Angelina Jolie’s recent appearance with British rapper and activist Akala at the 2024 Venice Film Festival has sparked dating rumors, which sources close to the actress have now refuted.
Jolie, 49, was photographed Wednesday en route to a festival venue with Akala, 40, prompting speculation about a potential romance. However, insiders told TMZ that the two are not dating.
According to these sources, Akala’s girlfriend, Chanelle, was present during the outing but just outside the frame of the widely circulated photographs. The insiders claim that Jolie, Akala, and Chanelle have “known each other for years.”
The sources emphasized that Jolie is currently single and focusing on her family and career. The actress is in Venice to promote her new film “Maria.”
Jolie’s personal life has been a subject of public interest since her high-profile divorce from Brad Pitt in 2016. The actress has largely kept her romantic life private since then, with occasional speculation arising from public appearances.
The Venice Film Festival, running from August 28 to September 7, has drawn numerous celebrities and filmmakers from around the world. Jolie’s presence at the festival underscores her continued prominence in the film industry, both as an actress and director.
As the festival continues, attention is likely to shift back to Jolie’s professional endeavors, particularly her role in “Maria,” which has generated significant buzz in the lead-up to its premiere.
Argentina’s Tomas Etcheverry battled through intense heat and a bout of on-court illness to reach the third round of the US Open on Wednesday, defeating countryman Francisco Cerundolo in a grueling five-set match.
The world No. 33 Etcheverry outlasted 29th-seeded Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 in a contest that lasted over four hours. The match took a dramatic turn when Etcheverry, leading 4-1 in the final set, suddenly vomited on the court.
Temperatures soared above 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) at Flushing Meadows, triggering the tournament’s heat rule. Several players struggled with the conditions, but Etcheverry’s ordeal was particularly visible.
Despite the setback, Etcheverry quickly regrouped. He withstood a three-deuce game from Cerundolo before eventually closing out the match after four hours and four minutes.
“I still have that chip on my shoulder,” Etcheverry had said before the match, recalling a memorable under-10 loss to Cerundolo. “I remember it was a semi-final in Carilo. We were about nine, that’s when we met for the first time.”
The victory marks Etcheverry’s first appearance in the US Open third round. He will face fourth-seeded Alexander Zverev next.
The match highlighted the intense rivalry and long history between the two Argentine players, who have competed against each other from junior levels through professional ranks. Despite past tensions, including a reported altercation at a Futures event, the players embraced at the net after the match.
Etcheverry’s resilience in overcoming both his opponent and the challenging conditions demonstrated the physical and mental demands of Grand Slam tennis.
Former President Donald Trump asked a federal court late Thursday to intervene in his hush money criminal case, seeking to toss his conviction and indefinitely delay sentencing scheduled for next month.
Trump’s lawyers filed a request with the U.S. District Court in Manhattan to take control of the New York City criminal case. They argue the state-level prosecution violated Trump’s constitutional rights and conflicts with the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity.
In May, Trump was convicted in state court in Manhattan on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a payment to suppress affair allegations that threatened his 2016 presidential campaign.
A federal judge previously rejected Trump’s attempt to move the case to federal court last year, allowing the historic trial to proceed in state court.
Thursday’s filing argues that moving the case to federal court post-conviction will provide an “unbiased forum, free from local hostilities” to address these issues. If successful, Trump’s lawyers plan to seek the verdict’s reversal and case dismissal.
“The ongoing proceedings will continue to cause direct and irreparable harm to President Trump — the leading candidate in the 2024 Presidential election — and voters located far beyond Manhattan,” wrote Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which prosecuted the case, has not yet commented on the filing.
This latest legal maneuver comes as Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, faces multiple legal challenges while campaigning for the 2024 election.
New Zealand’s Māori King, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, DIED peacefully at age 69, surrounded by his wife and three children, the Kiingitanga movement announced Friday.
The king, born Tūheitia Paki in 1955, passed away in hospital while recovering from heart surgery, just days after celebrating his 18th coronation anniversary.
Kiingitanga spokesman Rahui Papa said, “The death of Kiingi Tuheitia is a moment of great sadness for followers of Te Kiingitanga, Maaoridom and the entire nation.”
Crowned in 2006 following his mother’s death, King Tuheitia was widely regarded as a unifying figure. He recently called on Māori to stand together against policies targeting them, saying, “Let’s keep pushing forward while we are currently facing a storm, there’s no need to worry. In this storm we are strong.”
The king’s body is expected to lie in state at Turangawaewae Marae, the seat of the Māori king, for five days before being taken to rest on Taupiri Mountain. His successor will be chosen by Kiingitanga leaders and may not be announced until after funeral rites conclude.
The Māori king position, established in 1858, aimed to unify Māori against land loss to British colonizers and preserve Māori culture.
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon praised the king’s “unwavering commitment to his people” and efforts to uphold Kiingitanga values and traditions.
