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KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Drought conditions have left over 2 million people facing hunger in parts of Kenya, with cattle-keeping communities in the northeast the hardest hit, according to the United Nations and others.

APTOPIX Kenya Drought

In recent weeks, images of emaciated livestock in the arid area near the Somali border have shocked many in a region that reels fromthe effects of climate change.

In recent years, rainy seasons have become shorter for some communities, exposing them to drought. Normally, animals are the first to die.

The livestock losses echo what happenedbetween 2020 and 2023, when millions of animals died in the region that extends from Kenya into parts of Ethiopia and Somalia. At the time, a famine predicted for Somalia was averted by a surge in international aid.

Four consecutive wet seasons have failed in parts of the Horn of Africa, which juts into the Indian Ocean.

The wet season from October to December was one of the driest ever recorded, according to the U.N. health agency. Because the rains were brief, parts of eastern Kenya were the driest they have been during that season since 1981.

Some 10 counties in Kenya are experiencing drought conditions, according to the National Drought Management Authority.

The northeastern county of Mandera, bordering Somalia, has reached the "alarm" classification, which means critical water shortages have led to the death of livestock and the wasting of children.

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The suffering extends into Somalia, Tanzania and even Uganda, where many are threatened by similar weather patterns and water shortages, the World Health Organization said in late January.

In southern Somalia, an assessment by the Islamic Relief aid group found "shocking food shortages as families flee the region's worsening drought."

In Somalia, long vulnerable to drought conditions, over 3 million people have left their homes, seeking shelter in camps for the internally displaced.

But support is not enough, with 70% of the internally displaced in the city of Baidoa surviving on one meal a day or less, Islamic Relief said in a statement, adding that children in the camps are "showing visible signs of malnutrition and wasting."

Experts say much of what's happening is due to climate change.

The Indian Ocean has become warmer, feeding some of the more destructive tropical storms in recent years. At the same time, drought conditions have become longer, more intense and more severe.

All of that is devastating for Africans whose economic mainstay is rain-fed agriculture, making them vulnerable to extreme weather. Many farmers say increasing temperatures deny livestock pasture and kill their crops.

Africa is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events because it is less equipped to prepare for natural disasters. Despite contributing only 3% to 4% of global emissions,according to the U.N., the continent is one of the most exposed to the effects of climate change.

Feb 9 (Reuters) -Artificial intelligenceis shaking up industries from software and law to entertainment and education. And as physicians like Dr. Cem Aksoy are learning, it's posing special challenges in medicine as patients tap AI for advice.

Aksoy, a medical resident at a hospital in Ankara, Turkey, says an 18-year-old patient and his family recently panicked after the young man was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on his left leg. They turned toOpenAI's ChatGPT. The ​bot said he might survive only five years.

It was wrong: A plastic surgeon successfully removed the tumor in July. "He was essentially cured after the operation," Aksoy said.

But a few weeks later, the patient called Aksoy on the verge of tears. "He said, 'I ‌started coughing recently, and ChatGPT told me it could possibly be metastasis to my lungs,'" meaning the cancer had spread, the doctor recalled. The patient said he needed to write a will. It turned out his lungs were fine. He was coughing because he'd recently started smoking.

"When someone is distressed and unguided," Aksoy said, an AI chatbot "just ‌drags them into this forest of knowledge without coherent context."

A spokesperson for OpenAI said its newest models have significantly improved how they handle health questions. ChatGPT isn't intended as a substitute for a medical professional's guidance, the company said.

The young Turkish patient's encounter with AI-dispensed medical wisdom comes as many patients around the world are turning to the technology for advice. In addition to the big ask-me-anything chatbots, consumers are turning to a slew of new, AI-powered consumer medical apps.

'BECOME YOUR OWN DOCTOR'

A growing number of mobile apps available on theAppleand Google app stores claim to use AI to assist patients with their medical complaints – even though they're not supposed to offer diagnoses.

