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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 1 introduces mysterious stable boy Egg, whom Ser Duncan the Tall meets on his journey.

*Warning – this article contains spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 1.*

The opening episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has landed on Sky and HBO, drawing Game of Thrones enthusiasts eager to experience the latest prequel series. Set approximately 90 years prior to Game of Thrones and over 70 years following House of the Dragon, the programme chronicles the adventures of humble hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall as he undertakes a chivalrous journey.

According to the IMDb description for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: “A century before GOT, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his squire, Egg, wandered through Westeros while the Targaryen dynasty ruled the Iron Throne, and dragons were still remembered. Great destinies and enemies await the incomparable friends.”

In the debut episode, viewers witness Ser Duncan entering himself into a potentially transformative tournament that could alter his fortunes completely. Throughout his journey across Westeros, presently under Targaryen rule, he crosses paths with a young boy and aspiring squire called Egg.

Who is Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

The knight’s initial meeting with Egg occurs at an inn, where he learns the boy is a stable hand whose mother has died, reports the Express.

Upon learning that Ser Duncan is bound for the tournament, Egg eagerly requests to travel alongside the knight to Ashford and begs to serve as his squire.

Though initially hesitant, Ser Duncan ultimately consents to taking Egg on as his squire (provisionally) and the duo embark on their quest for honour and recognition. The origins of Egg and how he ended up at the stable remain shrouded in mystery. Could Egg be hiding a secret about his past?

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is based on George R. R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg, so while we may already know the answers, we’re keeping this a book spoiler-free zone.

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Who plays Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?

Young actor Dexter Sol Ansell, aged 11, takes on the role of Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, starring alongside former rugby union player Peter Claffey, who portrays Ser Duncan.

Dexter already boasts an impressive acting CV, having previously appeared as Young Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and David Saunders in The Midwich Cuckoos.

He first graced TV screens in the ITV soap Emmerdale in 2019, featuring as Lucas Taylor in 14 episodes until 2021.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms airs weekly on Mondays at 3am and again at 9pm on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

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

Jan. 19 (UPI) — At least 14 people are dead following a massive fire that erupted at a shopping plaza in Karachi over the weekend, Pakistani officials said Monday, while dozens remain missing, according to reports.

The fire began Saturday night at the Gul Plaza on M.A/ Jinnah Road and was mostly put out 24 hours later, permitting a search for survivors through the remains of the building, Dawn reported.

Authorities said at least 14 people were dead, with between 54 and 59 people remaining unaccounted for, The Express Tribune reported.

Deputy Inspector General South Asad Raza told reporters that police have obtained the cell numbers of the 59 people missing and have traced the locations of 26 of them near the plaza.

“Further scrutiny is underway,” he said, according to The Tribune.

Gul Plaza is a prominent multi-story shopping center with more than 1,200 shops in Gazdarabad, which is part of the historic Saddar Town district of Karachi, Pakistan’s most populous city.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, though some officials suspect it may have erupted from an electrical short circuit.

“It is too early to determine the exact cause,” Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement that he has directed federal institutions to provide “complete support” to the local government.

“In this time of grief and hardship, we stand with the affected people and the Sindh government,” he said.

“A coordinated and effective system is absolutely essential to bring fires under control in densely populated urban areas in a timely manner.”

Search operations were continuing.

Jan. 19 (UPI) — President Donald Trump told European leaders that one reason he has ramped up his push for the United States to acquire Greenland is because he was not awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Trump sent a text to Norway’s prime minister and an email to several European ambassadors late Sunday saying that peace is no longer his highest priority as he pursues Greenland, Denmark’s claim to which he continues to deny, the New York Times reported.

“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,” he wrote.

In a statement on Monday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stone confirmed that he received the text from Trump, which was a response to a message he’d sent the president on behalf of himself and Alexander Stubb, the president of Finland.

“In our message to Trump, we conveyed our opposition to his announced tariff increases against Norway, Finland and select other countries,” Stone and Stubb said in their initial text. “We pointed to the need to de-escalate and proposed a telephone conversation between Trump, Stubb and myself on the same day.”

In the statement, Stone also noted that the Nobel Peace Prize is given out by an independent committee — the Norwegian Nobel Committee — and not by Norway’s government.

Since the start of the year, Trump and his administration have intensified the pursuit of Greenland to become part of the United States.

The reasoning largely has been pinned on the island being “essential” to defense of the United States and, according to Trump, the world.

Greenland is a self-governing territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, and has been for hundreds of years, and the United States long has operated a military base on the island. That base has become more strategically important as new shipping lanes have emerged nearby because of global climate change..

A high level meeting has been held between Vice President JD Vance and the Danish and Greenland foreign ministers, however they — and other leaders of NATO countries — have insisted that the United States will not acquire the country.

After the meeting, several European countries started to send troops to Greenland, prompting Trump to threaten tariffs on eight NATO nations starting Feb. 1 if they do not remove the troops and support his bid for the territory.

While Trump has said he would like to buy Greenland, he has also mused lately on the possibility of taking it by military force.

When asked by NBC News how far he would go to acquire the territory and whether he would use force, Trump said “no comment.”

Caracas, January 17, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan photographer Rome Arrieche saw an exhibit of his photographic project “CHAMBA: Portraits of the Venezuelan People” inaugurated in New York City on January 10.

Arrieche, who joined the event via conference call, told Venezuelanalysis that the project was borne out of a desire to “make the Venezuelan working class visible.”

“There is a preconceived idea of Venezuela centered on whiteness and beauty queens, but we are a very diverse country,” he said. “The poor and the working class have historically been made invisible in the mainstream media.”

Arrieche explained that the photographic project has three main fronts: a book, the public exhibition at The People’s Forum in New York, and the printing of selected works and merchandise. 

According to Arrieche, the title “chamba,” a Venezuelan slang word for work, or labor, was chosen to pay tribute to the Venezuelan people who have resisted and organized under US economic sanctions. The photos were taken in different regions of Venezuela, some of them as part of the “Communal Resistance Against the Imperialist Blockade” magazine series by the Venezuelan Anti-Blockade Observatory.

“I have always made clear that I dedicate the pictures I take to the working people. It’s an homage to the working class,” Arrieche went on to add. “I go out to photograph my people, the people who refuse to surrender.”

Arrieche further said that he sees himself as part of the reality that he documents, and that this kind of perspective is hard to find in Venezuela. “Photography is my form of activism, of fighting against capital, against oppression, against imperialism.”

The New York City exhibit inauguration, which featured Venezuela’s UN Ambassador Samuel Moncada, came days after the US bombed Venezuela and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.

Arrieche argued that the exhibit and his work are “more relevant than ever” to counter mainstream narratives demonizing Venezuela. 

“We have seen a fascist discourse stigmatizing Venezuelans as criminals or drug traffickers, especially in the US,” he affirmed. “In this key moment in history, it is important to show the Venezuelan people for what they truly are: humble, hard-working and resilient.”

CHAMBA: Portraits of the Venezuelan People will remain open to the public until February 13 at The People’s Forum in NYC (320 W 37th St). Rome Arrieche can be followed on Instagram.

The holidays are over, but the Christmas Adventurers no doubt are still celebrating. The “Marty Supreme” blimp rests, for now, in its hanger. Chloé Zhao is clearing her mind. And I still have that Neil Diamond song stuck in my head.

All of which brings us to the unveiling of nominations for the 98th Oscars on Thursday. Might Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” or Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” tie or even break the record for most nods for a single movie? Fourteen is the magic number, held by “All About Eve,” “Titanic” and “La La Land.” Somewhere, James Cameron is clutching his crown tightly.

Here are my predictions in key categories.

Picture

“Bugonia”
“Frankenstein”
“Hamnet”
“It Was Just an Accident”
“Marty Supreme”
“One Battle After Another”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sinners”
“Train Dreams”

Possible surprise: “Weapons”
Possible snub: “It Was Just an Accident”

No “Wicked: For Good”? No “Avatar: Fire and Ash”? The pair of high-profile sequels failed to live up to their predecessors, critically and commercially, leaving the door open for the academy’s international contingent — 24% of Oscar voters live outside the United States — to wave the flags of their countries. The last two years we’ve had two international features nominated for best picture. “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest” made the cut in 2024; “Emilia Pérez” and “I’m Still Here” found their way in last year. It’s possible we see a record three this year: France‘s “It Was Just an Accident,” Brazil’s “The Secret Agent” and Norway’s “Sentimental Value.”

