Alysa Liu saw off her Japanese rivals to claim America's first Olympic women's figure skating gold in a generation on Thursday as the USA beat fierce rivals Canada in the women's ice hockey final. Liu danced her way to the top of the podium in the free skate, surging from third place behind Japan's Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto after Tuesday's short programme. Liu, the reigning world champion, scored 150.20 for a career-best overall total of 226.79 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, denying Sakomoto a fairytale triumph in her final competition.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/winter-olympics-2026-mikaela-shiffrin-30-now-oldest-us-skier-to-win-gold-after-winning-as-youngest-in-2014-1771481387189">Winter Olympics 2026 | Shiffrin, 30, becomes oldest US skier to win gold</a>The 20-year-old put the US women back on top of the podium in the women's singles event for the first time since Sarah Hughes took gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.It is a second gold for Liu in Italy after she helped the US capture the team event."I was so calm when I started. I have this breathing technique that I use throughout this program, and I was just making sure to lock in on that, be as smooth as I can and look out into the crowd during all my transitions," Liu said."I did that, and I felt everyone's energy. I felt my energy. I feel good, I feel confident and I put it all out there."Sakamoto, 25, scored 224.90 to finish second, ending her Olympic career with three silvers and a bronze, while 17-year-old Nakai (219.16) rounded off the podium.Earlier on a magical evening for the United States, Megan Keller's spectacular overtime strike secured a 2-1 win over defending champions Canada in the final of the women's ice hockey.It was the first time the Americans have won the women's title since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.Keller skilfully deked a Canadian defender and beat goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens just over four minutes into overtime.Her goal sparked huge celebrations on the Team USA bench and among the thousands of US fans in the Santagiulia Arena in Milan."I'm lost for words. This is an incredible feeling. I love these girls so much," Keller said."This group deserves it. Just the effort and the faith that we kept through this four-year journey is something very special."In a tight final, Canada struck first through Kristin O'Neill but just as the Canadians appeared to be heading to victory, Hilary Knight pulled the USA level to send the final into overtime.<h2>Gu on track for elusive gold</h2>On the slopes of Livigno, China freeski superstar Eileen Gu held her nerve to reach the final of the women's halfpipe in an event marred by former Olympic champion Cassie Sharpe's horrific crash.Defending champion Gu, who has already won two silver medals in Italy, stayed on track for her first gold of the Milan-Cortina Games despite a fall on her first run.She was under huge pressure for the second of her two runs under the lights but scored 86.50 to reach Saturday's final, finishing fifth out of the 12 qualifiers."My working hypothesis is that I need to reach a certain threshold of pressure to thrive, and it's almost like the first run of qualies is not enough," said Gu. "I honestly don't know what it is."Sharpe, the halfpipe champion at the 2018 Games, tumbled during her second run, losing her skis and poles and lying motionless on the snow as the crowd fell silent.The 33-year-old, who also qualified for the final, was given medical help for about 10 minutes before being dragged off the course on a sled.The Canadian Olympic Committee later issued a statement saying she was in a stable condition.In Bormio, ski mountaineering -- an adrenaline-packed sprint requiring athletes to negotiate uphill climbs on ski and foot before descending by ski -- made its Olympic bow.Switzerland's Marianne Fatton took gold in the women's ski sprint while the men's skimo event was won by Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll.It was Spain's first gold at a Winter Games since the 1972 event in Sapporo, Japan.In men's curling, Great Britain defeated Switzerland to set up a final with Canada, who beat Norway.Norway has 16 golds and 34 medals overall, while the USA has moved into second place with nine golds and 27 medals overall, level on golds with host nation Italy.

The 20-year-old put the US women back on top of the podium in the women's singles event for the first time since Sarah Hughes took gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

Alysa Liu saw off her Japanese rivals to claim America's first Olympic women's figure skating gold in a generation on Thursday as the USA beat fierce rivals Canada in the women's ice hockey final. Liu danced her way to the top of the podium in the free skate, surging from third place behind Japan's Ami Nakai and Kaori Sakamoto after Tuesday's short programme. Liu, the reigning world champion, scored 150.20 for a career-best overall total of 226.79 at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, denying Sakomoto a fairytale triumph in her final competition. Also Read - Winter Olympics 2026 | Shiffrin, 30, becomes oldest US skier to win gold The 20-year-old put the US women back on top of the podium in the women's singles event for the first time since Sarah Hughes took gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. It is a second gold for Liu in Italy after she helped the US capture the team event. "I was so calm when I started. I have this breathing technique that I use throughout this program, and I was just making sure to lock in on that, be as smooth as I can and look out into the crowd during all my transitions," Liu said. "I did that, and I felt everyone's energy. I felt my energy. I feel good, I feel confident and I put it all out there." Sakamoto, 25, scored 224.90 to finish second, ending her Olympic career with three silvers and a bronze, while 17-year-old Nakai (219.16) rounded off the podium. Earlier on a magical evening for the United States, Megan Keller's spectacular overtime strike secured a 2-1 win over defending champions Canada in the final of the women's ice hockey. It was the first time the Americans have won the women's title since the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. Keller skilfully deked a Canadian defender and beat goaltender Ann-Renee Desbiens just over four minutes into overtime. Her goal sparked huge celebrations on the Team USA bench and among the thousands of US fans in the Santagiulia Arena in Milan. "I'm lost for words. This is an incredible feeling. I love these girls so much," Keller said. "This group deserves it. Just the effort and the faith that we kept through this four-year journey is something very special." In a tight final, Canada struck first through Kristin O'Neill but just as the Canadians appeared to be heading to victory, Hilary Knight pulled the USA level to send the final into overtime. Gu on track for elusive gold On the slopes of Livigno, China freeski superstar Eileen Gu held her nerve to reach the final of the women's halfpipe in an event marred by former Olympic champion Cassie Sharpe's horrific crash. Defending champion Gu, who has already won two silver medals in Italy, stayed on track for her first gold of the Milan-Cortina Games despite a fall on her first run. She was under huge pressure for the second of her two runs under the lights but scored 86.50 to reach Saturday's final, finishing fifth out of the 12 qualifiers. "My working hypothesis is that I need to reach a certain threshold of pressure to thrive, and it's almost like the first run of qualies is not enough," said Gu. "I honestly don't know what it is." Sharpe, the halfpipe champion at the 2018 Games, tumbled during her second run, losing her skis and poles and lying motionless on the snow as the crowd fell silent. The 33-year-old, who also qualified for the final, was given medical help for about 10 minutes before being dragged off the course on a sled. The Canadian Olympic Committee later issued a statement saying she was in a stable condition. In Bormio, ski mountaineering -- an adrenaline-packed sprint requiring athletes to negotiate uphill climbs on ski and foot before descending by ski -- made its Olympic bow. Switzerland's Marianne Fatton took gold in the women's ski sprint while the men's skimo event was won by Spain's Oriol Cardona Coll. It was Spain's first gold at a Winter Games since the 1972 event in Sapporo, Japan. In men's curling, Great Britain defeated Switzerland to set up a final with Canada, who beat Norway. Norway has 16 golds and 34 medals overall, while the USA has moved into second place with nine golds and 27 medals overall, level on golds with host nation Italy.

The 20-year-old put the US women back on top of the podium in the women's singles event for the first time since Sarah Hughes took gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.

Winter Olympics 2026 | Alysa Liu wins USA's first women's figure skating gold in over two decades

