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Bill Gates now deeply regrets having forged a relationship with the late Jeffrey Epstein ... but says it was something he did with good intentions.

The recently-divorced billionaire told Anderson Cooper he initially had several dinners with Epstein in hopes of getting billions of dollars from Epstein's wealthy contacts steered towards his global philanthropy efforts.

The Microsoft founder admits that when he realized that was never going to happen ... he says he ended the relationship with Epstein, who would ultimately be accused of child sex trafficking. Gates called the period a "huge mistake." Epstein took his own life while behind bars in August 2019.

There had been reports Melinda Gates hired divorce attorneys around October 2019 -- when Bill's relationship with Epstein became public -- because she was pissed about the Epstein tie, as well as allegations Bill had come on to different women.

As we reported, Bill and Melinda finalized their divorce earlier this week. It was an acrimonious divorce ... for obvious reasons.

"I’ve abandoned all hope, so you should too. [Khabib's] done. Believe me, I threw the kitchen sink at this kid, tried to get him to stick around and I think he’s done."

That's UFC president Dana White completely shutting the door on a Khabib return, telling TMZ Sports despite rumors swirling the undefeated fighter misses the sport, it simply ain't happening.

"I think he’s sliding into this coach’s role. You know, he went undefeated in his career and retired undefeated, and now he’s undefeated as a coach too. So, the guy has had nothing but success, he continues to be successful, and I think he’s moving on to that next chapter of his life."

But, Khabib's longtime coach, Javier Mendez, recently said his 29-0 fighter missed the competition.

But, last week Nurmagomedov straight-up told us an Octagon return ain't happening, saying ... "No. No. No. No. No."

Before this grinning guy was stealing hearts and looking for adventure on a popular streaming series, he was just another summer lovin' sweetie enjoying the sunshine and beaches in Annapolis, Maryland.

This little lad rose to stardom recently last year with a starring role as the teen heartthrob in a popular series filled with mystery, thrills, and drama ... it's outer this world! He is also known for his on-screen romance that has blossomed off screen with his co-star and leading lady from the show -- which just this week premiered its second season on Netflix.

T.I.'s still super chill about his recent bust in Amsterdam ... which he's now calling "a slight kerfuffle" with a dash of "lost in translation."

We got the rapper and his wife, Tiny, Wednesday as they returned to the States, flying into LAX. We asked him to shed some light on the run-in with cops in the Netherlands, and he said the whole thing was a slight miscommunication.

That checks out, 'cause T.I. says he didn't even realize he was talking to a cop! He says the guy's dialect -- a mix of Dutch and English -- totally threw him off.

All good though ... T.I. didn't seem stressed about it then -- he posted video while in custody -- and still doesn't now, saying all's well that ends well.

As we reported ... Tip said he was riding a bicycle when his handlebar broke off the side mirror on a cop car. It's still unclear how the collision happened ... and T.I. couldn't recall any further detail when we asked at LAX.

Moments after he was released, T.I. he went on Instagram Live and chalked up the whole to the cop having a bad morning.

Khloe Kardashian isn't letting on if she has the inside scoop on whether Kanye West will actually release "Donda" this week ... but she still has his back no matter what.

Khloe was at The Grove in L.A. Wednesday with her daughter, True, and mom, Kris Jenner -- along with nieces and nephews Chi, Psalm, Dream and Stormi -- for what led to a rather large ice cream order.

We asked Khloe if Kanye's upcoming 10th studio album's finally coming out Friday -- after already being pushed a couple weeks -- and her answer's pretty telling.

Still sounds like it could go either way, as far as she knows, but she tells us he's family ... so she'll be supporting him no matter what.

Ye's holding a second "Donda" listening event Thursday night in Atlanta in anticipation of the updated August 6 release date, with plans to make it different from the first.

As you may recall ... the initial release date was scheduled for July 23 and he packed ATL's Mercedes-Benz Stadium the night before to debut the album, but it was never made available to the public.

Justin Bieber is apologizing for plugging Morgan Wallen's album -- saying he didn't know about Morgan's n-word scandal, but now that he does ... he admits it's bringing back bad memories for him.

The controversy started Wednesday morning when Justin posted an Instagram story saying he loved Morgan's "Dangerous" album, a post that was quickly deleted ... presumably after he got some backlash, and some knowledge about Morgan's incident.