Former Prime Minister Dame Jacinda Ardern said, “You have been an advocate for Māori, for fairness, justice and prosperity.”
King Tuheitia attended King Charles III’s coronation in May 2023 and met him privately. The British monarch expressed profound sadness at Tuheitia’s passing, praising his commitment to forging a strong future for Māori and New Zealand “founded upon culture, traditions and healing.”
King Charles added in Māori, “Kua hinga te tōtara i Te Waonui a Tāne,” meaning “A mighty Totora tree has fallen,” referencing a sacred native tree symbolizing strength.
In 2014, King Tuheitia declined to meet then-Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, citing insufficient time for proper cultural customs during their New Zealand tour.
A former Russian defense official was DETAINED Thursday on FRAUD charges, according to Russian state-run media, marking the latest arrest of a senior military figure in the country.
Pavel Popov, who served as deputy defense minister from 2013 until his dismissal by presidential decree in June 2024, faces up to 10 years in prison if charged and convicted.
The arrest appears to be part of a broader crackdown on abuse of office in the upper echelons of Russia’s military. Popov is the eighth top military figure to be arrested on charges related to bribery, fraud and abuse of office in recent months.
The case against Popov is linked to business activities at Moscow’s Patriot Park, a complex created to foster patriotism among younger Russians, featuring an air base, museums and a Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces.
Popov, who led the park’s development, is accused of renovating his own properties in the Moscow area at the park’s expense and forcing contractors to work for him without payment.
Svetlana Petrenko from Russia’s Investigative Committee told state news outlet Tass that Popov forced Patriot Park contractors to work on “out-of-town apartments without paying for them.”
Investigators are examining Popov’s properties, valued at $5.5 million, to determine if they were acquired legally, Petrenko said.
Nigeria has received its first shipment of mpox vaccines, with 10,000 doses donated by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The delivery comes as the West African nation grapples with 40 confirmed cases of the disease, though no fatalities have been reported.
Dr. Muyi Aina, executive director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), hailed the donation as a “critical step” in Nigeria’s fight against mpox.
“We are aware that the vaccine is not exactly in surplus supply. I believe we’re getting 10,000 of the about 200,000 doses that are available globally,” Aina said in a statement, underscoring the scarcity of the vaccine worldwide.
The Nigerian government has identified five priority states for vaccine distribution: Bayelsa, Edo, Cross-River, Lagos, and one other state yet to be named. These areas are likely chosen based on mpox prevalence or risk factors.
However, the NPHCDA has not yet announced a timeline for vaccine distribution or specified which population groups will be prioritized for immunization. This information is crucial for effective disease control and public health planning.
At the handover ceremony, U.S. Ambassador Richard Mills urged the Nigerian government to bolster its efforts against mpox. “We encourage the Government of Nigeria to continue to mobilize domestic resources to secure more vaccines to combat mpox,” Mills stated, highlighting the need for sustainable, locally-driven health initiatives.
The mpox vaccine donation represents a significant development in Nigeria’s public health landscape. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is endemic in parts of Africa and has seen occasional outbreaks in Nigeria. The disease, characterized by fever and a distinctive rash, can be severe in some cases, making vaccination an important preventive measure.
This donation is part of broader international efforts to control the global spread of mpox, which gained increased attention following outbreaks in non-endemic countries in 2022. For Nigeria, a country with a population of over 200 million, the 10,000 doses mark a start in vaccination efforts, though more will be needed for comprehensive coverage.
Israeli army members operate in an area given as Tulkarm, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in this screengrab taken from a handout video released on August 28, 2024. Israeli Army Handout/Handout via REUTERS
Israeli forces killed a local commander of the Iranian-backed Islamic Jihad movement and four other militants Thursday in a fierce gunbattle at a mosque in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, marking one of the largest military operations in the occupied territory in recent months.
The Israeli military identified the slain commander as Muhhamad Jabber, known as Abu Shujaa, head of a militant network in the adjacent Nur Shams refugee camp. The killings occurred during what the military described as a “significant exchange of fire” around the Abu Ubaida mosque in Tulkarm.
Islamic Jihad’s Tulkarm division confirmed Jabber’s death, bringing the total Palestinian casualties to 17 over the past two days of intense Israeli operations.
The large-scale military action began early Wednesday, with hundreds of Israeli troops supported by helicopters, drones, and armored personnel carriers sweeping into the flashpoint cities of Tulkarm, Jenin, and areas in the Jordan Valley.
In Jenin, Israeli bulldozers pushed through empty, debris-strewn streets as drones buzzed overhead. Troops searched ambulances and restricted access to the city’s main hospital, reportedly to prevent militants from seeking refuge there.
The operation has drawn international concern. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called Israel’s actions “deeply concerning” and urged an immediate halt to the violence.
Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, defended the operation, stating its goal was “preventing Iranian terror-by-proxy that would harm Israeli civilians.”