Under U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines, AI-based medical apps don't require approval if they "are intended generally for patient education, and are not intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions." ⁠Many apps have disclaimers that they aren't a diagnostic tool and shouldn't be used as a ‌substitute for a physician. Some developers seem to be stretching the limits.

An app called "Eureka Health: AI Doctor" touted itself as "Your all-in-one personal health companion." It stated on Apple's App Store that it was "FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY" and "does not diagnose or treat disease."

But its developer, Sam Dot Co, also promoted the app on a website, where it stated in big letters: "Become your own doctor."

"Ask, diagnose, treat," the site stated. "Our AI doesn't just diagnose – ‍it connects you to prescriptions, lab orders, and real-world care."

Apple said that after learning about Eureka Health from Reuters, it removed it from its app store. Apple's guidelines for developers states that medical apps "must clearly disclose data and methodology to support accuracy claims."

App developer Sam Dot didn't respond to a request for comment. But the website changed after Reuters inquired about it. The site no longer mentions the app.

In some cases, apps have given inaccurate and potentially dangerous advice.

"AI Dermatologist: Skin Scanner" says on its website that it has more than 940,000 users and "has the same accuracy as a professional dermatologist." Users can upload ​photos of moles and other skin conditions, and AI provides an "instant" risk assessment. "AI Dermatologist can save your life," the site claims.

Its Lithuania-based developer, Acina, says the app uses "a proprietary neural network" that looks for patterns to make predictions. Acina says it was trained on ‌dermatological images to recognize specific skin conditions.

DERMATOLOGY APP CLAIMS '97% ACCURACY'

The app claims "over 97% accuracy." But it has drawn hundreds of one-star reviews on app stores, and many users complain it's inaccurate.

Daniel Thiberge, a tech-support analyst in New Jersey, told Reuters that he bought the app to interpret seven pictures he snapped of a small growth on his arm. Six results showed there was a "75%-95%" risk it was cancerous, he said. He then went to a dermatologist. The doctor told him the growth didn't look problematic in any way, and it wasn't worth doing a biopsy.

"If it's completely, wildly off, what is the purpose of the app?" Thiberge asked. At best it's useless, he said. "At worst, it's dangerous, because you may not go see a dermatologist."

In another review on the Apple App Store, a user wrote that to test the app, she uploaded photos showing she had melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer, that had been diagnosed and surgically removed. But the app reported that the condition was "benign," wrote the user. She told Reuters that she fears "some people will trust it and delay doctor visits."

Reuters didn't independently confirm ⁠the app users' experiences. Acina said it couldn't verify them. It told Reuters that AI Dermatologist's "purpose is not to provide a medical diagnosis, but to offer ​a preliminary analysis using AI technology to encourage users to consult a professional."

"Our AI models are built upon dermatological literature and carefully curated datasets that were selected and ​validated by board-certified dermatologists," it said, adding that "false positives can happen with any AI system."

A DOCTOR WORRIES ABOUT APPS' ACCURACY

The company said its AI has received many positive online reviews, including "where users thank us because the app prompted them to check a mole or lesion early – in some cases leading to timely medical attention."

Apple said it removed the app from its App Store after learning about it from Reuters, in part because of the ‍numerous customer complaints.

Google also removed AI Dermatologist from its Google Play store ⁠after Reuters called attention to the app. "Google Play prohibits apps from offering misleading or harmful health functionality and requires regulatory proof or a disclaimer for apps offering medical functionality," the spokesman said.

But the app is back on the market. Google recently reinstated it after Acina revised it. Google said suspended apps can return if they're updated with a "compliant version."

Acina said it "clarified more explicitly that the app is not a medical device," doesn't provide diagnoses, and that users should consult healthcare professionals.

Apple also briefly reinstated it, ⁠but then removed it again last week. According to Acina, Apple told it that "upon re-evaluation," it determined this: "The app provides medical related data, health related measurements, diagnoses or treatment advice without the appropriate regulatory clearance." Acina said it is appealing the removal.

