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Katy Perry's significant image change reportedly stems fromJustin Trudeau. According to a source, the singer has been making appearances at many pivotal international events alongside her boyfriend for some time. Hence, she has seemingly been embracing a new life purpose; from a pop sensation to someone seeking interest in politics and philanthropy.

For those unversed, the duo has been dating since last year. They made their relationship public in October.

Katy Perry 'has been infused with a sense of purpose' in Justin Trudeau relationship, per source

Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau's relationship has reportedly brought positive changes in the singer's life. Aside from her career events, she has also been accompanying her beau to several political gatherings. A source told In Touch viaStarmagazine that she has welcomed big changes in her lifestyle.

"Katy has been infused with a sense of purpose and a desire to really change her image," they said. As a couple, the two have reportedly been working towards important things. According to the insider, they want to "change the world for the better." However, it's a "different question" if the celebrity pair could "actually pull it off."

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Furthermore, the "Dark Horse" hitmaker has allegedly been "confident" to achieve big things as long as Trudeau is by her side. According to the informant, the former Canadian Prime Minister and his girlfriend would reportedly use their name and fame to "conquer big global problems.

"[By] presenting themselves as a team, they can meet with the richest people on the planet, and they can raise money for any cause they want," they claimed.

Last month, the couple caught everyone's attention as they shared anadorable momentat an event. They attended the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026, where the politician was invited as the guest speaker. In the crowd, he spotted the pop star, who acknowledged him with a wink.

The postKaty Perry Ready for a Big Change in Her Image — Sourceappeared first onReality Tea.

Hilary Duffknows just how to turn an everyday ensemble into a full fashion moment, and her latest couture-coded look, while riding a Vespa around the city, proved the same. She opted for a Hermescrop top, paired with a fierymicro miniskirt. This ensemble blended playful street-style sass with high-fashion finesse. The bright red hue of the top and skirt worked wonders for the diva. She also layered the look with a long coat, which looked elegant.

Hilary Duff layers Hermes crop top and micro miniskirt under coat for Vespa ride

Have a look at Hilary Duff's latest photo in a crop top and micro miniskirt here:

View this post on Instagram

Hilary Duff looked phenomenal in a modern ensemble forGlamour, wearing a red crop top that hugged her frame and showcased her toned abs. This was paired with a matching bodycon miniskirt that skimmed her upper thigh. She wore contrasting black knee-length leather boots that added an edgy feel to the look.

Duff also chose to layer with a brown leather coat with a slightly oversized silhouette. This addition elevated her whole look. To complete the look, she wore dark burgundy lipstick and tied her hair in a sleek ponytail.

Originally reported by Mehak Walia onThe Fashion Spot.

The postHilary Duff Enjoys a Vespa Ride in Hermes Crop Top & Micro Miniskirtappeared first onReality Tea.

Zendayarecently gifted fans with a major high-fashion moment in her new photoshoot for Interview magazine. One of the looks of the actor included her wearing a crop top. Two strings gave support to the crocheted top by holding it up, but one of the straps rolled down her shoulder in the photo, giving a relaxed vibe. The Hollywood star styled it with undone shorts.

Zendaya stuns in crop top and bold shorts look for Interview magazine

Take a look at a photo of Zendaya's new Interview magazine photos, where she rocks a crop top and bold shorts:

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Zendayaproved once again that she can effortlessly serve high-fashion looks. For her new photoshoot, the "Challengers" actor donned a crocheted crop top with spaghetti straps. She paired it with high-waisted, skintight shorts. She then went on to add another layer with a bold pair of shorts with an unbuckled belt.

The layered shorts added more intrigue to her look. The "Euphoria" star accessorized the look by adding layered neckpieces. She also kept her hair styled with waves in the front. Nadia Lee Cohen was behind the photography for this look.

The postZendaya's Crop Top Is Held by Two Strings for Interview Magazineappeared first onReality Tea.

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — U.S.-backed airstrikes and recently expanded ground operations have shifted momentum inSomalia's long-running war against al-Qaida-linkedal-Shababmilitant group, the government says, touting successes in the fight such as efforts toreclaim territory from the extremistsand the targeting of the group's leadership and bomb-making network.

The turn comes at a pivotal moment: African Union peacekeeping forces are gradually drawing down and Somalia is assuming greater responsibility for its own security, nearly two decades after al-Shabab emerged as a dominant insurgent force.

Here is a look at what has changed and what remains uncertain in the conflict.

How Somalia got here

Al-Shabab emerged in the mid-2000s as the armed wing of the now outlawed Islamic Courts Union coalition before aligning itself with al-Qaida. At its peak, it controlled much of southern and central Somalia, including parts of Mogadishu, the country's capital.

African Union troops pushed al-Shabab out of Mogadishu in 2011, but the group adapted, reverting to guerrilla warfare, suicide bombings, and targeted assassinations. It continues to raise millions of dollars annually through taxation and extortion, according to U.N. monitors.

The United States has carried outairstrikes in Somalia for more than a decade. In 2020, during his first term in office, President Donald Trump ordered most U.S. troops withdrawn. In 2022, President Joe Biden approved the redeployment of U.S. forces to Somalia, restoring a more sustained advisory and counterterrorism presence.

Retaking territory from al-Shabab

Authorities say Somali troops have retaken areas in the regions of Lower Shabelle, Hiiraan, Middle Shabelle and parts of Jubbaland that had been under the militants' control for years.

Omar Ali Abdi, Somalia's state minister for defense, told The Associated Press that locations in Lower Shabelle, including Jilib Marka, Gendershe, and Dhanaane, which had long served as al-Shabab strongholds, are now in military hands.

The minister also cited gains in the central Hiiraan region, including Taydaan and Yasooman, and operations near Masjid Ali Gaduud in Middle Shabelle. In the Kudhaa area of Jubbaland, he said joint operations involving regional Darawiish forces and Somalia's U.S.-trained Danab special forces have killed dozens of militants and seized vehicles.

Al-Shabab has not confirmed the reported losses. Access to many contested areas is restricted, making independent verification difficult.

The role played by the US

The U.S carries out airstrikes across areas under U.S. Africa Command, or AFRICOM, targeting al-Shabab leaders, training sites and weapons facilities in coordination with Somalia's federal government.

Abdi, the state minister, said recent air operations destroyed facilities used to manufacture improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, and neutralized explosive-laden vehicles before they could be deployed. He said Somali intelligence services provide verified targeting information.

AFRICOM says it conducts precision strikes and assesses the risk of civilian harm before carrying them out. In past years, U.S. strikes in Somalia have drawn criticism from rights groups over civilian casualties. AFRICOM has acknowledged some cases and says it investigates allegations.

How airpower has changed the battlefield

Mogadishu-based security analyst Abdullahi Ahmed Ali said the expansion of aerial surveillance and strike capability altered what had previously been a more evenly matched fight.

In earlier phases, he said, both government forces and al-Shabab possessed similar types of ground weapons. What the government lacked was sustained airpower and persistent surveillance.

Expanded drone coverage has allowed forces to identify al-Shabab's underground hideouts and supply routes that were previously difficult to reach, he said. Once these locations were targeted from the air, it was easier for the government troops to advance into those areas.

