feud

TAYLOR Swift and Blake Lively’s feud has taken a new turn with the latter ‘threatening to release intimate texts’.

The pair’s friendship had seemingly started to unravel in the last few years and came to a head when Blake was left off Taylor and Travis Kelce’s Superbowl guest list.

Back in 2024, Blake made an appearance alongside the singer in a VIP suite for the Superbowl. 

Clips from the night went viral but when the Kansas City Chiefs returned for the championship game in 2025, Blake was nowhere to be seen. 

It’s now been claimed that the actress was left ‘livid’ and ‘humiliated’ by being left off the guest list. 

Sources have reported to The Daily Mail, that Blake allegedly demanded through her legal team that Taylor create a post on social media detailing how much she regretted that Blake couldn’t join her. 

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The message was reportedly to read along the lines of: “So sad, my bestie couldn’t come to the Super Bowl”.

This was to give the impression that there was no ongoing feud between the pair and to explain away Blake’s absence.  

After the songstress refused a ‘threat’ was allegedly made by the Gossip Girl alum that she would expose ‘ten years’ worth of private and intimate messages to the public.

The conversations touch on Taylor’s high profile romances and other personal exchanges.

“It was the ultimate blow to their friendship,” the source said. 

“The threat to expose Taylor’s most intimate confidences unless she posted something to explain why Blake was missing at the Super Bowl was outrageous.

“There was no going back from that.”

Michael Gottlieb, Lively’s attorney, denied that any threat occurred, stating: “This is categorically false. We unequivocally deny all of these so-called allegations, which are cowardly sourced to supposed anonymous sources, and completely untethered from reality.”

The BFFs’ close bond took a hit in 2024 after Taylor got dragged into Blake’s lawsuit against her It Ends with Us co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.

Blake alleged that Justin, 41, sexually harassed her on the set of the film, in which they played love interests, and pushed for a retaliatory smear campaign.

However, the legal drama didn’t just remain between the former co-stars, as numerous other big names were pulled into their messy beef.

Taylor couldn’t escape the court battle, as Justin allegedly accused Blake of using her friendship with the billionaire performer to exert control over the film.

In January, texts between Taylor and Blake were unsealed, in which they discussed the toll the film took on the Gossip Girl alum and how it affected their friendship.

The pair became friends in 2015 and Blake’s children James, Inez and Betty have even provided a voice cameo for Taylor’s song Gorgeous. 

But as their fallout has continued Taylor, who is the children’s godmother, has had to allegedly ‘remove herself’ from the role.

Sources to The Daily Mail had said that: “It was one of the toughest decisions she’s ever had to make”

“It was very emotional because she loves the girls. It hurt her heart, but she had no choice given the circumstances.”

The decision was reportedly made a few months ago considering there was no written agreement about being the girls’ godmother.

OLYMPIC hero Adam Ramsay-Peaty wants to reconcile with his estranged family following their bitter bust-up.

Adam, 31, who is married to telly chef Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Holly, 26, said: “For me, as a Christian, there has to be forgiveness.”

He added, however, that he needs to feel his family have “improved as people” before they can make up.

The fall-out started in 2024 after a row over engagement party invites.

Adam’s mum Caroline, his brothers and aunt were then barred from his and Holly’s December wedding.

The tearful star blamed the feud in part for his poor performance in the pool at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, which end today.

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Triple Olympic champion Adam got two individual bronzes and a silver in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.

He told The Guardian: “It’s hard because I know how hard I’ve worked.

“I know the s**t I’ve been through, which is no fault of my own. It does take a toll.”

Holly, expecting her first child with Adam, who has a son from a previous relationship, said online: “It’s not been an easy journey . . . we will keep going, through the good and the bad together.”

Adam vowed to get back to his best for the 2028 LA Olympics and to shake off his Commonwealth Games experience “very quickly”.

Meanwhile, Caroline, 60, from Uttoxeter, Staffs, said she will “always support” her son “from afar”.

The reality TV regular has landed her own show which arrives on Disney Plus in a matter of days

Fans of the Real Housewives and Vanderpump Rules have a new must-see show for their watch lists.

House of Stassi premiered in the US this week with its UK release now just days away. The eight-episode series will be available to stream on Disney Plus from August 12.

It documents former Vanderpump Rules star, Stassi Schroeder, as she returns to the spotlight after her sacking from the show back in 2020. While she previously dipped her toe back in to reality TV with spin-off Vanderpump Villa, her own series will take fans deeper into her life and inner circle.

As per the Disney Plus synopsis: “House of Stassi follows reality TV icon Stassi Schroeder as she steps into her next act. In this meta-docuseries, Stassi navigates her long-awaited return to television – this time with the people she loves most by her side.

“As her ambition pulls her back into the spotlight, those around her level up. But as cameras roll and truths surface, her closest relationships are put to the test.”

Why is Stassi Schroeder famous?

She got her big break on the long-running reality series, Vanderpump Rules. A spin-off of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the show began in 2013 and follows fan favourite housewife Lisa Vanderpump and the lives of the staff working across her restaurants and bars.

Stassi was on the show from the very start as a worker at Lisa’s West Hollywood restaurant, SUR. Her outspoken nature made her a standout personality across the eight seasons she featured in. She has also launched a successful podcast and has written three best-selling books.

Stassi Schroeder controversy explained

Back in 2020, Bravo confirmed it had fired Stassi and her co-star Kristen Doute from Vanderpump Rules. It came after a past incident from 2018 resurfaced in which the pair had called the police on black TV personality, Faith Stowers, for a crime she did not commit, claiming she resembled a suspect.

Stassi later issued a statement addressing the “racially insensitive comments”, writing: “I did not recognise the serious ramifications that could have transpired because of my actions. What I did to Faith was wrong. I apologise and I do not expect forgiveness.”

She added: “I am going to continue to look closer at myself and my actions – to take the time to listen, to learn, and to take accountability for my privilege.”

Meanwhile Kristen did the same, saying: “Although, my actions were not racially driven, I am now completely aware of how my privilege blinded me from the reality of law enforcement’s treatment of the black community, and how dangerous my actions would have been to her,” adding that she would “do better.”

Meghan Markle feud

Stassi claimed on her podcast in 2025 that she was “furious” at Meghan Markle and was boycotting her Netflix show With Love, Meghan. It came after she was allegedly refused freebies from Meghan’s As Ever brand, despite Stassi publicly supporting her in the past.

“The way she moves through social media, I think that she’s stuck in 2017, and she just thinks I’m a lowly reality person,” Stassi told her podcast listeners. “That’s what I think, and I am furious, and this is the last straw. I’m not watching her show anymore.”

Noticing that a PR package had been sent to another podcast host who had been critical of Meghan in the past only added fuel to the fire, and Stassi vowed: “I’m going to unfollow her right now. Literally, I’m unfollowing her. Done!”

Meghan has never commented on the supposed PR package snub nor the remarks made by Stassi.

House of Stassi arrives on Disney+ from August 12.

KATIE Price has made a rare reference to her infamous feud with Victoria Beckham – 26 years after their war over Dane Bowers. 

During the latest episode of her podcast The Katie Price Show, the 48-year-old shared her surprising true feelings about Victoria, 52.

Speaking to sister Sophie, 36, Katie insisted she is completely over their fall-out and would even welcome the chance to bump into her. 

She said: “I’ve got no issue with Victoria. 

“There’s no feud between us. Well, I don’t know if she has one against me. If I saw her, I’d say hello, I haven’t got a problem.”

In 2000, when Katie was still working as her glamour model alter-ego Jordan, the famous women went to war over Katie’s then-boyfriend Dane, 46. 

