News Desk

The soaps air huge scenes next week across Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders, Hollyoaks and Home and Away, including secrets, confessions, returns and sad goodbyes

There’s all kinds of drama on the soaps next week, with a death confession, a shock return and a sad goodbye.

Emmerdale airs a dramatic comeback for not-so-dead Graham Foster, leaving residents reeling, while there’s also a secret. On Coronation Street, residents say a sad goodbye to Billy Mayhew – but will Theo Silverton confess?

On EastEnders, there’s a surprise return for one character after years offscreen. Exits are teased too, and Joel Marshall is in court.

Over on Hollyoaks, Dodger Savage is left making an emotional confession. On Home and Away, fans will see a heartwarming moment for two residents.

READ MORE: Emmerdale favourite breaks silence on return after six years and defends fake death plotREAD MORE: Emmerdale fans ‘know’ who Ray’s killer is after flashback – and it’s not Arthur

Emmerdale

Graham makes his big return to the village, six years after his apparent demise. Rhona’s stopped in her tracks when her ex shows up at the vet surgery. Rhona has been trying to contact him but before she can confront him, Joe shows up, causing Graham to hide.

Joe mentions that he thought he saw Graham in the village, and Graham’s rattled to find out Joe is now close with Kim. Soon, both Kim and Joe get the shock of their lives when Graham turns up to Home Farm.

Paddy learns the police are keen to speak to Celia about Ray’s murder, and soon tells Dylan the news. Victoria’s still struggling in the aftermath of killing John, as Robert tries to make her see she did the right thing.

Will she be able to move forward knowing she’s a killer? Laurel feels she’s turned a corner in her relationship with Arthur, unaware that he’s hiding something. As Arthur hides Ray’s cash, only for April to grow suspicious. Arthur soon feels guilty about spending the cash, knowing what Ray put April and others through.

Coronation Street

Sam is suspicious when Leanne shows Megan a boy’s tracksuit top she found in the flat and Megan claims it is Daniel’s. When Sam asks Will if something is going on between Megan and Lee, Will flees and soon, he warns Megan that Sam is onto them, and so she takes action.

Summer’s stolen rucksack is returned to her, and she’s amazed to see it contains Paul’s missing ashes. She soon spirals, and Roy finds her drunk.

Abi warns Jodie away from Carl, and Maggie lets slip how Leanne offered to buy her out of the Rovers using the money from her share of Speed Daal, and Alya’s seething. Theo struggles with his guilt over Billy’s death as his funeral arrives.

Theo approaches Billy’s coffin and tells him how sorry he is for leaving him to die, but is someone listening in? Debbie has a gesture for Todd, Bernie has a plan and Roy confides in Mary about Alice.

Roy’s soon stunned when a man named Mal arrives claiming to be Alice’s husband. Ryan faces danger when two masked robbers approach him at the hotel, armed with a claw hammer. Carl arrives, but can he help Ryan?

EastEnders

Mark Jr is back in Walford, and he soon leaves Vicki, Phil and Sam demanding answers. Lying about his reasons for being back, he wastes no time in telling Phil the truth.

Jasmine is still eager to leave the Square, and Max discovers she’s been lying about her statement to the police. As Vicki opens up to Zack about Joel’s looming trial, she’s grateful for his support.

Her head a mess, she heads to court the next day with Ross and Mark, as well as Zack. Joel tries to put on a front as Tommy gives evidence, while Vicki is soon rushing out of court. As court resumes, emotions run high for Vicki and Avani.

When Joel requests a visitor, it doesn’t go well and things take an interesting turn. Ravi vows to support Avani, but he’s soon left guilty when he fails to show up for his daughter.

When Kat finds out about Jasmine’s plot to flee from Oscar, she’s saddened as Patrick accuses her of putting too much pressure on her to help free Zoe from prison.

George prepares to tell Elaine about Nicola’s pregnancy amid her hopes of a reunion, only fuelled by Bea suggesting he may want her back. Elaine is soon put straight, leading to her lashing out at Ian.