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday he regretted Meta's slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram, as he faced stinging criticism at a landmark social media trial over accusations that his company deliberately hooked children.Asked to comment on complaints from inside the company that not enough was being done to verify whether children under 13 were using the platform, the 41-year-old head of Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, said improvements had been made.But "I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner," he added.Zuckerberg was the most hotly anticipated witness in the California trial, the first in a series of lawsuits filed by American families against social media platforms.The trial marked the first time the multibillionaire addressed the safety of his world-dominating platforms directly before a jury and under oath.Zuckerberg was very reserved at first, an AFP journalist in the courtroom reported. But he grew animated, showing signs of annoyance, shaking his head and waving his hands as he turned toward the jury.The 12 jurors in Los Angeles heard the increasingly testy testimony as plaintiff lawyer Mark Lanier pressed Zuckerberg on age verification and the tycoon's guiding philosophy for making decisions at the vast social media company he controls.During questioning by his own lawyers, a more relaxed Zuckerberg described time spent on the app as a "side effect" of a quality experience and often addressed the jurors directly to emphasise his points.He also stressed his belief that Apple and Google, the companies behind operating systems powering most of the world's smartphones, should arrange for age verification at the handset level instead of leaving it to each app."Doing it at the level of the phone is just a lot clearer than having every single app out there have to do this separately," Zuckerberg said."It would be pretty easy for them."Zuckerberg faced a barrage of internal emails, including warnings from colleagues that age verification was not fit for purpose and others that seemed to plainly display that encouraging more time spent on Instagram was long a central goal of the company.The trial is set to last until late March, when the jury will decide whether Meta, as well as Google-owned YouTube, bear responsibility for the mental health problems suffered by Kaley G.M., a 20-year-old California resident who has been a heavy social media user since childhood.Kaley G.M. started using YouTube at age six, Instagram at nine, then TikTok and Snapchat.Under-13s are not allowed on Instagram, and Lanier pressed Zuckerberg on the fact that Kaley had easily signed up for the platform.<h2>‘Right place now’</h2>Zuckerberg was confronted with an internal document that said Instagram had four million users under 13 in 2015, at the time the plaintiff adopted the app, and that 30 percent of all children age 10 to 12, or "tweens," in the United States were users.Zuckerberg said that "we're in the right place now" when it comes to age verification.Lanier went on to argue that young people like Kaley were subject to Meta's efforts to increase time spent on its wildly popular apps, despite Zuckerberg having told the US Congress under oath that this was not the case.Faced with emails displaying internal targets for usage, Zuckerberg admitted that "we used to have goals around time," but that the company's aim was always to "build useful services" that connected people.Zuckerberg was also read an old email from former head of public policy Nick Clegg that said "the fact that we say we don't allow under-13s on our platform, yet have no way of enforcing it, is just indefensible."The trial is set to determine whether Google and Meta deliberately designed their platforms to encourage compulsive use among young people, damaging their mental health in the process.The case is expected to establish a standard for resolving thousands of lawsuits that blame social media for fueling an epidemic of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicide among young people.TikTok and Snapchat, also named in the complaint, reached settlements with the plaintiff before the trial began.

The trial marked the first time the multibillionaire addressed the safety of his world-dominating platforms directly before a jury and under oath.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday he regretted Meta's slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram, as he faced stinging criticism at a landmark social media trial over accusations that his company deliberately hooked children. Asked to comment on complaints from inside the company that not enough was being done to verify whether children under 13 were using the platform, the 41-year-old head of Meta, which also owns Facebook and WhatsApp, said improvements had been made. But "I always wish that we could have gotten there sooner," he added. Zuckerberg was the most hotly anticipated witness in the California trial, the first in a series of lawsuits filed by American families against social media platforms. The trial marked the first time the multibillionaire addressed the safety of his world-dominating platforms directly before a jury and under oath. Zuckerberg was very reserved at first, an AFP journalist in the courtroom reported. But he grew animated, showing signs of annoyance, shaking his head and waving his hands as he turned toward the jury. The 12 jurors in Los Angeles heard the increasingly testy testimony as plaintiff lawyer Mark Lanier pressed Zuckerberg on age verification and the tycoon's guiding philosophy for making decisions at the vast social media company he controls. During questioning by his own lawyers, a more relaxed Zuckerberg described time spent on the app as a "side effect" of a quality experience and often addressed the jurors directly to emphasise his points. He also stressed his belief that Apple and Google, the companies behind operating systems powering most of the world's smartphones, should arrange for age verification at the handset level instead of leaving it to each app. "Doing it at the level of the phone is just a lot clearer than having every single app out there have to do this separately," Zuckerberg said. "It would be pretty easy for them." Zuckerberg faced a barrage of internal emails, including warnings from colleagues that age verification was not fit for purpose and others that seemed to plainly display that encouraging more time spent on Instagram was long a central goal of the company. The trial is set to last until late March, when the jury will decide whether Meta, as well as Google-owned YouTube, bear responsibility for the mental health problems suffered by Kaley G.M., a 20-year-old California resident who has been a heavy social media user since childhood. Kaley G.M. started using YouTube at age six, Instagram at nine, then TikTok and Snapchat. Under-13s are not allowed on Instagram, and Lanier pressed Zuckerberg on the fact that Kaley had easily signed up for the platform. ‘Right place now’ Zuckerberg was confronted with an internal document that said Instagram had four million users under 13 in 2015, at the time the plaintiff adopted the app, and that 30 percent of all children age 10 to 12, or "tweens," in the United States were users. Zuckerberg said that "we're in the right place now" when it comes to age verification. Lanier went on to argue that young people like Kaley were subject to Meta's efforts to increase time spent on its wildly popular apps, despite Zuckerberg having told the US Congress under oath that this was not the case. Faced with emails displaying internal targets for usage, Zuckerberg admitted that "we used to have goals around time," but that the company's aim was always to "build useful services" that connected people. Zuckerberg was also read an old email from former head of public policy Nick Clegg that said "the fact that we say we don't allow under-13s on our platform, yet have no way of enforcing it, is just indefensible." The trial is set to determine whether Google and Meta deliberately designed their platforms to encourage compulsive use among young people, damaging their mental health in the process. The case is expected to establish a standard for resolving thousands of lawsuits that blame social media for fueling an epidemic of depression, anxiety, eating disorders and suicide among young people. TikTok and Snapchat, also named in the complaint, reached settlements with the plaintiff before the trial began.

The trial marked the first time the multibillionaire addressed the safety of his world-dominating platforms directly before a jury and under oath.

Meta CEO Zuckerberg grilled over underage users on Instagram at social media trial

The United States is planning to withdraw all of its 1,000 troops from Syria over the next two months, according to US media reports.Washington will end its presence in the country after the Syrian government extended its control over the country and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces once key to fighting Islamic State (IS) pledged to integrate into the state, the Wall Street Journal reported.Television network CBS also reported on the plan, citing unnamed US officials.The decision comes after US forces recently withdrew from some bases in Syria including Al-Tanf and Al-Shadadi, which were used in the US-led international coalition's fight against IS.Washington has drawn close to Syria's new authorities since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, and has transferred thousands of IS fighters from prisons to secure facilities in Iraq.The US is also building up its military capabilities near Iran, where officials have vowed to respond to any attack by laying siege to American military outposts in the region.US media reported Wednesday that Washington will be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, though Trump has reportedly not made a final decision yet.The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.&nbsp;

The US is reportedly planning to withdraw all 1,000 troops from Syria within two months, according to American media. 

The United States is planning to withdraw all of its 1,000 troops from Syria over the next two months, according to US media reports. Washington will end its presence in the country after the Syrian government extended its control over the country and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces once key to fighting Islamic State (IS) pledged to integrate into the state, the Wall Street Journal reported. Television network CBS also reported on the plan, citing unnamed US officials. The decision comes after US forces recently withdrew from some bases in Syria including Al-Tanf and Al-Shadadi, which were used in the US-led international coalition's fight against IS. Washington has drawn close to Syria's new authorities since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, and has transferred thousands of IS fighters from prisons to secure facilities in Iraq. The US is also building up its military capabilities near Iran, where officials have vowed to respond to any attack by laying siege to American military outposts in the region. US media reported Wednesday that Washington will be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, though Trump has reportedly not made a final decision yet. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US is reportedly planning to withdraw all 1,000 troops from Syria within two months, according to American media.&nbsp;

