost, Rodríguez became the only high-ranking official attending business meetings, while a vast network of private initiatives was being built under her wing. Investigative journalism platforms like Armando.info have uncovered the now-acting president’s connections to a “business entourage” with ramifications in the construction, tourism, real estate, food import, and packaging sectors.

Domestically, government officials describe her as a reserved, quiet, and low-profile figure with a small but highly loyal circle of allies—allies who now stand by her in what could be the greatest paradox of her life: denouncing the American capture of Nicolás Maduro in her speeches, while in practice allowing the Trump administration to exert control over political decision-making and resuming oil sales agreements with the US.

However, the hand Delcy Rodríguez is currently wielding lacks, by far, the legal certainty, reliability, and constitutional guarantees that oil executives demand. She and her inner circle are burdened by a long history of human rights violations, economic hardship, over 800 political prisoners still incarcerated, and internal disputes.

A pillar of the dictatorship

Rodríguez served as Minister of the Presidency (2006), Minister of Communication and Information (2013-2014), Minister of Foreign Affairs (2014-2017), President of the National Constituent Assembly (2017-2018), and, since June 2018, Executive Vice President. However, one of the turning points in her career was her presidency of the National Constituent Assembly, a body created without a prior referendum and not recognized by the international community.

From her position as president of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC), she spearheaded a process that effectively nullified the National Assembly elected in 2015, concentrating legislative, judicial, and political oversight functions in a body dominated exclusively by chavismo. Under her leadership, legal instruments widely criticized by human rights organizations were approved.

This was also the period when Delcy Rodríguez held the pro tempore presidency of Mercosur, and when Venezuela ceased to be a member of the organization for violating the Accession Protocol.

In this context, the then Foreign Minister was involved in an unforgettable incident: In December 2016, she was denied entry to the organization’s meeting held in Buenos Aires, but she made headlines by appearing with her arm in a sling, allegedly due to injuries she suffered when she was prevented from entering the meeting. “I was beaten by a police officer (…) the offenses and physical abuse that can occur within Mercosur against a nation and its foreign minister are shameful,” Rodríguez stated at the time.

Investigations indicate that, days before the ‘Delcygate’ trip, Delcy Rodríguez facilitated the sale of 104 Venezuelan gold bars valued at more than $60 million to Spanish businesspeople.

Delcy Rodríguez’s record on human rights ranges from her participation in the creation of a repressive legal framework to her role as one of the main perpetrators of one of the most intense waves of repression during the chavista era. During her tenure in the National Constituent Assembly, regulatory frameworks and decisions were promoted and consolidated that facilitated the repression and criminalization of dissent.

Among them are the Constitutional Law Against Hatred (2017), systematically used to criminally prosecute opposition members, journalists, activists, and citizens for expressions on social media, with sentences of up to 20 years in prison. She provided critical support for permanent states of emergency, which suspended constitutional guarantees and allowed for arrests without a warrant. Delcy Rodríguez also helped to legitimize civil-military control of public order, consolidating the use of military courts and intelligence agencies against civilians.

As Executive Vice President of the Republic, she had direct authority over Ministries and security agencies. Between 2018 and April 2021, under her chain of command, the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) was documented as responsible for arbitrary detentions, torture, enforced disappearances, and mass surveillance.

The UN Human Rights Council’s Fact-Finding Mission concluded in 2020 that there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that Rodríguez knew or should have known about crimes committed by the State and failed to act to prevent them, despite her position of authority. These conclusions were reiterated and expanded in subsequent resolutions that kept the international investigation into Venezuela active.

Corruption, gold, and international schemes

Beyond her role in the chain of command of human rights violations, Delcy Rodríguez has been linked to transnational corruption schemes involving gold, foreign businesspeople, and opaque financial circuits.

On January 20, 2020, Rodríguez (sanctioned by the European Union from 2018) entered Spain despite the existing travel ban and met with then-Minister José Luis Ábalos (currently in jail), triggering the scandal known as Delcygate. Investigations indicate that, days before the trip, she facilitated the sale of 104 Venezuelan gold bars valued at more than $60 million to Spanish businesspeople. The Civil Guard found communications between Rodríguez and businessman Víctor de Aldama that directly link the vice president to this transaction.

This case is part of a broader pattern of illegal extraction and international money laundering of Venezuelan gold through shell companies, a scheme that reinforces corruption and the evasion of financial controls. In the political and media sphere, the Delcygate scandal has also been linked to other controversies in Spain, such as the state bailout of the airline Plus Ultra, which has ties to figures associated with Chavismo, although there is no direct legal evidence implicating Rodríguez.

It is impossible to forget that Venezuela’s current interim president spearheaded a scandalous pact with dangerous gang members in 2017.

Another key figure is Jorge Giménez. This Venezuelan businessman and president of the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF), is the subject of an investigation by Armando.info, which exposes him as an operative for the chavista regime and a trusted associate of Rodríguez. He is implicated in opaque contracts linked to the CLAP program and PDVSA, with debts and irregular agreements exceeding $1.2 billion. Furthermore, he appears in chats related to the Spanish case as a direct interlocutor of his “boss,” solidifying the connection between Venezuelan political power and international corruption networks.

The Associated Press recently published a report revealing that the DEA has been investigating Rodríguez for years. “Rodriguez has been on the radar of the US Drug Enforcement Administration for years, and in 2022 she was even labeled a ‘priority target,’ a designation the DEA reserves for suspects believed to have a ‘significant impact’ on drug trafficking, according to records obtained by the AP and more than half a dozen current and former US law enforcement officials,” the publication states.

Although the same publication clarifies that the United States has never accused Rodríguez of any crime and notes that she “is not among the more than a dozen Venezuelan officials—from Maduro’s inner circle—accused of drug trafficking along with the ousted president,” it is impossible to forget that Venezuela’s current interim president spearheaded a scandalous pact with dangerous gang members in 2017.