Voters do have other options for the back end of the 10-picture slate. “F1” looks on track to earn Oscar nods for film editing, sound and visual effects. Maybe that below-the-line love catapults it in. Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” earned a place at the Producers Guild, even with writer-director Cregger off filming “Resident Evil,” removing him from the awards circuit. Perhaps Aunt Gladys has been busy casting spells in her bedroom, working her magic on the film’s behalf, though I’m not sure how she’d obtain a personal item from more than 10,000 voters. She’d have to be busier than Diane Warren.

Director

Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another”
Ryan Coogler, “Sinners”
Jafar Panahi, “It Was Just an Accident”
Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme”
Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet”

Possible surprise: Guillermo del Toro, “Frankenstein”
Possible snub: Panahi

The Directors Guild nominated Anderson, Coogler, Safdie, Zhao and del Toro. But the Oscar field has included one international director for seven straight years, making it likely that dissident filmmaker Panahi, a vocal critic of Iran’s authoritarian regime, earns a nomination for his blistering movie about resistance. That spot could also go to Joachim Trier, the director and co-writer of “Sentimental Value,” a family drama that sneaks in some sharp satire about the sorry state of filmmaking these days.

Actor

Timothée Chalamet, “Marty Supreme”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another”
Ethan Hawke, “Blue Moon”
Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners”
Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent”

Possible surprise: Jesse Plemons, “Bugonia”
Possible snub: Moura

If Chalamet had won last year for playing Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” he would have become the youngest lead actor Oscar winner in history. That he lost to Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”), still the only actor to win the trophy under the age of 30 (for “The Pianist”), adds a nice little twist to this bit of Oscar trivia. As it is, Chalamet seems well-positioned to eradicate voters’ bias against all the young dudes, his charismatic performance keeping you in the corner of “Marty Supreme’s” often repellent narcissist.

Actress

(Agata Grzybowska/Focus Features)

Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet”
Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You”
Chase Infiniti, “One Battle After Another”
Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
Emma Stone, “Bugonia”

Possible surprise: Kate Hudson, “Song Sung Blue”
Possible snub: Infiniti

Demi loves her. So does Reba and, of course, her mom, Goldie. In fact, it’d be surprising to find a mononym star who hasn’t stumped for Hudson and her star turn “Song Sung Blue,” though, thinking about it, Björk doesn’t feel like the right fit for a movie about a husband-and-wife Neil Diamond tribute band. (But I bet she’d be bringing down the house covering “I Am… I Said.”) It’s easy enough to root for Hudson and her comeback turn (was she ever really gone?), which could lead to her first nomination since her spectacular arrival a quarter-century ago (!) in “Almost Famous.” But among the five likely nominees, who would you boot? I’m a believer in each and every one of them.

Supporting actor

Benicio Del Toro, “One Battle After Another”
Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein”
Paul Mescal, “Hamnet”
Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another”
Stellan Skarsgård, “Sentimental Value”

Skarsgård, so good as the irascible father and legendary auteur in “Sentimental Value,” didn’t get a nomination from the Actors Awards, guaranteeing this category will keep us guessing until the envelope is opened. Only three actors (Marcia Gay Harden for “Pollock,” Christoph Waltz for “Django Unchained” and Regina King for “If Beale Street Could Talk”) have won an Oscar without an actors guild nod. But Skarsgård has already had a moment, winning the Golden Globe and giving perhaps the night’s best speech, self-deprecating — talking about how raising eight children taught him how to be a bad father — and passionate. “Cinema should be seen in cinemas.” That might not move Ted Sarandos, but I’m sure he picked up a few votes with that capper. (Note: No surprise or snub here. These are the nominees.)

Supporting actress

Odessa A’zion, “Marty Supreme”
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, “Sentimental Value”
Amy Madigan, “Weapons”
Wunmi Mosaku, “Sinners”
Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another”

Possible surprise: Ariana Grande, “Wicked: For Good”
Possible snub: A’zion

“Wicked” won two Oscars last year — production design and costume design — from 10 nominations, recognition that included picture and nods for actors Cynthia Erivo and Grande. The meh reviews (though the movie has its fans among critics) and diminished box office lowered Oscar expectations for the sequel. But seeing Grande, whose Glinda is the center of the new film, slip down the list of expected nominees has been one of more surprising developments of this awards season. She might still turn up, but I’m thinking the field belongs to the quartet of women from best picture nominees plus the undeniable, unrecognizable turn from Madigan in “Weapons.”

Original screenplay

(Eli Ade/Warner Bros. Pictures)

“It Was Just an Accident,” Jafar Panahi
“Marty Supreme,” Josh Safdie and Ronald Bronstein
“Sorry, Baby,” Eva Victor
“Sentimental Value,” Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt
“Sinners,” Ryan Coogler

Possible surprise: “The Secret Agent,” Kleber Mendonça Filho
Possible snub: “Sorry, Baby”

With “Sorry, Baby,” writer-director Victor looked at the aftermath of sexual assault with wit and wry humor, employing an unconventional, nonchronological structure in its portrait of a woman grappling with trauma and refusing to be defined by it. “Sorry, Baby” was a hard movie to market, and it didn’t find the audience it deserved when it arrived in theaters over the summer. But its fans are a passionate bunch — Julia Roberts gave it a powerful plug at the Golden Globes, calling Victor her “hero” — and I’m wishing, hoping, thinking there are enough of them to put the film among the nominated screenplays.

Adapted screenplay

“Bugonia,” Will Tracy
“Frankenstein” Guillermo del Toro
“Hamnet,” Chloé Zhao and Maggie O’Farrell
“One Battle After Another,” Paul Thomas Anderson
“Train Dreams,” Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar

This group looks set, though I’d sub in Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” for “Bugonia,” Park’s movie offering a more humane — and funnier — look at ugly things people can do when desperate. Park still has never been nominated for an Oscar, despite a resume that includes “Decision to Leave” and “The Handmaiden.”

International feature

“It Was Just an Accident”
“The Secret Agent”
“Sentimental Value”
“Sirāt”
“The Voice of Hind Rajab”

Possible surprise: “No Other Choice”
Possible snub: “The Voice of Hind Rajab”

This could be the spot for Park. If “No Other Choice,” “It Was Just an Accident,” “The Secret Agent” and “Sirāt” are nominated, it would give Neon a clean sweep of the category, a heady accomplishment for the adventurous indie studio. Of course, four out of five wouldn’t be bad either, and I have a suspicion that Venice Grand Jury Prize winner “The Voice of Hind Rajab” breaks through the Neon logjam. Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s movie sensitively tells the crushing story of a 6-year-old girl killed in Gaza, blending drama and documentary in a way that has left audiences sobbing. Ben Hania has seen two of her movies nominated — the 2020 feature “The Man Who Sold His Skin” and the 2023 documentary “Four Daughters” — and “Hind Rajab” looks poised to return her to the ceremony.

Animated feature

“Arco”
“Elio”
“KPop Demon Hunters”
“Little Amélie or the Character of Rain”
“Zootopia 2”

Sony Pictures Animation’s “KPop Demon Hunters” is the most-streamed movie in Netflix’s history, passing half a billion views in late December, including one from the kids at the New Year’s Eve party at my house. “Zootopia 2” got some eyeballs, too, becoming Walt Disney Animation Studios’ highest-grossing animated film. There’s a lot of separation between that pair and the remaining contenders.

Documentary feature

“2000 Meters to Andriivka”
“The Alabama Solution”
“Cover-Up”
“My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 — Last Air in Moscow”
“The Perfect Neighbor”

Possible surprise: “Apocalypse in the Tropics”
Possible snub: “The Perfect Neighbor”

The academy’s documentary branch often seems to take a perverse delight in ignoring popular favorites (“Hoop Dreams,” “Fahrenheit 9/11,” “Grizzly Man,” “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie”), so it would not be all that surprising to see Netflix’s chart-topping, true-crime doc “The Perfect Neighbor” become the latest casualty.