The West Bank has seen escalating clashes since Israel’s war with Hamas began in Gaza nearly 11 months ago. Palestinian tallies indicate over 660 people, both combatants and civilians, have been killed in the territory. Some deaths have been attributed to attacks by Jewish settlers.
Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz characterized the situation as “a war in every sense” that Israel “must win.” He accused Iran of attempting to destabilize Jordan and establish an eastern front against Israel, similar to its actions in Gaza and Lebanon.
Katz suggested that addressing this threat might require “all necessary means,” including temporary evacuation of civilians from combat areas to prevent harm – a tactic that has caused widespread displacement and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Amnesty International warned that the intensified Israeli operations in the West Bank could lead to increased forced displacement, destruction of infrastructure, and measures of “collective punishment,” which the organization views as pillars of what it terms Israel’s “system of apartheid.”
Israel denies allegations of collective punishment or apartheid in the West Bank, asserting that its actions aim solely to combat armed Palestinian militants threatening its security.
The current wave of Israeli-Palestinian violence traces back to October 7, when Hamas militants from Gaza attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 and taking over 250 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 40,500 Palestinians, according to local health officials, and caused extensive destruction across the enclave.
As tensions continue to escalate, the international community watches closely, with growing concerns about the potential for further regional destabilization and the mounting humanitarian toll of the conflict.
Federal agents intercepted $6 million worth of cocaine and arrested two men from the Dominican Republic in waters south of Puerto Rico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said Thursday.
The operation, conducted on Wednesday, resulted in the seizure of more than 660 pounds (300 kilograms) of cocaine from a boat traveling south of the U.S. territory.
This latest interception marks another significant drug bust in the waters surrounding Puerto Rico this year. In July, federal agents confiscated $4.6 million worth of cocaine west of the island.
Puerto Rico continues to be a key transit point for drug smuggling operations targeting the U.S. mainland and other countries.
The ongoing seizures highlight the persistent challenges faced by law enforcement in curbing drug trafficking in the Caribbean. U.S. authorities maintain vigilant patrols in the region’s waters as part of broader efforts to disrupt narcotics supply chains.
Details about the identities of the arrested individuals or their legal status were not immediately available. The investigation into this latest seizure is ongoing.
Kylian Mbappé’s search for his first Spanish league goal continues as Real Madrid was held to a 1-1 draw at Las Palmas on Thursday.
The French superstar, Madrid’s marquee signing, has yet to find the net in La Liga this season. His lone goal for the club came in the UEFA Super Cup victory against Atalanta earlier this month.
Vinicius Junior salvaged a point for the defending champions, converting a 69th-minute penalty after a handball in the area. It was the Brazilian’s first league goal of the campaign.
Las Palmas had taken a surprise lead just five minutes into the match. Alberto Moleiro weaved past several defenders before scoring from inside the box.
The result leaves Madrid with five points from three matches, having drawn their opener 1-1 at Mallorca before a 3-0 win over Valladolid.
Barcelona currently leads the league as the only team with three wins from three games, following their 2-1 victory at Rayo Vallecano on Tuesday.
In other La Liga action, Girona secured their first win of the season with a commanding 4-0 home victory against Osasuna. Bryan Gil opened the scoring in the first half, with Viktor Tsygankov, Abel Ruiz, and Cristhian Stuani adding goals after the break.
The win marks a turnaround for Girona, last season’s surprise third-place finishers, after opening their campaign with a draw and a loss. Osasuna, meanwhile, had previously recorded a draw and a win.
Chelsea secured their place in the UEFA Conference League group stage Thursday night, progressing with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Swiss side Servette despite suffering a surprising 2-1 defeat in the second leg.
The Premier League club, carrying a 2-0 advantage from the first leg at Stamford Bridge, extended their lead early through Christopher Nkunku’s penalty. However, Servette mounted a comeback with goals from Jeremy Guillemenot and Enzo Crivelli, creating a tense finish to the playoff round tie.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca made significant changes to his starting lineup, retaining only Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Noni Madueke from the weekend’s Premier League victory.
Nkunku, who converted from the spot after Mudryk was fouled in the box, impressed throughout the match. However, many of his teammates struggled to make an impact. Servette equalized before halftime when Guillemenot finished a counterattack initiated by Dereck Kutesa.
The second half saw few clear opportunities until Crivelli’s 76th-minute header put Servette ahead on the night and within one goal of forcing extra time. Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson had a late goal disallowed for offside, while Cole Palmer struck the crossbar in the closing stages.
Servette pushed for a decisive goal in six minutes of added time, with Timothe Cognat narrowly missing a chance to level the aggregate score.
The result sees Chelsea progress to the aptly named ‘league phase’ of the Conference League, Europe’s third-tier competition, despite the setback in Geneva. The draw for the next round is scheduled for Friday.
Player performance varied significantly for Chelsea, with Nkunku standing out positively while others failed to meet expectations. A full player ratings breakdown is expected to follow, highlighting individual contributions and areas for improvement as the Blues continue their European campaign.
