Historian Alan McPherson tells Marc Lamont Hill how the US is carrying out a regime change campaign in Venezuela.
Is the United States orchestrating regime change in Venezuela? Could this spark an all-out war?
This week on UpFront, Marc Lamont Hill speaks to Alan McPherson, an author and history professor at Temple University who specialises in US-Latin American relations.
The US is continuing the largest military build-up in Latin America in decades and has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. US President Donald Trump has also threatened to attack Venezuela by land “very soon”, while the Pentagon continues to strike alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific. At least 87 people have been killed in what human rights groups have called extrajudicial killings and murder.
I’m A Celebrity star Martin Kemp has reportedly been struggling at home recently as wife Shirlie made a rare admission about life at their Hertfordshire property
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Shirlie and Martin Kemp(Image: Getty Images)
Martin Kemp has been left “struggling” to keep up with the latest changes at home after his wife, singer Shirlie Kemp, admitted she is still unable to finalise the design of one room in their house despite several attempts.
Shirlie, who rose to fame in the 1980s as part of Wham! and later as one half of Pepsi & Shirlie, recently opened up about her ongoing frustration with the couple’s dining room. The pair have lived in their Hertfordshire home for around four years, but according to Shirlie, the space has already undergone multiple redecorations without success.
Explaining the issue, the 63-year-old told the Three Rooms podcast: “That’s the other thing that my husband finds hard, so, since I’ve been in this house, I think I’ve redecorated the dining room three times.
“We still haven’t got it right, we’ve only been here, maybe four years. It needs to go through one more this year, but I can’t get my dining room right. And I keep thinking, is it because it doesn’t want to be a dining room. Yeah, the house is trying to tell me no, this isn’t the dining room.”
The comments provide a rare insight into domestic life for the Kemps, who have been married since 1988. The couple met during the height of their respective music careers, with Martin then performing as the bassist in Spandau Ballet while Shirlie was working closely with George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley. Their relationship quickly became one of the most enduring partnerships to emerge from the 1980s pop scene.
They went on to have two children: radio and television presenter Roman Kemp, born in 1993, and their daughter Harley Moon, born in 1989, who works as a songwriter and creative consultant. Despite their public profiles, Martin and Shirlie have generally maintained a private family life, choosing to settle outside of London in later years.
Martin, who has recently returned from starring in ITV’s I’m A Celebrity in the Austalian jungle, has previously been keeping himself busy with paintbrushes and gardening tools.
The Spandau Ballet musician, 64, has completely transformed his family home into a cosy cottage with his wife, Shirlie. Throughout the renovation, the pair have offered fans an inside look at the journey.
The couple have been keeping fans updated with their efforts turning their Victorian property into their ideal retreat – a welcome sanctuary for Martin after long stretches spent sleeping in a hammock surrounded by critters.
Shirlie has been documenting the makeover on their joint Instagram account, Maison Number 9, where the former Pepsi star frequently posts videos of herself hard at work in the garden, which she is now preparing for Christmas.
Comedian and science writer Robin Ince has shocked his followers by revealing he will no longer appear on his BBC Radio 4 show, The Infinite Monkey Cage, after shock resignation
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Robin Ince has quit his BBC Radio 4 show(Image: In Pictures via Getty Images)
Comedian Robin Ince has quit his BBC Radio job in protest over being “silenced” over his personal views. The 56-year-old comedian and writer is known for co-hosting the BBC Radio 4 show The Infinite Monkey Cage alongside Professor Brian Cox.
He has helmed the show since 2009, but felt compelled to walk away from the show after 16 years of service, as he allegedly faced being forced to “quieten” about his political beliefs. The Infinite Monkey Cage won over fans by looking at the world through a scientific lens – and adding comedic observations in the process.
However, Robin has accused the BBC of leaving him no option but to quit the series, claiming that bosses were objecting to his views on transgender issues, political movements, and other topics. Rather than censor himself, the comedian opted to resign from the show in order to speak out further.
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In a lengthy post shared via Bluesky, Robin explained that listeners will no longer hear his voice on the show. He wrote: “This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage.”