Netflix has two other contenders: “Cover-Up,” a riveting portrait of investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, directed by Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus, and Petra Costa’s “Apocalypse in the Tropics,” which examines Brazil’s rightward political shift. Harsh realities in Russia inform another trio of potential nominees. Critics group favorite “My Undesirable Friends” is a harrowing look at journalists in Putin’s Russia, while “2000 Meters to Andriivka” follows a Ukranian platoon’s mission to liberate a Russian village. Meanwhile, closer to home, “The Alabama Solution” is a damning indictment of prison conditions in its titular state as well as America.

Not much to feel good about here, which, given the state of the world, feels about right.

Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich criticised US President Donald Trump’s plan for Gaza, saying it was ‘bad for Israel’ and should be scrapped. He called for the closure of the US-led Civil Military Coordination Centre in Kiryat Gat overseeing the Gaza ceasefire.

CARACAS, Venezuela — It was 1:58 a.m. on Jan. 3 when a thunderous roar made the windows of my apartment in downtown Caracas shake. Are the New Year’s celebrations still going on? Is a storm coming or is it an earthquake, I wondered. Despite multiple threats from the United States against Venezuela, I couldn’t believe that bombing was possible; not like this, not now. As people say in Venezuela, “It’s one thing to call on the devil, and another to see him actually arrive.” As the missiles began to fall one after another, my phone was inundated with the same message: “They are bombing us.”

Residents in the southwest of the city witnessed at least 11 helicopters entering Fort Tiuna, Caracas’ most important military complex, which is surrounded by dozens of civilian buildings jointly known as Tiuna City. Andrea Pérez, a resident of the area, heard the roar of the helicopters, followed by high-pitched whistles that ended in a massive explosion. The glare lit up her apartment, and the dense air tightened in her young son’s chest.

“We ran down eight floors, using our phone flashlights and we bumped into all our neighbors. Some were half-naked, running for their lives. Some of us got into our cars, but the traffic was so bad it took nearly 20 minutes just to get out of there,” she tells Truthdig.

Within minutes, the highway filled with people trying to flee on foot from whatever was happening. “There was no light. You could hear indescribable, terrifying noises. You didn’t know where they were coming from. We had no idea what was happening outside, but we had to get out. I carried my dog, which weighs almost 30 kilos and just had surgery,” Oleno León, another resident, says.

Later, we learned that a U.S. cyberattack had crippled a large part of Caracas’ power supply. This helped enable 150 stealth fighters, electronic warfare aircraft, bombers, assault helicopters, drones and intelligence satellites to penetrate the skies of at least four Venezuelan states.

Negotiation and betrayal: Does it matter?

Hours later, we knew there had been an incursion, but we weren’t certain if the objective — to abduct President Nicolás Maduro — had been achieved. However, later in the morning, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez established a phone link with the state television channel and confirmed the situation by asking the U.S. for “proof of life” for the president and his wife, Cilia Flores.

People hunkered down. The streets turned into deserts. A harsh quietness descended that was only broken the next day by desperate lines at supermarkets, pharmacies and shops selling drinking water. What followed is now well known: multiple and contradictory statements from various U.S. government officials, images of Maduro and Flores arriving at the Drug Enforcement Administration office and later the courthouse in Manhattan, and Rodríguez being sworn in as acting president in the National Assembly.

However, as the days passed, people had questions: What happened to the Russian air defense systems or the Chinese radar for detecting air attacks — including the 5,000 Igla-S missiles that Maduro himself claimed to have in October 2025? Why were there no air-to-air battles? Did everything fail? Would this amount to treason? Or, if it was a negotiation, was the now-kidnapped president involved or not?

The picture became somewhat clearer when the United States government explained how its high-level technology managed to dismantle Venezuelan defenses, as well as the role played for months by several undercover CIA agents in Caracas. Rodríguez stated that “no one surrendered” and that “there was combat here.” The lives of at least 100 people “were taken in a vile, unequal, unilateral, illegal and illegitimate attack,” she said.

Maduro’s son, National Assembly member Nicolás Maduro Guerra, also stated that the U.S. neutralized the radar used for detection. “We were left blind; they attacked us with an aircraft that emits an electromagnetic wave that affects all defense systems,” he said. “It was impossible to get a plane off the ground, and most likely, if we had taken off, they would have shot it down. The technology they used was impressive. I believe this was a rehearsal for something bigger, and humanity should know about it.”

However, days earlier, Maduro Guerra had also hinted at the possibility of treason within the government. In statements to Truthdig, historian and Caracas-based commentator Álvaro Suzzarini notes that in catastrophes of this scale, the responses and actions of those under attack will inevitably range from betrayal and compromise to acts of heroism. However, he says, beyond the sensationalism and debates in the media and public generated by that dynamic, history will eventually reveal what role the key figures ultimately played.

Central University of Venezuela social psychology and criminology professor Andrés Antillano tells Truthdig that speculation doesn’t help while the situation is still so volatile. “The fact is that there is a negotiation with Trump; whether it happened before or after the military intervention and Maduro’s kidnapping is a matter of speculation, and perhaps it is not the most relevant issue right now,” Antillano says. “What matters more is understanding what comes after this brutal and ruthless intervention, which also served to intimidate the entire continent.”

Venezuelans worry about US role and economy

“I worry about losing power again or running out of water. Luckily, I have some food at home, but I also fear not being able to find what I need. I am also worried about safety, about the emptiness that takes over the streets at night and what that could lead to,” says Ariadna García, a young writer. She, like other Venezuelans I spoke with, isn’t sure what the role and reach of the U.S. in Venezuela will ultimately be.

Rodríguez has stated that the country “was attacked by a nuclear power but is not at war,” that “no external agent governs it,” and that it is entering “a new political moment” — one that has already included meetings with opposition lawmakers and the release of political prisoners.

But for citizens like university professor María Mercedes Cobo, national and personal fears have emerged. “First of all, I fear this aggression could be repeated, but I’m also terrified that we may no longer be a country with self-determination, and instead a colonized territory. Every time Trump speaks as if he were the president of Venezuela, it scares me. But I also wonder what will happen to our economy,” she tells Truthdig.

In the first week of January, the official exchange rate for the U.S. dollar against the Venezuelan bolívar rose by almost 10% , while the gap between the official and parallel rates is around 100%. This devaluing of the bolívar — through which most workers receive their income — reduces purchasing power, which was already very low. As of the end of last year, the monthly minimum wage in Venezuela was less than one U.S. dollar, and most income was received as bonuses.

Since Jan. 3, “In a context of deep political uncertainty, the economy has stopped being a priority. The failure to address this gap is causing a contraction in people’s purchasing power due to the breakdown of the pricing system,” economist Asdrúbal Oliveros tells Truthdig. He says that until the Venezuelan oil market stabilizes, the exchange rate will not stabilize either.

Venezuelan experts on the future

In purely political terms, what could happen in the coming months? According to Suzzarini, predicting outcomes with limited data under conditions of high uncertainty is risky, but he believes the emerging and most plausible scenario is the current one. “The continuity of Chavismo in power under the figure of Delcy Rodríguez, with at least the current 2025-2031 presidential term being fulfilled,” he says.

In his view, Venezuela is experiencing a “transition without transition,” where the U.S. has removed the president, but the governing party is the same, a sign that Washington did not and does not fully understand the phenomenon of Chavismo — the ideology embraced by followers of the late President Hugo Chávez — as a political movement. “This is not the kind of government, as calculated in the United States, where decapitating Maduro’s leadership would cause everything else to collapse,” he says.

“There are multiple converging leaderships and a political maturity of 30 years,” he says, referring to the decades of Bolivarian revolution and related organizing and movements.

The historian also points out that the right-wing opposition, led by María Corina Machado, will likely remain “outside the equation and the mathematics of power” because it lacks the capacity or support to sustain it, especially in such a delicate moment. Meanwhile, he says, Russia and China could still shift the global political landscape, with repercussions for Venezuela.

Trump is willing to receive Machado at the White House and she would like to award him her Nobel Peace Prize, but both know that the opposition leader could not run the country — especially not now. “She lacks the support and the respect,” Trump stated on Jan. 3.