When Elaine realises Ian has retaliated she plots revenge, but things get out of hand. The Beales are not in a forgiving mood, as Ian vows to close Peacock Palace. Ravi and Priya are relieved when Nugget decides to go back to Sixth Form.

Hollyoaks

Sensing Dodger pulling away, Theresa gently questions whether something is wrong, but he continues to hide behind excuses. Mercedes arrives home with Warren once again stepping in to support her. Later, Theresa opens up to Mercedes, revealing how Warren helped her through her darkest moments.

A clash between Dodger and Warren sees him asking Theresa if their relationship is okay. She reassures him and encourages honesty between them.

When Warren questions his changed behaviour since Liverpool, Dodger breaks down and reveals the truth to everyone there, that he was beaten and raped. Warren soon makes a phone call.

Dodger tells Theresa that it’s going to take some time for him to be intimate but she’s willing to wait. Cleo is overwhelmed by Joseph’s cries, while Sienna gives her the cold shoulder after finding out that she knew Dodger had been raped. Dodger and Theresa walk in on Cleo and Sienna arguing.

Events take a worrying turn when Sienna arrives home to Cleo asleep on the couch and finds Joseph having a seizure. As the pair face turmoil, Misbah and Gemma worry that Cleo might have suffered from a postpartum psychosis episode and harmed Joseph.

Also next week, with their hidden history, tensions simmer between Warren and Tinhead. Later, Tinhead is deleting texts demanding money coming from a mysterious sender.

Mercedes makes friends with fellow patient Nikki Shadwick. In the village, Jenson demands his money back from Tinhead or he will tell Warren what he’s done. As Warren turns up, what will happen?

Elsewhere, Mercedes is feeling restless at the rehab clinic and fellow patient Nikki invites her to a yoga session, Mercedes panics when Nikki tells her tomorrow her family are coming in for a group therapy session.

Home and Away

Jo and Eddie enjoy their date, while Remi has a plea for Bree. Bree is left pondering, and soon leaves him heartbroken. David has a request for Jo, leading to her opening up to Lacey.

Leah apologises to Lacey for blaming her for Theo’s death, and the pair bond. David struggles to contain his emotions as he records a raw and powerful piece to camera, capturing the immense toll Wendell’s actions have had on him and his family.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Hollyoaks is available to stream on Channel 4’s streaming service now, while it also airs Mondays to Wednesdays on E4 at 7PM.

Home and Away is available to stream from 6am weekdays, with double bill episodes airing from 6pm on 5Star. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Nordic country dispatches ‘substantial contribution’ of troops to the Arctic territory amid standoff with Washington.

Denmark has sent additional troops to Greenland amid United States President Donald Trump’s threats to take control of the self-governing Danish territory.

The chief of the Royal Danish Army, Peter Boysen, and a “substantial contribution” of soldiers landed in Kangerlussuaq in western Greenland on Monday evening, public broadcaster DR and other Danish media reported.

Public broadcaster TV2 reported that 58 Danish troops landed in the Arctic territory, joining about 60 others dispatched earlier to participate in ongoing multinational military exercises, dubbed Operation Arctic Endurance.

Denmark’s Ministry of Defence and the Danish Armed Forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The deployment came hours after Trump declined to rule out using military force to take control of the vast, mineral-rich Arctic territory, which the US president claims is vital to Washington’s security.

In an interview with NBC News on Monday, Trump replied, “no comment”, in response to a question about whether he could seize the island by force.

Trump’s remarks came after he told Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storer in a text message over the weekend that he no longer felt obliged to “think purely of Peace” after not being awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize.

Denmark has expressed openness to a beefed-up US military presence in Greenland, but has repeatedly said the territory is not for sale and that any move to take the island by force would spell the end of NATO.

Trump’s insistence that Greenland must be brought under US control has brought US-European relations to their lowest ebb in decades and raised fears about the potential disintegration of NATO, the transatlantic security alliance whose 32 members include both the US and Denmark.