Somali officials say drones now provide early warning of militant movements near Mogadishu, where al-Shabab continues to carry out bombings despite tightened security.

The timing of the renewed offensive is also significant as it coincides with the transition from African Union troops — known as the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia — that are gradually reducing their footprint in the country as Somali forces assume greater control.

Analysts say that makes air support and intelligence coordination with international partners more critical.

At the same time, Somalia faces overlapping pressures, including climate-related drought, political tensions between federal and regional authorities, and funding shortfalls affecting security and humanitarian operations.

Some security experts caution that territorial gains from al-Shabab must be consolidated through governance and services. In previous offensives, al-Shabab managed to move back into areas after government forces withdrew or failed to maintain a presence.

Next steps in a tough fight

Somali authorities say thousands of al-Shabab fighters have been killed since the campaign intensified, including dozens in recent operations in the coastal town of Kudhaa and elsewhere. Those figures could not be independently verified.Experts warn that territorial control in Somalia remains fluid, particularly in rural regions. While government forces appear to have expanded their presence in several areas, al-Shabab is still able to reach vast parts of central and southern Somalia.Somali officials say operations will continue in coordination with international partners, combining ground offensives, intelligence gathering, and reconstruction efforts in retaken towns.According to Abdi, the government plans to rebuild homes and deliver aid in newly captured areas to prevent al-Shabab from reestablishing control. Still, despite the reported government gains, al-Shabab remains one of Africa's most resilient militant groups and a top threat.That means it will now be up to the government to translate gains on the ground into lasting stability. And that will depend on Somalia's ability to secure and govern territory as international peacekeeping forces scale back their role.

Somali authorities say thousands of al-Shabab fighters have been killed since the campaign intensified, including dozens in recent operations in the coastal town of Kudhaa and elsewhere. Those figures could not be independently verified.

Experts warn that territorial control in Somalia remains fluid, particularly in rural regions. While government forces appear to have expanded their presence in several areas, al-Shabab is still able to reach vast parts of central and southern Somalia.

Somali officials say operations will continue in coordination with international partners, combining ground offensives, intelligence gathering, and reconstruction efforts in retaken towns.

According to Abdi, the government plans to rebuild homes and deliver aid in newly captured areas to prevent al-Shabab from reestablishing control. Still, despite the reported government gains, al-Shabab remains one of Africa's most resilient militant groups and a top threat.

That means it will now be up to the government to translate gains on the ground into lasting stability. And that will depend on Somalia's ability to secure and govern territory as international peacekeeping forces scale back their role.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is expected Wednesday to call for a two-year suspension of tax incentives offered to develop data centers amid growing scrutiny over their rapid expansion and impact on communities.

Pritzker plans to advocate for a policy shift in his State of the State and budget address in Springfield under a proposal first shared with NBC News.

At the center of the plan is a two-year pause, effective July 1, on Illinois' data center tax credit program. Pritzker will instruct key state agencies to study the impact of existing data centers on the state's energy grid and consumers and analyze the financial impact the centers have had on the economy. Specifically, the governor's office said it is trying to make sure the centers are financially sustainable over time, protect consumers from soaring energy costs and ensure fair allocation of resources.

Illinois' Democratic-led General Assembly must approve Pritzker's proposal.

Data centers are massive structures that run computer servers that power the growing demands of artificial intelligence. Illinois would be hitting pause on their proliferation as community backlash intensifies across the country, with residents fromOregontoVirginiato Indiana calling on local officials to rein in data center developmentamid rising electricity costsand water consumption.

While a number of states are rushing to create incentives for companies to build data centers, some governors — including potential 2028 candidates — have also moved toward more oversight. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat,recently announceda set of criteria for data center developers to qualify for state resources, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, hasput up some guardrailsaround data center growth.

In Pritzker's proposal, tax incentives would not be available for new data centers for two years, beginning in July. In 2024, Georgia lawmakers sent Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, a bill that would curb existing tax incentives, but Kemp vetoed it.

Data center development once promised a boost to local property tax bases and the promise of jobs. But since they have proliferated, residents have shared concerns about the disruption to their communities relative to their benefit. They have also expressed fear of the unpredictability in advancements with artificial intelligence that could leave the massive buildings stranded.One recent flare-up in neighboring Indianaprompted local officials to deny permitting to a data center proposed in St. Joseph County.

"As a governor who has long prioritized attracting businesses to the state, Gov. Pritzker's decision to pause tax credits meant to lure data centers to build their facilities in Illinois is a significant statement—one other leaders should pay attention to," Kady McFadden, a political strategist in Illinois who has a focus on climate policy, said in an email. "It is clear the governor recognizes these facilities are increasingly politically unpopular and should not lead to higher utilities bills for families. This is a prudent decision on the governor's part as Illinois is beginning a legislative discussion about the future of data centers in the state."

Pritzker's office stressed that Illinois remains welcoming to business growth but is trying to balance development with its impact on consumers. Illinois generates more electricity than it consumes, according to the governor's office, exporting 20% of the electricity it produces.

Related coverage

• Senators introduce first bipartisan effort to curb utility bill hikes related to data centers

• Anthropic to cover costs of electricity price increases from its data centers

• Josh Shapiro to unveil plan for managing the data center boom in Pennsylvania

• How NDAs keep AI data center details hidden from Americans

Pritzker is also expected Wednesday to cast blame on the Trump administration for rising energy costs, saying they were driven by slashing tax credits and loans for affordable, clean energy resources.

Pritzker spoke this month of his hesitancy about data center development in the future.

"I do not want to add data centers that are not paying their fair share and making sure that we're not affecting home rates in any way by having data centers in the state to the extent that we do," he said. "If they do threaten to raise rates, we've got to slow them down and make sure they understand what their responsibilities are. And we're going to be looking at that in the legislature this spring."

GENEVA (AP) — Envoys from Moscow and Kyiv met Wednesday in Geneva for asecond consecutive dayof U.S.-brokered talks, with officials trying to bridge political and military differences stemming fromRussia's all-out invasionof Ukraine almost four years ago.

Russia Ukraine War

"Consultations are taking place in working groups by areas within the political and military tracks," the head of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umerov, wrote in English on X. "We are working on clarifying the parameters and mechanisms of the decisions discussed yesterday."

The negotiations in Switzerland are the third round of direct talks organized by the U.S., after meetings earlier this yearin Abu Dhabithat officials described as constructive but yielded no breakthrough.

U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on social media that Washington's push for peace in Ukraine over the past year has "brought about meaningful progress." He didn't elaborate, and the fighting has continued.

The two armies are locked in battle on the roughly 1,250-kilometer (750-mile)front line, while Russiabombards civilian areasof Ukraine. Overnight, Russia launched one ballistic missile and 126 long-range drones at Ukraine, the Ukrainian air force said.

A Russian drone strike in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia killed a woman and injured seven people, including two small children, according to regional military administration chief Ivan Fedorov.

Russia and Ukraine appear to still be far apart on their demands for a peace settlement.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. But Moscow wants a comprehensive agreement before committing to a truce.

Putin's key goals remain what he declared when Russia invaded its neighbor on Feb. 24, 2022: Ukraine must renounce joining NATO, sharply reduce the size of its army and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow's orbit.

Additionally, Putin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four regions Moscow has occupied but doesn't fully control.