He went on: “I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until I dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys.”
Robin then went on to clarify that he had not been fired from the series, but rather, he had decided to leave the show. He explained: “I resigned in September, after 16 years of dedication to the show, a show that I named and helped develop over all those years.
“Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for some time, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter.”
The stand-up star – who has opened shows for Ricky Gervais in the past and also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival – went on to claim he was backed into a corner that gave him no other option than to quit his show. He went on to claim: “In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain in Monkey Cage, or ‘Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices.’ I chose the latter. It broke my heart.”
Appealing to his listeners, he continued: “I love this show, and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open-mindedness, and empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn’t pamper myself with the luxury of silence.”
He went on further: “One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign, and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career. Despite this, I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not ‘Just a job.'”
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Ending with something of a manifesto for his future, he wrote: “I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists, too.”
Robin’s announcement has sparked a flurry of comments on social media – ranging from those expressing distress over his resignation from the show, to others questioning if he may not have resigned. Others have targeted his co-star, suggesting Brian Cox should resign in solidarity, and others, feeling the show cannot continue without the presence of the co-founder.
George Hendy scored a hat-trick as Northampton made it maximum points from their opening two Investec Champions Cup games with an eight-try hammering of the Bulls.
Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice and Henry Pollock scored the bonus point try before the hour mark as a dominant Saints team cut loose in the second half.
The Bulls were still in the game with the score 14-5 at the break but a yellow card to prop Alulutho Tshakweni in the 53rd minute for a needless trip proved very costly and they failed to register a point in the second half.
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The manner of this win, coming after a 35-27 away win at Pau last week, means last year’s losing finalists Saints could not have hoped for a better start as they aim to go one better this season.
Bulls fly-half Kade Wolhuter missed an early penalty before Saints took the lead when Pollock broke before feeding Sleightholme who showed his pace to sprint away to the line.
But an error from Sleightholme let the Bulls back in as the ball slipped from his grasp in contact, allowing Bulls wing Stravino Jacobs to kick on and show electric speed of his own to reply after 22 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Saints had their second as quick hands from Alex Mitchell at the base of a ruck and then Smith sent Hendy over in the corner to make it 14-5 at the break.
Saints were on top in possession and territory and were being given a helping hand from Bulls fly-half Wolhuter who twice missed touch with clearing penalties to bring the pressure back on the visitors.
That told after 48 minutes when Smith was again the architect, stepping inside to wrong-foot the advancing defence before sending a sweet left-footed kick over the line for Hendy to grab his second and Saints’ third.
Bulls prop Tshakweni was then sin-binned for a trip on Emmanuel Iyogun. Tshakweni was adamant he had been reacting to a trip momentarily before by Iyogun but the contact from the Saints replacement prop was ruled accidental when looked at by the officials.
Saints seized the opportunity of having the extra man to secure the bonus point through Pollock before Alex Coles and Sleightholme crossed as the hosts registered three tries in five minutes.
‘We’ve missed this place’ – Saints fly-half Smith
Northampton Saints fly-half Fin Smith speaking to Radio 5 Live:
“It was good fun, it’s the first time we’ve been back at home since I think Saracens and that was well before the autumn nations so we’ve missed this place we love playing in front of our fans and the group were really excited about being back out here in front of our friends and family. A little bit slow out of the blocks but much happier with that second half.”
On the Champions Cup:
“We love it. Some of my fondest memories in this kit have been in the European Cup. We got to the semi-final and lost at Croke Park two years ago and then lost in the final last year and those are memories that we really enjoy and we really get a lot out of this tournament so we’ll be fully loaded and want to make the most of it.
“I love it. A full Gardens playing with my best mates and when we’re chucking the ball around like that there’s not many more enjoyable things for me personally so really enjoyed it.”
On lack of playing time with England in the autumn series:
Rerun of last year’s final next for Saints
The top two teams in the pool meet in a rerun of last year’s final when the Investec Champions Cup returns in January as Saints head to Bordeaux. Northampton then round off the pool stage with a home game against Scarlets on 18 January.