However, the country is still essentially being held hostage by the U.S. and is under constant threat, Carlos Raúl Hernández, a political science professor at the Central University of Venezuela, explains. He says this makes acting President Rodríguez a sort of lifeline.

“Venezuela has a somewhat similar population and geographic size to Iraq [when it was bombed in 2003], so if the United States decided today to proceed with an invasion, it could … cause the deaths of 40,000 Venezuelans. It’s an extremely grave threat, one that must be avoided through agreements,” Hernández tells Truthdig.

To Hernández, Rodríguez is in a difficult position because, “theoretically or practically, the oil fleet linked to Venezuela has been seized, and of course that leaves no alternative but to negotiate. The tankers are in U.S. hands, so moving the oil requires U.S. approval. Another factor is China’s oil exploitation, which is also very important for the Venezuelan nation at this moment, as it represents 70% of exports. On the other hand, the United States is a key importer for China, and China is a major market for the United States.”

However, he believes that Rodríguez’s government could last a couple of years before new elections are held, “Until there is no longer a risk of confrontation, civil war or a process that destabilizes the world’s largest international oil reserve. Trump is interested in making sure this gigantic mine operates without setbacks, and that’s why he negotiates with the Chavista government — because it’s the only force with a real structure and control of the state apparatus.”

Hernández also thinks that if these agreements break down, new forms of invasion could follow. “But predicting it is difficult because everything that is taking place is unprecedented — astonishing in a civilized world like the one we thought we had.”

It would not be the first time a U.S. government chose to invade first and think later. But, at least for now, it seems that U.S. action will focus on coercing authorities through measures like those we experienced on Jan. 3.

Democratic U.S. senators, along with a small bloc of Republican senators, delivered a rebuke to Trump by voting in favor of advancing a resolution that would limit the future use of U.S. military force in Venezuela without congressional approval, but the resolution failed after two Republicans changed their votes and Vice President JD Vance voted to break a tie. Either way, Trump rarely respects U.S. legality, and he still has three years left in his term. Meanwhile, his next target could be Cuba, Colombia, Mexico, Greenland … or once again, Venezuela.

The views expressed in this article are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Venezuelanalysis editorial staff.

Source: Truthdig

The sun is shining, the fire threat is low and for the first time in 25 years, no part of California is experiencing drought. Except of course in the hope and joy department.

It’s the middle of January, which means the holidays are well and truly over and whatever fanciful shine the prospect of a “new” year held as it approached has already dimmed into grim reality.

Of course I want to face this year determined to be a happier, kinder, more empathetic and more just person. But just as it’s tough to honorably pay one’s taxes knowing millionaires and billionaires are weaseling out of theirs, it’s hard to gin up personal-improvement energy when every news cycle brings proof that an alarming number of people are perfectly willing to believe that black is white, science is fake, we should all be cooking with beef tallow and failure to stop when an unidentified ICE agent tells you to is, apparently, punishable by death.

Also all that water everyone has been telling us to drink may be full of microplastics.

See, now I’m just getting upset again. Which is just too 2025 to bear. Mercifully, I have just discovered a cache of surviving holiday mint M&M’s (which may or may not contain beef tallow) and, equally important, I have a plan to make life better for everyone.

(At least until the midterms, when we will discover once and for all if this democratic experiment has any hope of lasting another year.)

It’s very simple, really: We need to demand the resurrection of customer service and put large numbers of well-paid and trained employees back in charge.

Seriously. I know it’s fun, and purportedly “convenient,” to be able to accomplish our banking/shopping/travel/bill paying/ticket buying/food ordering/health monitoring/everything else through a series of apps, websites and self-checkout kiosks.

But the lack of trained and helpful humans is getting out of control.

How many of us have stood, casting wild-eyed glances for help, when the grocery checkout sensors failed to register a carton of eggs that is clearly in the bagging area and there is only one store attendant tasked with aiding 20 or more finicky machines?

Or searched, panic-stricken, for the payment confirmation email that we may or may not have received because we forgot to screenshot an online transaction that is now being called into question via some upsetting email with a DO NOT RESPOND return address?

A friend of mine recently went to her doctor for ongoing treatment of her arthritic hands only to be told that she needed to fill out all her personal information, including her medical history, again because the office had switched systems. Apparently, the job of transferring file information was too difficult (read: expensive) to be accomplished by software, so it was being handed to … the patients. “Don’t worry,” said the guy sitting directly in front of the office computer. “You can just do it now on your phone.”

Yeah, that won’t take time and effort, and did I mention she was there for treatment of her arthritic hands?

The abandonment of any notion of customer service — now often called “customer assistance” or, even better, “customer support” (as in we will supportively assist you by directing you to our website or app, which may or may not be helpful/functioning) — is never clearer than when one travels.

Hideous delays and last-minute cancellations of flights have become so commonplace that airlines now advise building in a cushion of an extra day or two on each end of one’s journey. In other words, in addition to the cost of your actual flight, you should be prepared to pay even more in time or money because the airlines certainly are not.

On a long-planned holiday trip to London and Antwerp, Belgium, in December, our flight from LAX was abruptly moved to the next day — no warning, no explanation, no American Airlines personnel at the gate. Just a series of alerts that those who had the AA app received, along with the reassurance that those who qualified would be issued vouchers via email for lodging and food. Since we lived in the L.A. area (albeit a 90-minute drive from LAX at that time of day), we were out of luck — we could either pay hundreds of dollars for back and forth cab fare or book our own hotel near the airport.

(Other family members, leaving via Charlotte, N.C., had it even worse — a malfunction trapped a plane full of people, including my son and his girlfriend, on the runway for five hours before they were released, after midnight. When they finally tracked down an actual staff member, they were given vouchers to a motel that appeared, as Melissa McCarthy’s character says in “Spy,” “so murdery” that they decided to book their own.)

As if that were not enough to prevent us from ever traveling again, we were victims of the great Dec. 30 Eurostar shutdown, during which all trains into, and out of, the U.K. were abruptly canceled for more than 24 hours due to a power-grid failure in the English Channel Tunnel.

We had just been assured that we would soon be boarding our train from Brussels when the news came down over a loudspeaker, in four languages.

Picture, if you will, hundreds of now-stranded travelers, clamoring in panic-stricken English, French, Dutch and German as they streamed into the Brussels-Midi station where one Eurostar agent, one, stood, not suggesting alternate means of reaching our destination but handing out Xeroxed pages directing everyone to the Eurostar app and website.

Where no tickets were available for days and the process of claiming a refund or compensation for lodging and other expenses was an endless maze of questions that needed to be answered when all anyone wanted to know was how in the hell do we get to London now.

With no flights available until Jan. 3, days after we were scheduled to fly out of Heathrow Airport, we finally rented a car, at hideous cost, and fled Europe, with some historical poignancy, via midnight-landing ferry from Dunkirk. (If it sounds fun, I am not telling it right.)

My point is not that travel should always go smoothly — things break, weather turns, accidents happen. My point is that if you are a company that is paid to get people from one place to another, you should have enough personnel to help those people reach their destinations as quickly and seamlessly as possible should things go wrong.

Instead of, you know, casting them literally onto the street and forcing them to conjure up their own imperfect, and very expensive, DIY solutions.

Because that’s what the digital age has made us — a DIY economy in which millions of jobs no longer exist not because computers do the work, but because the work has been shifted, via computers, directly onto the consumer.

Who increasingly has little or no choice in the matter. Try to get a car at an auto rental agency without booking it online first; you might as well attempt to barter your watch and three chickens as payment.

It would be one thing if, by scheduling your own appointments, keeping track of your own medical tests, bagging your own groceries and filling out all the information needed to book your own reservations for planes, trains and automobiles, you got a discount.

But no; half the time, corporations have the audacity to charge a service fee on top of the money they have saved by not hiring someone to do the work you, the consumer, just did.

Is it any wonder why people are so testy these days?

Especially when, having done all the work only to be informed by alert that it was all in vain; they have to wait in line for the one teller/manager/gate agent available to explain to them that they “just” need to manage their booking/transaction online.

How much better it would be if there were actual people, trained and experienced, in numbers large enough to prevent endless queues, to make customers feel like customers again, instead of isolated pioneers quietly losing their minds in an effort to buy whatever goods and services companies are selling.