Under Article 5 of NATO’s charter, the alliance considers an armed attack against any one member as an attack against all.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Monday met with Danish Minister of Defence Troels Lund Poulsen and Greenland’s minister of foreign affairs, Vivian Motzfeldt, to discuss proposals for boosting Arctic security, including the establishment of a joint NATO mission in the Danish territory.

Rutte said in a statement that the sides had discussed the importance of the Arctic to “our collective security” and Copenhagen’s growing investments in its defence capabilities.

“We’ll continue to work together as Allies on these important issues,” Rutte said.

Poulsen stressed the need for unity following the talks.

“Thank you to our allies for standing up for Greenland and Denmark,” he said.

EU’s ‘trade bazooka’

At the same time that Trump’s moves are placing security ties under strain, his threat to impose tariffs on Denmark and seven other European countries until a deal is reached to buy Greenland has raised the prospect of a full-blown transatlantic trade war.

The European Union is set to convene an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss its response to the crisis, with retaliatory tariffs and the activation of the bloc’s anti-coercion mechanism among the options under consideration.

Triggering the Anti-Coercion Instrument, also known as the “trade bazooka”, would allow the bloc to impose sweeping restrictions on the investment and business activities of US tech firms within the single market.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday that she had stressed the “need to unequivocally respect the sovereignty” of Denmark and Greenland in a meeting with US diplomats on the sidelines of the Davos summit in Switzerland.

“This is of utmost importance to our transatlantic relationship,” von der Leyen said. “At the same time, the European Union remains ready to continue working closely with the United States, NATO, and other allies, in close cooperation with Denmark, to advance our shared security interests.”

An opinion poll, commissioned by Danish paper Berlingske last year, suggested that 85 percent of Greenland’s residents did not wish to join the US, with just 6 percent in favour.

The rift between the U.S. and NATO allies continues to grow over President Donald Trump’s repeated insistence on subsuming Greenland. Denmark is sending more troops and the head of its army to the strategically important, mineral-rich island, over concerns about Trump’s rhetoric. Meanwhile, Europe debates economic responses to Trump’s rhetoric and the U.S. military appears to be making some moves of its own, although the exact reasons behind them remain murky.

The strain on the alliance was exacerbated by Trump’s Sunday message to Norway’s prime minister, in which he linked his interest in Greenland to his not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.

Amid the growing tensions, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) announced on X that it was sending troops and aircraft to Greenland to “support various long-planned NORAD activities.” When asked if the deployment was related to current events, a NORAD spokesperson emphasized that it had been in the works “for a while” and is “routine.” Regardless of how long ago these movements were planned, the optics can’t be denied.

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at Pituffik Space Base, Greenland.  Along with aircraft operating from bases in the continental United States and Canada, they will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring…

— North American Aerospace Defense Command (@NORADCommand) January 19, 2026

At issue is Trump’s assertion that Greenland needs to be under U.S. control to protect the homeland from China and Russia. Greenland and Denmark — of which the island is an autonomous territory — have both repeatedly said the island is not for sale and have expressed alarm about threats of the potential use of U.S. military force to acquire Greenland.

“NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that “you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.” Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!” – President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/ZyFh9OsNsn

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 19, 2026

In a short interview with NBC News on Monday, Trump was guarded when asked about his intentions to take military action against Greenland. He also confirmed that he will impose tariffs on Denmark and seven other nations until they agree to turn over the island.

“Asked if he would use force to seize Greenland, the president said, ‘No comment,’” the network reported.

Last week, we noted that some European nations were sending a small, relatively symbolic force of about two dozen troops to Greenland. The deployment of troops for an exercise known as Arctic Endurance was being held outside of NATO’s auspices. In addition to Denmark, France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, and the U.K. were taking part. Germany and the Netherlands ended their participation after just a few days.

On Monday, the Danish TV 2 news outlet reported that Copenhagen is substantially boosting its military presence there.

“A large number of Danish combat soldiers, described as ‘a substantial contribution,’ are expected to arrive in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on Monday evening,” the television station reported. “Army Chief Peter Boysen is arriving with the group.”