Zelenskyy says Ukraine won't surrender land to Russia.

Novikov reported from Kyiv, Ukraine.

Follow AP's coverage of the war in Ukraine athttps://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Crews pushed through mountainous wilderness near Lake Tahoe during a snowstorm to rescue six backcountry skiers who survived an avalanche but were trapped by its snow and ice. Nine others from their tour group remained missing.

Two of the six were taken to a hospital for treatment, said Ashley Quadros, a spokesperson for the Nevada County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office said Tuesday night that there were 15 skiers on the trip — not 16 as initially believed.

Search and rescue crews were dispatched to Frog Lake in the Castle Peak area, northwest of Lake Tahoe, after a 911 call reporting an avalanche and people buried. Apowerful winter stormwas moving through California at the time.

Extreme conditions in the Northern California mountains slowed the rescue effort. It took crews several hours to reach the skiers and take them to safety, where they were evaluated by the Truckee Fire Department.

The sheriff's office said it would provide another update on rescue efforts at a news conference Wednesday morning.

A three-day ski trip

The skiers were on the last day of a three-day backcountry skiing trek, said Steve Reynaud, a Tahoe National Forest avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center, which had contact with people on the ground in the area. He said the skiers spent two nights at huts on a trip that required navigating "rugged mountainous terrain" for up to 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) while bringing along all food and supplies.

Nevada County Sheriff Capt. Russell Greene said authorities were notified about the avalanche by the ski tour company that led the expedition, Blackbird Mountain Guides, and by emergency beacons the skiers were carrying. Rescuers made their way cautiously toward the scene of the avalanche because of the danger of more avalanches.

Blackbird Mountain Guides said in a statement on its website that it was coordinating with authorities on the rescue operation.

Dangerous backcountry conditions

California is being walloped this week by a powerful winter storm bringing treacherous thunderstorms, high winds and heavy snow in mountain areas.

"It's particularly dangerous in the backcountry right now just because we're at the height of the storm," said Brandon Schwartz, Tahoe National Forest lead avalanche forecaster at the Sierra Avalanche Center, based in Truckee.

The center issued an avalanche warning for the area in the Central Sierra Nevada, including the Greater Lake Tahoe region, starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday with large slides expected into Wednesday.

The town of Soda Springs, near where the avalanche took place, recorded at least 30 inches (76 centimeters) of snow during a 24-hour period, according to the Soda Springs Mountain Resort.

The dangerous conditions were caused by rapidly accumulating snow piling on fragile snowpack layers coupled with gale-force winds.

The storm wreaked havoc on roads from the Sierra Nevada to Sonoma County. Traffic was halted temporarily in both directions on I-80 over and around Donner Summit due to spinouts and crashes, the authorities reported.

Several Tahoe ski resorts were fully or partially closed due to the weather. Resorts along highways have avalanche mitigation programs and were not expected to be at as high of a risk as the backcountry, where travel in, near or below avalanche terrain was strongly discouraged, the center said.

Area has dark history

Castle Peak, a 9,110-foot (2,777-meter) mountain north of Donner Summit, is a popular backcountry skiing destination. The summit, which can be perilous in snow, is named for the infamous Donner Party, a group of pioneers who resorted to cannibalism after getting trapped there in the winter of 1846-1847.

In January an avalanche in the region buried asnowmobilerin snow and killed him, authorities said. Each winter, 25 to 30 people die in avalanches in the U.S., according to the National Avalanche Center.

Training in avalanche assessment and rescue and safety equipment is highly recommended for backcountry skiing, also known as off-piste skiing, involves venturing deep into the wilderness far outside the confines of a resort. Backcountry skis are wider and heavier and have other features to handle going up and down ungroomed terrain, unlike cross-country skis, which are narrower and designed for flat, more groomed trails.

Watson reported from San Diego. Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed.

By Munsif Vengattil

NEW DELHI, Feb 18 (Reuters) - An Indian university has been asked to vacate its stall at the country's flagship AI summit after a ‌staff member was caught presenting a commercially available robotic dog made in China ‌as its own creation, two government sources said.

"You need to meet Orion. This has been developed by the Centre ​of Excellence at Galgotias University," Neha Singh, a professor of communications, told state-run broadcaster DD News this week in remarks that have since gone viral.

But social media users quickly identified the robot as the Unitree Go2, sold by China's Unitree Robotics for about $2,800 and widely used ‌in research and education globally.

The episode ⁠has drawn sharp criticism and has cast an uncomfortable spotlight on India'sartificial intelligenceambitions.

The embarrassment was amplified by IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, ⁠who shared the video clip on his official social media account before the backlash. The post was later deleted.

Both Galgotias and Singh have subsequently said the robot was not a university creation ​and ​the university had never claimed otherwise.

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The stall remained ​open to visitors as of Wednesday ‌morning with university officials fielding questions from media about accusations of plagiarism and misrepresentation.

Galgotias has yet to receive any communication about being kicked out from the event, a representative at the booth said.

The India AI Impact summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, which runs until Saturday, has been billed as the first major AI gathering hosted in the Global ‌South. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Google's Sundar Pichai,OpenAI's ​Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei will address ​the gathering on Thursday.

The event has also ​faced broader organisational difficulties since opening, with delegates reporting overcrowding and ‌logistical issues.

That said, there has been more ​than $100 billion of investment ​in India AI projects pledged during the summit, including investments from the Adani Group conglomerate, tech giantMicrosoftand data centre firm Yotta.

India's biggest opposition party, Congress, ​was amongst those expressing outrage.

"The ‌Modi government has made a laughing stock of India globally with regard to ​AI," it said on social media, citing the robot incident.

(Reporting by Munsif ​Vengattil in New Delhi; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

• A source is weighing in on speculation that Taylor Swift will play the Super Bowl halftime show in 2027.

• There are several reasons why Taylor likely won't play halftime next year.

• Reminder: Super Bowl LXI is being held on Valentine's Day, a reported no-go for Taylor.

Wondering when / if Taylor Swift will finally headline the Super Bowl? About that! A source says the Grammy winner is #1 on the NFL's wish list, but ultimately the timing—and location—has to be right.

"Taylor is always someone the NFL wants for the halftime show, but it will be her decision - and her decision only - whether she ever wants to do it and when she would like to do it," the insider in question tells theDaily Mail. "Everyone will drop what they are doing and whoever they have asked if Taylor wants to do it. If she wants to do it, she will do it. It is as simple as that. But there are a handful of reasons she will not be doing it next year."

Specifically: the fact that it's on Valentine's Day, the fact that Travis might be playing, and the venue.

"The reason that Taylor isn't interested in doing it yet is because, for one, it falls on Valentine's Day," the source adds. "She would only like to be at the game next year if Travis is playing in it. Otherwise she will be a recent newlywed and would rather enjoy time with him than to perform on a day meant for love. If she were to also do it in the future, she would want Travis to be retired. Taylor also doesn't need to do it, but she knows that it would be a great thing for her legacy that is already concrete. But she has a few other milestones that she wants to achieve before doing the Super Bowl - marriage, family and all the important things in life."