That year, while dozens of students protesting against the repression of Nicolás Maduro’s government were being killed in the streets of the country’s main cities, Rodríguez, then president of the National Assembly, led the task of negotiating with criminal groups to keep them calm and prevent them from rising up against the government.

CHICAGO — We’ve seen these movies before, or at least most of them.

With the NFL’s conference championship games set — the Rams at Seattle following New England at Denver — three of the four possible Super Bowl permutations are rematches.

Rams-Patriots? There have been two of those, at the end of the 2001 and 2018 seasons.

And Seattle has played both combinations, beating the Broncos in the 2013 season and losing to the Patriots a year later.

Of the four possibilities, the only one that hasn’t happened is Rams-Broncos.

There are strong ownership ties binding those two franchises. Among his many sports holdings, Rams owner Stan Kroenke also owns the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche. Although he built his empire with real estate and as a developer, he’s married to Ann Walton Kroenke — of the Walmart family — who is a first cousin of Rob Walton, who led the group that purchased the Broncos in 2022.

The Broncos last won the Super Bowl 10 years ago, weeks after the Rams were approved to move back to Los Angeles, and it happened at Levi’s Stadium, site of this year’s game. That was when Peyton Manning won his second ring, with his second franchise, then called it a career.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in their 20-17 overtime victory against the Chicago Bears in the NFC divisional playoffs at Soldier Field.

There’s a possibility that Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford could follow that blueprint. He’s on his second team, having spent the first part of his career with Detroit, and he already has one ring. But whereas Manning was clearly in the sunset of his storied career, Stafford remains at the top of his game, and likely will be this season’s NFL Most Valuable Player.

Still, Stafford will turn 38 the day before the Super Bowl, and it wouldn’t be much of a curveball if that were his last game, especially if the Rams were to win.

Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson is from Littleton, Colo., a suburb of Denver, and Broncos general manager George Paton is from La Cañada and played football at Loyola High and UCLA.

If the Seahawks were to win the NFC — and oddsmakers have them as 2½-point favorites — they would look to repeat against Denver or atone for that painful loss to New England.

It was at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, remember, that Seattle rolled over Manning and the Broncos, 43-8, behind a smothering defense. Pete Carroll’s team looked unbeatable.

A year later in Arizona, one of the most excruciating moments in Seattle sports history.

With 20 seconds left and the Seahawks a yard away from the go-ahead touchdown, Patriots rookie Malcom Butler picked off a goal-line pass by Russell Wilson. Seattle inexplicably decided to throw instead of handing off to battering ram Marshawn Lynch, who was all but automatic in short-yardage situations.

Despite some reported clashes, the Syrian army and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are implementing their new ceasefire agreement. The SDF is expected to integrate its fighters into the Syrian army and place public infrastructure and services under federal government control.

No sooner had 2026 begun than dramatic events in world politics followed one after another. The problem is not even the speed of these events but the difficulty of systematizing them. Forecasting is a thankless task. And the issue is not only the high probability of error. The conditions of the current transitional international system and the turbulent world make forecasting a process far from scientific. We lack the necessary tools, theory, and sufficient input information. It is very difficult to predict which events will be of central importance, which regions will be at the center of world attention, and where conflicts will begin and end.

Despite the enormous attention focused on the conflict in Ukraine and the events surrounding Iran, Palestine, and Venezuela, it can be assumed that the center of Eurasia will be one of the key regions in terms of conflict potential and world politics. Important political processes and, possibly, various actions should be expected due to the high conflict potential between India and Pakistan and the increased tensions between the United States and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Anarchical Year? The brilliant Oxford University professor Hedley Bull published his book “The Anarchical Society” in 1977, arguing that “international society is a society without government, and in this respect it resembles primitive or archaic societies.”

One can expect an obvious archaization of international life. Classical realists, theorists of international relations, have led us to believe that the world is in a state of eternal and unchanging anarchy. Unlike domestic relations, there is no policeman in the world of global politics. The monopoly on force belongs to the state, but only within the borders of that state. This restrains members of society from using force for their own interests. In relations between countries, there is no such policeman. Liberal theorists believed that anarchy is a negative thing and should be combated through collective methods, especially through the use of various international organizations. They believed it was possible to create an international system in which a global policeman could emerge.

But what is to be done when a potential contender for the role of world policeman does not want such a fate, and the others do not possess sufficient resources and capabilities? What is to be done when the world has become so complex and the number of ambitious, influential powers has become so high that there is no single powerful force capable of restraining everyone? And what if the great military powers themselves have concluded that expanding the field of anarchy is beneficial to them?

Symbolically, in the prestigious Anglosphere journal International Organization, Alexander Wendt suggested that the level of anarchy will be determined by the great powers themselves. That is, he refuted the liberal view that anarchy is something that has a beginning and an end: “Anarchy is what the great powers make of it.”

It can be assumed that 2026 will be a year of expanding anarchy. Trumpist America will be the leading political actor whose actions will expand the field of anarchy and, in parallel, break down what remains (and much remains) of the current international system. Powers will be self-serving. The very concept of alliances will be rethought. Militarization processes will be widespread. Everyone who can afford it will arm themselves. The increase in the sphere of anarchy will lead to an expansion of conflict potential. There will be many conflicts. Military potential will determine the balance of power in international life. The technological race will reach a new level, blurring the line between the military and civilian spheres. Apparently, diplomatic agreements will remain overshadowed by military capabilities. It can be assumed that 2026 will break records for spending on armaments.

South and Central Asia

As I have already said, the Central and South Asian region will remain in the focus of world media attention. The conflict potential between the leading players in the political and economic life of the region is too high.