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After Spice Girl Victoria and Another Level singer Dane launched their solo careers, they teamed up with True Steppers for garage anthem Out of Your Mind. 

It was Victoria’s first single after Spice Girls split and Katie later confessed their close working relationship during the mammoth promotional trail for the track sparked insecurities about her relationship with Dane. 

Writing in her autobiography Being Jordan, she said: “I thought something was going on, I thought, ‘is he obsessed with her?’”

Katie also took aim at Victoria during interviews, criticising her for wearing a fake lip ring during performances with Dane. 

And Posh was no better during the catfight, firing back: “Jordan does full frontals with her crotch and t**s out and she says I’m a bad influence by wearing a fake ring? I think she’s vile.”

Things between the warring women came to a head when, according to Katie, Victoria turned mean girl when she visited the players lounge at Manchester United, where Posh’s husband David, 51, played at the time. 

Katie maintains to this day that, upon spotting her, Victoria launched into a rendition of Who Let The Dogs Out. 

In 2024 Katie dragged up the past during an episode of her podcast, saying: “I remember them days with Victoria Beckham.

“When she sang Who Let The Dogs Out at me in the Manchester United Lounge.”

SHAKIRA’S performance at the Super Bowl 2020 halftime show was plagued by backstage tensions with her Latina co-star Jennifer Lopez.

But today, the South American She Wolf singer is howling with delight as she dominates music charts around the world following a show-stopping performance at the World Cup Final.

Colombian beauty Shakira, 49, pulled off the ultimate performance, wowing 1.5billion global viewers at Sunday’s mega gig.

The mum-of-two, who is worth £224million, celebrated her success by sharing snaps of herself with Beyonce, Jay Z, David Beckham, BTS, Tom Cruise and Anya Taylor-Joy.

Elsewhere, her rival J-Lo was left washing away her woes after she was pictured in a bathtub on a day out with her sister.

It came after she sang at an intimate gig for Dolce and Gabbana in Sicily last week — a much less extravagant showcase than Shakira’s.

Insiders say J-Lo was licking her wounds after being desperate to land the World Cup gig herself, 12 years on from her stellar performance at the 2014 tournament in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

To add insult to injury, her latest movie, Kiss Of The Spider Woman, was branded a box office flop.

As one music insider said: “J-Lo practically dismissed Shakira as some sort of backup singer at the Super Bowl, but how the tables have turned.

“Naturally J-Lo would have loved her chance to shine on the world stage again.”

Rumblings of a feud between the pair first began in February 2020.

The American football body, the NFL, had booked Shakira and J-Lo to co-headline the prestigious Super Bowl half-time show, a slot that has attracted the likes of Michael Jackson, Prince and Beyonce.

Fans went wild for Shakira as she sang hits including Whenever, Wherever and Hips Don’t Lie, and J-Lo belted out her bangers On The Floor and Love Don’t Cost A Thing.

The critics lapped it up, calling the concert “electric” and the “sexiest half-time show in memory”.

But behind closed doors, Jennifer, 56, was said to be unhappy that she had to share the stage.

In her 2022 Netflix documentary Halftime, a furious J-Lo raged behind the scenes. She blasted the joint ­performance as “the worst idea in the world”, with her manager Benny Medina adding: “It was an insult to say you needed two Latinas to do the job that one artist historically has done.”

J-Lo made it very clear she felt she had deserved the 12-minute slot to herself.

Fans also spotted a difference in how the artists shared promotional photos on Facebook in the weeks before the event.

While Shakira’s snaps featured both Latina artists, J-Lo’s were of herself.

Despite J-Lo’s very public comments, her rival has been more ­discreet, though she has hinted at tensions. Shakira, who released her first album aged 14, confessed: “It wasn’t an easy show to put together.

“There was a lot of work behind it, a lot of stress. But it was one of the highlights of my career.”

Fast forward to now and the tables have turned for the stars, who both burst on to the pop scene in the mid-Nineties.

Shakira’s infectious World Cup anthem with Burna Boy, Dai Dai, has taken the world by storm, triggering a chart frenzy the likes of which J-Lo has not experienced since 2011 when On The Floor — her collaboration with Pitbull — went to No1.

Minutes after her hip-shaking performance of the track at the World Cup Final, it was riding high at the top of Spotify’s chart, handing the star her biggest streaming day ever — and the biggest streaming day in US Spotify history to boot.

Shakira has pledged to donate all royalties from Dai Dai to the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund.

A music insider said: “Shakira’s numbers are astronomical. She is dominating every single music chart on Earth. It’s quite the achievement for any artist, never mind one who turns 50 next year.”

What’s more, the singer’s phenomenally successful Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Women No Longer Cry) tour was officially 2025’s highest-grossing global trek and the most lucrative tour of all time by a Hispanic artist.

To top off her reign, Shakira is heading back to Europe this autumn for a 12-arena residency across September and October in Madrid.

It will be at a brand new, specially built venue dubbed the Shakira Stadium.

An insider added: “Having a literal stadium built in your name in Spain is one hell of a mic drop. You can’t buy that kind of triumph.”

It has been a different story for J-Lo, who was forced to cancel her This Is Me . . . Live tour in 2024 amid reports of weak ticket sales.

She said in a statement she was “heartsick and devastated”.

What makes this triumph even sweeter for Shakira is it was born from the ashes of heartache. Both stars have endured devastating public splits.

In 2022, Shakira’s 11-year relationship with Spanish football legend Gerard Pique fell apart amid claims he cheated.

Spanish media reported she discovered his infidelity when she returned to their Barcelona mansion and noticed someone had been eating her strawberry jam — a spread that her hubby loathed.

She later dismissed this as “not true”, but split with the former footballer nonetheless.

Instead of moping, Shakira — who has sons Milan, 13, and Sasha, 11, with her ex — marched straight into the recording studio.

She teamed up with Argentine producer Bizarrap to release a ruthless diss track that mercilessly mocked Pique and his new, girlfriend, Clara Chía Marti, who was in her early twenties at the time.

In an obvious dig, she sang: “I’m worth two 22s. You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo. You traded a Rolex for a Casio.”

Shakira also proudly declared in the lyrics: “Women don’t cry any more, they cash in.”

And cash in she did. The song shattered several Guinness World Records, rocketed her career to new heights and proved that hell hath no fury like a Colombian pop ­goddess scorned.

J-Lo, took a different approach. After three failed marriages — to Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony — with whom she has 18-year-old twins Max and Emme — J-Lo rekindled her early Noughties romance with ex-fiancé Ben Affleck in 2021.

Bennifer 2.0 tied the knot in 2022, and Jen became so hopelessly obsessed with their “fairytale” that she self- funded a cringe-inducing, £15million ­musical film, This Is Me . . . Now: A Love Story.

The film bombed spectacularly, the accompanying album flopped and, just two years later, their marriage ended in another bitter divorce.

J-Lo’s recent cinematic efforts have not fared any better.

While she was once the undisputed queen of the romcom, with movie hits including The Wedding Planner and Maid In Manhattan, her recent films have failed to set the box office alight. In fact, 2024 sci-fi flick Atlas was widely panned, while last year’s Kiss Of The Spider Woman lost millions, leaving ­Hollywood insiders questioning J-Lo’s bankability.

Even a recent return to romcom in Netflix’s Office Romance scored a measly 49 per cent on movie review website Rotten Tomatoes.

While recent professional endeavours may have struggled, J-Lo is the ultimate comeback queen.

And her £300million business empire, including the booming JLo Beauty line, proves she is a ­formidable force.

So while Shakira is enjoying global adoration, it would perhaps be foolish to write J-Lo out of Hollywood quite yet.