As for the venue, her "dream stadium" is a place that's meaningful to her. "She would be interested in doing it in a place like Nashville if they ever get a Super Bowl," the source says. "The likelihood of that happening is pretty good as the Titans are meant to have a new stadium completed in 2027. The NFL hasn't announced where the Super Bowl will be held after the next two but Nashville is well-poised and ready to receive one and she would like to do it there."

In other words, don't count on Taylor playing the Super Bowl next year...but keep an eye out.

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Shia LaBeoufhas been arrested while celebrating Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

TheTransformersactorwasdetained shortly after midnight Tuesdayafter an alleged brawl outside a bar in the French Quarter, the New Orleans Police Department said in a statement shared withThe Independent.

According to police, the 39-year-old was charged with two counts of simple battery and remains in a Louisiana jail after receiving medical attention from paramedics.

Police said LaBeouf was acting "aggressive" at a bar on Royal Street, leading a staff member to kick him out of the building. Once outside, LaBeouf allegedly punched a man with closed fists several times. LaBeouf then left the area but came back, "acting even more aggressive," police said.

"Multiple people attempted to hold [LaBeouf] down — he was eventually let up in the hopes that he would leave — but he reportedly again struck the same victim with closed fists to the victim's upper body," police said. He then allegedly assaulted another person by punching him in the nose and was held down until police arrived.

LaBeouf, who has previously said he was sober aftermultiple rehab treatments,had reportedly been partying in the city for days leading up to his arrest. A bartender who served thecontroversial former child staron Thursday toldThe Hollywood Reporter: "He is terrorizing the city!"

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Other bartenders and patrons told the outlet that LaBeouf was "inebriated" and "belligerent" throughout the weekend, as he was spotted at several bars across the city throughout Mardi Gras weekend.

His representatives did not immediately returnThe Independent's request for comment.

LaBeouf is known for his publicly erratic behavior and has a history of legal issues, including a2020 lawsuit filed by his ex-girlfriend FKA Twigsthat alleged sexual battery, assault and emotional abuse. The lawsuit was settled in July 2025.

TheHolesstar was first arrested in2014 on charges of disorderly conduct, harassment and criminal trespassduring a Broadway performance of Cabaret, leading to him seeking treatment for alcoholism. He pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct at the time and the other charges were dropped.

Three years later, LaBeouf was arrested in Savannah, Georgia, for public intoxication, disorderly conduct and obstruction. Bodycam footage from the incident showed LaBeoufmaking racial outbursts during his arrest,which he later attributed to his alcoholism. After pleading no contest to disorderly conduct, LaBeouf was sentenced to one year probation andordered to seek anger management and substance use treatment.

LaBeouf's most recent arrest was in 2020, when he was charged with misdemeanor battery and petty theft and pleaded not guilty. The charges were dropped after he completed a court-ordered diversion program.

JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Kate Middleton and Prince William were faced with a major decision about what to name Prince George

• Royal editor Russell Myers writes in the upcoming book William and Catherine, The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story that the couple struggled to come up with a name before coming up with a short list

• Princess Kate "had her heart set" on another name, Myers writes

Kate MiddletonandPrince Williamwent back and forth about what to name their first child,Prince George.

The Prince and Princess of Wales became parents when George, now 12, was born in July 2013, and his name choice carried extra weight as a future heir to the throne.

In the upcoming bookWilliam and Catherine, The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story, out March 10, Russell Myers writes that Princess Kate, 44, and Prince William, 43, "spent hours" researching names for their first baby. The royal couple did not learn their child's sex before birth, theBBCreported, and the biography claims that they struggled to agree on names.

According to excerpts published inThe Mirroron Feb. 17, Kate was keen on Alexander or Alexandra, while William wanted to include a tribute to his late mother,Princess Diana, if they had a girl.

Chris Jackson/Getty

"Catherine had her heart set on Alexander for a boy or Alexandra (alsoQueen Elizabeth's middle name) for a girl. William had privately voiced his preference for having a girl, and was keen to incorporate a tribute to his late mother, most likely in the form of a middle name," Myers writes inWilliam and Catherine.

Kate reportedly ran name ideas by some of her close friends who were also moms, and a pal gave her and William a name book for inspiration.

"The couple had been given a book of baby names by a close friend, which they spent hours thumbing through — they often ended up in fits of laughter after one or the other had presented a more left-field suggestion," Myers writes.

Having fun with the process, the author says that Prince William would surprise his press team by suggesting unexpected names. Myers writes that William would begin meetings by asking, "What do you think about Rodney for a boy, or maybe Graham?" and pause for a response before erupting in laughter.

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According to the author, William eventually chose two top boy names: George and Louis.

Neil Mockford/GC Images

The royal family expanded when William and Kate's first child, a son, was born on July 22, 2013, and they named him George Alexander Louis. George may be a tribute to Queen Elizabeth's beloved father, who was King George VI, who helped lead Britain through World War II and died unexpectedly at age 54 in 1952 following health complications.

The couple's second child, daughter Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, arrived on May 2, 2015, and they became a family of five when son Louis Arthur Charles was born on April 23, 2018. Louis' name may be a tribute to Lord Louis Mountbatten,Prince Philip's beloved uncle and father figure, who was assassinated by an IRA bomb in 1979.

The futureKing Charleswas also close to Lord Mountbatten, his godfather, and named his first son William Arthur Philip Louis, with the middle name of Louis interpreted as an homage.

Myers explores the Prince and Princess of Wales' love story, life in the royal spotlight and future vision inWilliam and Catherine, which will be published next month.

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Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Excerpts of the text published so far byThe Mirror, which Myers edits, include the claims thatWilliam wanted the now ex-Prince Andrew banished from royal life years beforeKing Charles stripped his royal title in 2025,how Kate and William told their children about her cancer diagnosisin 2024 andwhy Kate was less interested than William in trying to bring Prince Harryback into the royal fold when he andMeghan Markleannounced their intention to step back from their royal roles in 2020.

Read the original article onPeople

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Rifles are lifted from display racks, drones hover above exhibition stands and large screens loop footage of missile launches inside the halls of Expo Tel Aviv convention center as it hosts the Defense Tech Expo Israel 2026.

The gathering brings together Israeli defense companies, foreign delegations and investors to present technologies ranging from small arms and robotics to air and missile defense systems and cyber tools.

Booths display large models of interceptors and unmanned aircraft, while representatives describe operational capabilities to potential buyers. Business meetings unfold beside screens showing battlefield simulations and promotional footage.

This year's expo reflected growing international interest in Israel's defense sector, with manufacturers promoting equipment shaped by recent conflicts.

Outside the venue, a small group of activists protested the defense and arms industry. Some demonstrators linked the exhibition to the war in Gaza, holding signs that described the territory as a "testing lab" for weapons.

Together, the scenes highlight the tension between the commercial showcase of military technology and the political debate surrounding its use.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

The Rev.Jesse Jackson, a towering civil rights icon who battled alongside Martin Luther King Jr., negotiated global hostage releases, and shamed corporations for their lack of corporate diversity and failure to support voting rights, has died.

Jackson was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, a Democratic presidential candidate and one of the world's best-known Black activists.

He was 84 and had suffered from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare disease that causes a decline similar to Parkinson's disease but accelerated.

"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Civil Rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.," said a statement from the organization. "He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family."