The US National Security Strategy, published at the end of 2025, pays extremely limited attention to the South and Central Asian regions. The document, developed during Donald Trump’s second presidential term, represents, in many ways, an atypical and, to a certain extent, innovative approach to strategic planning. It is noteworthy that Afghanistan is not mentioned at all in Trump’s strategy, and Pakistan is mentioned only once, exclusively in the context of the Indo-Pakistani settlement. Nevertheless, this arrangement of priorities is difficult to interpret as evidence of Washington’s withdrawal from an active role in the region.

Donald Trump, in turn, quite clearly and unambiguously outlined the priority interest of the United States—the Bagram airbase. In September 2025, Trump stated that if Afghanistan refused to return the Bagram airbase, the United States, which built it, would face “bad consequences.” A legitimate question arises: why does this facility remain so important to the US? Bagram has exceptional strategic and symbolic significance. According to Afghan legends, it was founded by Alexander the Great and is located near the Afghan-Chinese border, essentially in the geographical center of Eurasia. Trump himself emphasized that one of the key reasons for interest in the base is its proximity to facilities connected with China.

Another potential conflict is linked to the “eternal” military, political, and economic confrontation between two hostile countries—India and Pakistan. In May 2025, a real war broke out between Delhi and Islamabad, lasting several days. Indian artillery and air force struck military targets in Pakistan on May 7. The operation, codenamed “Sindhur,” was allegedly aimed at the “terrorist infrastructure” of pro-Pakistani terrorist groups that have certain ties to some military circles. Pakistan, in turn, denied all these accusations and launched a military operation in response to India’s actions.

The reason for the conflict was a horrific terrorist attack in the Indian part of the disputed territory of Kashmir on April 22. Islamists from a Pakistani terrorist organization opened fire on tourists in Pahalgam, killing several dozen people. Indian authorities claimed Pakistan’s involvement in the attack. Donald Trump stated that he was the one who managed to stop the conflict between the two warring countries. Furthermore, many observers and analysts believe that a significant recalibration of U.S. strategy in South Asia is signaling a deliberate warming of relations with Pakistan after years of prioritizing ties with India.

Thus, 2026 is unlikely to be a year of universal peace, cooperation, and prosperity. Unfortunately, we may face a very tense year with a number of complex conflicts.

The art of the so-called art song is a thriving business. Singers galore are monthly recording songs from the rich 19th ^{century classical repertory, while composers are busy making new ones. But what was once known as the Lieder recital — the German title for songs in a genre once dominated by Schubert, Schumann, Hugo Wolf and Richard Strauss — has approached its sell-by date.}

The smart shopper will already note signs of staleness and mold in the old practice of a singer in stiff white tie and tails or gaudy gown, standing, arm propped on piano, of the second banana accompanist. Attention here was meant to be drawn not to the singer but the marvels of song, as you followed the text in your program book. The recital acted like a religious experience in which a rarefied atmosphere befits radiance.

A new generation of singers, however, has been strikingly upending the song recital, turning to songs from a wide variety of sources old, new and genre fluid. Singers think thematically and theatrically. Pianists become welcoming creative partners. Other musicians, stage directors, choreographers and dancers may be invited in.

“From Ordinary Things,” which had its premiere as part of CAP UCLA’s series at the Nimoy Theater on Thursday night, is the latest project of one of the least ordinary and most compelling singers of this new generation, Julia Bullock. A rivetingly theatrical soprano, Bullock, in collaboration with percussionist/composer Tyshawn Sorey and director Peter Sellars, has developed a full-scale operatic evening, “Perle Noir: Meditations for Joséphine,” about the chanteuse Josephine Baker and slated next for Australia’s Adelaide Festival in March. Another project has been Bullock’s riveting staging, with dance, of Olivier Messiaen’s mystical, Amazonian, sex-love-death song cycle, “Harawi,” which came to the Wallis in October 2024.

Conor Hanick, a partner of Bullock’s in the experimental collective American Modern Opera Company (AMOC), was the pianist for “Harawi” and is again for “From Ordinary Things.” They are further joined by the equally versatile cellist, Seth Parker Woods. The title comes from the last line of “Shelter,” a song by André Previn with a text by Toni Morrison. “In this soft place/Under your wings/I will find shelter/From ordinary things.”

That leaves us Bullock with extraordinary things, and her program is surprising in all things. She begins in shock, singing unaccompanied, on a dark stage in a darkened hall, performers illuminated by powerful spotlights.

Julia Bullock performs at the UCLA Nimoy Theater on Thursday in Los Angeles.

(Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

Stark, discomforting amplification diminishes intimacy and the luxurious richness of Bullock’s soprano, which easily fills a room on its own, suggests quiet terror, the lonely state of Nina Simone’s “Images.” The unaccompanied solo about a woman who “thinks her body has no glory” gets it from Bullock. That progresses without a break into the first song, “Nahandove,” from Ravel’s “Songs of Madagascar,” with piano and cello but not the flute in Ravel’s original setting. Here beauty is celebrated with voluptuous rapture, setting the mood for “Oh, Yemanja,” a mythic, watery mother’s prayer from Tania León’s opera “Scourge of Hyacinths.”

A highlight was to have been a pair of songs by León, with texts by Kevin Young, written for the recital, but they were apparently not yet ready. A line from one of them is “All light wrong?” With the program and song texts only available to download on the cellphone, the audience was left in the dark without texts and, with amplification obscuring diction, not knowing what’s what.

Another Young line — “are my chief complaints” — suited the blowsy loudspeakers that messed up balances, which extended to a performance of George Walker’s rarely heard Sonata for Cello, that ends the first half, for no apparent reason other than it gives the spotlight to the instrumentalists and it is a score that begs to be heard.

