LONDON (AP) — Britain and Mauritius are finalizing a deal to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, a disputed U.K. territory that is home to a major U.S. military base, the U.K. government said Tuesday.
The government signaled that President Donald Trump’s administration, which was consulted on the deal, has given its approval and no further action is needed from the U.S.
“We are working with the Mauritian government to finalize and sign the treaty,” said Tom Wells, a spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “Once signed it will be laid before both houses of Parliament for scrutiny and for ratification.”
Britain and Mauritius have been negotiating a deal for the U.K. to hand over the Indian Ocean archipelago, which is home to a strategically important naval and bomber base on the largest of the islands, Diego Garcia. The U.K. would then lease back the base for at least 99 years.
But the deal has faced criticism from the opposition Conservative Party and from some allies of Trump. Last year the now-Secretary of State Marco Rubio said it posed “a serious threat” to U.S. national security.
Trump indicated during a visit to Washington by Starmer in February that he would support the deal, saying: “I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well.”
Britain split the islands away from Mauritius, a former British colony, in 1965, three years before Mauritius gained independence, and called the Chagos archipelago the British Indian Ocean Territory.
In the 1960s and 1970s Britain evicted up to 2,000 people from the islands so the U.S. military could build the Diego Garcia base.
Mauritius has long contested Britain’s claim to the archipelago and in recent years the United Nations and its top court have urged Britain to return the Chagos to Mauritius.
Britain agreed to do so in a draft deal in October, but that has been delayed by a change of government in Mauritius and reported quarrels over how much the U.K. should pay for the lease of the Diego Garcia air base.
The Chagos islanders, many of whom relocated to Britain, say they were not consulted over the agreement. Under the draft deal, a resettlement fund would be created to help displaced islanders move back to the islands, apart from Diego Garcia. Details of any such measures remain unclear.
Two Chagossian women are seeking to take the U.K. government to court over the issue. Bernadette Dugasse and Bertrice Pompe, both British citizens, fear it will become even harder to go back to live where they were born once Mauritius takes control of the islands.
FILE - This image released by the U.S. Navy shows an aerial view of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Island group. (U.S. Navy via AP, File)
TORONTO (AP) — LeBron James knew his record streak of double-digit scoring efforts was in jeopardy. And in the moment, he didn't care.
The right play was to pass the ball — so he did. And with that, his streak ended.
James' run of 1,297 consecutive double-digit regular-season scoring efforts ended Thursday night, when the NBA’s career points leader was held to eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 123-120 win over the Toronto Raptors. He had the game-winning assist, setting up Rui Hachimura's 3-pointer as time expired.
Afterward, he was asked what thoughts he had about the streak ending.
“None,” James said. “We won.”
James could have tried to win the game — and extend the streak — on the final possession, but he instead passed to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura connected, and James threw his hands in the air in celebration.
“Just playing the game the right way. You always make the right play,” James said. “That's just been my M.O. That's how I was taught the game. I've done that my whole career.”
“LeBron is acutely aware of how many points he has at that point,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He did it like he's done so many times.”
James checked back into the game for the final time Thursday with 5:23 left, the outcome and the streak hanging in the balance. He had six points on 3-of-15 shooting at that point.
He scored with 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that would have gotten him to double digits.
He didn’t take another shot — but could have. Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James opted to make the pass instead.
“The basketball gods, if you do it the right way, they tend to reward you,” Redick said.
James’ streak started on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far, the longest such streak in NBA history: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run at 575.
“He’s such an unselfish player,” Lakers center Jake LaRavia said. “He’s just playing the game of basketball. He had the opportunity but because of the player he is and just who he is as a person, he made the unselfish play, passed it to Rui and we won the game.”
It was usually an afterthought long before the start of fourth quarters. During James’ streak, he had reached the 10-point mark by the start of the fourth quarter 1,266 times entering Thursday.
But two of those single-digit games through three quarters had come in the last week or so: He had nine points going into the fourth against Dallas on Nov. 28, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night.
James managed to extend the streak against the Suns. One game later, it was done — and he celebrated anyway.
“I always just make the right play. That's automatic, win, lose or draw,” James said. “You make the right play, the game gods are always giving back to me.”
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Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (right) drives to the basket as Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) defends during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, is guarded by Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes (4) during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)
