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NEED TO KNOW

• Priyanka Chopra Jonas shut down rumors questioning her marriage with Nick Jonas in a new interview

• The couple, who shares a 4-year-old daughter, married in 2018

• "If people want to keep waiting for it to implode, that's their choice," she said of her marriage
  

Priyanka Chopra Jonasis reacting to continuous rumors questioning her marriage withNick Jonas.

"We're eight years in," shetoldVarietyin a cover story published Wednesday, Feb. 11, when asked about speculation. "If people want to keep waiting for it to implode, that's their choice. I stopped thinking about it."

The actress, whostars in the new action filmThe Bluff, married the singer in 2018, and they share 4-year-old daughterMalti.

Priyanka, 43, reflected on marrying Nick, 33, "really quick, within six months of meeting," telling the outlet, "When I first married him, I didn't know if it was even real. This part of him. Because I was like this is crazy. This is put on. But Nick has this absolute sincerity. It inspires me every day in a profession which requires you to pivot and become whatever you need to put on. He's constantly sincere."

She added, "His parents are the most wonderful, levelheaded, absolute saints, so I can see where it comes from. But it's such a disarming quality about him."

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The Indian actress admitted that she noticed that her relationship with the Jonas Brothers star, from New Jersey, "rubbed people the wrong way," though, "I don't know what was it about us" that did.

"I think there was the intercultural nature of it — different countries, different religions, age gap. It was very hurtful," she toldVariety. "And we both, instead of looking out, just sort of looked at each other, and we were like, 'It doesn't matter.' So it's like water off a duck's back now."

In July 2024,Nick, who recently debuted the albumSunday Best, commemorated the day he proposed to Priyanka, writing on Instagram at the time, "I asked the most amazing woman in the world to marry me 6 years ago today. Thank you for saying yes."

When they marked their wedding anniversaryin December 2025, Nick wrote on Instagram, "7 years married to my dream girl," and Priyanka wrote, "You're what dreams are made of."

The Bluffis on Prime Video Feb. 25

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NEED TO KNOW

• King Charles and Queen Camilla made their first appearance since Buckingham Palace released a major statement about the former Prince Andrew

• The King and Queen visited an exhibition in London on Feb. 11

• Buckingham Palace confirmed this week that it would cooperate with police if approached about a potential investigation involving Andrew
  

King CharlesandQueen Camillaare stepping out for the first time since Buckingham Palace said it would cooperate with police if approached about a potential investigation involving the formerPrince Andrew.

On Feb. 11, the King, 77, and Queen, 78, paid a joint visit to the new Turquoise Mountain exhibit at The Garrison Chapel in London as the charity commemorates its 20th anniversary. It doubled as their first official outing since the palacereleased the seismic statement earlier this week.

Andrew, 66, is the King's younger brother, and the palace statement addressed his "conduct" for the first time since he and his ex-wife,Sarah Ferguson, were mentioned numerous times in the latest tranche of files released by the U.S. Department of Justice relating to the investigation of the late Jeffrey Epstein on Jan. 30.

The palace statement began, "The King has made clear, in words and through unprecedented actions, his profound concern at allegations which continue to come to light in respect of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor's conduct. While the specific claims in question are for Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor to address, if we are approached by Thames Valley Police, we stand ready to support them as you would expect."

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"As was previously stated, Their Majesties' thoughts and sympathies have been, and remain with, the victims of any and all forms of abuse," it closed.

The update came after it emerged that the Thames Valley Police was investigating a complaint alleging that Andrewshared confidential informationrelated to his role as a trade envoy with Epstein. The complaint was raised by the anti-monarchy group Republic, and the Thames Valley Police confirmed to theBBCthat it had received the complaint and was assessing whether there were grounds for an investigation.

The former Duke of York, now called Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, served as the U.K.'s special representative for international trade and investment from 2001 to 2011 and allegedly shared confidential documents with Epstein during that time. Andrew's relationship with the American financier and convicted sex offender, who died while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges in August 2019,set his step back from public life in motionlater that year. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.