Dr. Rachel Draelos, a physician, computer scientist and consultant in AI healthcare, says AI-powered ‌medical apps are worrisome, particularly in dermatology. "I'm very concerned by it because properly identifying skin things is really hard," she told Reuters. There are thousands of skin conditions, and "there's no way that all of these apps actually have a ‌dataset that covers all these things."

(By Steve Stecklow. Additional reporting by Hannah Woodworth. Design and graphics by John Emerson. Edited by Michael Williams.)

HONG KONG (AP) — The sentencing of Hong Kong's onetime media magnateJimmy Laion Monday raised concerns from foreign governments and rights groups, but Chinese and Hong Kong authorities defended it, saying it reflected the spirit of the rule of law.

Hong Kong Jimmy Lai

Lai, a 78-year-old prominent democracy advocate, wassentencedto 20 years in prison after beingfound guiltyin December of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiring with others to publish seditious articles. His co-defendants, who entered guilty pleas to the collusion-related charge, received prison terms ranging between six years and three months, and 10 years.

Some foreign governments and rights groups called for the release of the British citizen. But China's Foreign Ministry said Lai is a Chinese citizen, and urged other countries to respect its sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong.

Here's what they said:

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said her country's government is gravely concerned by the sentences handed down to Lai and his co-defendants, saying its thoughts are with their family members and supporters at this difficult time.

Wong said the prosecutions have had a chilling effect on free speech in Hong Kong. She called on China to stop suppression on freedom of expression, media and civil society, as well as repealing the security law, under which Lai was convicted.

U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said Lai was sentenced for exercising his right to freedom of expression after a "politically motivated prosecution." She was concerned for Lai's health and called on the Hong Kong authorities to release him on humanitarian grounds so that he may be reunited with his family.

"For the 78-year-old, this is tantamount to a life sentence," she said, adding that her government will "rapidly engage further" on the case.

In Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a daily briefing that Lai is a Chinese citizen, calling him a major planner and participant in a series of anti-China destabilizing activities in Hong Kong.

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Lin said the judicial cases are purely Hong Kong's internal affairs, urging "relevant countries" to avoid interfering in Hong Kong's judicial affairs or China's internal affairs.

Beijing's office in Hong Kong affairs said Lai's sentence reflected Hong Kong's determination in safeguarding national security and demonstrated the spirit of the rule of law.

Hong Kong leader John Lee said Lai's crimes are heinous and that he had used Apple Daily to "poison" residents and incite hatred. He said Lai deserved the sentence because he openly asked for foreign sanctions against China as well as Hong Kong and harmed their interests.

"His heavy sentence of 20 years in prison demonstrated the rule of law, upheld justice, and brought great satisfaction to the people," he said in a statement.

Taiwan's mainland affairs council condemned the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for suppressing human rights in the name of national security, urging for Lai's release. It reminded Taiwanese people to take Hong Kong's painful experience as a warning to safeguard its hard-won free way of life.

Rights groups

Amnesty International said the sentence marked "another grim milestone" for Hong Kong.

"Imprisoning a 78-year-old man for doing nothing more than exercising his rights shows a complete disregard for human dignity," Sarah Brooks, Amnesty's deputy regional director, said.

Reporters Without Borders' Director General Thibaut Bruttin said the court decision underscores the complete collapse of press freedom in Hong Kong and the authorities' contempt for independent journalism.

"We have already witnessed press freedom defender Liu Xiaobo die in prison due to insufficient international pressure. We cannot allow Jimmy Lai to suffer a similar fate," he said.

Prince William and Kate Middletonhave spoken out about theJeffrey Epstein caseamid new evidence that Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was linked to the late child predator.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are "deeply concerned" about the scandal, they said during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

Epstein, who was found lifeless in his jail cell in 2019, was convicted of procuring a child for pr*stitution in 2008.

William and Kate have addressed the Jeffrey Epstein scandal amid mounting pressure for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to testify

Image credits:Samir Hussein/Getty Images

He was arrested again in 2019 on federal charges related to the s*x trafficking of minors in Florida and New York.