Parker has been a glowing advocate of the early work, written in 1957, by the late composer whose music is only in the past few years beginning to find its way to the public thanks to the efforts of reviving neglected Black composers. The sonata does not have the vibrant complexity of Walker’s commanding later works, but it is tight, strong, accessible and with an inspired slow movement that it would be hard to get enough of.

Cellist Seth Parker Woods and pianist Conor Hanick at the UCLA Nimoy Theater on Thursday in Los Angeles.

(Carlin Stiehl/For The Times)

The strange second half brought fewer complaints. An intermission bought time to familiarize oneself with text squeezed onto the cellphone screen. Amplification proved less objectionable. Bullock announced that while putting the program together she had come across songs by Robert Owens, a little-known American composer who lived in Munich, Germany, and died in 2017 and who wrote songs in the style of Richard Strauss to texts by the 19^th century poet Joseph von Eichendorff. If not a find, a curiosity.

From there to the avant-garde. “Ultimate Rose” from Salvatore Sciarrino’s 1981 opera, “Vanitas,” turns early music, along with vocal and cello production, marvelously inside out. More Nina Simone, the harsh “Four Women,” then Previn. Along with “Shelter,” Bullock sang a song he wrote with Dory Previn (“It’s Good to Have You Near Again”) and arrangements he made of standards (The Gershwins’ “Love Walked In” and Rogers’ and Hart’s “Nobody’s Heart Belongs to Me”) for his album with Leontyne Price. The encore was Massenet’s “Elégie.”

Each song seems to exist for reasons of its own. Each song creates a different dynamic among the three performers. You listen, left in the dark, wondering but also in wonder, as Bullock asks you a question why each song mattered as much as it did.

You go home and read the texts and find there are no ordinary things.

FORGET flights – you can now book a package holiday with Skyscanner.

The comparison website has long been used by holidaymakers looking to find the cheapest flight options.

And from today, Skyscanner has launched its own Package Holidays search option.

Scouring the internet, it compares 25million holiday packages a day which includes all the big names like TUI, Jet2, easyJet, Loveholidays and OnTheBeach,

For example, we found bargain deals such as seven nights in Benidorm with hotels and flights for just £226 with Lastminute, using the new serch tool.

There’s also a week in Marrakech for £195 next month, with flights and hotels bookable via Expedia.

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The search options let you choose everything from board, such as self-catered or all-inclusive, as well as star rating of the hotels you want to stay at.

The tour operator and airline can be chosen as well as whether you only want direct flights.

It isn’t quite as advanced as their flight search just yet – there isn’t an option for ‘Everywhere‘ or ‘Cheapest Month’ just yet.

So as long as you know where you want to go, and when, you can find a bargain.

The new search tool has been launched due to a boom in package holiday demand.

New data released by Skyscanner found that demand has increased by 113 per cent since the beginning of the year.

Not only that, but 52 per cent of Brits said they were looking at booking a package holiday.

Once seen as a more expensive option, bargain deals are now available which aren’t much more expensive compared to booking flights and hotels separately.

Not only that, but all of the holidays are ATOL protected, meaning your money is safe if the operator goes bust.

Laura Lindsay, Skyscanner’s Travel Expert, said: “Our research shows that for many, finding that perfect holiday can feel overwhelming, with value for money top of mind.

“We’re excited to bring our industry leading price comparison tech to packages.

“With more and more choice in how package holidays are constructed, travellers need an easier way to compare all of the options in one place, to find great deals without the hassle.”

Last year, Skyscanner also launched a new price drop tool.

And here are the 10 cheapest places to fly to this year, according to Skyscanner.

WASHINGTON — James Harden scored 36 points, and when he finally missed a couple big free throws in the final seconds, the ball came right back to him as the Clippers edged the Washington Wizards 110-106 on Monday for their sixth straight victory.

Harden made two free throws with 36.9 seconds left to give the Clippers a 108-106 lead, and after the teams traded scoreless possessions, Kyshawn George missed a three-pointer for Washington. Harden was fouled with 5.9 seconds left. At that point, he was 16 for 16 from the line, but he missed both free throws.

The Wizards couldn’t secure the rebound, and the ball bounced back to Harden, who was fouled again. This time he made both shots to seal the win.

Washington has lost seven straight.

Although the two teams have been headed in opposite directions, the game was close the whole way. Harden’s layup put the Clippers up by three, but Khris Middleton was fouled while shooting a three with 57.6 seconds left, and he made all three free throws to tie it at 106.

The Clippers (19-23) were without the injured Kawhi Leonard for a second straight game. Trae Young (knee, quad) still hasn’t played since being traded to Washington from Atlanta.

Alex Sarr led the Wizards (10-32) with 28 points. George had 18 points, six assists and six rebounds, but he missed a trio of key shots in the last couple of minutes for Washington.

The Clippers won despite shooting five for 28 from beyond the arc. They were 33 for 38 on free throws and outscored the Wizards 60-38 in the paint.

Up next for the Clippers: at Chicago on Tuesday night.

Jan. 19 (UPI) — Strong winds and snow created whiteout conditions in Michigan Monday, leading to a pileup of more than 100 vehicles and shutting down a portion of Interstate 196.

The crash happened on Interstate 196 in Zeeland Township, Mich., at about 10:19 a.m. EST. The road has been closed to all traffic.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office and Ottawa County Emergency Management say buses are transporting people who are stranded on the road away from the site of the accident. Motorists are advised to stay in their vehicles until they are able to board a bus.

The Hudsonville Public Schools and Holland, Mich., public transit services are providing transportation to the Hudsonville High School.

The Michigan State Police estimate that 30 to 40 semi-trucks were involved in the pileup. Numerous people have been injured but no fatalities have been reported.

The whiteout conditions have caused multiple crashes on Monday with several involving 15 vehicles or more. Part of U.S. Route 131 is closed in Kalamazoo, Mich., due to multiple crashes.