A POP clash is thought to have broken out ahead of the World Cup final halftime show between Madonna and Justin Bieber.

Insiders say the upcoming show has turned into a ‘bitter competition’ between the queen of pop and the Canadian singer.

Coldplay singer Chris Martin – who is in charge of organising the historic music event at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey – is said to be trying to ‘figure it out before it gets out of hand’.

While the Yellow singer has put together an impressive lineup featuring Madonna, Bieber, Shakira and BTS, he is reportedly struggling to creatively manage the two headliners.

An insider told The Daily Mail: “Neither wants to walk away feeling like they played second fiddle.

“Their different approaches have created real tension behind the scenes.”

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The major comeback opportunity for Justin follows his latest stripped-back performance at Coachella festival.

According to the publication, the Sorry singer wants to keep his appearance ‘straightforward and risk-free’ – with the music ‘clean, controlled and no distractions’.

“His mindset is simple,” the source continued: “Don’t overcomplicate it, don’t take unnecessary risks and absolutely don’t have a performance that becomes a story for all the wrong reasons.”

On the other hand, it’s said that Madonna wants to make a statement on stage and feels the show should be ‘unforgettable – not safe’.

The insider added: “She believes a stage this massive calls for something people will be talking about for years.”

The closing ceremony will also feature Post Malone, Tom Cruise, Nicole Scherzinger, Robbie Williams and YouTuber IShowSpeed.

The Sun has contacted Justin’s rep for comment.

Tomi Adeyemi, the author of the bestselling fantasy “Children of Blood and Bone,” isn’t planning to see the forthcoming film adaptation — even though she co-wrote it.

Over the weekend, the Nigerian American author posted a video on TikTok addressing fans who have been asking her the same question, “Why don’t you post about the adaptation of your first film adaptation anymore?”

“There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work,” the author wrote in what appear to be screenshots of a group chat. “I have not seen the film, and I will not watch it.”

The adaptation of the first installment of Adeyemi’s “Legacy of Orïsha” fantasy trilogy is slated to hit theaters in January 2027. Gina Prince-Bythewood — who wrote and directed “Love & Basketball” and helmed “The Woman King” — is directing. The film stars Amandla Stenberg, Thuso Mbedu, Tosin Cole, Damson Idris, Cynthia Erivo, Lashana Lynch, Regina King, Idris Elba, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Viola Davis.

Alongside the screenshots of her comments in the group chat, she shared a February 2025 exchange with Stenberg that shows the author severing ties with the actor.

Adeyemi shared only her final message to Stenberg, which reads, “Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me.” That exchange is followed by a notification that she blocked Stenberg, who plays Princess Amari in the upcoming fantasy flick.

The message from Stenberg that preceded Adeyemi’s reply is not shown in full.

Stenberg, who played Rue in “Hunger Games,” Starr Carter in “The Hate U Give” and, recently, Verosha “Osha” Aniseya and Mae-ho “Mae” Aniseya in Disney’s “Star Wars” series “The Acolyte,” had been getting flack from readers of the series, who claimed colorism was an issue while casting the movie.

In February 2025, Stenberg posted a since-deleted nine-minute TikTok addressing the controversy and told followers that Adeyemi had given the actor her blessing when cast as the series’ princess.

“I am four months into training for ‘Children of Blood and Bone’ and I am getting my ass whooped,” Stenberg joked in the video, per BET.

“This year was mostly defined for me, honestly, by contending with what it felt like to receive racist death threats just for existing in the ‘Star Wars’ universe, and that was a really difficult thing for me to move through,” she continued. “But honestly, it feels so much more painful for me to feel like I’m at odds with my own community.”

Stenberg said that she considers her skin tone when navigating her career choices and would “never go after a role” she didn’t feel well suited for. “I know that colorism is an insidious system that relentlessly impacts every facet of entertainment.”

The actor continued that it was actually a meeting with the “Children of Blood and Bone” author that gave her the confidence to pursue the role.

“I had the opportunity to meet Tomi, the novelist, for the first time. … And she goes, ‘Amandla, I want you to know that when you were a little girl and you were cast as Rue in “The Hunger Games,” and people said that Rue’s death wouldn’t be as sad because you’re a Black girl — that inspired me to write this series so that Black girls like you and Black girls of all shades could have a story written about them,’” Stenberg said in the video. “We started crying, and I said to myself, ‘God wants me here.’”

Representatives for Stenberg, Adeyemi and Prince-Bythewood did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

THEY survived Geordie Shore together for more than a decade, weathering explosive rows, chaotic nights out and everything that came with reality TV fame. When Nathan Henry first walked into the house in 2015 and bravely opened up about his sexuality, Scotty T was one of the first castmates to embrace him into the group.

Which is why friends tell The Sun they are “absolutely sickened” to see Scotty accused of turning on the very community he once publicly stood beside, leaving Nathan feeling “blindsided”.

Their friendship became one of the constants of the MTV series, surviving cast shake-ups, years away from the cameras and countless personal milestones.

But after more than a decade of standing side by side, those closest to Nathan say the pair’s bitter public clash is about far more than a handful of tweets – it’s watching someone he trusted seem to turn his back on the community Nathan has spent years proudly representing.

The fallout unravelled after Scotty, 37, posted a string of controversial messages about Pride celebrations in London that many accused of being openly homophobic, causing backlash online.

He wrote: “If you’re ever a parent – and you took your child to the Pride event in London… You should have your kids taken off you. Simple.”

He continued: “Forcing them to see some of the state I’ve seen, and the stands with merch about being horny and ‘f*** me’. What sort of disgusting animal even does that to their child.”

One source close to Nathan told The Sun: “We’re absolutely sickened that Scotty has lashed out at the gay community. They’ve been friends for so many years and gone through so much together. Referring to parents who bring their children to Pride events as ‘animals’ is heartbreaking.

“Nathan was blindsided given how supportive Scotty was to him in the past and it has really struck him.”

For Nathan the comments were deeply personal.

After all, this was the same Scotty who had stood beside him when he came out on Geordie Shore and built one of the show’s most genuine friendships.

Which is exactly why, pals say, Nathan decided he couldn’t let the comments pass without saying something publicly.

He wrote: “I think you should delete this… I don’t know if this is you or management but it stinks of hypocrisy just saying.”

Scotty replied that he loved Nathan “to bits” but doubled down on his position, insisting children should not be exposed to explicit displays at Pride events.

He later added: “Can us straight people have a month where we walk about with our cock and balls out?”

And in another post wrote: “Be gay, bi, gender fluid, camp, manly, whatever the f*** you want – just don’t force it into everyone else’s faces. Especially children.”

But those close to Nathan say the comments left him stunned because Scotty had relied on him to help promote his own OnlyFans account.

Our insider told us: “Scotty was desperately begging Nathan to take those pictures to promote his OnlyFans. He used him to make cash.”

The source said that only made Scotty’s public comments feel even more hypocritical to Nathan, prompting him to hit back publicly.

Nathan, not letting his behaviour slide, responded again but this time on his Instagram.

He shared an old photograph which Scotty himself had asked him to take in order to help promote his OnlyFans account – pointing to what he believed was a glaring contradiction between Scotty’s past behaviour and his current narrative.

Alongside it he wrote: “B***h I know you lying when you asked me to take this and used it to promote your OF implying gay s**t. The math ain’t mathing.”

Those close to Nathan said he couldn’t sit back without saying anything.

One pal said: “He couldn’t understand the contradiction between what Scotty had asked of him in the past and what he was now saying publicly.”

For fans who have followed Geordie Shore over the past decade, the public fallout marks a remarkable turn for two castmates whose friendship appeared to survive almost everything the show threw at them.