His associate, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who recruited underage girls for him, was found guilty of child s*x trafficking in 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

The unsealed documents related to the case, known as the "Epstein files," have drawn attention due to the late criminal's elite social circle, which included politicians and celebrities.

Image credits:Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Among the financier's friends was Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor—formerly Prince Andrew—the younger brother of King Charles.

In photos recently released by the US Justice Department,Andrew could be seen on all fours, kneeling over an unidentified girl who was lying on the floor.

While they did not name Andrew, a spokesperson for the royal family in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, addressed the Epstein scandal on Monday (February 9).

Andrew, who is William's uncle, was stripped of his royal titles after photo and email evidence proved his links to Epstein

Image credits:House Committee on Oversight

"I can confirm the Prince and Princess of Wales have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations," they stated.

"Their thoughts remain focused on the victims."

Similarly, last October,King Charlesand his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, voiced their support for Epstein and Maxwell's victims.

"Their Majesties 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 ab*se," Buckingham Palace said.

Image credits:Wiktor Szymanowicz/Getty Images

Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, who is Charles and Andrew's brother, was asked about the case during a press Q&A at the World Governments Summit in Dubai last week.

Edward began by suggesting that the audience was likely not "the least bit interested" in the issue, given that he was there to discuss education policy. Still, he added, "I think it's really important to always remember the victims and who are the victims in all of this."

Andrew was stripped of his royal titles in October following increased scrutiny over his links to Epstein. He was alsomoved out of his homein Windsor to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk.

The disgraced royal is accused of forcing Virginia Giuffre, an underage woman recruited by Epstein, to sleep with him

Image credits:Davidoff Studios/Getty Images

In his 2019 bombshell interview withBBC Newsnight, the former prince claimed that he last saw Epstein in New York in December 2010 to tell the disgraced financier he was breaking off the friendship.

However, emails unsealed by the US Justice Department show that he kept in touch with the criminal after that period and after Epstein became a convicted s*x offender.

In an email dated February 9, 2011, Andrew suggested that Epstein invest in a private equity firm he had visited a week before.

Image credits:Department of Justice

The emails also show that Andrew attended a celebrity dinner at Epstein's multimillion-dollar Manhattan townhouse with Woody Allen and his wife Soon-Yi, TV presenters Katie Couric and George Stephanopoulos, comedian Chelsea Handler, and talk show host Charlie Rose.

The 65-year-old has been accused byVirginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent victims of Epstein's trafficking ring, of forcing her to sleep with him on three occasions when she was underage.

Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Giuffre, who took her own life last year, claimed that Andrew was aware she was underage when they were introduced.

Andrew has denied all of Giuffre's accusations and stressed that he does not recall ever meeting her. In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre, reportedly for £12 million.

"I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever,"the king's brothertold theBBCin his 2019 interview.

Asked about a photograph that shows him with his hand around Giuffre, he said he had "no recollection of the photograph ever being taken" and added that "nobody can prove whether or not that photograph has been doctored."

King Charles, Andrew's older brother, expressed his support for Epstein's "victims and survivors"

Image credits:Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

A day after the photograph was published in the British press, Andrew emailed Epstein saying, "It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it… Otherwise keep in close touch and we'll play some more soon!!!!" the DOJ documents show.

Giuffre said she met the financier and his co-conspirator while working as a spa attendant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in 2000. Afterward, Maxwell recruited her as a masseuse.

In 2019, the late activist, who was the first of Epstein's victims to give up her anonymity, told theBBCthat she was "passed around like a platter of fruit" to Epstein's friends after being recruited by Maxwell.

"They seemed like nice people, so I trusted them," Giuffre said, adding that she had confided in the pair about people taking advantage of her in the past.

"That was the worst thing I could have told them, because now they knew how vulnerable I was."

She said that, after being hired by Epstein, she wasbrought on a trip to Londonto meet Andrew.

"Maxwell woke me up that morning by announcing in a sing-songy voice: 'Get out of bed, sleepyhead!' It was going to be a special day, she said. Just like Cinderella, I was going to meet a handsome prince!" reads an excerpt from Giuffre's posthumous memoir,Nobody's Girl.