The new deployment “will contribute to the troop buildup of Danish soldiers that is currently taking place,” TV 2 added. 

They will join 200 Danish troops previously deployed to Greenland, divided equally between Nuuk and Kangerlussuaq for Arctic Endurance, “which has been accelerated and intensified as a result of the latest statements from U.S. President Donald Trump,” the station noted.

Meanwhile, Copenhagen on Monday asked for a NATO mission to Greenland, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said, after a meeting with alliance chief Mark Rutte at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

“We have proposed that, and NATO’s secretary-general has also noted that,” he told reporters.

Trump’s message to Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre fueled growing concerns about Trump’s designs on Greenland.

“Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America,” Trump said in the message.

“The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland,” Trump added. 

NEW: @potus letter to @jonasgahrstore links @NobelPrize to Greenland, reiterates threats, and is forwarded by the NSC staff to multiple European ambassadors in Washington. I obtained the text from multiple officials:

Dear Ambassador:
 
President Trump has asked that the…

— Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) January 19, 2026

Store on Monday confirmed the message and said it was in response to Norwegian and Finnish concerns over Trump’s announcement that he would impose a new 10% tariff on Denmark and seven other European countries until “a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.”

The other countries affected would be Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland.

Trump said the duties would increase to 25% if a deal is not reached by June 1.

“’I can confirm that this is a text message that I received yesterday afternoon from President Trump,” Store announced. “It came in response to a short text message from me to President Trump sent earlier on the same day, on behalf of myself and the President of Finland, Alexander Stubb. In our message to Trump, we conveyed our opposition to his announced tariff increases against Norway, Finland, and select other countries. We pointed to the need to de-escalate and proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Stubb and myself on the same day.”

“Norway’s position on Greenland is clear,” Store added. “Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter. We also support that NATO, in a responsible way, is taking steps to strengthen security and stability in the Arctic. As regards the Nobel Peace Prize, I have clearly explained, including to President Trump, what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government.”

Trump’s stance on tariffs has European nations considering economic countermeasures. It “triggered an emergency meeting of European countries’ representatives Sunday,” CNN reported. French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly asked the European Union “to activate its so-called anti-coercion instrument, colloquially known as a ‘trade bazooka,’” the network added. “The trade bazooka could block some of America’s access to EU markets or impose export controls, among a broader list of potential countermeasures.”

European Commission Vice President Kaja Kallas said Europe will stand its ground.

“Arctic security is a shared transatlantic interest, and one we can discuss with our US allies,” she stated on X. “But tariff threats are not the way to go about this. Sovereignty is not for trade. We have no interest to pick a fight, but we will hold our ground. Europe has a slate of tools to protect its interests.”

Denmark and Greenland are not alone.
Good to see my colleagues @troelslundp and Vivian Motzfeldt.

Arctic security is a shared transatlantic interest, and one we can discuss with our US allies.
But tariff threats are not the way to go about this. Sovereignty is not for… pic.twitter.com/AbIhQ2ZI13

— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) January 19, 2026

The growing tension has reportedly spurred Danish intelligence to issue a warning against using Bluetooth devices.

“It has been known among cyber experts for many years that there are vulnerabilities in the Bluetooth technology that many Danes use for headphones and all kinds of electronics,” the Danish Ingeniøren tech news outlet reported. “But in the midst of the highly tense situation with US President Donald Trump’s claim to Greenland, the Danish Defense Intelligence Agency (DE) specifically warns authorities, agencies and the country’s police forces against using Bluetooth headphones and AirPods in the service.”

Though U.S. relations with Europe are at a lowpoint over Greenland, Trump’s interest in the island is hardly new. Back in 2019, TWZ reported on Trump’s claim that his administration was considering attempting to purchase Greenland from Denmark, the U.S. leader noting at the time that the idea was “strategically interesting.”

Still, the U.S. maintains just a small presence of about 200 in Greenland as of now, according to Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen.