When Nathan first joined the series, he initially came out as bisexual before later identifying as gay. Scotty was among those who publicly accepted him, and the pair went on to film multiple series together, including the recent reunion seasons and the milestone Thailand trip that marked Scotty’s return to the franchise.

Away from the cameras, however, life has taken both men in very different directions.

Nathan, now 35, has largely stepped away from the party-boy image that first made him famous. He recently revealed he has been in a private relationship for three years and has deliberately kept it away from the spotlight.

He also opened his life to viewers in an emotional four-part MTV documentary alongside his father Glen, who is living with terminal cancer. The series explored family, illness and LGBTQ+ acceptance within Caribbean culture, earning widespread praise for its honesty.

Scotty’s recent years, meanwhile, have been considerably more turbulent.

Best known for starring on Geordie Shore between 2012 and 2019 before winning Celebrity Big Brother, he has faced a series of financial and legal difficulties since leaving the show.

Earlier this year, court proceedings heard that he now earns money through club appearances and OnlyFans after admitting an offence relating to unlawful financial promotions on Instagram. During the hearing, it was also stated that he received financial support from his mother, while he had previously been declared bankrupt after his company went into liquidation.

Last October, Scotty announced he had become a father, describing his baby son as “the most important thing” in his life.

Whether the pair can repair more than ten years of friendship now remains to be seen.

But friends fear this will cause a big obstacle in their future.

One pal said: “Nathan feels like someone who supported him and his life for so many years has changed his views so much.

“It feels like an attack on the community he’s proud to be part of. That’s why this has hurt so much.”

The Sun has contacted reps for Nathan and Scotty T for comment.

One of the Premier League’s most gripping personal feuds goes global on Sunday when Brazil face Norway in the World Cup last 16.

Norway’s irresistible force of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland comes up against Brazil’s immovable object in the shape of Arsenal defender Gabriel in New York New Jersey Stadium.

Haaland and Gabriel have been central figures as their clubs battle for domestic supremacy, creating a rivalry that regularly boils over into animosity.

The outcome of their latest confrontation will go a long way to deciding whether it is Brazil or Norway who advance to the quarter-finals, where they will face either England or Mexico.

Former England striker Chris Sutton told BBC Sport: “For all the battling for the Golden Boot between the greats such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane and Haaland, there have not been any great personal duels. Now we have one.

“This is the standout personal duel of the World Cup so far and make no mistake, it will have a huge bearing on the outcome of the game.

“It is the standout because of the bad feeling we know exists between the pair. I am sure there is a level of respect great players have for each other, but everything we’ve seen between them suggests they don’t like each other too much.”

Former England captain Alan Shearer is also relishing the confrontation between the pair, saying: “That will be a great battle because there is definitely a bit of niggle there.

“They don’t like each other which is fine, you don’t have to like your opponent, and we have seen them have clashes before so that’s definitely one to look forward to.”

Adding further intrigue is the statistical quirk that five-time world champions Brazil have never beaten Norway in four attempts – drawing two and losing two.

This makes Norway the only side the Selecao have faced, but never won against.

SHE’s a singer, songwriter and actress – but Charli XCX is yet to achieve her original life goal.

The Rock Music singer, whose new song Wink Wink is out now, said: “When I was younger, I thought it would be fun if my job was being a fairy or something.

“I had a pink princess dress, a puffed out sparkly kid’s dress that I just absolutely loved.

“It was probably some sort of Toys R Us situation, the peak of fashion, you know. And it came with these little lacy white gloves.

“I remember being really, really into that when I was younger and always wanting to wear it.”

That’s a far cry from the grungy aesthetic of her new album Music, Fashion, Film – which is out next month.

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In an interview with Bella Freud on her Fashion Neurosis podcast, Charli also opened up about the envy she has for other artists including Lorde, who she collaborated with on the 2024 song Girl, So Confusing.

Quizzed on whether she gets attacks of “competitive jealousy,” she said: “Of course. I think I’ve said this to Lorde before, I was so jealous when I heard Royals for the first time.

“I was like, ‘I’m so jealous. I wish that I could have written that song.’

“I thought it was so spectacular…it really defined a time, that song.”

SIR ROD’S BACK AT FULL GAS

SIR ROD STEWART proved he’s back at the top of his game as he headlined the Rock In Rio festival in Portugal – just days after he was seen needing oxygen during a US gig.

For 100 minutes he barely paused for breath, belting out hit after hit while strutting across the stage – which marked his first Rock in Rio appearance in 18 years.

Sir Rod also used his set to make a political point, shouting “F**k Putin,” as he dedicated Rhythm Of My Heart to the people of Ukraine and their president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, much to the appreciation of the crowd.

Rod also had the Portuguese fans eating out of the palm of his hand as he asked: “Are Portugal going to win the World Cup?

“Fingers crossed, guys, fingers crossed.”

Sadly they’ve got a far better chance than his beloved Scotland, who are already heading home.

MILLIE BOBBY BROWN admits married life didn’t get off to the best start – she was stung by a bee as her husband said his vows.

The Stranger Things actress, who wed model Jake Bongiovi in 2024, explained: “As I was getting married, and my husband was saying his vows, there was a bee under my veil.

“I heard it and I was like, ‘Oh god.’ It started flapping under my veil.

“It stung me and then it got out and probably died

“After we walked down the aisle I was like, ‘Babe, babe, did you see this bumblebee?’ It stung my back and it hurt so bad.”

Speaking on the Jake’s Takes YouTube series, she added: “My acting skills really had to come into play because I had to pretend everything was OK.”

MILLIE: I WAS WIFE TO-BEE…

BAD BUNNY had my beloved Tottenham Hotspur Stadium rocking to a pulsating Latin beat on Saturday night on the first of two sold-out shows.

The star-studded crowd included Adele, Lola Young, Joe Jonas and former Dr Who star Ncuti Gatwa, while tennis legend Novak Djokovic introduced a song.

Newly single Maya Jama was also there, and got on stage to dance with him as part of the brilliant concert.

DAVID and Victoria Beckham put on brave faces as they celebrated their second Father’s Day without their estranged son Brooklyn. 

The pair were spotted heading to a London gastro-pub with their son Cruz, 21, and his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30. 

David, 51, and Victoria, 52, who were cut off by Brooklyn, 27, last year were also joined by their son Romeo and David’s mum Sandra, 77. 

On Father’s Day, David shared a photograph of all of their children, including daughter Harper, 14, and said: “Being a dad is my most important job… I love you all.” 

Brooklyn is understood to be “furious” with his parents once more after their Father’s Day posts.

David and Victoria both marked the annual event yesterday by sharing snaps of all of their children – including Brooklyn.

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He had previously instructed his parents not to tag him in online posts – something that they have continually ignored.

The feud has rumbled on for over a year with a source telling The Sun that Brooklyn has been left filled with rage following his mum and dad’s latest stunt.

An insider told The Sun: “He’s fuming about it.

“He’s asked them to leave him alone and they just keep posting him.

“It just brings the whole thing up all over again.

“He wishes they’d leave it and leave him alone.”

Brooklyn, who lives in Los Angeles with his American actress wife Nicola, 31, has been estranged from his family for over a year and has accused them of trying to “control” him. 

BROOKLYN Beckham has been accused of “cashing in” on his family feud – sparking fury from his famous parents.

The smirking 27-year-old alluded to his bitter estrangement with David and Victoria Beckham in a big-money deal to advertise a food delivery service.

Brooklyn – whose dad played for England in three World Cups – tells the camera: “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home…”

He ends the DoorDash ad laughing: “It’s a long story.”

Now sources close to David and Victoria say they’ve been left “furious” over the ‘attack’ ad.