Despite the illness that softened his voice and weakened his steps, Jackson had continued to advocate for civil rights and was arrested twice in 2021 over his objection to the Senate filibuster rule. That same year, he and his wife, Jacqueline,were hospitalizedwith COVID-19 complications at a Chicago hospital.

"His longevity is part of the story," said Rashad Robinson, the former president of the 7-million-member online justice organization Color of Change. "This is someone who had so many chances to do something else. And this is what he chose to do with his life."

Jackson's death comes amidst a rising tide of white nationalism and voting-rights access issues, and follows the loss of other civil rights icons, including former Rep.John Lewis, who died in 2020.

PresidentDonald Trumpsaid he'd worked with Jackson for decades, providing office space for his coalition. Jackson had previously said he and Trump had split over the fate of the Central Park Five ‒ the group of Hispanic and Black teens convicted but ultimately exonerated in the 1989 sexual assault of a woman in New York City's Central Park. Trump had taken out newspaper advertisements calling for the teens to be executed.

"Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him," Trump said in a social media post. "He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!"

The making of a Civil Rights icon

Born in Greenville, South Carolina,Jackson's rise to prominencebegan after he and seven other men were arrested in 1960 ‒ he was 18 at the time ‒ for protesting segregation at their town's public library. He then joined King's burgeoning civil rights fight and was just feet away when King was assassinated in 1968.

Jackson founded what would ultimately become the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and ran for president as a Democrat in 1984 and 1988, energizing and registering millions of Black voters.

"As we continue in the struggle for human rights, remember that God will see us through, even in our midnight moments," Jackson said in 2017 as he announced his neuromuscular disease diagnosis.

Jackson visited Minneapolis in 2021 to support protesters awaiting the verdict in the trial ofDerek Chauvin, the former police officer who was convicted days later of killing George Floyd in an incident that set off national protests and violence.

While there, he also attended services for Daunte Wright, a Black man who was shot and killed by a police officer during a protest against police violence in a nearby suburb. Speaking in a subdued voice, Jackson reminded the young activists leading a protest march that their cause was just.

In a statement, civil rights attorney Ben Crump mourned his friend as someone who helped shape his own life. Crump has become the go-to lawyer for Black families seeking justice and represented some of Floyd's family members. Crump said Jackson helped broaden the path for people of color to shape America through politics and public life.

"Rev. Jackson conceived of a more just and inclusive America, believed in it with unwavering faith, and dedicated his entire life to achieving it – all while teaching the next generation how to carry the torch forward," Crump said. "He was an unstoppable and formidable force, proving that no opponent or battle was too big."

Born in the fall of 1941 to a teenage mother and her married neighbor, Jackson was adopted by the man his mother married, and he considered both to be his fathers. He attended a segregated high school and played football in college, dropping out a few credits short of his master's degree in divinity in 1966 to join the Civil Rights Movement full time.

By 1965, he'd marched with King and others from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to push for Black voting rights, and by 1967 was running operations for King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Chicago, the city that would become his home.

Under Jackson, the SCLC's Operation Breadbasket used boycotts and public attention to pressure companies to hire more Black workers. Jackson ultimately earned his divinity degree after being ordained a minister in 1968.

More:America was born in protest. What's changed 250 years later?

In 1983, shortly before announcing his run for president, Jackson traveled to Syria to negotiate the release of an American pilot shot down over Lebanon, and the next summer, he negotiated the release of 22 Americans and 26 political prisoners from Cuba after meeting with former dictator Fidel Castro.

His successes bolstered his presidential campaign, although he lost the 1984 Democratic primary to Walter Mondale, who went on to lose toRonald Reagan. Jackson ran again for president in 1988, putting on a strong showing but ultimately falling to Mike Dukakis, who lost to Republican George H.W. Bush.

After that second loss, Jackson shelved his own political aspirations but continued his efforts for civil rights and justice.

In 1990, Jackson opposed the pending invasion of Iraq and negotiated the release of hundreds of people whom Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had threatened to use as human shields, and then in 1999 won the release of three U.S. POWs during the Kosovo War.

'There certainly would have been no Barack Obama … no Bill Clinton either'

Robinson, the former president of Color of Change, remembers listening and watching as his family members made their first political donations after listening to one of Jackson's presidential campaign speeches.

"I didn't understand everything he said, but I understood what it meant," said Robinson, who later wrote a college paper on Jackson's campaigns. "He was such a possibility model. There are so many people who are in politics today who would not be where they are today thanks to Jesse Jackson. There certainly would be no Barack Obama if there was no Jesse Jackson. And there would have been no Bill Clinton either."

In 2000, Clinton awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, citing his decades of work to make the world a better place.

More:Jesse Jackson: Five key moments in Civil Rights icon's career

"It's hard to imagine how we could have come as far as we have without the creative power, the keen intellect, the loving heart, and the relentless passion of Jesse Lewis Jackson," Clinton said.

Trahern Crews, who helped found the Black Lives Matter-Minnesota chapter, said he grew up with Jackson's "I am Somebody" recitations ringing in his ears. Jackson often led crowds in a call-and-answer chant that usually included variations on "I may be poor … but I am … Somebody. I may be young … but I am … Somebody."

"That allowed future generations to stand up and follow and his footsteps and declare Black Lives Matter and recognize our humanity," Crews said. "When we go back and watch videos of Rev. Jesse Jackson marching and fighting for housing rights, voting rights, ending housing discrimination, and said, 'I am Somebody,' that encouraged activists of today to stand up and fight against 400 years of racist policies in the United States."

Jackson's family includes his wife of 63 years, Jacqueline "Jackie" Jackson, and six children: Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline and Ashley. In 1999,he fathered a childwith Karin Stanford, the director of the Washington bureau of his organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He first publicly acknowledged his daughter, Ashley, in 2001 and apologized for his affair.

Kristen Clarke, the former assistant attorney general for civil rights under the Biden-era Department of Justice, said in a statement that Jackson helped make America a more just nation.

"A tireless and extraordinary public servant, his charge to all of us was to stay hopeful, keep up the good fight and respect the dignity and humanity of all people," Clarke said. "Jackson has been, and will always be, a central part of the story regarding America's ongoing quest for justice and equality.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jesse Jackson dies after long illness. Civil Rights icon was 84.

By Matthias Williams

Feb 17 (Reuters) - Migrants in Libya, including young girls, are at risk of being killed, tortured, raped or put into domestic slavery, according to a U.N. report that called for ‌a moratorium on the return of migrant boats to the country until human rights are ensured.

Libya has ‌become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe across the Mediterranean since the fall in 2011 of dictator Muammar Gaddafi ​to a NATO-backed uprising. Factional conflict has split the country into western and eastern factions since 2014.

In recent years, the EU and EU member states have supported and trained the Libyan coastguard, which returns migrants stopped at sea to detention centres, and have funded Libyan border management programmes.

A report published on Tuesday by the U.N. Human Rights Office and the U.N. ‌Support Mission said migrants are rounded up ⁠and abducted by criminal trafficking networks, often with ties to the Libyan authorities and criminal networks abroad.

"They are separated from their families, arrested, and transferred to detention facilities without due ⁠process, often at gunpoint, in what amounts to arbitrary detention," Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson of the U.N. Human Rights Office, told a briefing in Geneva.