Image credits:Department of Justice

A man named Tony Figueroa testified that, when he was 19, Epstein and Maxwell paid him $200 for each girl he found and drove to the financier's mansion to provide "massages." He said he often recruited girls from his high school.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US lawmakers have called for Andrew to testify before the US Congress about his links to the child predator.

"In terms of testifying, I have always said anybody who has got information should be prepared to share that information," Starmer told reporters. "You can't be victim-centred if you're not prepared to do that. Epstein's victims have to be the first priority."

Several people criticized the royal family, arguing that their response to Andrew's alleged crimes came suspiciously late

NEED TO KNOW

• Hoda Kotb co-anchored the Today show on Monday, Feb. 9, as the search for Savannah Guthrie's missing mother continues

• Kotb joined Craig Melvin on the NBC morning show, sharing that she was "happy" to be there for Guthrie

• Savannah's 84-year-old mother, Nancy, has been missing for more than a week as authorities believe she was abducted

Hoda Kotbis rejoining herTodayshow family inSavannah Guthrie's continued absence.

The 61-year-old formerTodayco-host returned to the NBC morning show on Monday, Feb. 9, on the anchor desk alongsideCraig Melvinas the search for Savannah's mother,Nancy Guthrie, continues.

"You know what, Craig? We always talk about our show as a family. We are a family," Kotb shared on Monday morning. "I'm part of the family. I'm happy to be with you because we show up for each other."

It was previously announced thatKotb was forgoing her trip to Milan, Italy, to cover the Winter Olympics for NBC. Melvin and Savannah were both supposed to attend the winter games, and have since pulled out.

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Later in the broadcast, theTodayco-hosts discussed how they have been moving forward with the show while Savannah and her family are going through such a public crisis.

"Hoda's joining us this morning as ourTodayfamily continues to navigate uncharted territory balancing the updates on the search for Savannah's mom with all the other stories of the day like we normally do but we know things are far from normal right now," Melvin noted. "So, folks, we are asking for your grace as we continue to do this."

Kotb added, "Paramount through all of this, Savannah and her family are our top priority in addition to that, there is also a job to do," adding that the show's "thoughts and prayers are with [Savannah] 24/7."

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Al Roker told viewers that the team at Today knows their approach is "exactly what Savannah would actually want us to do."

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Kotb exited theTodayshowin January 2025 after co-hosting the news desk opposite Savannah starting in 2017. Kotb stepped back to spend more time with her daughtersHaley, 9, and Hope, 6,and to focus on her wellness app, Joy 101.

Savannah remains in Arizona more than a week into the search for her missing 84-year-old mother, Nancy. Authorities believe that Nancy was abducted from her home, but have been unable to name any suspects in the case.

Savannah Guthrie/Instagram

Over the weekend, Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Camron,shared a new video,telling the presumed abductor that they received a second ransom note and were willing to pay.

"We beg you now to return our mother to us so we can celebrate with her," Savannah said in the emotional video. "This is the only way we can have peace. This is very valuable to us and we will pay."

The FBI has now become involved in the search, urging anyone with tips or leads to call 1-800-CALL-FBI in addition to the Pima County Sheriff's Office number, 520-351-4900.

Read the original article onPeople

Nick Jonas opened up about how his faith was tested after being "betrayed" by his longtime church and losing his family's home during his early rise to fame.

When Nick, 33, and his brothers Kevin, 38, and Joe, 36, first began pursuing music careers in the early 2000s, their father, Kevin Jonas Sr., was the senior pastor at the Wyckoff Assembly of God church in Wyckoff, New Jersey.

Shortly after the trio formed theboy bandthe Jonas Brothers and signed with Columbia Records in 2005, Kevin Sr. was effectively forced to resign from his pastoral role and the family had to move out of their church-owned home.

During a recent appearance on the "Jay Shetty Podcast," Nick reflected on the circumstances behind his family's departure from their church and how it marked a turning point in his faith and personal life.