I’m not saying it would solve all of our problems, but it would go a long way to lowering the national temperature. It is amazing what a genial, helpful interaction can do to lift everyone’s spirits and make people feel like they are respected and valued, as individuals with reasonable needs, and not just faceless bundles of credit card information and regrettable meltdown moments.

Not to mention all the jobs, and career paths, at all levels, restoring customer service could provide.

Because being unemployed tends to make people quite aggravated and unhappy too.

Aid cuts, conflict and economic collapse push millions of Yemenis towards severe hunger in 2026.

Yemen, one of the world’s most impoverished nations, is entering a perilous new phase of food shortages with more than half the population – about 18 million people – expected to face worsening hunger in early 2026, according to the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

The warning follows new projections under the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification hunger-monitoring system that were released on Monday and show an additional one million people at risk of life-threatening hunger. It also comes as Yemen is experiencing its latest internal conflict with external regional actors involved in fighting in the nation’s south.

The assessment also forecasts pockets of famine affecting more than 40,000 people across four districts within the next two months – the bleakest outlook for the country since 2022.

Years of war and mass displacement have shattered livelihoods and limited access to basic health and nutrition services.

Those pressures now overlap with a nationwide economic collapse that has slashed households’ purchasing power and driven up food prices. At the same time, humanitarian assistance has sharply declined.

By the end of 2025, Yemen’s required humanitarian response was less than 25 percent funded – the lowest level in a decade – while life-saving nutrition programmes received under 10 percent of the funding required, the IRC said.

“This rapid deterioration – driven by catastrophic humanitarian funding cuts, climate shocks, economic collapse, and compounded by recent insecurity – calls for urgent action to reverse the unfolding catastrophe,” the organisation said in a statement.

Caroline Sekyewa, the IRC’s country director in Yemen, said the speed of the decline is alarming.

“People of Yemen still remember when they didn’t know where their next meal would come from. I fear we are returning to this dark chapter again. What distinguishes the current deterioration is its speed and trajectory,” she said.

She described families being forced into desperate choices. “Food insecurity in Yemen is no longer a looming risk; it is a daily reality forcing parents into impossible choices,” Sekyewa said, adding that some parents have resorted to collecting wild plants to feed their children.

Despite the dire picture, Sekyewa said the crisis is preventable. “Yemen’s food security crisis is not inevitable,” she said, urging immediate donor action and pointing to cash assistance as one of the most effective tools to help families meet their basic needs with dignity.

The humanitarian warning comes amid renewed political and security tensions.

Yemen has been an acute focus of strain between Gulf neighbours Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in recent months.

In December, the UAE-supported southern separatist Southern Transitional Council seized swaths of southern and eastern Yemen, advancing close to the Saudi border before Saudi-backed forces regained much of the territory.

Analysts warned that unresolved rivalries alongside disputes over geopolitics and oil policy risk dragging Yemen back into wider conflict, further compounding a hunger crisis that aid agencies said is already spiralling.

Gold and silver prices hit record highs but share prices fell on Monday as investors reacted to the threat by US President Donald Trump to impose fresh tariffs on eight European countries opposed to his proposed takeover of Greenland.

The price of gold touched $4,689.39 (£3,499) an ounce on Monday, while silver rose to a peak of $94.08 an ounce.

Precious metals are seen as safer assets to hold in times of uncertainty, and the prices of both gold and silver have soared over the past year.

But stock markets in Europe fell as investors worried over the latest increase in geopolitical tensions.

On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% tariff on goods from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and Finland would come into force on 1 February, but could later rise to 25% – and would last until a deal on Greenland was reached.

Reports have suggested the EU is considering responding with a €93bn (£80bn) package of tariffs on US imports.

Worries over the Greenland spat triggered another rise in gold and silver prices as investors headed for “safe haven” assets.

Last year, the price of gold soared by more than 60%, partly due to concerns about global tensions and economic uncertainty.

However, there are other factors behind the rise, including expectations of more interest rate cuts, central banks adding hundreds of tonnes of gold to their reserves and – in regard to silver – China announcing restrictions on exports of the metal.

“Gold has hit fresh record highs on its glittering run upwards,” said Susannah Streeter, chief investment strategist at Wealth Club.

“The precious metal is holding even more allure as a safe haven as worries spread about the repercussions of the US aggressive trade and geopolitical policies.”

But while gold and silver were continuing their recent strong runs, shares were on the back foot.

London’s FTSE 100 index fell 0.4%, while the FTSE 250 – which has a greater number of domestically focused companies – was down 0.8%. A mixture of financial firms and industrial stocks were lower, but shares in gold miners Fresnillo and Endeavour rose following the latest increase in precious metal prices.

Across Europe shares in carmakers, tech and luxury goods firms saw sharp falls.

In Germany, the Dax index fell 1% with car companies BMW, Mercedes-Benz and VW all down by about 3-4%.

In France, the Cac 40 index was down 1.4%, with luxury brands LVMH and Hermes among the biggest losers.

However, European defence stocks rose, with Germany’s Rheinmetall and France’s Thales both trading higher.

Markets in the US are closed on Monday for a public holiday.

Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, said Trump’s latest tariff threat “turns up the heat to max”.

However, he noted that “while we’ve seen a red day for European shares in general, it’s not panic time”.

“What needs to be watched closely is how markets behave over the near term. A 1% to 1.5% decline every day over a series of weeks adds up to trouble, and that’s what investors are keen to avoid happening.”

Trade tensions are one of the main risks to global economic growth, according to the latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

In its latest world economic outlook – prepared before the latest tariff threat emerged – it described the global economy as “steady”, but said risks to growth included an end to the AI boom and a “flare up” in trade tensions.

TEEN Mom: Young and Pregnant star Rachel Beaver was arrested for public intoxication early Monday morning.

She remains imprisoned at Knox County Jail, with her mugshot making rounds online.

News of her arrest was initially confirmed by Starcasm, with The U.S. Sun confirming details surrounding the incident.

Rachel, 23, was seen in a mugshot photo smiling slightly with her pink hair on display and winged eyeliner on her lids.

Per the Knox County Jail’s website, the MTV alum was arrested in the early hours of Monday morning.

Her bond has not yet been set, and she remains behind bars.

ESCALATED QUICKLY

Teen Mom Jenelle Evans’ daughter Ensley, 8, rushed to the hospital

TROUBLED TEEN

Neither Rachel, nor her family, are strangers to legal troubles or controversy.

Despite frequently finding herself the center of online chatter and shaming, the Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant star has managed to avoid major legal woes prior to her most recent arrest.

Her mother, Stephanie, has, however, been to jail several times for various charges.

Rachel’s mother appears to be on the straight and narrow now, avoiding arrest in recent years.

Her father, Jason Beaver, was arrested in September 2019 for possession of heroin.

He was released in November 2020.

Likewise, her sister Malorie Beaver has been behind bars more than once.

In September 2024, Malorie was found guilty of her second DUI and booked into McMinn County Jail.

She was there to serve a 45-day sentence, but was “released after 17 days to complete 28 days with outpatient treatment.”

Rachel’s family aren’t the only ones with legal challenges.

Her ex Drew Brooks was arrested for attempted murder in April 2022.

Rachel and Drew rose to fame on the first season of Teen Mom: Young and Pregnant.

The former couple had been dating on and off since February 2019, and Drew was initially unsure he was the father of Rachel’s first child.

Rachel confirmed paternity in a January 2020 episode of the reality show.

Who: Inter Milan vs Arsenal
What: Matchday 7 (of 8), league phase, UEFA Champions League
Where: San Siro in Milan, Italy
When: Tuesday, January 20, at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 17:00 GMT in advance of our text commentary stream.

Arsenal, now the only unbeaten team in the UEFA Champions League (UCL), travel to northern Italy to take on the might of Inter Milan on Tuesday after a 40-day break in the tournament schedule.

Riding a perfect 18 points from six matches so far, the Gunners enter this Matchday 7 contest as the UCL frontrunners, but their English Premier League (EPL) form has been far from dominant in 2026, drawing with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest in their most recent domestic fixture on Saturday.

Inter, who co-led the league phase with Arsenal after four rounds, enter this penultimate group stage contest riding a two-match UCL losing streak, including a crushing 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool in their last match on December 9, dropping the Nerazzurri to sixth in the standings.