US to withdraw 1,000 troops from Syria within two months: Reports

Norway's Bodo/Glimt stunned Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, beating last season's runners-up 3-1 in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off tie after Anthony Gordon scored four as Newcastle United hammered Qarabag 6-1 in Azerbaijan. Elsewhere Atletico Madrid were held by Club Brugge in a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Bayer Leverkusen took a big step towards reaching the last 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 away in Greece. Bodo/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the last six years, made it to this stage after some impressive results during the league phase, including wins at home to Manchester City and away to Atletico in their last two games.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-benfica-coach-mourinho-tries-to-justify-alleged-racial-abuse-vs-real-madrid-s-vinicius-jr-1771384511397">UCL | Benfica coach Mourinho tries to justify alleged racial abuse against Vini</a>The club from north of the Arctic Circle were therefore not afraid of the current Serie A leaders and went in front on 20 minutes through Sondre Brunstad Fet.Francesco Pio Esposito equalised on the half-hour mark for three-time European champions Inter, the goal standing after a VAR check despite an apparent handball in the build-up.However, Bodo/Glimt went back in front just after the hour when Kasper Hogh's brilliant lay-off set up Jens Petter Hauge to score, and Hogh found the net himself three minutes later.The result leaves Inter, who lost 5-0 to PSG in last season's Champions League final, facing a big challenge to overturn their two-goal deficit in next Tuesday's return leg at San Siro.The winners of the tie will play either Manchester City or Sporting of Portugal in the last 16 next month.Newcastle made short work of Qarabag on their long trip to Baku, with the outstanding Gordon netting two penalties among his four goals on the night -- he now has 10 goals in nine matches in this season's Champions League, a tally bettered only by Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe on 13.<h2>Schick double, Atletico held</h2>Gordon's clinical finish gave Newcastle a third-minute lead at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, and Malick Thiaw headed in for 2-0 after just eight minutes.Former Everton winger Gordon then converted a penalty awarded for a handball just after the half-hour mark, and pounced on poor defending a minute later to complete his first professional hat-trick.He then added a penalty for his fourth and his team's fifth in first-half stoppage time, with Jacob Murphy getting the visitors' sixth in the second half after Elvin Jafarguliyev had pulled one back.Next week's return at St James' Park should now be a mere formality, with a last-16 tie to come against Barcelona or Chelsea."It's a tribute to the team today. We were really good in the first half. That's as good as we have played in a long time," Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said."I know the tie isn't over but we are in a great position."In Belgium, Club Brugge came from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to earn a draw with Atletico and keep their play-off tie firmly in the balance ahead of next week's second leg.Julian Alvarez gave the Spaniards an early lead from the penalty spot at the Jan Breydelstadion, and Ademola Lookman finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann had flicked on an Alvarez corner in first-half stoppage time.Nigeria's Raphael Onyedika pulled one back just after the break for the hosts and Nicolo Tresoldi equalised on the hour mark.Atletico appeared to have won the game when Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez turned a cross into his own net, but Christos Tzolis made it 3-3 in the 89th minute."It was a rollercoaster, like it's been all season. We have to concentrate more," Atletico captain Koke told broadcaster Movistar -- his side are fourth in La Liga, well off the pace at the top, but hammered Barcelona 4-0 in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg last week.Leverkusen were seeking to avenge a 2-0 defeat away to Olympiacos last month as they returned to Piraeus, and this time they were the winners by the same margin as Czech striker Patrik Schick scored twice in the space of four minutes around the hour mark.

Atletico Madrid were held by Club Brugge in a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Bayer Leverkusen took a big step towards reaching the last 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 away in Greece. Bodo/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the last six years, beat Inter Milan.

Norway's Bodo/Glimt stunned Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday, beating last season's runners-up 3-1 in the first leg of their knockout phase play-off tie after Anthony Gordon scored four as Newcastle United hammered Qarabag 6-1 in Azerbaijan. Elsewhere Atletico Madrid were held by Club Brugge in a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Bayer Leverkusen took a big step towards reaching the last 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 away in Greece. Bodo/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the last six years, made it to this stage after some impressive results during the league phase, including wins at home to Manchester City and away to Atletico in their last two games. Also Read - UCL | Benfica coach Mourinho tries to justify alleged racial abuse against Vini The club from north of the Arctic Circle were therefore not afraid of the current Serie A leaders and went in front on 20 minutes through Sondre Brunstad Fet. Francesco Pio Esposito equalised on the half-hour mark for three-time European champions Inter, the goal standing after a VAR check despite an apparent handball in the build-up. However, Bodo/Glimt went back in front just after the hour when Kasper Hogh's brilliant lay-off set up Jens Petter Hauge to score, and Hogh found the net himself three minutes later. The result leaves Inter, who lost 5-0 to PSG in last season's Champions League final, facing a big challenge to overturn their two-goal deficit in next Tuesday's return leg at San Siro. The winners of the tie will play either Manchester City or Sporting of Portugal in the last 16 next month. Newcastle made short work of Qarabag on their long trip to Baku, with the outstanding Gordon netting two penalties among his four goals on the night -- he now has 10 goals in nine matches in this season's Champions League, a tally bettered only by Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe on 13. Schick double, Atletico held Gordon's clinical finish gave Newcastle a third-minute lead at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, and Malick Thiaw headed in for 2-0 after just eight minutes. Former Everton winger Gordon then converted a penalty awarded for a handball just after the half-hour mark, and pounced on poor defending a minute later to complete his first professional hat-trick. He then added a penalty for his fourth and his team's fifth in first-half stoppage time, with Jacob Murphy getting the visitors' sixth in the second half after Elvin Jafarguliyev had pulled one back. Next week's return at St James' Park should now be a mere formality, with a last-16 tie to come against Barcelona or Chelsea. "It's a tribute to the team today. We were really good in the first half. That's as good as we have played in a long time," Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said. "I know the tie isn't over but we are in a great position." In Belgium, Club Brugge came from 2-0 and then 3-2 down to earn a draw with Atletico and keep their play-off tie firmly in the balance ahead of next week's second leg. Julian Alvarez gave the Spaniards an early lead from the penalty spot at the Jan Breydelstadion, and Ademola Lookman finished from close range after Antoine Griezmann had flicked on an Alvarez corner in first-half stoppage time. Nigeria's Raphael Onyedika pulled one back just after the break for the hosts and Nicolo Tresoldi equalised on the hour mark. Atletico appeared to have won the game when Club Brugge defender Joel Ordonez turned a cross into his own net, but Christos Tzolis made it 3-3 in the 89th minute. "It was a rollercoaster, like it's been all season. We have to concentrate more," Atletico captain Koke told broadcaster Movistar -- his side are fourth in La Liga, well off the pace at the top, but hammered Barcelona 4-0 in their Copa del Rey semi-final first leg last week. Leverkusen were seeking to avenge a 2-0 defeat away to Olympiacos last month as they returned to Piraeus, and this time they were the winners by the same margin as Czech striker Patrik Schick scored twice in the space of four minutes around the hour mark.

Atletico Madrid were held by Club Brugge in a thrilling 3-3 draw, while Bayer Leverkusen took a big step towards reaching the last 16 by beating Olympiacos 2-0 away in Greece. Bodo/Glimt, Norwegian champions in four of the last six years, beat Inter Milan.

Champions League round-up: Norway's Bodo/Glimt stun Inter Milan, Atletico held to draw

US attacks killed 11 people on three alleged drug-smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the US military said on Tuesday. The strikes late Monday killed "four on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, four on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific, and three on the third vessel in the Caribbean. No US military forces were harmed," US Southern Command said in a post on X.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-claims-breakthrough-in-geneva-talks-vance-says-tehran-ignoring-trump-s-red-lines-1771375814136">Iran claims breakthrough in Geneva talks, Vance says Tehran ignoring 'red lines'</a>The post included video of&nbsp;the strikes on the three boats, two of which were stationary when hit while the third was speeding across the water. People could be seen moving on two of the vessels prior to the strikes.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Late on Feb. 16, at the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SOUTHCOM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SOUTHCOM</a> commander Gen. Francis L. Donovan, Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted three lethal kinetic strikes on three vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organizations. Intelligence confirmed the vessels were transiting along known… <a href="https://t.co/mib9XtptSB">pic.twitter.com/mib9XtptSB</a>&mdash; U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom/status/2023791027383890240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The United States began targeting alleged smuggling boats in early September, killing more than 140 people and destroying dozens of vessels since then.President Donald Trump's administration insists it is effectively at war with what it calls "narco-terrorists" operating in Latin America.But it has provided no definitive evidence that the vessels it targets are involved in drug trafficking, prompting heated debate about the legality of the operations.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/chilling-new-details-revealed-in-pawtucket-shooting-did-robert-dorgan-aka-roberta-esposito-kill-son-ex-wife-over-gender-identity-1771384618172">Robert Dorgan killed son over 'gender identity'? Chilling new details emerge</a>International law experts and rights groups say the strikes likely amount to extrajudicial killings as they have apparently targeted civilians who do not pose an immediate threat to the United States.Washington has deployed a huge naval force in the Caribbean, where its forces have in recent months struck alleged drug-smuggling boats, seized oil tankers and carried out a stunning raid to capture Venezuela's leftist leader Nicolas Maduro.But the centerpiece of the flotilla -- the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier -- has been ordered to the Middle East along with several accompanying destroyers as Trump threatens US military action against Iran if a nuclear deal is not reached.

US strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats killed 11 people across the Pacific and Caribbean, raising fresh questions about legality and civilian deaths. Washington calls them narco-terrorists, but critics warn the strikes likely amount to extrajudicial killings 

US attacks killed 11 people on three alleged drug-smuggling boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, the US military said on Tuesday. The strikes late Monday killed "four on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, four on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific, and three on the third vessel in the Caribbean. No US military forces were harmed," US Southern Command said in a post on X. Also read | Iran claims breakthrough in Geneva talks, Vance says Tehran ignoring 'red lines' The post included video of the strikes on the three boats, two of which were stationary when hit while the third was speeding across the water. People could be seen moving on two of the vessels prior to the strikes.