Nick Jonas Went To Therapy After Bad Country Music Award Show Performance

"Our dad was at that church for 10 years," he said. "It was a real safety net for us and a place where we felt a part of a community."

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"Some of the families that were there prior to our arrival did not like my dad and made it their mission to get him pushed out of the church," Jonas recalled. "So effectively, he lost his job while also funding this dream of ours."

"We had to move out of our home because we were living in the church parsonage, which is owned by the church," he explained. "We moved into basically a little house in a place calledLittle Falls, New Jersey. The owners of the home were kind enough to let us rent it from them for basically nothing while we were in this transitional period."

Justin Bieber Says Faith In Jesus Healed Him After Music Industry 'Didn't Always Protect My Soul'

Nick recalled that at around the same time, the Jonas Brothers had embarked on a small high-school tour in New Jersey to promote their music. During this period, the "Levels" singer said that he began to experience health issues, and he was eventually diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

"We would show up at 8 a.m., load in our own gear, and play a 30-minute assembly," he said. "Around this time, I'm starting to lose weight. I'm thirsty all the time. I'm using the bathroom all the time. I kind of just thought it was a growth spurt or that I was just going through puberty. Obviously, it wasn't that. It was a diabetes diagnosis."

Additionally, Nick revealed that his family was facing enormous financial strain at the time. In 2006, the Jonas Brothers released their debut album "It's About Time" but Columbia Records declined to continue their deal with the band after the record failed to meet sales expectations.

"We got dropped after our first album came out and we were hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, credit card debt, money that we did not have because there's no money in in ministry really," he said. "We had to sort of figure something out."

Nick admitted that he began to experience doubts about his faith due to the convergence of his personal and professional challenges, along with feeling abandoned by his church.

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"It all kind of collided at the same time, and you look up and life just looked very different," Nick recalled. "It took a lot of faith, and even questioning faith at that time, going from the safety net of the church to all of a sudden being sort of betrayed by them and having to redefine yourrelationship with Godwhile going through some of your toughest moments."

However, the Jonas Brothers' fortunes began to change when they were signed by another major label in 2007.

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"Thankfully, we got a call from Hollywood Records, which is, you know, under the Disney umbrella," he said.  "And a couple weeks later, they had us on the Disney Channel, and things just started going."

Looking back, Nick explained that though he struggled with institutional religion after leaving his former church, he didn't lose his belief in God, and he believes that working through those questions ultimately helped him grow.

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"Throughout those years following our exit from the church, I really questioned faith and what relationship I would have toorganized religionat all, which is something that I can say now knowing that my relationship with my God is totally intact and that my belief is totally intact," he said.

"And I think it's important for everyone to go on that journey of self-discovery."

Original article source:Nick Jonas 'questioned faith' after church forced family out of home during early fame

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegalese police arrested 14 suspects in a criminal network allegedly run by a French citizen that sexually exploited children in the West African country.

The suspected ringleader and French national, Pierre Robert, was arrested in France last April, police said in a statement on Sunday. Police said the network had been operating since 2017.

The charges against the 14, all Senegalese nationals, include "child rape, pimping, acts against nature and the deliberate transmission of HIV," the police said in a statement Sunday. The group allegedly forced boys to have unprotected sex, often with HIV positive men, and filmed them.

Four of the suspects are accused of acting as "sex trainers" and allegedly admitted carrying out the abuse in exchange for money transfers from Robert, according to the police.

It was not immediately clear how many children fell victim to the group.

The arrests, following a joint investigation involving Senegalese and French authorities, were carried out in coordinated raids at the suspects' homes in Dakar and in Kaolack, about 200 kilometers (124 miles) southeast of the capital.

Senegal has strict laws against sexual abuse of children, with prison sentences raging from five to 10 years for offenses involving children under 16. But limited police resources, lack of staff and gaps in judicial follow-through have hampered enforcement of child protection laws, Human Rights Watch said in a 2018 report.