Al Jazeera Sport takes a closer look at the high-stakes encounter, which might decide automatic qualification entry into the last 16.

Arsenal lead UCL and EPL, but it doesn’t feel like it

The Gunners lead next-best Bayern Munich in the Champions League by three points and front-run Manchester City in the Premier League by seven points, but they are playing far from their best in the new year.

Mikel Arteta’s side have sputtered out of the gate in 2026 with their last EPL victory an unconvincing 3-2 against Bournemouth on January 3, followed by two goalless draws: at home to Liverpool on January 8; and away to lowly Forest on January 17.

It is the first time since the 2012-13 season that Arsenal have recorded back-to-back 0-0 draws in the domestic league, with Arteta conceding that it was “difficult to generate momentum” during the most recent game.

“We came here to win the game, that’s clear, and we needed the opportunities that we had,” he said after the Nottingham setback.

“We haven’t managed that, so the word is disappointment.”

Arsenal remain well on course to end a 22-year wait to win the Premier League title, but they will need to quickly rediscover their offensive touch against a defensive juggernaut like Inter.

Inter hitting peak form

In contrast, Inter have recovered from a slow start to the Serie A season – where they lost two of their first three fixtures – to rapidly climb to the top of the ladder, three points clear of next-best AC Milan, and six points ahead of reigning champions Napoli.

The Nerazzurri are unbeaten in their last 11 domestic league fixtures. They were last defeated in Serie A way back on November 23, a 1-0 home loss in the derby match against Milan.

Will Arsenal qualify for the round of 16 if they beat Inter?

Yes. An Arsenal victory, or even a draw, in Tuesday’s penultimate League phase match against Inter would guarantee the North London outfit finish in the top eight clubs that automatically qualify for the last 16 of the tournament, thereby skipping the two-legged knockout playoff involving those placing ninth to 24th.

When did Inter and Liverpool last win the Champions League?

Arsenal have never won the UEFA Champions League title. They came closest in the 2005-06 season, losing the final to Barcelona 2-1.

Inter last won in 2010, overcoming Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final to complete the treble, a feat never achieved before by any team from either Italy or Germany.

What happened the last time Inter played Arsenal?

Inter defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the San Siro in a Matchday 4, league phase fixture on November 6, 2024.

Turkish midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu scored what turned out to be the match-winner from the penalty spot just before half time.

The two storied clubs have played three times in Champions League history, with Inter holding a 2-1 edge over the Gunners.

Inter Milan’s team news

In anticipation of Tuesday’s blockbuster clash against Arsenal, Inter coach Cristian Chivu rested stars Alessandro Bastoni and Marcus Thuram in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Udinese.

Thuram will re-enter the starting XI at the expense of Pio Esposito and will lead the line with regular strike partner Lautaro Martinez in Chivu’s well-tested 3-5-2 formation.

The Nerazzurri will likely be without key contributors Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries, both of whom are recovering from leg injuries and are close to a return to match action.

With a top-eight automatic qualification spot into the UCL round of 16 on the line, Chivu is expected to field his strongest possible side against Arsenal.

Inter Milan’s predicted starting lineup (3-5-2):

Sommer (goalkeeper); Acerbi, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez

Arsenal’s team news

In a desperate effort to find some goal scoring, Arteta is tipped to start Bukayo Saka – who was brought on as a second-half substitute in Saturday’s draw with Forest – alongside Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal will continue to be without the injured trio of Max Dowman, Piero Hincapie and Riccardo Calafiori, all of whom are not expected back until the first week of February, at the earliest.

Arsenal’s predicted starting lineup (4-3-3):

Raya (goalkeeper), Lewis-Skelly, Saliba, Magalhaes; Timber, Zubimendi, Rice; Odegaard; Madueke, Jesus, Saka

Last five matches

Inter Milan: W-W-D-W-W (most recent result last, Serie A matches only)

Arsenal: W-W-W-D-D (most recent result last, Premier League matches only)

Sixth seed Alex de Minaur believes he has the ability to be a serious contender for major honours and become the first Australian to win the men’s singles title at his home Grand Slam since Mark Edmondson in 1976.

The 26-year-old, who has reached the quarter-finals at each of the four majors, began his campaign with a dominant 6-2 6-2 6-2 win over lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald but insisted he has more to prove.

“I’ve got to the stage where I’m not just another number in the draw,” De Minaur said. “I’m playing to win it, to be one of the guys in contention. Ultimately, that’s the goal. It’s not about being satisfied [with this performance].”

Elsewhere, 13th seed Andrey Rublev beat Italian Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets while three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud, the 12th seed, lost just seven games en route to victory over Mattia Bellucci.

Spanish 14th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and American 19th seed Tommy Paul came through unscathed against Filip Misolic and Aleksandar Kovacevic respectively.

However, there was a surprise early exit for Czech 17th seed Jiri Lehecka, who fell to Arthur Gea in straight sets. The Frenchman, who came through qualifying, will face 40-year-old former champion Stan Wawrinka in round two.

The Downton Abbey actor teased the possibility of spin-offs after fans were left begging for more.

Downton Abbey favourite Hugh Bonneville has hinted at what lies ahead for the beloved franchise following last year’s concluding film.

The cherished period drama made its debut in 2010, spanning six series and three films, with a stellar cast including Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, and the late Dame Maggie Smith.

The Harry Potter icon was honoured in Downton Abbey : The Grand Finale, which screened last year, though Hugh has now suggested another instalment might still materialise.

However, the Paddington star dismissed any personal participation, revealing to Saga magazine: “I wouldn’t be surprised if they make some sort of spin-off, but no, our company has left the building.

“The Grand Finale really was a farewell. As we came towards the end of filming, I would take a look around each set – let’s say the library – for the last time, so that I would be able to remember,” reports the Express.

He continued: “I feel enormous love for Downton. Every single day a message comes through about what it meant to someone, so I’m enormously proud.”

The finale concluded with a poignant ending, tracking Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle) as a divorcée and single mum rising above controversy, with the closing moments depicting the family and staff dancing alongside Violet Crawley, before the camera settled on a portrait of Dame Maggie as the Dowager Countess.

Fans flooded social media with pleas for additional content, with one viewer enthusing: “I’ve always said I’d like a sequel to the show around WWII time with George as the main, so we can see the kids more grown up! (I would also love a prequel).”

Others shared mixed feelings, with one remarking, “I would love more too, but I want a better written movie than what we’ve been given,” whilst another declared, “I would watch pretty much anything they put out.”

Show creator Julian Fellowes hasn’t ruled out future instalments, previously telling Entertainment Weekly: “That’s a possibility. I’ve learned never to say never anymore, because you have to take it back.”

He added that he was “not against the idea of revisiting Downton, but it would have to be in a different period of history so that their problems were different and they were facing different issues”.

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

He said: “On that basis, I don’t see why not, but we’ll have to see what happens.”

Meanwhile, producer Gareth Neame had hinted that it may not be the end, saying: “The camera will pull away and we’ll have our last, last moment with those characters, but that’s not necessarily the end for Downton Abbey.”

Downton Abbey is available to watch on ITVX.

Several ‍people ‍have been killed in a blast in ⁠Afghanistan’s Kabul, ​the Taliban Interior ‍Ministry said.

The explosion occurred on Monday in the Shahr-e-Naw area of the capital, which is home ‌to foreigners and ⁠thought to be one of the most secure areas ‌in Kabul.

“According to preliminary reports, ‍a ⁠number of people were killed and injured,” Interior Ministry spokesperson Abdul Mateen Qani told ​the Reuters news agency, ‌adding that details would be released later.

Blasts in Kabul, and across Afghanistan, are rarer since the Taliban returned to power following the United States withdrawal in 2021, but ISIL affiliates are still active in the country and carry out sporadic attacks.

More to come…

The harvest season is a moment of festivity in Medu, a Hausa farming community in the Gagarawa Local Government Area of Jigawa State, North West Nigeria. After residents gather crops and fill their granaries, women set aside a special day to celebrate Asure, an age-old traditional feast whose name means “enjoyment”.