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In November 2010, Andrew apparently forwarded Epstein anemailcontaining reports from his trips to  Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong and China in his role as a trade envoy. Anotheremailthat Andrew sent Epstein in December 2010 said a "confidential brief" was attached about investment opportunities in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

Confidentiality is expected from the British government's trade envoys. According to the BBC, official guidance about the job stipulates that "the role of a Trade Envoy carries with it a duty of confidentiality in relation to information received. This may include sensitive, commercial, or political information shared about relevant markets/visits."

"This duty of confidentiality will continue to apply after the expiry of their term of office. In addition, the Official Secrets Acts 1911 and 1989 will apply," it said.

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Andrewstepped back from his working royal rolein November 2019 following aBBC Newsnight interviewin which he discussed his ties to Epstein. Queen Elizabeth stripped her son of hismilitary titles and patronagesin January 2022, after a judge rejected his attempt to have Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre'ssexual assault lawsuitagainst him dismissed. Andrew has repeatedly denied Giuffre's allegations andreached a settlementwith her in 2022; she died by suicide at age 41 in April 2025.

In October of last year, Andrew announced that he wasrelinquishing use of his royal titles and honorsbefore the publication of Giuffre's posthumous memoir,Nobody's Girl. The book drew new attention to her allegations that Epstein trafficked her to Andrew and emails leaked in Octoberalso showed that Andrew was in contact with Epsteinafter he had claimed to have ended the relationship.

Later that month, the Kinglaunched the process of removing his brother's royal style, titles and honorsin atransition made officialon Nov. 3.

The latest release of Epstein files has sparked new scrutiny of Andrew and Ferguson's links to the disgraced financier, withPrince William,Kate MiddletonandPrince Edwardall breaking their silence on the Epstein filesin recent days.

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King Charles' Oct. 30 announcement about stripping Andrew's princely title emphasized that he and Queen Camilla "wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse."

The Queen has long made supporting the survivors of sexual and domestic abuse a top priority of her royal work.

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A group of Buddhist monks, a day after completing a108-day Walk for Peacefrom Texas to Washington, walked to Capitol Hill on Wednesday before heading to the Lincoln Memorial to conclude their journey.

The 19 monks and their dog, Aloka, walked 2,300 miles (3,700 kilometers) across several Southern states — sometimes in frigid conditions — drawing large crowds in churchyards, city halls and town squares. The group, with itsmessage of peace, has captured hearts across the nation and globe, earning it millions of online followers.

On Wednesday morning, themonks walked single file, followed by about 100 other monks and nuns who had joined them in Washington. Behind them was a sea of people showing peace signs and marching silently. More than 21,000 people followed the livestream online from around the globe, posting messages in Spanish, Hindi, Thai and Sinhalese.

Crowds cheered and thanked the monks from sidewalks as they walked from George Washington University, where they stopped for the night, to Capitol Hill. Later in the day, they were expected to address a large crowd at the Lincoln Memorial and formally conclude the peace walk. The Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara, who has led the group, will also lead a loving-kindness meditation session at George Washington University.

Pannakara walked barefoot on Wednesday as he waved and smiled at crowds. Several people, including young children, handed flowers to the monks.

On Tuesday, the monks made stops at American University and the Washington National Cathedral for an interfaith conversation where thousands thronged to hear Pannakara speak.

The monk urged those gathered to practice mindfulness every day and cultivate peace in their hearts. He asked them to wake up every morning and intentionally write on a piece of paper the words: Today is going to be my peaceful day.

The monks' trek has had its perils. In November, outside Houston, the group was walking on the side of a highway when their escort vehicle was hit by a truck.Two monks were injured; Venerable Maha Dam Phommasan had his leg amputated. Phommasan, abbot of a temple in Snellville, Georgia, rejoined the monks near Washington and entered American University's arena in a wheelchair and joined the group on their walk to the Capitol.

Peace walks are a cherished tradition in Theravada Buddhism. Some of the monks have walked barefoot or in socks during parts of the journey to feel the ground directly and help them be present in the moment.