However, the U.S. operates one of its most strategic military outposts in Greenland. This is spearheaded by Pituffik Space Base, the U.S. military’s northernmost installation, a critical node in the U.S. ballistic missile early warning system, and also the world’s northernmost deep-water seaport. The installation also features a sprawling airbase. You can read in more detail about the U.S. military presence on the island here.

Our colleagues at Task & Purpose reported that the Pentagon “wants to spend as much as $25 million in major infrastructure improvements to Pituffik Space Base’s runways in Greenland. The overhaul of its airfield is part of other work planned for the installation.” 

The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers to prepare for a possible deployment to Minnesota, defense officials told The Washington Post late Saturday, after Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to unrest there.

The soldiers are assigned to two infantry battalions with the Army’s 11th Airborne Division, which is based in Alaska and specializes in cold-weather operations. Spinning up troops from the 11th has some on social media speculating that the order is really in preparation for sending troops to Greenland, though there is no indication of that being the case.

#Greenland ALERT: Multiple news sources in DC and Alaska are reporting the 11th Airborne Brigade has alerted two battalions, 1,500 troops, to be ready to move to “Minnesota.” This is a really bad attempt at Strategic Deception.

I warned several times this year that alerting… pic.twitter.com/A0utVBAcqh

— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) January 19, 2026

Amid the festering controversy over Greenland, Russia is relishing how it is playing out at a time when it stands to benefit from a splintering of the NATO alliance and any reduction in support to Ukraine by the U.S. and its allies.

“The Kremlin said Trump would go down in history if he took control of Greenland,” Reuters noted. “President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev hailed the ‘collapse of the transatlantic union.’ Former President Dmitry Medvedev joked about Europe getting poorer.”

The media in Russia is also gleeful, with one publication calling the situation “a pleasure to watch.”

Today’s Russian papers on Greenland: “Europe’s at a total loss. It’s a pleasure to watch.” Government paper: “Europe doesn’t need the American greatness Trump is promoting…the Old World’s keen to keep Greenland for itself, even at the risk of Nato’s collapse.” #ReadingRussia pic.twitter.com/9VJmRRewev

— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) January 19, 2026

The situation is accelerating and it has the potential to fracture NATO in such a way that the alliance has never had to confront before.

We will keep you updated as all this unfolds.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

The 2016 period drama was hailed as the ‘best series in a long time’.

Netflix viewers can’t believe they didn’t know about a 2016 thriller hailed as ‘the best Stephen King adaptation’.

The celebrated horror author published his time travel drama, 11.22.63, back in 2011 and it was adapted into a limited series in 2016.

It follows English teacher Jake Epping, who is given the opportunity to travel back to the 1960s in order to prevent the assassination of former US president John F. Kennedy.

American Reddit users have just stumbled upon the eight-episode show a decade after its premiere, and they thoroughly recommend it. Posting on the platform, one fan raved: “11.22.63 IS SOOO Good!!! Highly recommended.”

They continued: “How did I not know about this until now, 10 years later after it came out? Hulu did not do a good job at promoting it, Netflix put this at the top.”

While it originally aired on Hulu, the historical drama recently landed on Netflix in the US. However, UK audiences can currently purchase the boxset on Prime Video for £5.99.

Oscar nominee James Franco leads the cast as small-town teacher Jake. He sets out to gather as much information as possible in the days leading up to the November 22 assassination, all while building a new life in the 1963 to avoid suspicion.

But his mission to change history quickly turns dangerous.

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TV lovers can get 30 days’ free access to tantalising TV like The Boys, Reacher and Clarkson’s Farm by signing up to Amazon Prime. Just remember to cancel at the end and you won’t be charged.

The period drama won over critics and casual viewers upon its debut, bagging an impressive 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

One fan praised the drama, penning: “11.22.63 is a smart, emotional time travel story that hits far more highs than lows. It blends romance, suspense, and historical drama into a bingeable ride that keeps you hooked through atmosphere and character rather than flashy twists.”