US strikes on alleged drug smuggling boats killed 11 people across the Pacific and Caribbean, raising fresh questions about legality and civilian deaths. Washington calls them narco-terrorists, but critics warn the strikes likely amount to extrajudicial killings&nbsp;

US strikes alleged drug boats, killing 11 in Pacific and Caribbean

Vinicius Junior scored and then alleged he had been racially abused during Real Madrid's 1-0 win away to Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Tuesday, while Paris Saint-Germain came from two goals down to beat Monaco 3-2. Elsewhere, Galatasaray stunned Juventus, beating the Italians 5-2 in Istanbul, and Borussia Dortmund seized the upper hand in their tie against Atalanta with a 2-0 first-leg victory.Madrid headed to Lisbon to play Benfica less than three weeks after a dramatic 4-2 defeat away to the same opponents, when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a stunning late goal to take the Portuguese side through to the knock-out stages and force Real to drop into the play-offs.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/australia-knocked-out-of-t20-world-cup-2026-as-zimbabwe-qualify-from-group-b-1771329953409">Australia knocked out of T20 World Cup 2026 as Zimbabwe qualify from Group B</a>Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was hoping to again inspire his current side to victory against the club he coached from 2010 to 2013, but the night was instead overshadowed by the alleged racist abuse reported by Vinicius.The Brazilian scored a superb goal early in the second half, arrowing his shot into the top corner. His moment of brilliance, though, quickly became controversial when he was booked for his dancing celebration in front of the crowd.That booking sparked an exchange with Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, who pulled his shirt over his mouth before appearing to say something to Vinicius.The Real forward then ran over to referee Francois Letexier and, pointing at Prestianni, seemed to claim he had been called "mono", the Spanish word for monkey.That led to a hold-up of several minutes before the game resumed, with Vinicius then being jeered by the home fans.Mourinho was then sent off in the final stages of a spiky game for complaining too vociferously as he appealed for a second yellow card for Vinicius, meaning he will not be on the touchline for the second leg at the Bernabeu next week.The long stoppage led to 12 minutes of added-on time, but Benfica could not use them to find an equaliser, and face an uphill struggle in the Spanish capital next week."(What happened) is something that nobody likes, you have to ask the Benfica player what he said," Real coach Alvaro Arbeloa told broadcaster Movistar."(Racism) is something we have to eradicate from the world of football and if the players don't fix it then this is very complicated."<h2>Galatasaray stun Juventus</h2>In Monaco, reigning European champions PSG recovered from a shambolic start as Desire Doue inspired a comeback from two goals down to beat the principality side.United States star Folarin Balogun opened the scoring after just 55 seconds and found the net again on 18 minutes to put Monaco in control.Vitinha then missed a chance for PSG to reduce the deficit when he had a penalty saved and last year's Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele came off injured before the half-hour mark, but his replacement Doue was the hero.He pulled one back within two minutes of coming on, and then helped set up Achraf Hakimi for the equaliser just before the break.Monaco then had Aleksandr Golovin sent off right at the start of the second half for a challenge on Vitinha before Doue got the winner on 67 minutes."He is an incredible player and a different player. I am very pleased for him because he deserved it," PSG coach Luis Enrique told broadcaster Canal Plus of Doue.Earlier Galatasaray produced a rousing performance to beat Juventus 5-2 in a pulsating contest in Turkey, with Noa Lang scoring twice for the hosts.Gabriel Sara put the home team in front but Teun Koopmeiners scored twice to put Juventus ahead at the break.However, Lang made it 2-2 just after half-time and Davinson Sanchez put Galatasaray back in the lead before Juventus had Juan Cabal sent off.Lang got his second and substitute Sacha Boey sealed the win to leave two-time champions Juventus facing an uphill struggle in next week's return.Dortmund, beaten finalists in 2024, are on course to eliminate another Italian team after beating Atalanta 2-0 with Serhou Guirassy opening the scoring early on.His 16th goal of the season was followed by a Maximilian Beier strike just before the break.

Champions League Play-off Leg 1: Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0, PSG beat Monaco 3-2, Borussia Dortmund beat Atalanta 2-0 while Galatasaray stun Juventus 5-2.

Vinicius Junior scored and then alleged he had been racially abused during Real Madrid's 1-0 win away to Benfica in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie on Tuesday, while Paris Saint-Germain came from two goals down to beat Monaco 3-2. Elsewhere, Galatasaray stunned Juventus, beating the Italians 5-2 in Istanbul, and Borussia Dortmund seized the upper hand in their tie against Atalanta with a 2-0 first-leg victory. Madrid headed to Lisbon to play Benfica less than three weeks after a dramatic 4-2 defeat away to the same opponents, when goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a stunning late goal to take the Portuguese side through to the knock-out stages and force Real to drop into the play-offs. Also Read - Australia knocked out of T20 World Cup 2026 as Zimbabwe qualify from Group B Benfica coach Jose Mourinho was hoping to again inspire his current side to victory against the club he coached from 2010 to 2013, but the night was instead overshadowed by the alleged racist abuse reported by Vinicius. The Brazilian scored a superb goal early in the second half, arrowing his shot into the top corner. His moment of brilliance, though, quickly became controversial when he was booked for his dancing celebration in front of the crowd. That booking sparked an exchange with Benfica's Gianluca Prestianni, who pulled his shirt over his mouth before appearing to say something to Vinicius. The Real forward then ran over to referee Francois Letexier and, pointing at Prestianni, seemed to claim he had been called "mono", the Spanish word for monkey. That led to a hold-up of several minutes before the game resumed, with Vinicius then being jeered by the home fans. Mourinho was then sent off in the final stages of a spiky game for complaining too vociferously as he appealed for a second yellow card for Vinicius, meaning he will not be on the touchline for the second leg at the Bernabeu next week. The long stoppage led to 12 minutes of added-on time, but Benfica could not use them to find an equaliser, and face an uphill struggle in the Spanish capital next week. "(What happened) is something that nobody likes, you have to ask the Benfica player what he said," Real coach Alvaro Arbeloa told broadcaster Movistar. "(Racism) is something we have to eradicate from the world of football and if the players don't fix it then this is very complicated." Galatasaray stun Juventus In Monaco, reigning European champions PSG recovered from a shambolic start as Desire Doue inspired a comeback from two goals down to beat the principality side. United States star Folarin Balogun opened the scoring after just 55 seconds and found the net again on 18 minutes to put Monaco in control. Vitinha then missed a chance for PSG to reduce the deficit when he had a penalty saved and last year's Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele came off injured before the half-hour mark, but his replacement Doue was the hero. He pulled one back within two minutes of coming on, and then helped set up Achraf Hakimi for the equaliser just before the break. Monaco then had Aleksandr Golovin sent off right at the start of the second half for a challenge on Vitinha before Doue got the winner on 67 minutes. "He is an incredible player and a different player. I am very pleased for him because he deserved it," PSG coach Luis Enrique told broadcaster Canal Plus of Doue. Earlier Galatasaray produced a rousing performance to beat Juventus 5-2 in a pulsating contest in Turkey, with Noa Lang scoring twice for the hosts. Gabriel Sara put the home team in front but Teun Koopmeiners scored twice to put Juventus ahead at the break. However, Lang made it 2-2 just after half-time and Davinson Sanchez put Galatasaray back in the lead before Juventus had Juan Cabal sent off. Lang got his second and substitute Sacha Boey sealed the win to leave two-time champions Juventus facing an uphill struggle in next week's return. Dortmund, beaten finalists in 2024, are on course to eliminate another Italian team after beating Atalanta 2-0 with Serhou Guirassy opening the scoring early on. His 16th goal of the season was followed by a Maximilian Beier strike just before the break.

Champions League Play-off Leg 1: Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0, PSG beat Monaco 3-2, Borussia Dortmund beat Atalanta 2-0 while Galatasaray stun Juventus 5-2.