Line-ups
Northampton: Furbank; Sleightholme, Hutchinson, Dingwall, Hendy; F Smith, Mitchell; Fischetti, Wright, Davison, Coles, Van der Mescht, Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock
Replacements: R Smith, Iyogun, Kundiona, Munga, Prowse, Graham, James, Thame
Bulls: Williams; Petersen, Gans, Vorster, Jacobs; Wolhuter, Burger; Tshakweni, Van der Merwe, Smith, Wiese, Van Heerden, Coetzee, Ludwig, Louw
Replacements: Else, Sithole, Mchunu, Gumede, Carr, Papier, Johannes, Van Niekerk
Match officials
Referee: Hollie Davidson (Sco)
Assistant referees: Rob McDowell (Sco) and Dave Sutherland (Sco)
English champions Bath battled hard but fell to a 45-34 defeat by Toulon in a compelling Champions Cup contest at Stade Mayol.
Second-half tries from Gael Drean and former England back row Lewis Ludlam helped the hosts take a 38-27 lead with under 10 minutes to play.
Louie Hennessey ran a superb line to take Max Ojomoh’s pass and race over to give Bath hope, but the French side drove Teddy Baubigny over in the corner in stoppage time for a fifth try that denied Bath a losing bonus point.
Bath, who trailed 18-13 at half-time, did secure a try bonus point which means they go top of Pool Two with six points from two matches.
English champions Bath battled hard but fell to a 45-34 defeat by Toulon in a compelling nine-try Champions Cup match at Stade Mayol.
Second-half tries from Gael Drean and former England back row Lewis Ludlam helped the hosts take a 38-27 lead in the closing stages.
Louie Hennessey ran a superb line to take Max Ojomoh’s pass and race over to give Bath hope, but the French side drove Teddy Baubigny over in the corner in stoppage time for a fifth try that denied the visitors a losing bonus point.
Bath, who trailed 18-13 at half-time, did secure a try bonus point for their efforts.
Every side in Pool Two has won one match after two rounds but Johann van Graan’s team, who won the Challenge Cup last year after making an early Champions Cup exit, are the only one to have two bonus points and lead the way with six points.
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Bath started their Champions Cup campaign with an emphatic win over Munster last weekend, while three-time champions Toulon were looking to bounce back after a poor defeat in Edinburgh.
Van Graan brought in 20-year-old Vilikesa Sela to replace injured England prop Will Stuart as Bath went toe to toe with Toulon’s imposing pack.
Finn Russell’s penalty kick gave Bath the lead but second row forward Brian Alainu’uese muscled over from a line-out move to put the hosts ahead.
Both sides traded penalties before Ted Hill burrowed between two defenders from a tap penalty to briefly give Bath the lead.
After Mateo Garcia’s penalty levelled the scores at 13-13, three-time European champions Toulon regained the lead. Former Harlequins prop Kyle Sinckler powered towards the posts before being hauled down, Toulon moved the ball wide and Juan Ignacio Brex strolled over.
Toulon thought they had scored again in the final action of the first half, but Bath held the ball up to keep the deficit to five points.
Garcia kicked another penalty as the hosts started to dominate up front in the second half but Bath dug deep to keep in touch.
Scrum-half Tom Carr-Smith, making his first European start in place of captain Ben Spencer, was involved as Santiago Carreras dived over for the visitors’ second try.
Russell’s conversion closed the gap to one point but back came Toulon. Sinckler again played a prominent role with a surging run and Toulon worked the ball to the rapid Drean, who restored the home side’s eight-point cushion.
Bath turned to their bench and replacement Arthur Green grounded the ball from close range to cut the deficit.
But Ludlam buried over for Toulon’s bonus-point try from a five-metre scrum, and Garcia’s steely conversion from the touchline extended their lead to eight points once again.
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What’s next?
Bath face Castres away in their third Champions Cup pool match on 9 January before hosting Edinburgh in their final game on 16 January.
Toulon will be at home to Munster before travelling to Gloucester.