Semi-trucks have been involved in the Kalamazoo area crashes as well, with multiple trucks jackknifing on the road.

The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories in western Michigan due to strong winds and lake effect snow.

It is a much more public show of support than Powell has previously displayed, but comes as Trump threatened Fed chair with criminal indictment.

United States Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court’s oral argument in a case involving the attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair.

The high court is considering whether US President Donald Trump can fire Cook, as he said he would do in late August, in an unprecedented attempt to remove one of the seven members of the Fed’s governing board. Powell plans to attend the high court’s Wednesday session, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

It is a much more public show of support than the Fed chair has previously shown Cook. But it follows Powell’s announcement last week that the Trump administration has sent subpoenas to the Fed, threatening an unprecedented criminal indictment of the Fed chair. Powell — appointed to the position by Trump in 2018 — appears to be casting off last year’s more subdued response to Trump’s repeated attacks on the central bank in favour of a more public confrontation.

Powell issued a video statement on January 11 condemning the subpoenas as “pretexts” for Trump’s efforts to force him to sharply cut the Fed’s key interest rate. Powell oversaw three rate cuts late last year, lowering the rate to about 3.6 percent, but Trump has argued it should be as low as 1 percent, a position few economists support.

The Trump administration has accused Cook of mortgage fraud, an allegation that Cook has denied. No charges have been made against Cook. She sued to keep her job, and the Supreme Court on October 1 issued a brief order allowing her to stay on the board while they consider her case.

If Trump succeeds in removing Cook, he could appoint another person to fill her slot, which would give his appointees a majority on the Fed’s board and greater influence over the central bank’s decisions on interest rates and bank regulation.

Jill Halfpenny plays DS Sam Bradley in the tense police drama, which has returned for a second series

After The Flood star Jill Halfpenny shared a sweet message with fans after the police drama returned.

The second series of the tense show started this month, with detective Jo Marshall, played by Sophie Rundle, back on our screens and looking into a new set of murders.

Fans have been gripped by the ITV series so far and as the latest instalment aired on Monday (January 19), Jill – who stars as DS Sam Bradley – expressed her delight in a post on her Instagram Story.

Sharing a screengrab of some of the positive comments about the show, she told fans: “We are so happy you are enjoying After The Flood series 2.”

The drama, which also stars Matt Stokoe and Lorraine Ashbourne, is back two years after season one, which saw police investigating after a man was found dead in an underground car park following a catastrophic flood.

Fans have been thrilled to see it return, with many posting messages on social media calling it “brilliant”. One posted a message on Instagram saying they were “so happy it’s back” as another penned: “Binged it all in one day!”

“Binge watched the whole series already and it’s one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while,” commented another viewer, adding: “Hats off to everyone involved in it.”

Another hailed the “brilliant first episode!” as others shared clapping emojis to show their appreciation.

Lead star Sophie recently shared: “It’s really nice coming back to something that has been recommissioned because people watched it and because people liked it, you know, and I think that’s obviously the only way you can kind of judge whether people want a series two.

“It’s really lovely coming back, you meet people when you’re out and about and they often say, ‘Oh, we loved After the Flood, we loved that one’, so it’s really nice when you go back to something and you think, ‘Okay, to a degree, I think we got that right’ and I think people liked it and people kind of want more, so that is always a really nice starting point.”

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After The Flood airs on ITV.

US President Donald Trump has unveiled a proposed “Board of Peace” initially aimed at rebuilding Gaza but now pitched as a global conflict body. Critics see a wide gap between its lofty promises and political reality. Al Jazeera’s Ruby Zaman takes a look the growing scepticism over whether it can deliver meaningful change.

WHEN the most famous women in the world wanted a show-stopping dress, their designer of choice was Valentino Garavani.

The Italian fashion legend, who last night died, aged 93 at his home in Rome, even had a colour — Valentino red — named after his signature dresses.

Among the many fans of his designs were Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Zendaya, Lady Gaga and Queen Camilla.

JFK’s widow Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Jennifer Lopez and Claudia Schiffer are among those to have worn one of his creations on their wedding day.

Valentino is one of the biggest fashion brands on the planet, making more than a billion pounds worth of sales last year.

Founded in 1960, the company’s V is a sign of luxury found on everything from handbags, shoes and perfume to both men’s and women’s clothes.

LEGEND LOST

Italian fashion designer Valentino who dressed Hollywood A-listers dies aged 93

FLO LEGS IT

Florence Pugh puts on a leggy display as she stuns in plunging polka dot blouse

Valentino has included a red dress in every collection since its launch, and Valentino red gowns have been worn by Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rihanna among others.

But the designer famously fell out with Princess Diana after the late royal ditched one of his creations for a different “revenge dress” for her first public appearance following revelations that King Charles had cheated on her.

Valentino was the last of the classic 20th-century designers, who also included Giorgio Armani and Karl Lagerfeld.

The fashion great, who had a relationship with his male business partner Giancarlo Giammetti, said: “I love beauty. It is not my fault.

‘WOMEN WANT TO BE BEAUTIFUL’

“And I know what women want — they want to be beautiful.”

Right from his birth, this son of an electrical wholesaler was destined to be linked with a world of glamour.

His mother named him after the silent movie star Rudolph Valentino.

He grew up in the small Italian town of Voghera, near Milan, and started designing clothes when he was 12 years old.

Valentino said: “I could do shoes, blouse, scarf, skirt, I did everything. All on top of my school book.”

His parents wanted him to become a doctor, but were supportive when he announced he wanted to go into fashion.

After studying and working in Paris, Valentino set up his own fashion house in Rome in 1960, helped financially by his father.

Aged 28 at the time, he met fashion student Giancarlo, then 18, who became the co-founder of the firm.