Champions League Play-off Leg 1: Real Madrid, PSG and Dortmund win, Galatasaray stun Juventus

US documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman died Monday, a representative confirmed to AFP. He was 96 years old. Wiseman died peacefully at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, according to a statement from his production company, Zipporah Films. For more than a half century, Oscar-winner&nbsp;&nbsp;Wiseman patiently observed some of America's most familiar institutions through his dozens of documentaries that shine a rare light on people's daily lives. Viewed through his unobtrusive lens, the drudgery of a welfare office or the cleaning routines at a city zoo became as gripping as an action movie, all of which were presented without voiceovers or talking heads -- taboos in Wiseman's world.&nbsp;A pioneer of independent US cinema, Wiseman shot with a three-person team while editing and producing himself, creating films with runtimes ranging from an hour to six, all to present a unique and engrossing American epic for the screen. "What if the Great American novelist doesn't write novels?" the New York Times titled its 2020 profile, describing Wiseman's body of work as "the nearest contemporary equivalent" to the classic novel.&nbsp;<h2>- Harrowing -</h2>&nbsp;Wiseman caused instant controversy with his first film,&nbsp;"Titicut Follies", which remains one of his most famous documentaries, shot in 1967 and capturing the bleak reality of an asylum for the mentally ill, Bridgewater.&nbsp;Harrowing long takes showed the deplorable treatment of patients, including one excruciating scene of a man being force-fed by a doctor with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, directly above the funnel.Bridgewater filed a complaint in the hope of banning the film's release on privacy infringement, and the case dragged for years, but Wiseman&nbsp;never gave up the fight and continued working -- revealing a lifelong single-minded focus.&nbsp;He also had a deep understanding of the law, having followed in his father's footsteps to study and then practise as a lawyer before he got bored and picked up a camera.<h2>- Never-ending list -</h2>&nbsp;Over the following decades Wiseman entered high schools, hospitals, army training camps, meat factories and public libraries to explore America's institutions, incidentally producing rich studies of human behaviour.&nbsp;He eschewed any stylistic qualities drawing attention to the process of filmmaking, deeming "too distracting" the close-ups of mouths talking and body parts that featured in his early films.&nbsp;A passionate workhorse, he averaged around one documentary every few years for a long time, and kept the industry pressure off by maintaining low production costs and having his own production company. He received an honorary Academy Award in recognition of his seemingly ceaseless time behind the camera in 2016.&nbsp;Even in his ninth decade, in an interview with AFP in 2021, he said the list of institutions he wanted to make films about was "never-ending", and his late works showed no sign of diminishing ambition.For his 2020 documentary "City Hall", he returned to his roots in Boston, where he was born in 1930, to explore the mayor's office. Two years later he made a rare foray into fiction with "A Couple," inspired by the relationship and correspondence between Leo Tolstoy and his wife, Sophia.&nbsp;France was a favoured subject too, where he turned his lens on some of the country's most famous institutions, from the Paris Opera Ballet&nbsp;to the legendary cabaret club Crazy Horse, as well as the Comédie Française, the guardian of the flame of French classical theatre.<h2>- Waiting game -</h2>&nbsp;Wiseman typically shot around 140 to 150 hours of footage for each film and then sat alone in his editing studio for months to craft his feature. Generally, he did not prepare before starting a project, wanting to go in without preconceived ideas and using the shoot as his research.&nbsp;This approach got him such classic scenes as the ending to one of his most celebrated documentaries, "Welfare" (1975), set in a New York welfare office. A dishevelled man sick of endless waiting launched into an eloquent tirade ending with Samuel Beckett -- "You know what happened in the story of Godot? He never came."&nbsp;But for Wiseman, on the back of all those hours of shooting, such extraordinary scenes always came.He was married for more than 65 years to the late Zipporah Batshaw, a lawyer and professor who also inspired the name of his production company. They had two sons.

Renowned documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, who had bagged an Academy Award for his work, has reportedly died at the age of 96. Read to know more.

US documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman died Monday, a representative confirmed to AFP. He was 96 years old. Wiseman died peacefully at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, according to a statement from his production company, Zipporah Films. For more than a half century, Oscar-winner Wiseman patiently observed some of America's most familiar institutions through his dozens of documentaries that shine a rare light on people's daily lives. Viewed through his unobtrusive lens, the drudgery of a welfare office or the cleaning routines at a city zoo became as gripping as an action movie, all of which were presented without voiceovers or talking heads -- taboos in Wiseman's world. A pioneer of independent US cinema, Wiseman shot with a three-person team while editing and producing himself, creating films with runtimes ranging from an hour to six, all to present a unique and engrossing American epic for the screen. "What if the Great American novelist doesn't write novels?" the New York Times titled its 2020 profile, describing Wiseman's body of work as "the nearest contemporary equivalent" to the classic novel. - Harrowing - Wiseman caused instant controversy with his first film, "Titicut Follies", which remains one of his most famous documentaries, shot in 1967 and capturing the bleak reality of an asylum for the mentally ill, Bridgewater. Harrowing long takes showed the deplorable treatment of patients, including one excruciating scene of a man being force-fed by a doctor with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, directly above the funnel. Bridgewater filed a complaint in the hope of banning the film's release on privacy infringement, and the case dragged for years, but Wiseman never gave up the fight and continued working -- revealing a lifelong single-minded focus. He also had a deep understanding of the law, having followed in his father's footsteps to study and then practise as a lawyer before he got bored and picked up a camera. - Never-ending list - Over the following decades Wiseman entered high schools, hospitals, army training camps, meat factories and public libraries to explore America's institutions, incidentally producing rich studies of human behaviour. He eschewed any stylistic qualities drawing attention to the process of filmmaking, deeming "too distracting" the close-ups of mouths talking and body parts that featured in his early films. A passionate workhorse, he averaged around one documentary every few years for a long time, and kept the industry pressure off by maintaining low production costs and having his own production company. He received an honorary Academy Award in recognition of his seemingly ceaseless time behind the camera in 2016. Even in his ninth decade, in an interview with AFP in 2021, he said the list of institutions he wanted to make films about was "never-ending", and his late works showed no sign of diminishing ambition. For his 2020 documentary "City Hall", he returned to his roots in Boston, where he was born in 1930, to explore the mayor's office. Two years later he made a rare foray into fiction with "A Couple," inspired by the relationship and correspondence between Leo Tolstoy and his wife, Sophia. France was a favoured subject too, where he turned his lens on some of the country's most famous institutions, from the Paris Opera Ballet to the legendary cabaret club Crazy Horse, as well as the Comédie Française, the guardian of the flame of French classical theatre. - Waiting game - Wiseman typically shot around 140 to 150 hours of footage for each film and then sat alone in his editing studio for months to craft his feature. Generally, he did not prepare before starting a project, wanting to go in without preconceived ideas and using the shoot as his research. This approach got him such classic scenes as the ending to one of his most celebrated documentaries, "Welfare" (1975), set in a New York welfare office. A dishevelled man sick of endless waiting launched into an eloquent tirade ending with Samuel Beckett -- "You know what happened in the story of Godot? He never came." But for Wiseman, on the back of all those hours of shooting, such extraordinary scenes always came. He was married for more than 65 years to the late Zipporah Batshaw, a lawyer and professor who also inspired the name of his production company. They had two sons.

Renowned documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, who had bagged an Academy Award for his work, has reportedly died at the age of 96. Read to know more.&nbsp;

Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman dies at 96

Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pulled out the best performance of their careers to move from fifth overnight to grab Olympic figure skating pairs gold on Monday. The Japanese had been trailing after errors in their short programme but sealed gold with a rousing performance to the "Gladiator" soundtrack to give their country not only a first Olympic gold medal in the pairs event, but a first medal of any colour. They knelt on the ice and wept after their fast-moving and dynamic skate brought the crowd to their feet in the Milano Ice Skating Arena.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pakistan-s-defeat-to-india-puts-mohsin-naqvi-under-pressure-asim-munir-reaches-out-to-pm-shehbaz-report-1771258256111">Pak’s loss to India puts Naqvi in a spot; Munir reaches out to Shehbaz: Report</a>Their routine earned the Japanese personal best scores in both the free skate (158.13 points) and overall, with 231.24 points.The two-time world champions admitted they thought they had let gold slip through their fingers on Sunday night as they trailed 6.9 points behind Hase and Volodin."I wanted to switch gear right away, forget about what happened yesterday," said Miura."Ryuichi was crying this morning so I felt like I needed to be strong and supportive for him and help him focus," she said.Kihara said he had been "feeling really down" and blamed himself for the slip-up, conceding: "We did not think we would win.""Thanks to my great partner and my coach we were able to just focus on our programme tonight."Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava took silver nearly ten points behind with 221.75 as overnight leaders Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany won bronze with 219.09.Miura, 24, and 33-year-old Kihara had helped Japan win team silver for the second consecutive Olympics earlier in the Games."I'm so happy for them. Yesterday they were heartbroken," the Japanese pairs' coach Bruno Marcotte told journalists."They were still a little bit shaken in practice today but the message was 'today you have to be the best in the world'."I told them no matter what happens in five years, in 10 years, 20 years, you want to be remembered for this moment that you gave everything."Create magic and skate with your heart."Marcotte said he showed them it was possible as at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games the winning German team had been trailing by a similar margin after the first day."I showed them it was possible and to never stopped believing," their coach said."I told them just to be themselves, stay true to what you are. Skate with your heart, make magic, you guys have each other."<h2>Struggles</h2>The Japanese had already excelled in the team event, breaking their personal bests in each of their programmes.Kihara's back problems and the effects of a dislocated shoulder that Miura suffered in December had nonetheless plagued their season.Miura injured her shoulder during warm-ups at the Japanese championships in December, before popping it back into place and skating the short programme.They still had to withdraw from the free skate the following day.Their free skate route at the Milan-Cortina Games was, in fact, meant to illustrate their struggle against these difficulties.The Germans paid for mistakes in their free skate to music by Max Richter, achieving just fourth best for that routine."It's amazing that we brought home a medal in our first Olympics together, it doesn't matter what colour," said Hase, who finished just 16th at the Beijing Olympics with another partner.Russian-born Volodin teamed up with Hase in 2022 and received German citizenship last year. The pair were world silver medallists behind the Japanese last year.European champions Metelkina and Berulava, who began skating together in 2023, achieved what was a first ever Winter Olympics medal for Georgia.They were among 11 Russian-born skaters competing for eight different countries in the pairs event.Russian and Belarusian skaters have been banned from international competition since Moscow's offensive on Ukraine began in 2022.Defending Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China finished fifth with 208.64 in their skate to "A Tapestry of a Legendary Land" after struggling with their jumps.The Chinese pair only returned to competition this season after retiring following their triumph in Beijing four years ago.