Ramma Hassan, a mother of five—two boys and three girls—believes Asure is both a source of joy and a challenge. From her farming proceeds, she saved diligently for months in preparation for the annual celebration, ensuring her children were not left out.

“We sew clothes for our children, we buy new hijabs and shoes, and we cook rice and stew with chicken,” she told HumAngle. “If we don’t do this, our children will look different when every other child is looking good and feasting.”

Unlike other communal events in the village, where men often take centre stage, Asure is distinctly women-led. It is held after the hibiscus harvest, locally known as zobo—the last crop to leave the farms each season. Women are often invited by farmers to harvest the hibiscus, either for cash payment or in exchange for a share of the produce. They sell it and use the proceeds to prepare for the feast. Once the harvest is complete, brides-to-be and other young women agree on a date for the celebration, which is then announced across the community by a town crier.

Ramma spent over ₦100,000 preparing three of her daughters for Asure last year. Those with more financial capacity spent more, while others spent less, depending on their savings.

“I didn’t save much, as the produce I got was not highly priced; that is why I spent so little,” she said. “The more we save, the more we spend, especially when the prices of foodstuffs soar in the market.”

However, Ramma told HumAngle that in a world that often forgets to look their way, the hibiscus harvest allows them to step into the light and take responsibilities often reserved for men.

“Asure to us is not just about cooking; it is about giving our best and showing that our labour can sustain the rhythm of our village life. In those moments, despite the financial burden it comes with, every mother like myself is usually excited that we are not left behind by tradition; we are the tradition itself,” she emphasised.

Food and fellowship

The recent feast was held on December 29, 2025, and HumAngle attended. On the eve of Asure, the village hummed with excitement. Women moved from house to house, laying out fabrics and showing other women the new clothes they had bought, while others prepared ingredients for delicacies. Children chattered endlessly, eager to wear their new hijabs, shoes, and shirts.

“I am very excited to enjoy my portion of rice and chicken and to put on my new clothes,” said Aisha Arma, a nine-year-old.

The spirit of festivity abounded, reflected in the beams in the women’s eyes as they watched their sons and daughters rejoice over their new clothes and flip-flops. For many children, sleep came slowly that night, as their minds were already in celebration. 

At dawn, the village stirred to life. Smoke rose from kitchens lit by sorghum canes, as women set up their cooking spaces, pots clanging and local spices filling the air.

Men joined in, assisting their wives or mothers with slaughtering chickens or goats, after which women and children defeathered them before turning them over for the stew. The pounding of the mortar and pestle resounded across the village, mingling with laughter and the chatter of children running through the dusty streets.

By noon, the anticipation reached its peak. Children were served food on metal plates with colourful designs and, balancing their meals on their heads, they headed to open fields and school grounds, where friends sat together under trees to feast. 

The sight was striking, with boys and girls in colourful attire, plates balanced on the ground, sharing bites and stories. The feast was marked by an abundance of dishes which were rarely on their daily menu. 

What is Asure?

The significance of Asure lies in its emphasis on women’s agency. 

In a society where economic decisions are often dominated by men, this festival allows women to showcase their financial resilience and generosity.

Asure dates back over 150 years, according to Malam Dauda Muhammad Medu, the 59-year-old leader of Matarama, a group that supports cultural decisions in the community. Despite its age, little is known about Asure’s origin. Every older person HumAngle spoke with said they simply grew up experiencing the festival, with no clear account of how or why it started. This makes Asure a tradition preserved largely through practice rather than written or oral history.

“This festival has been here before us,” Dauda told HumAngle. “We met our grandparents and parents, celebrating it.” The festival is held in Medu and other neighbouring communities. 

“Traditionally, Asure is celebrated after harvest, when farmers have brought food home. Women fix the date, and the day is marked by meals reserved for special occasions. Goats are slaughtered in some households, but at the very least, a chicken must be prepared for every child. Even households without children must slaughter one,” he added. 

Dauda revealed that on the day of the feast, eating tuwo or similar staple food is prohibited. Instead, rice, macaroni, spaghetti, or other festive meals are prepared for children and adults alike, who change into colourful clothes to gather in open spaces, sharing food and joy.

“This is purely cultural; that is why women take charge. It is our own way of celebrating International Women’s Day,” he said. “Aside from Asure, however, men are responsible for providing everything, including during other festive seasons like Eid.”

The local leader recalled that Asure was once solely about feasting, but innovations have emerged. During the festivity, fiancés in the community compete to impress their future wives by purchasing expensive clothes, hijabs, wrappers, and other valuables. The culturally-rooted feast transformed into a display of love and wealth.

“As of two years ago, a man could spend nothing less than ₦150,000 for his bride-to-be outside the wedding expenses,” Dauda said. “Such spending sometimes strained relationships, even leading to breakups when expectations were not met.”

To address this concern amid the country’s economic hardship, the men came together and consulted the Matarama group and the village head.  A collective decision was made to return the feast to its roots. 

The new stipulation for the Asure feast was that grooms would provide groceries, two measures of rice, two or three chickens, two bottles of cooking oil, and stew ingredients. Dauda reiterated that clothing and accessories would remain the responsibility of mothers.

“Anyone who went beyond these stipulations would face punishment,” he noted.

Resilience despite hardship

Despite these adjustments, the current economic reality has added another layer of struggle to the Asure feast, which is not optional, especially for mothers like Fatima Arma, who fear being subjected to gossip for failing to provide for their children.

Fatima told HumAngle the joy of preparing for the celebration is often overshadowed by worry about how much money must be spent, as prices of rice, chicken, and even simple items like cooking oil have risen, forcing women like her to stretch their savings further than before.

After the feast, hardship often follows as the savings of an entire year vanish in a single day of celebration. Fatima laughed as she responded to the question of what comes after Asure, saying, “Poverty and hardship”.

“Despite the hardship, the feast cannot be abandoned, especially in a community like ours where traditions are deeply rooted; failing to provide for children during Asure is seen as neglect. We fear the whispers and judgments of others. That is why the pressure to keep up with expectations weighs heavily, even when resources are scarce,” she lamented.

Dauda added that since women are at the forefront of sustaining the tradition, the local cultural group will ensure subsequent adjustments to sustain inclusivity in the community while bearing in mind economic realities.

“Asure carries deep cultural meaning to us even though it is modest in scale compared to urban festivals. More importantly, it underscores the resilience of our women in rural communities who, despite limited resources, create abundance through sacrifice and planning,” he said.

Jennette McCurdy’s phone could not be silenced.

After the release of her 2022 memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died,” the actress-turned-author received an unending barrage of messages and calls from friends, family, distant acquaintances, people she’d crossed paths with one time when she was 12 years old.

“I heard from everybody I’ve ever met. Everybody came out of the woodwork,” McCurdy said. While most of the messages were positive, she added, “I have changed my phone number a few times since then. I like to keep my inner circle pretty close now.”

Her memoir was a raw, unflinching look at her childhood spent tethered to an abusive mother, her personal battles with eating disorders and alcohol, her tumultuous teenage years as a Nickelodeon star on the sitcoms “iCarly” and “Sam & Cat” and her recalibration in the wake of her mother’s death from cancer when McCurdy was 21.

Its readership went far beyond McCurdy’s phone contacts. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” was a bona fide phenomenon. It sold more than 3 million copies and spent more than 80 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list. And it’s currently in the process of being adapted into an Apple TV+ series starring Jennifer Aniston as McCurdy’s mother.

Now, McCurdy, who is 33, is attempting to tell a new story with the January release of her debut novel “Half His Age.” The insular, visceral tale follows Waldo, a teenage girl in Alaska who has a sexual relationship with her middle-aged, married English teacher.

If some readers were aghast at the title of McCurdy’s memoir or its contents, they’ll almost certainly balk at “Half His Age,” which is a thorny exploration of power, lust, shame and rage, written in McCurdy’s now-signature wry style. The book’s cover features a close-up photograph of a young woman (not McCurdy) sucking her middle finger, and the sex scenes within are unvarnished, uncomfortable and plentiful.

“I’m never writing something that’s intentionally provocative, and I’m certainly never writing anything for shock value,” McCurdy said. “I really try to write for truth, and I can’t help it if that’s shocking. I can’t help it if that’s noisy or alarming. In fact, if it is those things, that’s probably an indication that there is some truth there and a conversation that’s needed to be had.”