The couple had a romantic relationship until 1972 but continued working together professionally for half a century.

Their first famous supporter was Jackie Kennedy, the wife of the US President John F Kennedy.

She wore his couture dresses while mourning her husband after he was assassinated in 1963 and also selected a Valentino for her marriage to the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis five years later.

Joan Collins wore his frocks at the height of her Dynasty fame in the 1980s and Princess Diana was a close friend who would holiday on his yachts.

Diana was supposed to wear a Valentino in 1994 for an event at the Serpentine Gallery in London after Charles spoke about his affair with Camilla in a Jonathan Dimbleby interview.

But when Valentino leaked the news, she ditched him for a black silk cocktail gown by Christina Stambolian.

I use very slim models without bosoms to be free to create. Sometimes, if the model has a bosom or a little big hips, it gets in the way

Valentino

There were plenty of other women who wanted to wear the brand’s elegant frocks on the red carpet.

Julia Roberts wore Valentino at the Oscars in 2001, Florence Pugh followed suit at the Venice Film Festival 2022 as did Sharon Stone at the Cannes Film Festival in 1995.

Such was his status in the fashion world, he even appeared as himself in 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada alongside Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway.

But he also had an obsession with women’s weight and objected to “fat” women.

In 1986 he said: “Women love to be slim. I prefer too thin to too fat.

“I use very slim models without bosoms to be free to create. Sometimes, if the model has a bosom or a little big hips, it gets in the way.

“That is important when I create something new. Later it can be translated for women much larger.”

‘ADIEU TO THE WORLD OF FASHION’

In 1998, Valentino and Giancarlo sold the firm for around £200million and then later tried and failed to buy it back.

His huge wealth meant he lived a jet-set lifestyle, with homes in London, Rome and New York as well as an 84ft yacht.

Valentino kept designing up until 2008, eventually choosing to quit while he was still at the top of his game.

He said: “I have decided that this is the perfect moment to say adieu to the world of fashion.

“As the English say, I would like to leave the party when it is still full.”

In the tit-for-tat exchange between Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez and two of the club’s most famous recent players, Nicky Butt and Paul Scholes have had their say.

On the same ‘The Good, The Bad, The Football’ podcast where they upset Martinez with their mickey-taking before the Manchester derby, the pair praised the Argentina defender for his performance in the 2-0 win against Manchester City at Old Trafford but questioned his rationale for responding to what they said.

“Fair play to him,” said Butt. “He has gone man-to-man with the best centre forward in the world. So, we come on here and say, ‘well done’. Brilliant. He has done really well.

“I just think when someone gets so upset about something on a podcast, or in the media, to come out and say, ‘they can say what they want’ and ‘come to my house’ – grow up.

“If you are going to get so emotional about someone saying something about you and react like that, you shouldn’t be at a big football club.”

Before the game, Butt and Scholes had joked with host Paddy McGuiness that Haaland would pick 5ft 7in Martinez up at Old Trafford and run with him.

In the aftermath of the victory, Martinez said: “Everyone can talk on the television, but when you see [them] here face to face, no-one says anything.”

The argument is a snapshot of a complicated relationship United have with their famed ‘Class of 92’.

Between them, Ryan Giggs, Scholes, David Beckham, Butt and the Neville brothers, Gary and Phil, made 3,448 appearances for the club. They were the foundation for the second great team Sir Alex Ferguson built that became the first in England to win the Treble in 1999.

Giggs became interim manager for four games following the dismissal of David Moyes in 2014. He had previously been a coach and then became assistant manager to Louis Van Gaal. Butt, Scholes and Phil Neville all coached under Giggs.

Butt worked as a youth coach before that and was appointed United’s head of academy in 2016 before leaving in 2021. There are few more qualified to talk about United’s DNA of bringing young players through.

It is a part of the club he cares passionately about. On 15 December, he turned out with United officials on a rainy night in Moss Side to coach a group of underprivileged children on behalf of Sir Bobby Charlton’s Foundation even though his old club were playing Bournemouth in the Premier League a couple of hours later.

Butt previously objected strongly to an observation from a United official that youth development is about more than simply winning. More recently, he claimed the club was threatening to cancel his season tickets.

Three days before Butt’s Foundation appearance, Gary Neville had been at Old Trafford as United announced they had agreed to become a campus for the UA92 University, which was founded by the Class of 92 in 2019.

It is clear the bond still exists but their opinions on United are eagerly sought, especially the negative ones.

In October, Giggs sat inside Old Trafford as a speaker at the Training Ground Guru conference and lamented Ruben Amorim’s preference for playing wider players on the opposite side of the pitch to their strongest foot.

All are regular speakers on matchdays at Hotel Football, the hotel they part-own and is located barely 50 yards from Old Trafford.

In the past, the hotel itself was the subject of tension. United tried to stop its construction, although the club do use it themselves on occasion now.

Then there is Neville, who either as a commentator or pundit on Sky’s football coverage – or the hugely successful ‘Stick to Football’ podcast – is rarely short of an opinion.

In the news conference at Elland Road that triggered his dismissal, former United head coach Ruben Amorim cited Neville as someone senior figures within the club paid too much attention to.

That is a debatable point. Yet, unlike former skipper Roy Keane, whose criticisms of new boss Michael Carrick had been pointed and personal, Neville was trusted by United to talk to his former team-mate on camera in the Old Trafford tunnel before the derby.

Launching his UA92 Old Trafford campus venture, Neville offered this to BBC Sport on the theory the Class of 92 and United do not get on.

“That’s a theory,” he said. “There’s no doubt a few years ago there were maybe some causes for concern but that’s been smoothed over.

“I don’t think there’s any issues whatsoever now,” adding that Class of 92 are “desperate for the club to succeed” and “disappointed and frustrated” when they lose.