The Libya mission in Geneva and the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity did not immediately respond to a request ​for ​comment. Libyan authorities have previously denied any systematic abuse of migrants.

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A ​spokesperson for the EU Commission did not immediately ‌respond to a request for comment.

The report is based on interviews with almost 100 migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from 16 countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. They were interviewed inside and outside Libya.

It cited an Eritrean woman who was detained for over six weeks at a trafficking house in Tobruk, in eastern Libya. "I wish I died. It was a journey of hell," she said.

"Different men raped me many times. Girls as young as ‌14 were raped daily," she said. The perpetrators released her after ​her family paid a ransom.

The report, covering the period January 2024 ​to December 2025, described instances of a man being ​forced to work without pay or enough food, and of girls being separated from their ‌mothers.

"Men used humiliating methods with women, making them, ​for example, take their clothes ​off in front of other men and women migrants before raping them publicly, torturing them, and beating them," Suki Nagra, U.N. Human Rights representative at the U.N. mission in Libya, told the Geneva briefing.

The report ​emphasised the importance of life-saving search and ‌rescue operations for migrants at sea but urged the international community to halt returns to Libya ​until adequate human rights safeguards are ensured.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Matthias Williams, additional reporting by ​Amina Ismail in Brussels, editing by Thomas Seythal, Alexandra Hudson)

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peru's Congress was set to vote Tuesday on a motion to remove interim President José Jerí as prosecutors look intoallegations of corruption involving unreported meetingsbetween Jerí and two Chinese businessmen.

If the legislators secure a majority, Jerí will be ousted from the presidency a mere four months into his term. His removal would trigger yet another transition, forcing the legislature to appoint a new leader and marking a volatile new chapter in Peruvian politics just two months before national elections.

Jerí is the seventh president to lead the nation in the past decade. Hewas sworn into office in October, after his predecessor was ousted by Congress over corruption allegations and a rise in violent crime. He now faces removal from office from his former colleagues in Congress, who have accused him of misconduct and lack of capacity to carry out his presidential duties.

The 39-year-old interim president said he was hopeful he would survive the vote.

"I'm not dead yet," Jerí said during an interview over the weekend on Peruvian television Panamericana, insisting he would continue to serve the people of Peru until his "last day" in the presidential palace.

If he is removed from office, the legislators will choose a new president from among their members to govern until July 28, when he the interim leader will hand over the office to the winner of the April 12 presidential election.

In turn, Jerí will return to his position as a legislator until July 28, when the new Congress also takes office.

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It is also possible that the legislators will not vote for removal. The president is supported by the Fuerza Popular party, led bypresidential candidate Keiko Fujimorithe daughter of a former president who was imprisoned for human rights abuses.

The accusations against Jerí stem from a leaked report regarding a clandestine December meeting with two Chinese executives. One attendee holds active government contracts, while the other is currently under investigation for alleged involvement in an illegal logging operation.

Jerí has denied wrongdoing. He said he met the executives to organize a Peruvian-Chinese festivity, but his opponents have accused him of corruption.

The crisis is the latest chapter in a prolonged political collapse in a country that has seenseven presidents since 2016, and is about to hold a general election amid widespread public outcry over a surge in violent crime.

Despite a revolving door of presidents, Peru's economy has remained stable.

The Andean nation had an external debt to gross domestic product ratio of 32% in 2024, one of the lowest in Latin America, and the government has welcomed foreign investment in areas like mining and infrastructure.

Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean athttps://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

The Rev.Jesse Jackson, a towering civil rights icon who battled alongside Martin Luther King Jr., negotiated global hostage releases, and shamed corporations for their lack of corporate diversity and failure to support voting rights, has died.

Jackson was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, a Democratic presidential candidate and one of the world's best-known Black activists.

He was 84 and had suffered from progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare disease that causes a decline similar to Parkinson's disease but accelerated.

"It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Civil Rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.," said a statement from the organization. "He died peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by his family."

Despite the illness that softened his voice and weakened his steps, Jackson had continued to advocate for civil rights and was arrested twice in 2021 over his objection to the Senate filibuster rule. That same year, he and his wife, Jacqueline,were hospitalizedwith COVID-19 complications at a Chicago hospital.

"His longevity is part of the story," said Rashad Robinson, the former president of the 7-million-member online justice organization Color of Change. "This is someone who had so many chances to do something else. And this is what he chose to do with his life."

Jackson's death comes amidst a rising tide of white nationalism and voting-rights access issues, and follows the loss of other civil rights icons, including former Rep.John Lewis, who died in 2020.

PresidentDonald Trumpsaid he'd worked with Jackson for decades, providing office space for his coalition. Jackson had previously said he and Trump had split over the fate of the Central Park Five ‒ the group of Hispanic and Black teens convicted but ultimately exonerated in the 1989 sexual assault of a woman in New York City's Central Park. Trump had taken out newspaper advertisements calling for the teens to be executed.

"Jesse was a force of nature like few others before him," Trump said in a social media post. "He loved his family greatly, and to them I send my deepest sympathies and condolences. Jesse will be missed!"

The making of a Civil Rights icon

Born in Greenville, South Carolina,Jackson's rise to prominencebegan after he and seven other men were arrested in 1960 ‒ he was 18 at the time ‒ for protesting segregation at their town's public library. He then joined King's burgeoning civil rights fight and was just feet away when King was assassinated in 1968.

Jackson founded what would ultimately become the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, and ran for president as a Democrat in 1984 and 1988, energizing and registering millions of Black voters.

"As we continue in the struggle for human rights, remember that God will see us through, even in our midnight moments," Jackson said in 2017 as he announced his neuromuscular disease diagnosis.

Jackson visited Minneapolis in 2021 to support protesters awaiting the verdict in the trial ofDerek Chauvin, the former police officer who was convicted days later of killing George Floyd in an incident that set off national protests and violence.

While there, he also attended services for Daunte Wright, a Black man who was shot and killed by a police officer during a protest against police violence in a nearby suburb. Speaking in a subdued voice, Jackson reminded the young activists leading a protest march that their cause was just.

In a statement, civil rights attorney Ben Crump mourned his friend as someone who helped shape his own life. Crump has become the go-to lawyer for Black families seeking justice and represented some of Floyd's family members. Crump said Jackson helped broaden the path for people of color to shape America through politics and public life.

"Rev. Jackson conceived of a more just and inclusive America, believed in it with unwavering faith, and dedicated his entire life to achieving it – all while teaching the next generation how to carry the torch forward," Crump said. "He was an unstoppable and formidable force, proving that no opponent or battle was too big."

Born in the fall of 1941 to a teenage mother and her married neighbor, Jackson was adopted by the man his mother married, and he considered both to be his fathers. He attended a segregated high school and played football in college, dropping out a few credits short of his master's degree in divinity in 1966 to join the Civil Rights Movement full time.

By 1965, he'd marched with King and others from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, to push for Black voting rights, and by 1967 was running operations for King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Chicago, the city that would become his home.

Under Jackson, the SCLC's Operation Breadbasket used boycotts and public attention to pressure companies to hire more Black workers. Jackson ultimately earned his divinity degree after being ordained a minister in 1968.

More:America was born in protest. What's changed 250 years later?