While someone else said: “I just watched the series for the second time, having read the book first. I have to say, this was the best adaptation of a Stephen King novel I have seen, and the best of any films from a book I have ever seen where I read the book in advance.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

And a third viewer raved: “I’ve just finished watching 11.22.63 and it’s by far one the best series I’ve watched in a long time. The plot was amazing. I’ve watched a lot of James Franco films and to see him act in a different way compared to his usual comedy type of acting is so bizarre. But yet, he was incredible. I wish this series never ended.”

11.22.63 is available to purchase now on Prime Video

Jan. 19 (UPI) — A geomagnetic storm that occurred on Sunday may make the Northern Lights visible on Monday or Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says.

The NOAA has placed a severe geomagnetic storm watch in effect for Tuesday as the effects of Sunday’s coronal mass ejection is set to reach Earth.

A coronal mass ejection is a burst of solar material and magnetic field from the sun’s outer atmosphere. The event creates conditions that may make the Northern Lights visible as far south as Alabama and California, further south than they can usually be seen.

The solar flare may reach Earth as early as Monday night. The conditions that make the Northern Lights visible will likely weaken later in the day on Tuesday, NOAA says. Minor geomagnetic storm related effects may still be present on Wednesday.

“Forecasters have a fair measure of confidence in timing and of CME arrival at Earth,” NOAA said.

The visibility of the Northern Lights will depend on a few factors, including local cloud cover and how the solar flare interacts with Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Sunday’s geomagnetic storm was given a G4 rating, the second highest rating possible. Storms of this rating can cause satellite navigation and low-frequency radio navigation problems.

These are the key developments from day 1,426 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Here is where things stand on Tuesday, January 20:

Fighting

• Explosions have been reported in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, amid warnings from the country’s air force that Russia had launched ballistic missiles early on Tuesday morning.

• Russia launched a barrage of drone attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, cutting off power in five regions across the country amid freezing temperatures, Ukrainian officials said.

• The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia’s military had launched 145 drones at targets in Ukraine and that 126 were successfully intercepted.

• In an attack on the southern Odesa region, energy and gas infrastructure were damaged, the regional governor said, adding that one person was hurt.

• DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said its facility in Odesa was “substantially” damaged, knocking out power to 30,800 households.

• Russia also hit Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv with missiles on Monday, significantly damaging a critical infrastructure facility, the city’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov, said on the Telegram messaging app. Terekhov did not provide details about the type of facility that was struck.

• Russian forces have taken control of the settlements of Pavlivka, in Ukraine’s Zaporizhia region, and Novopavlivka, in the Donetsk region, Russia’s Ministry of Defence said. The ministry’s claims could not be independently verified.

• Ukraine’s armed forces are introducing a new approach to air defence, involving small groups of interceptor drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.
• The Kyiv Independent media outlet reported that Ukraine’s SBU secret service captured a Russian soldier suspected of executing nine Ukrainian prisoners of war in 2024.

Military aid

• The Czech Republic will not sell or donate to Ukraine light combat planes that could shoot down incoming Russian drones, the country’s prime minister, Andrej Babis, said, rejecting a plan outlined by President Petr Pavel. Pavel earlier said that Ukraine had offered to buy some of the country’s subsonic L-159 jets.

Peace talks

• Ukraine’s top military commander, Oleksandr Syrskii, said Moscow is showing no signs of interest in talks leading to a peace deal with Kyiv. It is instead boosting arms production, including a target of 1,000 drones per day, he added.
• Kyiv has held “substantive” talks on security and economic issues with US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff, with more discussions expected at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos this week, Ukraine’s security chief and top negotiator, Rustem Umerov, said.
• Zelenskyy said he hopes to sign documents with the US on post-war security guarantees for Ukraine at Davos this week, adding that his team of negotiators had held several rounds of talks in the US.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, will travel to Davos this week and hold meetings with members of the US delegation on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, the Reuters news agency reported, citing two sources with knowledge of the visit.

Politics

• Ukraine will face enormous challenges to organise its first elections since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion, with its infrastructure shattered and millions of people displaced by war, the country’s election chief, Oleh Didenko, said, responding to Trump’s demand for Ukraine to hold the vote.