United’s chief operating officer Collette Roche was of a similar view.

“A lot of our ex-players are in media and obviously are going to have opinions around the football team,” she said. “That’s fine.

“But the class of 92 are part of our family and therefore the relationship we’ve got with UA92 goes far deeper than the latest headline or podcast.”

Which is fine if, as Scholes and Butt suggest, the players ignore it.

The problem is, as Martinez showed, they don’t.

“We exchanged messages on Instagram quite some time ago because he wasn’t happy with something I said,” he said.

“I can’t remember what it was, but he said he had lost all respect for me.

“I sent him my phone number, but I have never heard anything from him.”

Norway PM Jonas Gahr Store rebuked US President Trump after Trump texted that since Norway “decided not to” give him the Nobel Peace Prize, he’s no longer obliged to “think purely of Peace” and repeated his aim of US control of Greenland. Store said the prize is decided by an independent committee.

A CRUISE extends beyond the average fly-and-flop holiday.

These floating hotels come with a multitude of dining options, top shows and sometimes themed “takeover” cruises – often with celebs ready to wow their fans.

Sophie Swietochowski picks out some of the best . . . 

NILE RODGERS AND CHIC

on Virgin Voyages

IF there’s one cruise line that knows how to party, it’s Virgin Voyages.

So who could be a better fit for an onboard takeover than disco legends Nile Rodgers & Chic?

TAKE THE MEDS

Spanish GP and Mediterranean cruise on 11-night adventure from just £2,149pp

CRUISE HORROR

Royal Caribbean cruise passenger died ‘after being served 33 drinks’

They will be headlining the Red Hot Sailing Club Voyage on Brilliant Lady.

You’ll hear rhythms of the Caribbean while you sail around the sun-drenched islands of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, St John’s in Antigua and Basseterre in St Kitts and Nevis.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Caribbean party without a beach club, and passengers can say goodbye in style with a day at Bimini Island in the

Bahamas, where the Vegas-style pool parties boom year round.

GO: The 11-night Music Legend Nile Rodgers sailing costs from £1,849pp, including flights from Heathrow on March 11 with overseas transfers and based on two sharing an outside cabin. Check out iglucruise.com.

PETE TONG

on P&O Cruises

LEGENDARY DJ Pete and the party island of Ibiza are a dreamy combination for ravers — throw in an 18-deck cruise ship and you’ve got a holiday to savour for years.

Pete will be hosting a 90-minute party on Arvia in September, where partygoers can stomp their feet while the sun sets beyond the picturesque Botafor marina.

The event will come midway through a 14-night sailing with stops at La Coruna, Alicante and Ibiza, then Marseilles, Barcelona and Cadiz.

Guests keen to carry on the party can book themselves a new all-inclusive package that includes drinks, wifi and speciality dining credit from £49 per person per day.

GO: The Western Mediterranean itinerary costs from £1,129pp departing Southampton on September 13 and based on two sharing an inside cabin. See pocruises.com

KATE THORNTON and JENNY POWELL

on Ambassador

GIRLS just wanna have fun — and sun — and they’ll get both of those on this female-focused cruise on board Ambassador’s Ambition.

As part of its Women At Sea series, TV presenter Jenny and broadcaster Kate will be talking all things female when they host a giggly “unscripted” panel.

Passengers will be able to mingle with the celebs at Cocktail Hour, and enjoy spontaneous meet-and-greets as they wander the ship.

The duo will be on several sailings, including the Springtime Sunshine in Portugal and Spain, calling at Leixoes, Lisbon, Cadiz and Vigo.

And when passengers are stuck for on-board inspiration (as if they ever would be), they can head to the celebs’ social media feeds to find out their favourite spa treatments and on-board entertainment.

GO: A ten-night cruise costs from £704pp with Iglu Cruises, departing Portsmouth on April 12 and based on two sharing an inside cabin. See iglucruise.com.

JOJO SIWA

on Royal Caribbean

THIS is a proper cruise takeover that kids won’t be able to get enough of.

JoJo, who found fame on reality TV series Dance Moms, will be singing, hosting dance parties and joining Build-a-Bow workshops on Utopia Of The Seas this summer.

Along with meet-and-greets and photo sessions, there will be Siwa-themed trivia, dance classes and a special gig at sea.

The three-day sailing calls at Nassau as well as Royal Caribbean’s own private island, CocoCay in the Bahamas.

GO: It’s from £825pp, based on two sharing an inside cabin, departing Port Canaveral in Florida on June 12. Flights from £325 return from Heathrow to Orlando with Norse Atlantic. See jojosiwacruise.com.

MAGIC CASTLE

on Princess Cruises

THINGS may be going bump in the night aboard Star Princess, on a seven-day cruise with magicians performing throughout.

Expect mystical brunches and magical cocktail parties, alongside special lectures where you will learn all the tricks of the trade.

Round off your evening with a visit to Spellbound — a cocktail bar where proper wizardry can be seen in the specially crafted drinks that billow with smoke and change colour.

The Pacific Wine Country Magic Castle Conjurer’s cruise calls at Vancouver and Victoria in Canada, before heading to San Francisco.

GO: The seven-night sailing costs from £674pp, departing Vancouver on September 28. Price based on two sharing an inside cabin. Flights cost from £503 return from Heathrow in the British Airways sale. For details, check out princess.com

DOLLY Parton may have famously humble beginnings, but her jaw-dropping real estate portfolio in Tennessee now adds up to approximately $180 million.

The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal that Dolly’s stunning property acquisition in her beloved home state has reached eye-watering proportions. 

The beloved country crooner is now celebrating her 80th birthday after coping with health issues over the past several months. 