In 1983, shortly before announcing his run for president, Jackson traveled to Syria to negotiate the release of an American pilot shot down over Lebanon, and the next summer, he negotiated the release of 22 Americans and 26 political prisoners from Cuba after meeting with former dictator Fidel Castro.

His successes bolstered his presidential campaign, although he lost the 1984 Democratic primary to Walter Mondale, who went on to lose toRonald Reagan. Jackson ran again for president in 1988, putting on a strong showing but ultimately falling to Mike Dukakis, who lost to Republican George H.W. Bush.

After that second loss, Jackson shelved his own political aspirations but continued his efforts for civil rights and justice.

In 1990, Jackson opposed the pending invasion of Iraq and negotiated the release of hundreds of people whom Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had threatened to use as human shields, and then in 1999 won the release of three U.S. POWs during the Kosovo War.

'There certainly would have been no Barack Obama … no Bill Clinton either'

Robinson, the former president of Color of Change, remembers listening and watching as his family members made their first political donations after listening to one of Jackson's presidential campaign speeches.

"I didn't understand everything he said, but I understood what it meant," said Robinson, who later wrote a college paper on Jackson's campaigns. "He was such a possibility model. There are so many people who are in politics today who would not be where they are today thanks to Jesse Jackson. There certainly would be no Barack Obama if there was no Jesse Jackson. And there would have been no Bill Clinton either."

In 2000, Clinton awarded Jackson the Presidential Medal of Freedom, citing his decades of work to make the world a better place.

More:Jesse Jackson: Five key moments in Civil Rights icon's career

"It's hard to imagine how we could have come as far as we have without the creative power, the keen intellect, the loving heart, and the relentless passion of Jesse Lewis Jackson," Clinton said.

Trahern Crews, who helped found the Black Lives Matter-Minnesota chapter, said he grew up with Jackson's "I am Somebody" recitations ringing in his ears. Jackson often led crowds in a call-and-answer chant that usually included variations on "I may be poor … but I am … Somebody. I may be young … but I am … Somebody."

"That allowed future generations to stand up and follow and his footsteps and declare Black Lives Matter and recognize our humanity," Crews said. "When we go back and watch videos of Rev. Jesse Jackson marching and fighting for housing rights, voting rights, ending housing discrimination, and said, 'I am Somebody,' that encouraged activists of today to stand up and fight against 400 years of racist policies in the United States."

Jackson's family includes his wife of 63 years, Jacqueline "Jackie" Jackson, and six children: Santita, Jesse Jr., Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline and Ashley. In 1999,he fathered a childwith Karin Stanford, the director of the Washington bureau of his organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. He first publicly acknowledged his daughter, Ashley, in 2001 and apologized for his affair.

Kristen Clarke, the former assistant attorney general for civil rights under the Biden-era Department of Justice, said in a statement that Jackson helped make America a more just nation.

"A tireless and extraordinary public servant, his charge to all of us was to stay hopeful, keep up the good fight and respect the dignity and humanity of all people," Clarke said. "Jackson has been, and will always be, a central part of the story regarding America's ongoing quest for justice and equality.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Jesse Jackson dies after long illness. Civil Rights icon was 84.

By Matthias Williams

Feb 17 (Reuters) - Migrants in Libya, including young girls, are at risk of being killed, tortured, raped or put into domestic slavery, according to a U.N. report that called for ‌a moratorium on the return of migrant boats to the country until human rights are ensured.

Libya has ‌become a transit route for migrants fleeing conflict and poverty to Europe across the Mediterranean since the fall in 2011 of dictator Muammar Gaddafi ​to a NATO-backed uprising. Factional conflict has split the country into western and eastern factions since 2014.

In recent years, the EU and EU member states have supported and trained the Libyan coastguard, which returns migrants stopped at sea to detention centres, and have funded Libyan border management programmes.

A report published on Tuesday by the U.N. Human Rights Office and the U.N. ‌Support Mission said migrants are rounded up ⁠and abducted by criminal trafficking networks, often with ties to the Libyan authorities and criminal networks abroad.

"They are separated from their families, arrested, and transferred to detention facilities without due ⁠process, often at gunpoint, in what amounts to arbitrary detention," Thameen Al-Kheetan, spokesperson of the U.N. Human Rights Office, told a briefing in Geneva.

The Libya mission in Geneva and the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity did not immediately respond to a request ​for ​comment. Libyan authorities have previously denied any systematic abuse of migrants.

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A ​spokesperson for the EU Commission did not immediately ‌respond to a request for comment.

The report is based on interviews with almost 100 migrants, asylum seekers and refugees from 16 countries in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia. They were interviewed inside and outside Libya.

It cited an Eritrean woman who was detained for over six weeks at a trafficking house in Tobruk, in eastern Libya. "I wish I died. It was a journey of hell," she said.

"Different men raped me many times. Girls as young as ‌14 were raped daily," she said. The perpetrators released her after ​her family paid a ransom.

The report, covering the period January 2024 ​to December 2025, described instances of a man being ​forced to work without pay or enough food, and of girls being separated from their ‌mothers.

"Men used humiliating methods with women, making them, ​for example, take their clothes ​off in front of other men and women migrants before raping them publicly, torturing them, and beating them," Suki Nagra, U.N. Human Rights representative at the U.N. mission in Libya, told the Geneva briefing.

The report ​emphasised the importance of life-saving search and ‌rescue operations for migrants at sea but urged the international community to halt returns to Libya ​until adequate human rights safeguards are ensured.

(Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Matthias Williams, additional reporting by ​Amina Ismail in Brussels, editing by Thomas Seythal, Alexandra Hudson)

Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes the NBA should embrace tanking. No, really.

Cuban went on a lengthy diatribe Tuesday in which he described his feelings on the subject. In his post, Cuban outlined why he believes the NBA should focus on "creating experiences for fans" and admitted to tanking while he was running the Mavs.

In Cuban's post — whichcan be read in full here— he claimed that fans don't necessarily want to see their teams compete every single night. Cuban said fans don't necessarily remember specific scores, dunks or shots from games. Instead, he argued, they remember the people who attended the game with them.

Cuban said fans are aware a team cannot win every single game, but that the hope of improvement is what drives fans forward. Sometimes, the easiest way to do that is to tank, per Cuban.

"Fans know their team can't win every game. They know only one team can win a ring. What fans that care about their team's record want is hope. Hope they will get better and have a chance to compete for the playoffs and then maybe a ring.

"The one way to get closer to that is via the draft. And trades. And cap room. You have a better chance of improving via all 3 , when you tank."

Cuban then admitted to tanking when he was with the Mavericks. He claimed the team didn't tank "often," but said the fans appreciated when the Mavericks pushed for better draft position. Cuban said tanking helped the team secure Luka Dončić during the 2018 NBA Draft.

Cuban eventually tried to connect the two issues, and argued "pricing fans out of games" is a bigger problem than tanking.

"You know who cares the least about tanking, a parent who can't afford to bring their 3 kids to a game and buy their kids a jersey of their fave player.

"Tanking isn't the issue. Affordability and quality of game presentation are."