A source close to the Beckhams said: “To do an ad based on estrangement from family as if it’s a joke when his family is devastated and sister and grandparents are inconsolable…

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“Surely he’s going to get stick for claiming he wants peace and privacy and nothing to do with his family, before trying to cash in on it all?

“He says he wants nothing to do with his family, but is now completely trading off them again.”

Brooklyn has been estranged from his family – including his siblings – for more than a year.

In January, the Beckhams’ eldest son made a dozen explosive accusations in a ruthless statement hitting out at his family.

The 26-year-old called out his famous parents for their “inauthenticity”, accused them of making bribes and scolded the family for their treatment of his wife on their wedding day.

He sent his parents a legal notice warning they can only contact him via lawyers.

In the extraordinary “desist” letter, he also instructed them not to “tag” him on social media.

But in a surprising twist, Brooklyn filmed a World Cup advert taking a savage swipe at his family’s estrangement.

It showed Brooklyn throwing down his match tickets onto the coffee table, which appeared to show a £250,000 designer watch gifted to him by his dad and a stack of unopened letters.

The ad went live on social media after we revealed Brooklyn spurned his sister Harper‘s attempt at a reconciliation.

The 14-year-old was pictured delivering a letter to the house Brooklyn shares with his wife Nicola Peltz at the weekend.

The couple were not home at the time and have not yet responded.

They quickly hit back at the Beckhams, claiming the letter felt like an “orchestrated move by his family” – insisting it “made them feel uncomfortable.”

A spokesman for the couple added: “That photographers were in place as the letter was hand-delivered says it all.

“This was choreographed for the cameras.”

But a source close to the Beckhams called it “another untrue and unfair accusation”.

PERRIE Edwards has spoken out on ex-bandmate Jesy Nelson and shared her heartbreak over her twins’ diagnosis. 

Jesy, 34, previously shared the devastating news that her baby girls Story and Ocean had been diagnosed with SMA1. 

Now Perrie, 32, has shared her support for her former friend, after Jesy quit Little Mix in 2020 and sparked a bitter fall-out among the girls. 

Appearing on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast, she said: “I mean, when I think everything we’ve been through as a group, and even though it ended in ways that I wouldn’t have wanted it to, and we’re not that close anymore and we’re not in each other’s lives, I still feel everything that the girls feel and I think they’re the same. 

“We’ll always have that weird connection. And seeing Jesy go through that, it broke me.

“Because you wouldn’t wish that on anyone. It’s literally wild. And as much as we’ve got our issues and, you know, I think I don’t want to see her go through that.

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“I don’t want to see her hurt and I don’t want to see any of that. It’s heartbreaking.”

In her recent documentary Life After Little Mix, Jesy made some bold claims about Perrie, Jade Thirlwall and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. 

Recalling how she attempted to take her own life before quitting the group, she said: “I sat ­everyone down to explain how I was feeling and I remember one of the responses being, ‘Are you done now? Is that it?’

“She [one of the girls] was like, ‘Can I go now?’”

Fighting back tears, Jesy added: “That made me feel really alone. I felt like there was no point. That no one cared.”

And in her chat with Jamie, Perrie had her say. When he asked if she envisioned repairing her friendship with Jesy, she said: “If I’m being completely transparent, part of me wanted to until the documentary. And then part of me withdrew again. 

“I’m not a horrible person. I haven’t got a bad one in my body, but I can cut you off.

“There’s personal things, there’s public things, there’s everything. I don’t have the capacity for somebody like that in my life anymore. And that might make me sound like a bitch, but I just don’t have the energy for it.

“And as much as I will always love her, I don’t think I can hack that energy in my space.”

IT was meant to be the Lewis Hamilton show as the F1 veteran celebrated after a record-equalling eighth podium finish at the glitzy Monaco Grand Prix.

But girlfriend Kim Kardashian, in a figure-hugging, backless Gucci cream dress, put that all in a spin as it was her bolshy disregard for trackside etiquette that made headlines.

During the pre-race build-up, she and her heavies barged race fans Holly Willoughby and Michael McIntyre in the paddock while they were being interviewed — and snubbed F1 legend Martin Brundle as he tried to interview her on the start grid.

After seven-time world champ Lewis, 41, had rung back the years to claim a surprise second-place finish, Kim then turned spoilsport as she ducked under a brolly to avoid being splashed with celebratory champagne.

Oh, and she whipped the towel laid out for the race winner, Italian teen Kimi Antonelli, to dry himself with.

The 45-year-old US reality star’s diva ways riled the fellow drivers’ Wags, sparking calls for her to be banned from the exclusive paddock and grid areas at future F1 races.

Our source trackside said: “Kim’s behaviour might pass in LA but the Europeans see it differently. The day should have been about the drivers, but it became the Kim K circus.

“People were watching in horror as she failed to embrace any of the F1 traditions. Snubbing Martin Brundle is one thing, but hiding from the champagne spray with an umbrella was a step too far for many — and the fact she just pushed Holly ­and Michael McIntyre out of the way was mind-blowing.

“Some of the other Wags were horrified and Alexandra Leclerc, the wife of Lewis’s Ferrari teammate Charles, was clearly unimpressed by her new trackside companion.

“Kim’s body language towards her as they watched the race was verging on rude. It was very uncomfortable to see.”

The Sun revealed earlier this year how Kim and Lewis had begun dating — but last weekend was the first time she has turned up to watch him race, joined by sister Khloe, 41.

Her dress was also a talking point because last month it was announced Gucci had become the first luxury fashion house to partner with an F1 team — launching Gucci Racing Alpine.

Our insider said: “The timing of Kim wearing Gucci can’t have been a coincidence. In fact she’s been wearing the brand a lot since she started dating Lewis.”

But as the Kardashian circus rolled into town, everyone and their VIP card was expected to make way, including former This Morning presenter Holly and TV funnyman Michael.

The moment was caught on film — with Holly and Michael left gobsmacked as their interview was disrupted and shouts of “mind out!” could be heard ringing out while Kim’s minders stormed past with her hidden away in their midst.

Michael could, at least, see the funny side as he reacted in his signature excitable tone, quipping: “It’s the Kardashians . . . I’m joining them!”

He also could not resist a cheeky reference to Kim’s famously mighty toosh — joking: “My back’s gone! I think something belonging to Kim, I’m not mentioning anything, may have struck me in my lower back area, and I’ve got to tell you that it hurt.”

But others were far from amused by the unwelcome Kardashian chaos.

Another source said: “Some of the other Wags thought Kim totally took over Monaco. It’s like the circus came to town — even the F1 Instagram account was posting about her. Many of the drivers’ wives and girlfriends are influencers, and races are their opportunity to shine. But all anyone spoke about was Kim.”

Race-goers also noted that after Kim barged her way into centre stage, no one was talking to her, as she was moved swiftly from one place to another by her huge team.

The Hollywood hoopla was in full swing but Kim had clearly failed to do her homework on paddock and grid dos and don’ts, and she had those in the sport’s inner circle blowing gaskets left, right and centre.

Cocking a snook at veteran Sky Sports interviewer and former F1 driver Martin Brundle got her off to the worst possible start before the race had begun.

In clips that have since gone viral, the Kardashians star can be seen briefly waving at 67-year-old Martin before then stone-cold blanking the ex-Benetton driver of Eighties and Nineties race fame.

When it came to the uncorking of champagne after the race, Kim went down about as well as a flat tyre as she recoiled in horror at the prospect of champagne spray detracting from her queen bee look.

To add insult to injury, she then grabbed the towel traditionally set out for the race winner and used it to wipe down her sunglasses before walking off with it.