The monks practice and teach Vipassana meditation, an ancient Indian technique taught by the Buddha that focuses on breath and the mind-body connection. Pannakara's peace talks, given at stops along the way, have urged listeners to put down their phones and find peace within themselves.

Their return trip should be less arduous. After an appearance at the Maryland State House, a bus will take them back to Texas, where they expect to arrive in downtown Fort Worth early on Saturday.

From there, the monks will walk together again, traversing 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) to the temple where their trip began.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Major US cities overall experienced a steep drop in violent crime last year, according to astatistical analysisreleased by the Major Cities Chiefs Association.

The analysis reflects an overall downward trend in recent years, after violent crime spiked during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to year-end statistics compiled by the FBI through 2024.

The most recentMajor Cities Chiefs Associationsurvey, which was made up of statistics compiled from 67 of 68 responding law enforcement agencies and released earlier in February, shows homicides were down just over 19% last year. The report also showed that robbery was down almost 20%, rape was down almost 9% and aggravated assault was down almost 10% last year compared to 2024, the statistics show.

The report is just the latest crime statistical analysis that shows declines in violent crimes in 2025. It joins areport from the Council on Criminal Justicethat was released in January that also showed steep declines in homicides and other crimes.

The think tank zoomed in on year-end crime statistics from 40 large cities and found that homicides dropped 21% last year when compared to 2024, the largest single-year decline on record. They also project that when the FBI puts out their year-end statistics, the homicide rate will likely be the lowest it's been nationally since 1900.

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Homicides dropped steeply in Chicago, from 587 in 2024 to 417 last year, the data shows. Columbus, Ohio, saw dramatic drops in every category, including rapes, down to 678 last year from 1,116 in 2024. Houston saw a drop in aggravated assault, from 18,590 in 2024 down to 15,378 last year, according to the report. Robberies were down in Los Angeles, from 8,593 in 2024 to 7,278 last year, the records show.

While it's nearly impossible to zero in on any one reason for why murders and other violent crime has dropped nationally in 2025, analysts point to a combination of renewed precision policing tactics that have coupled with advancements in technology, along with preventative measures, such as violence interrupters and the court system getting through backlogs from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite the overall downward trend in homicides and other violent crimes, not all cities were down, according to the statistics from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, made up of police executives who represent the largest cities in the US and Canada.

Boston saw more homicides last year, with 31, up from 24 in 2024. El Paso, Texas, also showed an increase of 30 homicides last year, up from 24 the previous year. Fort Worth, Texas, was up from 75 homicides in 2024 to 81 last year. Suffolk County on Long Island, New York, also saw a jump, from 11 homicides in 2024 to 26 last year, the data shows.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A manatee that got stuck in a Florida storm drain whileseeking warmer watersis now on the mend at SeaWorld Orlando after a large effort to rescue it.

Multiple fire rescue units and officials from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the University of Florida and even Jack's Wrecker Service were brought in Tuesday to get the 410-pound (186-kilogram) sea cow out of the storm drain in Melbourne Beach.

The crews convened on the scene after a worker with Melbourne Beach spotted the manatee, the city's Vice Mayor Terry Cronin told WESH-TV in Orlando.

"We're in the process of improving the storm drain across Melbourne Beach. Our people were doing a survey. And one of the surveyors noticed a manatee in what is called a bethel box." Cronin said.

The male manatee was taken to SeaWorld Orlando, where it is being cared for in one of the park's medical pools, spokesperson Stephanie Bechara said.

"He's breathing on his own, moving independently and showing interest in food. Our teams are adjusting water levels to support buoyancy and comfort as part of his care," Bechara said.

She said they work to stabilize and rehabilitate rescued manatees so they can ultimately be returned to the wild.

The protected species is still recovering from a mass starvation event. In 2021, officials recorded more than1,100 manatee deaths, mostly caused by starvation. The state's Fish and Wildlife agency said the number of deaths were down significantly, with 565 deaths recorded in 2024, and 555 deaths in 2023.

Last year, SeaWorld Orlando rescued 56 manatees and has already taken in seven this year.