Their routine earned the Japanese personal best scores in both the free skate (158.13 points) and overall, with 231.24 points.

Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara pulled out the best performance of their careers to move from fifth overnight to grab Olympic figure skating pairs gold on Monday. The Japanese had been trailing after errors in their short programme but sealed gold with a rousing performance to the "Gladiator" soundtrack to give their country not only a first Olympic gold medal in the pairs event, but a first medal of any colour. They knelt on the ice and wept after their fast-moving and dynamic skate brought the crowd to their feet in the Milano Ice Skating Arena. Also Read - Pak’s loss to India puts Naqvi in a spot; Munir reaches out to Shehbaz: Report Their routine earned the Japanese personal best scores in both the free skate (158.13 points) and overall, with 231.24 points. The two-time world champions admitted they thought they had let gold slip through their fingers on Sunday night as they trailed 6.9 points behind Hase and Volodin. "I wanted to switch gear right away, forget about what happened yesterday," said Miura. "Ryuichi was crying this morning so I felt like I needed to be strong and supportive for him and help him focus," she said. Kihara said he had been "feeling really down" and blamed himself for the slip-up, conceding: "We did not think we would win." "Thanks to my great partner and my coach we were able to just focus on our programme tonight." Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava took silver nearly ten points behind with 221.75 as overnight leaders Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin of Germany won bronze with 219.09. Miura, 24, and 33-year-old Kihara had helped Japan win team silver for the second consecutive Olympics earlier in the Games. "I'm so happy for them. Yesterday they were heartbroken," the Japanese pairs' coach Bruno Marcotte told journalists. "They were still a little bit shaken in practice today but the message was 'today you have to be the best in the world'. "I told them no matter what happens in five years, in 10 years, 20 years, you want to be remembered for this moment that you gave everything. "Create magic and skate with your heart." Marcotte said he showed them it was possible as at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games the winning German team had been trailing by a similar margin after the first day. "I showed them it was possible and to never stopped believing," their coach said. "I told them just to be themselves, stay true to what you are. Skate with your heart, make magic, you guys have each other." Struggles The Japanese had already excelled in the team event, breaking their personal bests in each of their programmes. Kihara's back problems and the effects of a dislocated shoulder that Miura suffered in December had nonetheless plagued their season. Miura injured her shoulder during warm-ups at the Japanese championships in December, before popping it back into place and skating the short programme. They still had to withdraw from the free skate the following day. Their free skate route at the Milan-Cortina Games was, in fact, meant to illustrate their struggle against these difficulties. The Germans paid for mistakes in their free skate to music by Max Richter, achieving just fourth best for that routine. "It's amazing that we brought home a medal in our first Olympics together, it doesn't matter what colour," said Hase, who finished just 16th at the Beijing Olympics with another partner. Russian-born Volodin teamed up with Hase in 2022 and received German citizenship last year. The pair were world silver medallists behind the Japanese last year. European champions Metelkina and Berulava, who began skating together in 2023, achieved what was a first ever Winter Olympics medal for Georgia. They were among 11 Russian-born skaters competing for eight different countries in the pairs event. Russian and Belarusian skaters have been banned from international competition since Moscow's offensive on Ukraine began in 2022. Defending Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China finished fifth with 208.64 in their skate to "A Tapestry of a Legendary Land" after struggling with their jumps. The Chinese pair only returned to competition this season after retiring following their triumph in Beijing four years ago.

Their routine earned the Japanese personal best scores in both the free skate (158.13 points) and overall, with 231.24 points.

Winter Olympics 2026 | Japanese pair Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara win figure skating gold from fifth place

Period drama Train Dreams took home the Spirit Awards win for best feature Sunday, as both it and "The Secret Agent" gathered momentum ahead of the Academy Awards.&nbsp;The Secret Agent notched best international film as its team hopes to win in the same category at the Oscars next month.&nbsp;The annual Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony only celebrates movies made for less than $30 million.&nbsp;"Train Dreams," director Clint Bentley's adaptation of the Denis Johnson novella, follows a railroad worker and the transformation of the American northwest across the 20th century.&nbsp;The film won three of its four categories, also grabbing wins for best director and best cinematography. The movie's lead, Joel Edgerton, however, did not take home best actor, which went to Rose Byrne for "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You."&nbsp;"Train Dreams" producer Teddy Schwarzman told AFP the film "is a singular journey, but it hopefully helps bring people together to understand all that life entails: love, friendship, loss, grief, healing and hope."&nbsp;"Train Dreams" will compete for best picture at the Oscars, among other honors.&nbsp;<h2>- Big win for Brazil -</h2>&nbsp;After "The Secret Agent" nabbed best international film, director Kleber Mendonca Filho hailed the win as one that hopefully "gives more visibility to Brazilian cinema."The film follows a former academic pursued by hitmen amid the political turmoil of Brazil under military rule.&nbsp;It prevailed&nbsp;Sunday over contenders including rave-themed road trip movie "Sirat," which will compete alongside "The Secret Agent" for best international feature film at the&nbsp;Oscars, capping Hollywood's awards season.&nbsp;"The Secret Agent" will also be up for best picture, best actor and best casting.Brazil's "I'm Still Here" won best international feature at the Oscars last year.Other Spirit winners on Sunday included "Lurker," for best first screenplay and best first feature film.&nbsp;"Sorry, Honey" nabbed best screenplay and "The Perfect Neighbor" scored best documentary.&nbsp;The Academy Awards will be presented on March 15.

The film won three of its four categories, also grabbing wins for best director and best cinematography. The movie's lead, Joel Edgerton, however, did not take home best actor, which went to Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.”

Period drama Train Dreams took home the Spirit Awards win for best feature Sunday, as both it and "The Secret Agent" gathered momentum ahead of the Academy Awards. The Secret Agent notched best international film as its team hopes to win in the same category at the Oscars next month. The annual Film Independent Spirit Awards ceremony only celebrates movies made for less than $30 million. "Train Dreams," director Clint Bentley's adaptation of the Denis Johnson novella, follows a railroad worker and the transformation of the American northwest across the 20th century. The film won three of its four categories, also grabbing wins for best director and best cinematography. The movie's lead, Joel Edgerton, however, did not take home best actor, which went to Rose Byrne for "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You." "Train Dreams" producer Teddy Schwarzman told AFP the film "is a singular journey, but it hopefully helps bring people together to understand all that life entails: love, friendship, loss, grief, healing and hope." "Train Dreams" will compete for best picture at the Oscars, among other honors. - Big win for Brazil - After "The Secret Agent" nabbed best international film, director Kleber Mendonca Filho hailed the win as one that hopefully "gives more visibility to Brazilian cinema." The film follows a former academic pursued by hitmen amid the political turmoil of Brazil under military rule. It prevailed Sunday over contenders including rave-themed road trip movie "Sirat," which will compete alongside "The Secret Agent" for best international feature film at the Oscars, capping Hollywood's awards season. "The Secret Agent" will also be up for best picture, best actor and best casting. Brazil's "I'm Still Here" won best international feature at the Oscars last year. Other Spirit winners on Sunday included "Lurker," for best first screenplay and best first feature film. "Sorry, Honey" nabbed best screenplay and "The Perfect Neighbor" scored best documentary. The Academy Awards will be presented on March 15.

The film won three of its four categories, also grabbing wins for best director and best cinematography. The movie's lead, Joel Edgerton, however, did not take home best actor, which went to Rose Byrne for “If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.”