• Russia jailed an American man for five years for illegally transporting weapons, a court announced, saying that a rifle was found on his yacht after it docked in the port city of Sochi last June. It identified the man as Charles Wayne Zimmerman, and said he “admitted his guilt in full”. It did not mention when exactly the man was sentenced, but said an appeal against the conviction had been rejected.

Energy

• The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that the 330-kilovolt (kV) Ferosplavna-1 power line has been reconnected to Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The power line is one of two high-voltage lines supplying electricity that powers the Russian-controlled nuclear power plant in Ukraine, and was disconnected earlier this month.

• Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Telegram that he had informed the head of the IAEA about Russian preparations for more strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, including those that ensure the operations of nuclear plants.

• Russia’s federal budget proceeds from taxes on oil and gas are expected to drop by 46 percent in January from the same month in 2025 due to weaker oil prices and a stronger rouble, according to an analysis by Reuters. Oil and gas revenue are key to funding Russia’s war on Ukraine.

• Polish pipeline operator Gaz-System will increase gas transmission capacity to Ukraine between February and April, the company said in a statement, as Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy sector.

Motherland star Anna Maxwell Martin teams up with Sophie Turner in Prime Video’s new thriller

Thriller enthusiasts are set for a real treat as acclaimed actress Anna Maxwell Martin, renowned for her performances in Motherland and Until I Kill You, is appearing in a fresh Prime Video thriller launching imminently. Arriving on January 21, the series boasts major stars and is headlined by Game of Thrones legend Sophie Turner.

All six episodes will be released simultaneously, allowing viewers to binge-watch the entire series, entitled Steal. This high-octane thriller, already generating considerable buzz amongst fans, centres on ordinary office worker Zara (Turner), who becomes embroiled in the “heist of the century”.

While employed at pension fund investment firm Lochmill Capital, her routine day is shattered when a gang of brutal thieves storms in demanding billions in cash. Zara and her closest friend Luke (Archie Madekwe) are forced to comply with the gang’s orders.

DCI Rhys (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd) is brought in to apprehend the criminals, but as a recently relapsed gambling addict, he must manage to keep his personal financial troubles in check. Meanwhile, Zara decides to take control when the investigation raises more questions than it answers, reports the Express.

Anna Maxwell Martin’s character is shown speaking to Zara in the trailer, demanding she “tell us what you know”, or MI5 “could kill you”. Specifics about her role remain confidential, though she appears to be some form of detective.

Whilst the series isn’t rooted in actual events, Good Housekeeping has described its premise as “scarily real”. Vernon Sanders, Head of Television at Amazon MGM Studios, hailed it as a “uniquely thrilling ride”.

When Prime Video posted the trailer on Facebook, fans rushed to the comments section after spotting the Motherland and Line of Duty star. Shelley Griffiths declared: “Well, if Anna Maxwell Martin is in it, I’ll be watching!”

The actress is particularly renowned for her crime drama performances, having starred in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, Ludwig and Until I Kill You. In the latter, she portrayed real-life victim Delia Balmer, who endured an abusive relationship with serial killer John Sweeney.

She deliberately avoided speaking to the actual Delia before shooting, ensuring her interpretation remained entirely her own. She revealed in an interview: “I’ve played quite a few real people and I have never met them before. I don’t choose to do that, that’s how I work.

“Our writer filmed a lot of footage of his meetings with Delia, which I had access to. I did meet her very briefly during filming, but only because she wanted to visit the set and of course I was respectful of that.

“I didn’t do lots of research into abusive relationships either, instead I just focused on the character, on who she was, how she responded to things, and what I could gauge about how she interacted with people.”

Her powerful performance as Delia earned her three prestigious awards.

Fans flocked to the Steal trailer’s comments section on YouTube to voice their enthusiasm for her latest project.

@PozoBlue remarked: “Ohhhh this actually looks original and exciting! Looking forward to this!”

@Glasweg1an wrote: “Oooooh Prime video comes through clutch, this looks exciting. Don’t let me down, I`m gonna start this on the 21st.”