A fan watching aghast as these antics unfolded, blasted: “What is Kim Kardashian doing on the F1 grid? She is making the moment all about her — it is one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen. Ban celebrities from the grid.”

Another equally revved-up onlooker demanded: “Can we please ban these disrespectful ingrates like Kim Kardashian from F1? If you won’t show the people who make the sport what it is the respect they deserve, then you have no place in our world.”

Liv Blankson, a creator of online content for Formula 1, who has been following the sport since childhood and is a huge fan of Lewis Hamilton, was also baffled by Kim’s carrying on.

She told us: “There is an F1 etiquette and when someone takes a step wrong, it’s very obvious. I have no issue with her being there, but do worry that she will overshadow the racing, which is what us fans are actually there for.

“If you’re on the grid just before the race, you have to expect to be spoken to, it’s just what happens.

“You have to be prepared. The fact she didn’t talk to Martin could be seen as disrespectful. He was a well-known racing driver and I hate it when he gets blanked.

“That was my main gripe with Kim being there. If you are going to be there, then please do some research. Celebrity culture in F1 is getting bigger and will grow even more now that Kim is on the scene, but us fans like it when they make the effort to get to know racing, the drivers, the teams and all the people that make it happen.

“Lewis just seems happy and relaxed and he did well, so maybe she is good luck.

“We’ll have to wait and see.”

Indeed, Lewis certainly seemed oblivious to the drama around his biggest and brashest new fan.

On the contrary, he even blew her a kiss from the podium as he gushed: “It’s amazing to have good people around you and good people supporting you.

“She does that for me every day. With my friends, incredible turnout just overall with people. I don’t really know what else to say.”

Thanking Kim again, he added: “It’s amazing to have her come this weekend and have the support.” A source said of the pair’s romance,

“They are in a serious, committed relationship” — and this latest public display of affection only sends the story into turbo-drive.

Lewis failed to take the winner’s spoils on race day as 19-year-old Mercedes wonderkid Antonelli, who replaced him on that team last year, beat him to the chequered flag and became the youngest ever winner of the Monaco Grand Prix.

But it was still a fine day for Lewis who matched the late, great Brazilian Ayrton Senna for Monaco podium finishes.

He moved up into second in this season’s drivers’ championship, leapfrogging his old Mercedes teammate George Russell and showing he has plenty left in the tank after a difficult season.

There have been rumblings that Lewis, now one of the oldest on the F1 circuit, may soon be on the home straight of his superstar career — but more results like the one this weekend will likely put such talk on hold.

And Kim may yet prove an asset.

Our insider said: “Lewis and Kim have the potential to be the next Posh and Becks of the racing world.

“Kim is a career mastermind and will no doubt be laying the groundwork.”

Next weekend, Lewis competes in the Spanish Grand Prix — but will Kim be along for the ride? Or consigned to the pits?

It is certainly too early to declare her his lucky charm, despite the weekend’s podium finish — but she sure knows how to command pole position.

AND SIX MORE BEAUTIES…

Alexandra Saint Mleux (Instagram followers: 4.6million)

SORRY ladies, but Ferrari’s golden boy, Charles Leclerc, is officially off the market.

Having dated Alexandra, 25, since May 2023, Charles broke millions of hearts when he tied the knot with the Mexican-French art historian in an intimate ceremony in, where else, Monaco earlier this year.

Kelly Piquet (Instagram followers: 2.5million)

IF there’s one woman who knows her way around a pit lane, it’s Kelly.

Not only has the Brazilian bombshell, 37, been dating former world champ Max Verstappen since 2020, but she’s the daughter of three-time F1 world champ Nelson Piquet.

She welcomed her first child, Lily, with Max last year.

Lily Muni He (Instagram followers: 1.4million)

WILLIAMS driver Alex Albon and his girlfriend Lily are a sporting power couple.

The 26-year-old Chinese sensation is a professional golfer who tears it up on the US-based LPGA tour.

Alex finally put a ring on it in January 2026 after six years of dating and the pair are now planning their wedding.

Rebecca Donaldson (Instagram followers: 815,000)

SPANISH driver Carlos Sainz has been smitten with 28-year-old Scottish model Rebecca since 2023.

The Perthshire-born beauty, who has a degree in International Fashion Branding, has fronted campaigns for massive global brands and has been spotted cheering on Carlos everywhere from Austin, Texas, to Jeddah.

Carmen Montero Mundt (Instagram followers: 849,000)

STUNNING Spanish finance professional and fashion influencer Carmen has been dating British F1 driver George Russell since 2020.

Engagement rumours have been swirling since the start of this year and just this month, George said they would be married within the next five years, declaring she is “without doubt my future”.

Lily Zneimer (Instagram followers: private)

LILY met Aussie F1 driver Oscar Piastri at boarding school in England and they started dating in 2019, when they were 17.

Unlike some of the other Wags, Lily likes a quiet life, doesn’t have a public Instagram and is rarely seen out with Oscar.

She is an engineering graduate though, so we might be seeing more of her in the paddock in future.

MAURA Higgins has sparked an unexpected Dancing With The Stars feud as she took sides after a pro dancer’s bitter split from his ex-girlfriend.

The 35-year-old landed the biggest job in American telly back in April after her successful stint on The US Traitors.

Maura was snapped up for the job, which is the US equivalent of Strictly Come Dancing, as she continues to crack the showbiz scene out there.

In a recent interview, the reality star confessed the pro dancer she really doesn’t want to be paired with.

While she would love have Mark Ballas or Val Chmerkovskiy as her partner there’s one man that it seems would really hit a nerve.

Maura said: “To be honest, I’m okay to have anyone else – I just don’t want [Gleb Savchenko]. That’s the main thing for me, you know?”

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The TV personality and model assured fans she wasn’t trying to be “mean” but was simply sticking up for her good pal Brooks Nader.

“It’s just because I get on with [Brooks], and that’s that. I’m on Brooks’ side. I’m a loyalist, okay,” she added.

Actress Brooks, 29, “really fell” for Gleb while they were competing on the show together back in 2024.

The Russian dancer, 42, has gained a reputation for being a “playboy” over the years after being linked to his partners from previous seasons.

Brooks and Gleb had quite the messy break up just seven months after their romance begun.

Reality star Brooks accused Gleb of cheating and he denied all of those allegations.

During Episode 3 of Alex Cooper‘s Unwell Winter Games earlier this year, Gleb called the Sports Illustrated model “crazy.”

He even made brutal comments about their sex life.

Maura and Brooks appear to have struck up a friendship after meeting at events over in America.

The girls posed for snaps together at a Vanity Fair party back in March and it seems they have only grown closer.

Former Love Island star Maura has proved she has Brooks’ back as she risked sparking a huge feud.

The celebrities’ pro dancer partners will be announced later this year.

Dancing With The Stars is set to kick of following it’s usual schedule in the Autumn.

In January 2024, the publication Axios reported that the United States president at the time, Joe Biden, was “running out of patience” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza had been raging for months by that point, and Biden was facing public backlash over US support for the conflict.

The assault would continue for the rest of Biden’s term and bleed into the first 10 months of Donald Trump‘s second presidency.

Since then, media outlets have continued to publish anonymous accounts of rifts and “frustrating” calls between Trump and the Israeli prime minister. But US support for its Middle East ally has never wavered.

Another anonymously sourced report about a furious, expletive-laden call between US and Israeli leaders came out this week, and it spread rapidly across international media.

Axios reported on Monday that Trump called Netanyahu “f***ing crazy” and berated him over Israel’s escalation in Lebanon.

Around the same time, an Israeli attack killed six people, including two children, in the southern Lebanese town of al-Marwaniyah.

Experts say that despite leaks of feuds and harsh words between US leaders and Netanyahu, policies are ultimately what matters, and they have changed very little.