Spirit Awards: Train Dreams, Secret Agent, Adolescence win big, check complete list

Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin grabbed the lead after the short programme in the Olympic figure skating pairs on Sunday after a masterful tango. The German duo scored a personal-best 80.01 points for their high-flying routine while favourites Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan were down in fifth place with 73.11. Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (75.46) were second, narrowly ahead of Canada's Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (74.60) going into Monday's free skate.Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/winter-olympics-2026-ukraine-athlete-heraskevych-appeals-to-cas-after-being-banned-over-helmet-images-1770959498358">Winter Olympics 2026 | Ukraine athlete Heraskevych appeals to CAS after being banned over helmet images</a>The Germans hit all the right notes after a slight wobble at the start of a powerful and fast-moving tango that wowed the judges."I thought to myself, don't make another mistake now," said Hase. "We controlled everything well after that. Sometimes little stumbles happen, I tried to cover it up well."We were happy about the pirouette, finally together, and then we just had to keep going.""We're putting all the Olympics and stress and everything else out of our minds and just focusing on the next round," added Hase, who finished 16th at the Beijing Olympics with another partner.Russian-born Volodin teamed up with Hase in 2022 and received German citizenship last year. The pair are world silver medallists behind the Japanese.Two days after an evening of drama in the men's competition, the Milan ice rink witnessed further surprises with unexpected errors from the favourites.Miura and Kihara, two-time world champions and winners of the Grand Prix Final in December, were penalised for a hesitant lift midway through their programme to "Paint it Black".Miura, 24, and 33-year-old Kihara had won team silver for the second consecutive Olympics earlier in the Games."I had a mistake in the lift but after that I basically had a good performance," said Miura. "The important thing is not points, it is doing our best."Defending Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are in sixth position after scoring 72.66.The Chinese pair returned to competition this season after retiring following their Olympic triumph in Beijing four years ago.They lost points after Sui touched the ice with her hand on a jump in their routine to an acoustic guitar arrangement of "Habanera" from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen.Italy's Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii are eighth, having helped their country to bronze in the team event.Canadian pair Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps slumped to 14th after she fell during their programme.At 42, Stellato-Dudek is the oldest woman to compete in an Olympic figure skating event since Britain's Ethel Muckelt in 1928.The 2024 world champions had been uncertain to compete after she suffered concussion days before arriving in Milan.Japan's Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi failed to qualify for the free skate after she fell twice in their routine to "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

Russian-born Volodin teamed up with Hase in 2022 and received German citizenship last year. The pair are world silver medallists behind the Japanese. Two days after an evening of drama in the men's competition, the Milan ice rink witnessed further surprises.

Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin grabbed the lead after the short programme in the Olympic figure skating pairs on Sunday after a masterful tango. The German duo scored a personal-best 80.01 points for their high-flying routine while favourites Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara of Japan were down in fifth place with 73.11. Georgia's Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava (75.46) were second, narrowly ahead of Canada's Lia Pereira and Trennt Michaud (74.60) going into Monday's free skate. Also Read: Winter Olympics 2026 | Ukraine athlete Heraskevych appeals to CAS after being banned over helmet images The Germans hit all the right notes after a slight wobble at the start of a powerful and fast-moving tango that wowed the judges. "I thought to myself, don't make another mistake now," said Hase. "We controlled everything well after that. Sometimes little stumbles happen, I tried to cover it up well. "We were happy about the pirouette, finally together, and then we just had to keep going." "We're putting all the Olympics and stress and everything else out of our minds and just focusing on the next round," added Hase, who finished 16th at the Beijing Olympics with another partner. Russian-born Volodin teamed up with Hase in 2022 and received German citizenship last year. The pair are world silver medallists behind the Japanese. Two days after an evening of drama in the men's competition, the Milan ice rink witnessed further surprises with unexpected errors from the favourites. Miura and Kihara, two-time world champions and winners of the Grand Prix Final in December, were penalised for a hesitant lift midway through their programme to "Paint it Black". Miura, 24, and 33-year-old Kihara had won team silver for the second consecutive Olympics earlier in the Games. "I had a mistake in the lift but after that I basically had a good performance," said Miura. "The important thing is not points, it is doing our best." Defending Olympic champions Sui Wenjing and Han Cong are in sixth position after scoring 72.66. The Chinese pair returned to competition this season after retiring following their Olympic triumph in Beijing four years ago. They lost points after Sui touched the ice with her hand on a jump in their routine to an acoustic guitar arrangement of "Habanera" from Georges Bizet's opera Carmen. Italy's Sara Conti and Niccolo Macii are eighth, having helped their country to bronze in the team event. Canadian pair Deanna Stellato-Dudek and Maxime Deschamps slumped to 14th after she fell during their programme. At 42, Stellato-Dudek is the oldest woman to compete in an Olympic figure skating event since Britain's Ethel Muckelt in 1928. The 2024 world champions had been uncertain to compete after she suffered concussion days before arriving in Milan. Japan's Yuna Nagaoka and Sumitada Moriguchi failed to qualify for the free skate after she fell twice in their routine to "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road".

Russian-born Volodin teamed up with Hase in 2022 and received German citizenship last year. The pair are world silver medallists behind the Japanese. Two days after an evening of drama in the men's competition, the Milan ice rink witnessed further surprises.

Winter Olympics 2026 | Germany's Minerva Fabienne Hase and Nikita Volodin take lead in figure skating

Pop superstar Charli XCX said Saturday she was "honoured" to be at this year's Berlin Film Festival and hailed the event's tradition of scheduling politically aware films.&nbsp;Aidan Zamiri's mockumentary "The Moment", starring Charli XCX playing a fictionalised version of herself dealing with the fallout of her own "brat summer" phenomenon, is being shown in the festival's Panorama section after premiering at Sundance last month.At a press conference, Charli XCX was asked why she felt it was important to launch the film this way, at a time when many prominent new film releases are not coming from the festival circuit.&nbsp;"I think we all collectively feel so honoured to have been invited to show our film at both Sundance and here at the Berlinale," she said, adding that "both festivals really do champion a wide variety of filmmakers with really important voices".&nbsp;She went on to emphasise that the Berlinale "in particular is known for not shying away from political films, from films that have a real social angle".&nbsp;"I'm only just starting out in this industry, but I feel passionate about working within those spaces," she said.&nbsp;The comment came after the Berlinale was swept up in controversy when jury president Wim Wenders said Thursday in response to a question about the situation in Gaza that cinema should "stay out of politics".&nbsp;Two films were withdrawn from the festival in protest, and Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy cancelled her appearance, calling Wenders's stance "unconscionable".&nbsp;<h2>- 'Cathartic' -</h2>&nbsp;Charli XCX co-produced "The Moment", and also has two smaller acting roles in films that screened at Sundance, Gregg Araki's "I Want Your Sex" and "The Gallerist", by Cathy Yan."The Moment" satirises the consequences of her hit 2024 album "brat", as rapacious record company executives and a film director played by Alexander Skarsgard seek to jump on the juggernaut.&nbsp;Charli XCX said the film deals with "the lifespan of art, the idea of... overstaying your welcome in a cultural space".&nbsp;"Making this film was quite cathartic in a way, because I was also able to channel a lot of my frustration that I may have felt in the real world into these sort of heightened scenarios that I was experiencing within the film," she said.&nbsp;She drew liberally on her own experiences in the music industry to portray the fictional Charli's reactions.&nbsp;"Have I had a breakdown in the back of a Viano whilst smoking a million cigarettes? Yes."Several celebrities make cameo appearances as ironicised versions of themselves, including Kylie Jenner.&nbsp;Director Zamiri admitted that he "couldn't believe that Kylie was down to do this"."There's a lot of crossover in this film between, you know, the real world and fiction," he said.&nbsp;"Maybe the hope is that in 20 years people might look back at this and sort of not quite know what was true and what wasn't, and sort of confuse archaeologists of the future, ideally."

Charli XCX co-produced "The Moment", and also has two smaller acting roles in films that screened at Sundance, Gregg Araki's "I Want Your Sex" and "The Gallerist", by Cathy Yan.