A few hours later, Cuban sent a lengthy follow-up to his initial tweet. In it, he explained why tanking was more viable than ever now. The tweet, which contains some NSFW language,can be read in full here. Cuban ultimately concludes that — based on the current NBA rules — getting the most out of players on rookie deals is the easiest way to win games. Sometimes, a team has to tank to get the most elite rookies in the draft.

Cuban said the real issue there is that the team has to lie to its fans when it tanks. Otherwise, that team will receive a hefty fine from the NBA. Cuban called for a scenario where teams could be more open about their intentions, saying he wished teams could be upfront about tanking for a draft pick and communicating why they were taking that approach with fans.

In that scenario, Cuban also called for some accountability, saying a team owner should then meet with season-ticket holders and fans to answer questions about the team's approach.

Many of Cuban's opinions should get support from fans, though some of his leaps in logic don't exactly fit, particularly Cuban's attempt to connect tanking with making games more affordable and growing fandom. There are plenty of ways for a team to grow fandom in sports. Offering affordable tickets certainly feels like a good way to get a wide number of fans invested in the team. Winning games is also pretty important on that end, though. It's a lot more fun to support a team that's playing well.

To Cuban's point, there are times when tanking does seem like an advantageous option for franchises. And after seeing the tactic put into place a number of times — and occasionally result in success — the practice is more accepted among fan bases at this point.

Fans are capable of understanding when it's the right move to try and secure the top pick in the draft. It's not always a guarantee that works out, but having a shot at more elite talent in the draft can make a huge impact on a franchise if the player selected is a superstar.

But that also results in a lot of bad basketball, especially during the second half of an NBA season. If a team has virtually no shot at winning, it's going to be tough to draw fans out to the game, regardless of how cheap it is to attend.

The Detroit Pistons had the worst record in franchise history at the All-Star break four years ago. And two years ago, their record at the break was even worse.

Look at them now.

When theNBAstarts post-All-Star play on Thursday, the Pistons — a franchise that last won a playoff series in 2008 — will start the night with the best record in the league, a smidge ahead of the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Detroit is 40-13, Oklahoma City 42-14.

The Thunder were expected to be here. The Pistons probably weren't. How Detroit finishes, and if it can hold on to that top spot, is one of the intriguing storylines for the stretch run of the NBA season — with two-thirds of the year complete and teams now set to sprint toward the playoffs orsprint toward the bottomin search of better lottery odds.

"We're just going to run our race," Pistons All-Star guard Cade Cunningham said. "We like where we're at, and we're going to continue to try to finish our season strong."

There's a lot to like about the Pistons going into the home stretch.

They haven't been prone to any sort of real slide yet; they're 11-2 after a loss and are one of only three teams (Oklahoma City andSan Antonioare the others) yet to have a losing streak of more than two games. They don't get blown out; they have a league-low three losses by 10 points or more. They're a league-best 17-6 against teams who were at .500 or better.

Playoff basketball awaits in Detroit, and for the first time since 2008 there should be a Game 1 of a postseason series at home for the Pistons. Plenty of other teams — the Thunder, Boston, New York, San Antonio, Denver, Houston, Cleveland — are probably safe to call playoff locks at this point as well.

The next two months will tell the tale of which teams find their way either into Round 1 or will be trying to land the No. 1 draft pick instead.

"It's been hard. It's been a long journey so far, but just going to work every day, finding ways to connect with my teammates, connect with the city the best I can, and bring wins to the city," Cunningham said. "That's what the city respects and loves is people that go out there and compete every day. There were times they didn't like how we played. We figured it out, and now we have something going, something building. Just have to keep going now."

The realistic contenders

The top five teams in the NBA record-wise right now: Detroit, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Boston, Denver and New York (the Nuggets and Knicks are tied).

Expect one of those clubs as the champion in June.

Granted, in the early days the league had far fewer teams than it does now. But there have been only four instances of the eventual NBA Finals winner not being among the league's top-five teams record-wise at the All-Star break.

Milwaukee was seventh at the break in the coronavirus-affected 2020-21 season. Detroit was seventh at the break in 2003-04, Houston was ninth at the break in 1994-95 and Washington was eighth in 1977-78.

The scoring race

It looks like a two-person race for the scoring title: the Los Angeles Lakers' Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Doncic is averaging 32.8 points, Gilgeous-Alexander — the reigning champion — is averaging 31.8.

Doncic won the scoring race in 2023-24; Gilgeous-Alexander could become the 14th player in NBA history to win the title in consecutive seasons.

Award possibilities

Boston's Jayson Tatum and Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton — All-NBA picks last season — were going to be out of the awards mix this season because of their Achilles tendon tears suffered in last season's playoffs, so it was clear from the outset of this season that the group of award winners this spring would be different.

Turns out, it's going to be very different.

Because of the 65-game rule for eligibility for most player awards, the Lakers' LeBron James is going to see his 21-year streak of making the All-NBA team end. He's one of five All-NBA picks from last season who are assured of not making the team this year, joining Tatum, Haliburton, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Oklahoma City's Jalen Williams.

On the brink of joining that list: Denver's Nikola Jokic and Golden State's Stephen Curry, who basically can miss one more game the rest of the way to preserve their award eligibility.

Cleveland's Evan Mobley — second-team All-NBA last season — has been inactive 13 times this year, so he doesn't have a lot of missed-time wiggle room down the stretch of the season. The Lakers' Austin Reaves, Washington's Anthony Davis and Memphis' Ja Morant are all well past the cutoff for eligibility as well.

Others who are close to missing too much time for an All-NBA shot: Doncic, San Antonio's Victor Wembanyama, the Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard, Utah's Lauri Markkanen and Phoenix's Devin Booker.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

We're only a few weeks removed from the Indiana Hoosiers pulling off one of the great underdog stories in American sports — let alone college football — and winning the College Football national championship27-21 over the Miami Hurricanes.

While we're still months away from any games being played on the field, odds are already out for next season — notably, odds for the 2026 Heisman trophy.

And for potentially the first time ever, a Notre Dame Fighting Irish QB is the preseason favorite. Notre Dame QB CJ Carr (+700) is the favorite to win the 2026 Heisman at BetMGM, followed closely by Texas QB Arch Manning (+800). They are the only two players with single-digits odds.

No Notre Dame player has been a preseason Heisman favorite since at least 2009, which is as far back as theSports Odds Historydatabase goes.

Carr started all 12 games for Notre Dame this past season, going 10-2 and throwing for 2,741 yards, along with 24 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. The Fighting Irish missed out on the College Football Playoff, losing their two games (at Miami and against Texas A&M) by a total of four points.

Manning was the 2025 Heisman preseason favorite at sportsbooks, but lost that spot after a tough debut against Ohio State. Manning had the most bets, total dollars wagered and was BetMGM's largest liability in the Heisman market before the 2025 season began.

Oregon QB Dante Moore (11-1), Ohio State QB Julian Sayin (12-1) and new Indiana QB Josh Hoover (12-1) have the next-best odds.Moore chose to return to the Ducksafter struggling in the CFP, while Hoover joined the Hoosiers via the transfer portal, and is the presumed starter withFernando Mendoza declaring for the 2026 NFL draft. Sayin was a 2025 Heisman trophy finalist and finished fourth.

Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (14-1) has the best odds for any skill-position player.

No Notre Dame player has won the Heisman trophy since WR Tim Brown in 1987.