Ryan Costello, the policy director at the National Iranian American Council Action (NIAC), said political observers have grown to “mock” reports of closed-door anger from US presidents against Netanyahu.

“What’s really important is what actually happens in practice,” Costello told Al Jazeera.

Two administrations, same reports

Though there are reports of Trump giving Netanyahu a dressing-down, Isabelle Hayslip, an advocacy manager at the US-based rights group DAWN, said that US policy remains aligned with Israeli interests.

“Single-source reporting of Trump as a strongman who picks up the phone and yells at Netanyahu for undermining US policy is contradicted by the actual policy outcomes where Netanyahu gets exactly what he wants,” Hayslip told Al Jazeera.

“Trump has no final say over Israeli actions. Like his predecessors, the president has proved completely unable to prioritise American interests, instead catering to Israel’s expansionist whims.”

The latest report comes as Trump faces increasing pressure from his Democratic rivals and segments of his base over his handling of the war on Iran, which he launched jointly with Netanyahu on February 28.

The conflict, which saw Iran close the Strait of Hormuz, has sent gasoline prices soaring in the US and fuelled inflation.

Critics have accused Trump of allowing Israel to drag the US into a war that does not advance Washington’s priorities.

With negotiations to end the war stagnating, Israel’s escalation in Lebanon and its threat to bomb Beirut risks derailing the fragile truce that came into effect in April.

Iranian officials have suggested that they cut off contact with the US over the Israeli attacks in Lebanon.

Before the Axios report, Trump announced he had spoken to Netanyahu and an unidentified Hezbollah representative, and both sides agreed that “all shooting will stop”.

But Netanyahu was quick to assert that the Israeli military “will continue to operate as planned in southern Lebanon”, where it is deepening its invasion and turning entire towns into rubble.

Advocates say Israeli atrocities in Lebanon and across the region could not have happened without US backing.

Since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, the US has provided Israel with nearly $25bn in military aid, helped fend off retaliatory Iranian attacks against the country and vetoed several ceasefire resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.

Nonetheless, anonymous accounts that the US president is angry at Netanyahu have become a regular feature in the media.

Such reports are attributed to US officials, but it is unclear how leaks with a similar message on the same topic have continued across two administrations from different political parties.

‘Moderating the anger’

Publicly, aides of both Biden and Trump have largely refrained from criticising Israel.

Trump has regularly praised the Israeli prime minister, arguing on more than one occasion that Israel would have ceased to exist without Netanyahu’s leadership.

In December, the US president also called the Israeli prime minister a “hero” during a meeting in Florida.

“We’re with you, and we’ll continue to be with you,” Trump told Netanyahu.

Two weeks earlier, Axios reported that the White House had “scolded” Netanyahu over Israel’s ceasefire violations in Gaza.

“The White House message to Netanyahu was: ‘If you want to ruin your reputation and show that you don’t abide by agreements, be our guest, but we won’t allow you to ruin President Trump’s reputation after he brokered the deal in Gaza,” the publication quoted a US official as saying.

Few people know the exact content of high-level calls at the White House. Sometimes, top officials, including members of the National Security Council, sit in on conversations between the president and world leaders after briefings.

Negar Mortazavi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, a research nonprofit, said the leak about the tense call between Trump and Netanyahu may be aimed at making Trump look tough on Israel to quell outrage over the war.

“It could be sort of a way of moderating the anger or the blame at the US for continuing this unpopular, illegal, unnecessary war,” Mortazavi told Al Jazeera.

She added that the message it sends is, “Look, we’re very angry at Israel. We yell at them. We call them names.”

But Mortazavi stressed that policy is more important than rhetoric: “Does that change the facts on the ground?”

Information war

For his part, Costello argued that the leak was likely directed at Iran.

“I see this one primarily as a signal to the Iranians that Trump is serious, and he wants to insulate what’s happening in Lebanon and Israel’s attacks from the Iran negotiations,” Costello said.

“It remains to be seen the extent to which that excoriation has actually led to a change in Israel’s policies, and I think there is a strong incentive for continued defiance from Netanyahu.”

Axios, meanwhile, has defended its coverage.

“We stand by our reporting, which by the way noted ‘Trump and Netanyahu have had several tense calls in the past but have still coordinated closely on Iran and other issues,’” Jake Wilkins, a spokesperson for the publication, told Al Jazeera in an email.

Mortazavi warned that all sides of the war on Iran are trying to influence public perceptions of the conflict.

She pointed to recent reports that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had resigned, a rumour that was promptly denied by his office.

“This is a very hybrid war. It’s a war on the battlefield. It’s an intelligence war. It’s a war of narratives,” Mortazavi told Al Jazeera. “And then there’s also an information war, which includes disinformation, half-truths and strategic leaks.”

MICHELLE Heaton has opened up about her surprise feud with a rival noughties pop star.

The Liberty X singer held back tears as she discussed the band’s battle with Hear’Say – the winners of ITV‘s Popstars.

Shortly after finishing as runner-ups on the 2001 reality series, Michelle and her bandmates Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm, Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young, were were formed into a new group.

However, despite being friends during filming, Michelle says: “There was a war from the get-go

“We were constantly pitted against each other in a world we were trying to navigate.”

It saw the breakdown of Michelle’s close friendship with Suzanne Shaw.

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Opening up to Paul Brunson on his podcast We Need To Talk, Michelle said: “It was evident they wanted us to fail. Not just Hear’Say as a team, but the people around them.

“And so that would have then stirred up the pot with the Hear’Say members in order to add fuel to the fire when they did interviews about how they were bigger and better and we were not so… and that we were running on their coattails.

“It felt really harsh. We didn’t know how to navigate it. It felt like it wasn’t the five people that we met in the audition process.

“And alongside all of this, all I kind of wanted to do was reach out to Suzanne because that’s like one of the people that I got really close to.. and be like, ‘how is it? What’s it like?’

“I really wanted to share that with her. And at no point did I see what we were doing as hanging on their coattails.”

Thankfully, years on from the height of their fame, the pair reconnected.

Proving their bond back in 2016, Michelle wrote in her OK! Magazine column: “Massive congrats to my friend Suzanne who announced her pregnancy in what has to be the sweetest way possible.

“The video she made made me cry and her son Corey’s response was priceless. I loved the video and I love Suzanne. I’m so happy for her little family.”

PARIS Fury has revealed why Tommy Fury wasn’t at Venezuela’s wedding after his pregnant fiancée Molly-Mae Hague flew to the venue by private jet.

The proud mother-of-the-bride showered Molly, 26, with praise for going above and beyond to make it to Venezuela’s big day, while Tommy was nowhere to be seen.

Molly, who is heavily pregnant with her second child, was seen stepping onto the runway with her daughter Bambi, 3, and sister Zoe Rae.

The extravagant soiree is taking place at The Comis Hotel and Resort on the outskirts of Douglas, Isle of Man.

In awe of Molly, Paris told The Sun: “She is incredible. She is being fully supportive, and she is bringing Bambi over, so that Bambi could be a bridesmaid with the kids.

“But I have got to throw her props. She is making that journey while heavily pregnant and I wouldn’t have been able to face that while I was at her term of pregnancy.

“It’s very good,” Paris added.

Molly’s fiancé, Tommy, 27, Tyson’s younger brother, wasn’t able to join in the festivities.

Tommy, who Molly met on the reality TV hit in 2019, had to stay in Manchester for his boxing training camp.

She says: “I’m very glad that they are coming. It means a lot. It’s a big journey for anyone to come from home to here.

“It’s lovely that they are making the effort. It’s lovely that Bambi and the other little girls all get to be bridesmaids. They are all cousins and it’s sweet that they‘ll make memories together.”