Pop superstar Charli XCX said Saturday she was "honoured" to be at this year's Berlin Film Festival and hailed the event's tradition of scheduling politically aware films. Aidan Zamiri's mockumentary "The Moment", starring Charli XCX playing a fictionalised version of herself dealing with the fallout of her own "brat summer" phenomenon, is being shown in the festival's Panorama section after premiering at Sundance last month. At a press conference, Charli XCX was asked why she felt it was important to launch the film this way, at a time when many prominent new film releases are not coming from the festival circuit. "I think we all collectively feel so honoured to have been invited to show our film at both Sundance and here at the Berlinale," she said, adding that "both festivals really do champion a wide variety of filmmakers with really important voices". She went on to emphasise that the Berlinale "in particular is known for not shying away from political films, from films that have a real social angle". "I'm only just starting out in this industry, but I feel passionate about working within those spaces," she said. The comment came after the Berlinale was swept up in controversy when jury president Wim Wenders said Thursday in response to a question about the situation in Gaza that cinema should "stay out of politics". Two films were withdrawn from the festival in protest, and Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy cancelled her appearance, calling Wenders's stance "unconscionable". - 'Cathartic' - Charli XCX co-produced "The Moment", and also has two smaller acting roles in films that screened at Sundance, Gregg Araki's "I Want Your Sex" and "The Gallerist", by Cathy Yan. "The Moment" satirises the consequences of her hit 2024 album "brat", as rapacious record company executives and a film director played by Alexander Skarsgard seek to jump on the juggernaut. Charli XCX said the film deals with "the lifespan of art, the idea of... overstaying your welcome in a cultural space". "Making this film was quite cathartic in a way, because I was also able to channel a lot of my frustration that I may have felt in the real world into these sort of heightened scenarios that I was experiencing within the film," she said. She drew liberally on her own experiences in the music industry to portray the fictional Charli's reactions. "Have I had a breakdown in the back of a Viano whilst smoking a million cigarettes? Yes." Several celebrities make cameo appearances as ironicised versions of themselves, including Kylie Jenner. Director Zamiri admitted that he "couldn't believe that Kylie was down to do this". "There's a lot of crossover in this film between, you know, the real world and fiction," he said. "Maybe the hope is that in 20 years people might look back at this and sort of not quite know what was true and what wasn't, and sort of confuse archaeologists of the future, ideally."

Charli XCX co-produced "The Moment", and also has two smaller acting roles in films that screened at Sundance, Gregg Araki's "I Want Your Sex" and "The Gallerist", by Cathy Yan.

Charli XCX 'honoured' to be at 'political' Berlin Film Festival

The exiled son of Iran's last shah said he was ready to lead the country to a "secular democratic future" at a rally in Munich on Saturday, after US President Donald Trump said a change of power would be the "best thing".&nbsp;It came as Washington continued to engage diplomatically with Tehran's government, with Switzerland on Saturday confirming that mediator Oman would host a fresh round of talks in Geneva next week.&nbsp;US-based Reza Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, told the crowd of around 200,000 people of his supporters that he could lead a transition.&nbsp;"I am here to guarantee a transition to a secular democratic future," he said.&nbsp;"I am committed to being the leader of transition for you so we can one day have the final opportunity to decide the fate of our country through a democratic, transparent process to the ballot box."&nbsp;"Javid Shah" (long live the shah)," the crowd chanted as they waved green-white-and-red flags with a lion and a sun -- the emblem of the toppled monarchy.&nbsp;"The Iranian regime is a dead regime," a 62-year-old protester originally from Iran who gave his name only as Said told AFP. "It must be game over."&nbsp;Pahlavi has urged Iranians at home and abroad to continue demonstrations against the authorities, calling on them to chant slogans from their homes and rooftops at 8:00 pm (1630 GMT) Saturday and Sunday, to coincide with protests in Germany and elsewhere.&nbsp;Trump had said on Friday that a change of government in Iran would be the "best thing that could happen", as he sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to ratchet up military pressure on Tehran.&nbsp;He had earlier threatened military intervention to support a wave of street protests in Iran that peaked in January and were met by a violent crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands.&nbsp;"To President Trump... The Iranian people heard you say help is on the way, and they have faith in you. Help them," Pahlavi had earlier told reporters gathered at the Munich Security Conference.&nbsp;"It is time to end the Islamic Republic," he said.<h2>Iranian opposition divided</h2>When Iran began its crackdown on protests, Trump initially said the United States was "locked and loaded" to help demonstrators.&nbsp;But he has recently focused his military threats on Tehran's nuclear programme, which US forces struck last July during Israel's unprecedented 12-day war with Iran.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-victory-is-not-declared-by-mere-rhetoric-as-our-neighbourhood-entities-do-says-cds-gen-anil-chauhan-1771085253490">‘Victory is not declared by mere rhetoric as our neighbourhood entities do,’ says CDS Gen Anil Chauhan</a>&nbsp;Representatives of Iran and the United States, who have had no diplomatic relations since shortly after the 1979 revolution, held talks on the nuclear programme last week in Oman.On Sunday, a Swiss foreign ministry spokesman told AFP that Oman would host a new round of talks in Geneva next week, without providing further details.&nbsp;Videos verified by AFP showed people in Iran this week chanting anti-government slogans despite the ongoing crackdown, as the clerical leadership celebrated the anniversary of the Islamic revolution.&nbsp;According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 7,008 people, mostly protesters, were killed in the crackdown, though they and other rights groups warn the toll is likely far higher.&nbsp;More than 53,000 people have been arrested, it added.&nbsp;Pahlavi had encouraged Iranians to join the wave of protests, which Iranian authorities have said were hijacked by "terrorists" fuelled by their sworn enemies, the United States and Israel.&nbsp;Many protest chants had called for the monarchy's return, and Pahlavi, 65, has said he is ready to lead a democratic transition.&nbsp;The Iranian opposition remains divided, and Pahlavi has faced criticism for his support for Israel, making a highly publicised visit in 2023 that fractured an attempt to unify opposition camps. He has also never distanced himself from his father's autocratic rule.&nbsp;Trump declined on Friday to say who he would want to take over in Iran from supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but he added that "there are people".&nbsp;(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.)

US-based Reza Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, told the crowd of around 200,000 people of his supporters that he could lead a transition.

The exiled son of Iran's last shah said he was ready to lead the country to a "secular democratic future" at a rally in Munich on Saturday, after US President Donald Trump said a change of power would be the "best thing". It came as Washington continued to engage diplomatically with Tehran's government, with Switzerland on Saturday confirming that mediator Oman would host a fresh round of talks in Geneva next week. US-based Reza Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, told the crowd of around 200,000 people of his supporters that he could lead a transition. "I am here to guarantee a transition to a secular democratic future," he said. "I am committed to being the leader of transition for you so we can one day have the final opportunity to decide the fate of our country through a democratic, transparent process to the ballot box." "Javid Shah" (long live the shah)," the crowd chanted as they waved green-white-and-red flags with a lion and a sun -- the emblem of the toppled monarchy. "The Iranian regime is a dead regime," a 62-year-old protester originally from Iran who gave his name only as Said told AFP. "It must be game over." Pahlavi has urged Iranians at home and abroad to continue demonstrations against the authorities, calling on them to chant slogans from their homes and rooftops at 8:00 pm (1630 GMT) Saturday and Sunday, to coincide with protests in Germany and elsewhere. Trump had said on Friday that a change of government in Iran would be the "best thing that could happen", as he sent a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East to ratchet up military pressure on Tehran. He had earlier threatened military intervention to support a wave of street protests in Iran that peaked in January and were met by a violent crackdown that rights groups say killed thousands. "To President Trump... The Iranian people heard you say help is on the way, and they have faith in you. Help them," Pahlavi had earlier told reporters gathered at the Munich Security Conference. "It is time to end the Islamic Republic," he said. Iranian opposition divided When Iran began its crackdown on protests, Trump initially said the United States was "locked and loaded" to help demonstrators. But he has recently focused his military threats on Tehran's nuclear programme, which US forces struck last July during Israel's unprecedented 12-day war with Iran. Also Read: ‘Victory is not declared by mere rhetoric as our neighbourhood entities do,’ says CDS Gen Anil Chauhan Representatives of Iran and the United States, who have had no diplomatic relations since shortly after the 1979 revolution, held talks on the nuclear programme last week in Oman. On Sunday, a Swiss foreign ministry spokesman told AFP that Oman would host a new round of talks in Geneva next week, without providing further details. Videos verified by AFP showed people in Iran this week chanting anti-government slogans despite the ongoing crackdown, as the clerical leadership celebrated the anniversary of the Islamic revolution. According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 7,008 people, mostly protesters, were killed in the crackdown, though they and other rights groups warn the toll is likely far higher. More than 53,000 people have been arrested, it added. Pahlavi had encouraged Iranians to join the wave of protests, which Iranian authorities have said were hijacked by "terrorists" fuelled by their sworn enemies, the United States and Israel. Many protest chants had called for the monarchy's return, and Pahlavi, 65, has said he is ready to lead a democratic transition. The Iranian opposition remains divided, and Pahlavi has faced criticism for his support for Israel, making a highly publicised visit in 2023 that fractured an attempt to unify opposition camps. He has also never distanced himself from his father's autocratic rule. Trump declined on Friday to say who he would want to take over in Iran from supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but he added that "there are people". (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for the WION audience.)

US-based Reza Pahlavi, who has not returned to Iran since before the 1979 Islamic revolution that ousted the monarchy, told the crowd of around 200,000 people of his supporters that he could lead a transition.

About 200,000 gather as Iran’s exiled prince Reza Pahlavi urges US action at Munich rally

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