@genedeangelo3800 added: “Wow, I’m not impressed easily, this looks amazing. WTF!”

Steal premieres on Prime Video on January 21.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website**

The Syrian army has taken territory long held by Kurdish-led forces, before declaring a ceasefire.

The lightning offensive changes the balance of power in the country.

Are there wider implications for Kurds beyond Syria?

Presenter: Maleen Saeed

Guests:

David Des Roches – Professor at the Thayer Marshall Institute

Mohammed Salih – Non-resident senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute

Elijah Magnier – Military and political analyst

Radev is widely expected to form his own political party prior to the upcoming snap vote.

Bulgarian President Rumen Radev has said that he will resign, stoking speculation that he will form his own political party ahead of snap elections expected to take place in the months ahead.

Radev said on Monday that he would submit his resignation to the country’s Constitutional Court the following day. He will be replaced by Vice President Iliana Iotova if the court grants approval.

“Today, I am addressing you for the last time as president of Bulgaria,” the 62-year-old Radev said during a televised speech, adding that he was eager to participate in the “battle for the future” of the country.

His resignation, the first by a head of state in Bulgaria’s post-communist history, comes as the country – which is a member of the European Union and NATO – struggles to overcome a prolonged political crisis.

Bulgaria’s last government was swept out of power in December amid widespread anticorruption protests, of which the left-leaning Radev was an outspoken supporter. The upcoming snap election will mark Bulgaria’s eighth round of voting in five years.

Large anticorruption protests last month forced the resignation of the governing coalition, led by the centre-right GERB party. Attempts to form a new government within the current parliament have subsequently failed, and the country is headed towards its eighth parliamentary election since 2021.

Radev, whose second mandate ends in 2026, has repeatedly indicated that he may take part in new elections. The former Air Force general has been a vocal opponent of the leader of the GERB party, Boyko Borissov.

Radev has also opposed politician and oligarch Delyan Peevski – under sanctions from the United States and United Kingdom over alleged bribery, corruption and media manipulation – whose MRF New Beginning party has repeatedly backed the outgoing GERB-led coalition.

The former president has expressed doubt about Bulgaria’s decision to join the eurozone and is opposed to sending military aid to Ukraine, chastising European leaders for not doing enough to support the efforts of US President Donald Trump to facilitate a negotiated peace.

Radev did not mention on Monday what his plans are. Asked recently about forming a new party, he said there was a need for a party that “unites all democrats – left and right – regardless of where they belong or whether they are politically active at all, because we all need fair elections and democratic, free development”.

A recent Market Links poll found that Radev has an approval rating of 44 percent.

“His goal is to be close to the majority so that he doesn’t have to negotiate,” Parvan Simeonov from the Myara polling agency told the news agency AFP, adding that a solid result for Radev could be “a way out” of the country’s political crisis.

LOS ANGELES — The NFL is marking the 60th anniversary of the Super Bowl with a hometown opening act.

Green Day will kick off the big game with an opening ceremony Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, the league announced Sunday. The performance will celebrate six decades of the championship’s history, with the band helping usher generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field.

The trio, formed in the East Bay and made up of Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool, is expected to perform a selection of their best-known anthems as part of the tribute.

“We are super-hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard!” lead singer Armstrong said. “We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!”

The ceremony airs live at 3 p.m. Pacific on NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and Universo.

“Celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history with Green Day as a hometown band, while honoring the NFL legends who’ve helped define this sport, is an incredibly powerful way to kick off Super Bowl LX,” said Tim Tubito, the league’s senior director of event and game presentation. “As we work alongside NBC Sports for this opening ceremony, we look forward to creating a collective celebration for fans in the stadium and around the world.”

The opening ceremony will take place ahead of the pregame entertainment, during which Charlie Puth is to perform the national anthem, Brandi Carlile will sing “America the Beautiful,” and Coco Jones will deliver “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

Jonathan Landrum Jr. writes for the Associated Press.

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.

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.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website.

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.”

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.

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.