Bambi is one of 13 of the child bridesmaids, including Venezuela’s little sisters Valencia, eight, and Athena, including four of Noah’s cousins, and family members, as well as five grown up bridesmaids.

Venezuela revealed: “I chose powder blue cupcake dresses for the little ones, they’re really cute, and fitted gowns for my friends.”

Paris said: “Evangeline Designs in Liverpool made the bridesmaid dresses and every day there it was like, ‘There’s a new little dress, there’s a new dress there’s a new dress, because we ended up having a few extra little bridesmaids’.

“They’re wearing flowers in their hair.”

Paris revealed: “We found £120 shoes for the little ones, and the only shoes we found in the right shade of blue for the women were stunning shoes that were £13 from Shein.”

Paris stored all the wedding party outfits in a specially allocated wedding room in the basement of their home.

Paris and Venezuela thoughtfully put together goodie bags, which included diamante Primark flip flops, matching pyjamas, a hairbrush, sweets, Doll beauty make up and a “little dolly” for each of the younger bridesmaids.

And it wasn’t just the women who dazzled on Venezuela’s big day. The men were looking just as dapper.

“The men are in black tuxedos, Tyson too and Noah is in an ivory tuxedo. Noah picked it,” Paris said.

“Collecting everything wasn’t easy. I felt like I was doing circles on ferries with carloads.”

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The bitter divorce between an Ohio congressman and his former wife, the daughter of one of the state’s U.S. senators, has escalated into new legal action.

Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller filed a defamation lawsuit against Emily Moreno, his one-time spouse, on Wednesday in Cleveland, citing “the considerable reputational and financial harm” caused to him by her accusations that he was “a violent and abusive husband and father.”

Miller, a two-term congressman up for reelection this fall, alleges that Moreno, her attorney Andrew Zashin and his law firm have engaged in a defamatory campaign against him by spreading knowingly false information about him to media outlets including the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, and the New York Post. The action contends that the resulting damage to his reputation undermines his chances of reelection.

Those outlets have “circulation measured in the tens of millions of print and online readership,” the complaint states, and their articles have been read, viewed or discussed by Miller’s constituents, his congressional colleagues, ”his political supporters and donors, the media, and the general public.”

The suit seeks compensatory damages in excess of $25,000, punitive damages sufficient to deter future similar conduct and attorney’s fees.

“Congressman Miller is seeking to hold those responsible accountable and to obtain damages for the significant personal, professional, and political harm that he has suffered,” his spokesman said in a statement.

Zashin declined comment.

The incident brings to mind a similar situation that played out as Miller, a White House aide to President Trump during the Republican’s first term, made his first run for Congress in 2021.

Miller’s former girlfriend, one-time White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham, raised allegations in her book and in a Washington Post op-ed at the time that a former White House staffer later identified as Miller had physically abused her while they were dating. Miller responded by filing a defamation lawsuit against her. He voluntarily dismissed the suit with prejudice in August 2023, just before the case was set to go to trial.

Moreno’s spokesperson, Stefan Mychajliw, cited the earlier lawsuit in a statement Thursday.

“Mr. Miller is upset because he’s tried to silence Emily Moreno the same way he silenced Stephanie Grisham — and Emily won’t let him,” he said, suggesting Miller is “running the same playbook against a woman with photographs of her bruises and burns.” He added, “Mr. Miller will not silence Ms. Moreno.”

Miller married Emily Moreno in 2022. They had a daughter in 2023.

He filed for divorce in August 2024, as her father, Bernie, was making a successful run for U.S. Senate backed by Trump. The abuse allegations — most recently, Moreno said Miller threw boiling water at her, an allegation he denies — come amid a messy custody battle that has included Miller seeking a restraining order against his ex-wife and subpoenaing the senator to testify. The divorce was finalized last June.

Miller’s spokesperson provided documentation that several allegations that he had abused his daughter were investigated by the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services and deemed unsubstantiated.

Amid the drama, Democrat Brian Poindexter, a five-term local councilman and union ironworker, is looking to oust Miller and flip Ohio’s 7th Congressional District in November.

Smyth writes for the Associated Press.

It’s a showdown that — regardless of the outcome in the June 2 primary election — probably won’t have Republicans in a celebratory mood.

The battle for the 40th Congressional District representing a swath of inland Orange County and portions of San Bernardino and Riverside counties is happening in one of Southern California’s only remaining solidly red districts. But that doesn’t provide much solace, experts say.

The shuffling of districts following the passage of Proposition 50, which gave Democrats in Sacramento the authority to redraw the state’s congressional districts in favor of Democratic candidates, is pitting two current members of Congress — Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills) and Ken Calvert (R-Corona) — against each other in a bid to keep their seat.

The two are also fending off challenges from a host of Democrats and an independent candidate who says she hopes to win votes from those disenchanted by deeply partisan politics felt across the country.

But even if a Republican keeps the seat, California’s Republican congressional delegation is still down by another member.

“It was all part of the Prop. 50 effort,” said Jon Fleischman, a conservative strategist. “Not only did they reduce the number of seats that Republicans have, they got to shove a couple of incumbents into one seat and eat popcorn and watch the food fight.”

And the gloves are already off.

Kim launched a $3.7-million ad blitz last month with a video boasting her support of President Trump, saying that she’s a “trusted Trump conservative.”

Calvert’s campaign responded in an attack ad that referred to Kim as a RINO, or Republican in name only, a pejorative term frequently used by Trump and others in the GOP to describe conservatives perceived as being disloyal to the party and a “Trump traitor.”

The television advertisement, which began airing last month, called attention to Kim co-sponsoring legislation with other Republicans to censure Trump in 2022 after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Democrats widely criticized the move as a slap on the wrist.

“I believe censuring the president after his actions helps hold him accountable and could garner wide bipartisan support, allowing the House to remain united during some of our nation’s darkest days,” Kim said at the time.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report lists the 40th District, which extends from Villa Park south to Mission Viejo in Orange County and into Corona, Murrieta and Menifee in the Inland Empire, as being solidly Republican.

It’s the only House seat that was competitive under the old congressional district map that is now fairly safe for the GOP. Trump would have won the district by 12 points in 2024.

As the two incumbents trade jabs, Democrats Esther Kim Varet, an art gallery owner; Lisa Ramirez, an immigration attorney; Joe Kerr, a retired fire captain; and Claude Keissieh, an electrical engineer; are hoping to garner enough support among the progressives in the district to advance to the November election.

Nina Linh, who entered the race early on as a Democrat but has since identified as an independent, is hoping to make inroads with voters disenchanted by both parties.

“When I look at our political climate, I have never in my adult life witnessed or experienced anything so polarized,” she said in a recent interview. “And people, including myself, are just exhausted from this back-and-forth rhetoric for over a decade that has gotten us into a culture of just hyper-divisiveness and extreme partisanship that is prioritized over what everyday people are concerned about.”

Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC, UC Berkeley and Pepperdine, called the race in the 40th District a “classic matchup between the two Republican parties — the pro-Trump party and the pre-Trump party.”

Kim, who in 2020 was one of the first Korean American women elected to Congress, does vote to advance Trump policies, but her biography is more consistent with an earlier era of conservatism. Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in California’s congressional delegation, has much more aggressively positioned himself in line with Trump, Schnur said.

The district is representative in a lot of ways of the two types of Republicans that make up much of the party’s base — MAGA supporters and traditional Republicans who have either come to accept Trump or quietly resent him.

“Not only is this district reflective of the challenge that the party is facing around the country this year, it could be an early precursor of what Republicans will face in the 2028 presidential primary,” Schnur said.