While the Jolene singer takes it easy this birthday, she at least has plenty of room and lots of fresh air, especially in her sprawling main Tennessee home in the suburbs of Nashville, worth a stunning $10.3 million.

Dolly’s massive estate property has over 8,000 square feet and is situated on a 60-acre lot. 

The Nine to Five singer’s home has a pool, a pool house, a guest house and a large garage.

DOLLY GOOD SHOW

Dolly Parton on how she’s defied time as she celebrates 80th birthday

It also features several barns and even a chapel.

She purchased the property back in 1997.

Right next door is another property belonging to the singer, where her parents used to live, which she purchased in 1999.

That home is worth $1.5 million 

The property is also expansive, with over 5,000 square feet to the main home which sits on two acres. 

When Dolly wants an even quieter time, she can take a 45-minute drive to another of her stunning Tennessee properties, with her beautiful home on the waters of the Cumberland River.

There, Dolly has a pool with river views, a pool house and a private dock with a boathouse.

According to records, she purchased the property in 2018, and it appears she hasn’t done much structurally to the home since the initial purchase.

Estimates for similar homes nearby are priced around $1.5 million. 

She also owns several plots of land in Tennessee, which add up to around $300k worth of property.

However, by far, the largest asset in Dolly’s property portfolio is her amusement park, Dollywood, of which she is said to own a 50% share. 

The massive amusement park, which also features several resorts on the premises, is worth an estimated $330 million. 

Even more special, the park generates significant local economic impact, with estimates around $1.8 billion annually for her beloved home state of Tennessee.

DOLLY RUSHED TO HOSPITAL 

Dolly’s health problems have overshadowed her birthday celebrations this year.

Last fall she was rushed to the hospital.

After her sister, Freida, posted she had been up all night praying for Dolly, the star was forced to take to social media to tell the world she was not dead.

Dolly said: “I’m not ready to die yet.

“I don’t think God is through with me. And I ain’t done working.”

She had to back out of her Vegas residency in September.

The following week, she missed her induction into the IAAPA’s Hall of Fame for her Tennessee theme park, Dollywood.

Instead, she sent a video message to explain her absence.

“Well hey there, it’s Dolly,” she began.

“And I sure wish I could be with you in person today, but you probably heard that I’ve been dealing with a few health challenges this fall, and my doctors told me to take it easy for just a little while.”

Her health has also sidelined her from attending events at her beloved Grand Ole Opry.

Earlier this month, Dolly announced she would not be attending her 80th birthday celebration at the Grand Ole Opry.

In September of last year, Dolly cancelled dates in her Las Vegas residency, citing health challenges. 

She rescheduled those dates to September 2026.

Lakers guard Luka Doncic was voted as a Western Conference starter for the NBA’s All-Star team, becoming the 15th player in NBA history to earn six All-Star selections before the age of 27.

Doncic, who received his fifth starting nod, leads the league in scoring (33.3), is fourth in assists (8.6), is making 46.4% of his shots and is hitting 33.7% of his three pointers.

He received the most votes of the All-Stars with 3,402,967.

The other West starters are Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.

The Eastern Conference starters are Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, who received the most votes in the East and the second-most in the league (3,218, 390); Boston’s Jaylen Brown; New York’s Jalen Brunson; Detroit’s Cade Cummingham; and Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey.

The All-Stars were selected by fans, players and media votes with obligation to fill specific positions on each roster.

Lakers forward LeBron James was not voted as a starter, but he still has a chance to be a reserve when the NBA coaches pick the reserves later this month.

James has been named an All-Star team starter an NBA-record 21 times, eight times as a Laker.

Lakers forward Lebron James looks across the arena during a game against the Sacramento Kings on Dec. 28 at Crypto.com Arena.

(Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

He missed the first 14 games of the season recovering from a sciatica injury, but has been playing at a high level since his return.

James is averaging 22.6 points per game, 6.9 assists and 5.9 rebounds in his NBA-record 23rd season.

Lakers guard Austin Reaves had been playing at an All-Star level, averaging career-high in points (26.6) points, assists (6.3) and rebounds (5.2) and his shooting 50.7% from the field and 36.5% from three-point range, but he has missed the 12 games with a left calf strain.

The All-Star Game will be played at the Clippers’ home arena, Intuit Dome, on Feb. 15. It no longer will feature an East versus West matchup.

The new format will be a three-team tournament that will feature two U.S. teams and one world team from the total of 24 players selected.

The U.S. will have 16 players and the world will have eight, of which Doncic will be on because he is from Slovenia.

The teams then play a round-robin of 12-minute games, with the top two teams advancing to the final 12-minute championship game.

Jan. 19 (UPI) — Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday called for a snap election three months after being elected to office in pursuit of a mandate to fuel what she said is major changes to policy there.

Takaichi said she plans to dissolve the lower house country’s parliament, the Diet, on Friday ahead of a snap election on Feb. 8 aimed at gaining a mandate from voters and a majority in the 465-seat House of Representatives, The Guardian and the Financial Times reported.

The prime minister also announced that she plans to suspend sales tax on food there for two years, reduce the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio and strengthen social security, among other moves to stimulate the country’s economy.

“I am putting my future as prime minister on the line,” Takaichi told reporters at a press conference. “I want the people to decide directly whether they can entrust the management of the country to me.”

Japan’s first female prime minister had been considering dissolving the parliament for at least a couple of weeks as her advisors urged her to take advantage of high approval ratings to gain a majority for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The conservative, nationalist LDP has held rule in the parliament for decades, but has under-performed in recent elections and relied on a coalition with the populist Japan Innovation Party to hold a thin majority.

Of the lower house’s 465 seats, the LDP-JIP coalition has 233.

Since Takaichi became prime minister last October, she has pursued aggressive spending to revitalize the Japanese economy, including by abolishing the provisional gasoline tax rate and increasing the nontaxable income there.