When we met for our interview at a Pasadena restaurant in December, McCurdy looked almost identical to when I’d interviewed her there in 2022, before the release of her memoir — dark blond, tousled curls atop a petite frame and a broad smile. But a granular shift seems to have occurred. Nervous laughter has been replaced by a calmer confidence. Her eyes sparkle a little brighter.

The success of McCurdy’s memoir cemented her status as a writer, a title she prized far above “former child actor” or “TV star.” Authors she’d long admired, like Maria Semple and Tom Perrotta, now read and praise her writing. McCurdy even spent Thanksgiving with Semple last year.

“It’s this sense of belonging that I’ve always craved and never quite felt,” she said. “All through my 20s I thought, ‘Well, I’m just losing my tribe. I don’t know where my people are.’ I have found my people through writing in the past three years.”

It’s been a long time coming. After moving away from acting — a career that had been thrust upon her by her mother at just 6 years old — McCurdy began to furiously devote herself to writing in the mid-2010s. At first, she immersed herself in a variety of classes around L.A. She tried sketch writing, late-night TV writing, spec writing, but she quickly learned she didn’t actually want to write sketches or late-night monologues. Instead, she started to focus on longer-form storytelling via essays, her memoir, novels and screenplays.

At least six days a week for the last decade, McCurdy said, she’s spent her waking hours scribbling on a laptop inside her Pasadena home, rotating from her desk to the kitchen counter to the couch to the dining table to the veranda and back again.

“I sort of write until I’m tired. Sometimes that’s 4 p.m. and sometimes that’s 8 p.m.,” she said. “This year, specifically, I’ve pulled the longest days of my life. I had many days that were until 2 in the morning. It was really, really intense.”

“Half His Age” first began percolating when McCurdy was 24, riding a bullet train on a solo trip in Japan. She’d never written a book at that point, but the idea of a novel with a 17-year-old protagonist involved in an age-gap relationship cemented itself in the back of her brain. Years later, after the release of her memoir, she felt compelled to finally see it through.

“It forced itself upon me. You know, when authors say words like, ‘There was no other choice than to write this thing,’ I always thought it sounded a little pretentious,” she said. “Now, I completely know what it means. Waldo, this protagonist, her voice — I was waking up in the middle of the night thinking of this character.”

Although McCurdy said she considers herself an emotional writer, some elements of “Half His Age” required more exacting research. Setting a story in a public high school when she herself had only been homeschooled and tutored on set, for example, was a challenge.

“I was literally looking up, ‘Do they still have lockers in high school? What is a typical layout of a high school?’” she said.

Elsewhere, she imbued the story with elements of familiarity: Waldo has similar unruly curls to McCurdy’s; Waldo’s best friend is Mormon, the religion in which McCurdy was raised; and Waldo lives in Anchorage, where McCurdy’s partner of nine years is from, and where McCurdy said she has spent many months.

She also gave Waldo a complicated, absentee mother figure who leaves Waldo to shoulder the responsibilities of the household with her paychecks from a part-time job at a Victoria’s Secret. (On a different scale, McCurdy was the breadwinner for her own family by the time she was a teenager.)

“I think I’ll always write mother-daughter dynamics, and really any family dynamics, in a complicated, messy way. I’ve tried to write other kinds of dynamics, and my body will freeze up,” she said. “If I’m trying to write a loving, supportive, validating, parental figure, that’s not my experience. I don’t know how to begin to write that.”

“I really try to write for truth, and I can’t help it if that’s shocking. I can’t help it if that’s noisy or alarming,” said author Jennette McCurdy.

(Victoria Stevens)

But beyond those details, McCurdy has a deep connection to the book’s central storyline: McCurdy’s first serious relationship, which she detailed in her memoir, occurred when she was a naïve 18-year-old with an “iCarly” crew member who was in his mid-30s.

“There’s certainly overlap,” she said. “There’s certainly influence there. Writing, for me, is a means of finding closure where maybe there wasn’t in my own life. It’s a means of finding meaning and empowerment in places where maybe I didn’t feel it so much. It’s a way of exploring things that I maybe haven’t fully processed myself.”

She added, “I kept thinking, ‘Why is this coming through? Why is this the book that I’m writing?’ Several drafts in, I realized, ‘Oh, it’s because I have a lot of unprocessed rage about this.’ Of course, it’s a piece of fiction, and there are plenty of deviations, but, ultimately, I have a really personal connection to it, coming from that place myself.”

Rage is something she expects many female readers to feel as they follow Waldo’s journey in “Half His Age.”

“We’re taught to be polite and nice and make everybody around us feel comfortable and take the high road,” McCurdy said, her voice catching. “My experience of rage is that the more I have connected with it, the more it has led me on an effective life path, the more it has led me to make choices that I had been needing to make for a long time.”

Those choices have resulted in McCurdy not only becoming a prominent author, but a person fully in control of their career for the first time. She is currently working on her next book, and she has already written a script for a film adaptation of “Half His Age,” which she will also direct “if all the pieces fall into place,” she said.

The upcoming series adaptation of “I’m Glad My Mom Died” was similarly something McCurdy was only comfortable with if she could stay at the helm. She and Ari Katcher will serve as co-showrunners. She wrote all 10 episodes, she said, and will direct multiple episodes, as well.

“I am not interested in my stories being taken into somebody else’s hands,” she said. “That would be offensive to me.”

McCurdy will not appear on screen, however, and she said it’s too early to discuss who will play younger versions of herself. Meanwhile, Aniston’s connection to the material — the veteran actress has said that she and McCurdy “had very similar moms” — was key to casting her in the matriarch role.

“She does relate a lot to the material,” McCurdy said of Aniston. “It would be a disservice to the heart and soul of this book, and a disservice to the deep connection millions of people have with it, for anybody to be a part of it for any other reason. I’m deeply protective of it.”

As we finished up our mid-afternoon meal — a hodgepodge of spicy tuna bites and asparagus fries paired with guava and berry mocktails — McCurdy reflected on the agency she is finally able to take.

“I didn’t feel that I had a voice with, really, any aspect of my life growing up. I felt kind of voiceless,” she said. “Writing was where I found my voice, and I think, as a result of that, found my power.”

Spencer is an L.A.-based culture writer and reporter. Her nonfiction book, “Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel’s Tween Empire,” is out now.

A Seoul court on Monday posthumously acquitted a man executed 50 years ago for allegedly attempting to rebuild an underground pro-North Korea organization in a retrial of the case.

The Seoul Eastern District Court found the late Kang Eul-seong not guilty on charges of violating the National Security Act, citing insufficient evidence.

Kang, a civilian military worker, was executed in 1976 after his arrest and torture by military counterintelligence authorities for allegedly attempting to reconstruct the Unification Revolutionary Party on alleged orders from North Korea in 1974.

The underground organization had been uncovered by South Korea’s spy agency under then President Park Chung-hee’s administration in 1968 and dismantled.

The court said it could not conclude that Kang praised or sympathized with anti-state activities for reading a paper published in North Korea.

“(Our) hearts feel heavy. Although a past wrong has been corrected, irreversible damage has already been done and the fact that it is too late leaves a sense of helplessness,” the court said. “We made the verdict in this case with a sense of contrition as the judiciary did not fulfill the expectations of the people.”

“As a member of the judiciary that made an error, I once again bow my head to apologize to the bereaved family members.”

Prosecutors had sought Kang’s acquittal in the retrial, saying that procedural truth had not been kept in the original trial. They will not seek an appeal.

The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors Office apologized to the defendant and his bereaved family, vowing to remain faithful to its core duties.

Kang’s family expressed their intent to receive an apology not only from the judiciary but the defense ministry as well.

“The defense ministry arbitrarily dealt with the case, and we spoke of how we should receive an apology from the defense ministry,” Jin-ok, Kang’s eldest daughter told Yonhap News Agency by phone.

“We talked about how we should try for it, if it is possible,” she said. “We have fought for the past 53 years and we don’t think it will happen instantly.”

It marked the latest case surrounding the underground organization, in which the defendant was acquitted.

Four other people accused of attempting to rebuild the pro-North Korea group have been acquitted posthumously in retrials.

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