Justin's been explaining himself ever since ... claiming he had no clue about Wallen's n-word scandal, saying he doesn't support or tolerate racism or discrimination and apologizing to anyone he may have offended by initially supporting Morgan's record.

As you know by now, Morgan was caught on video saying the n-word back in January after a night out in Nashville with friends.

Once Justin heard about that, it immediately reminded him of his own infamous, on camera, use of the n-word when he was 14. He substituted the epithet in one of his early hits, singing ... "There'll be one less lonely n***er."

Da Brat says it's "way better now" being an openly gay rapper, and even though DaBaby's recent homophobic rant makes it seem otherwise -- she's "living out loud" with her ride or die fiancee Judy Dupart.

The extremely happy couple joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and insisted DaBaby wasn't speaking for all of hip-hop when he dropped that homophobic rant at Rolling Loud. Da Brat says there's a different vibe these days when someone comes out as gay versus back when she was coming up in the industry ... when artists could lose everything just for coming out.

Da Brat says there's an easy case in point with Ellen ... whose ABC sitcom was subsequently 86'd after she came out in a 1997 episode. The rapper says that undoubtedly made artists feel like they needed to continue hiding their sexual orientation -- or face the consequences.

Brat herself came out just last summer, saying she was finally free to share her truth because she's established her career after 2 decades. But, mainly, because of Judy ... a successful woman in her own right as CEO of Kaleidoscope Hair Products.

Da Brat says Judy gave her the courage to be herself, and that supersedes the garbage that came out of DaBaby's mouth. He has since apologized for his "hurtful" and "triggering" comments ... but only after a handful of major music festivals, including Lollapalooza, dropped him from their lineups.

As for how Judy and Da Brat's engaged life is going -- fans can see 'em in action when their new show "Brat Loves Judy" premieres Thursday night on WeTV.

The Weeknd hoped to surprise fans with a really BIG screen showing of his new music video ... but safety concerns for viewers with epilepsy got the project pulled.

Abel's been teasing his new track, "Take My Breath," without an official release date for the last week. Well, sources familiar with the situation tell us it drops THIS Friday. We're told the plan was to premiere the song's video on IMAX screens showing "The Suicide Squad" ... which comes out Thursday night in theaters.

We're told a deal was inked to preview Abel's newest project before IMAX 'Suicide' screenings across the country, which would've been a huge plus for Weeknd -- obviously, that's major eyeballs and a ton of exposure for his latest hit.

Our sources say the honchos over at IMAX just made the decision to pull the video ... on the belief that the light and strobe effects have the potential to be dangerous to those watching with epilepsy and who might be prone to seizures.

Selena Gomez thinks she's the butt of a couple jokes on "The Good Fight" ... but production tells us she's got the wrong idea about the kidney transplant jabs.

Selena and her fans were upset about a couple wisecracks in a scene from the CBS drama ... where characters are discussing what kinds of jokes are NOT kosher ... but we're told the joke is going over everyone's head, though Selena's camp disagrees.

A production source tells TMZ … the Selena reference is part of a discussion the characters are having about topics that are not okay to make fun of and the idea of cancel culture and being canceled for telling a bad joke, and it's decided Selena's transplant isn't something to wisecrack about.

The clip started making the rounds on social media this week and folks got "RESPECT SELENA GOMEZ" trending for a bit, with Selena chiming in and calling the scene "tasteless."

Despite what production says, Selena's not buying it.

Sources close to the singer tell us ... context or not, the way the show wrote and delivered the scene was inappropriate and people around Selena still feel like the scene is being used as a joke not as an educational moment

Selena's dealt with this sort of thing before ... as we reported, the kidney jokes were flying in the 'Saved By The Bell' reboot and the show removed them after tons of backlash.

The Washington Football Team is taking yet another step toward distancing itself from its controversial past ... now banning fans from wearing Native American-inspired headdresses and face paint at its stadium.

The team made the announcement in an email to WFT fans on Wednesday ... explaining the once-popular fan attire will now no longer be accepted at home games.

"We are excited to welcome everyone back wearing their Burgundy & Gold," team officials said in the statement.

"However, Native American inspired ceremonial headdresses or face paint may no longer be worn into the stadium."

The ban should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody ... especially given just last month, the team announced its future nickname would not be the "Warriors" or anything else that could be perceived to be associated with Native American imagery.

"We will choose an identity that unequivocally departs from any use of or approximate linkage to Native American imagery," WFT President Jason Wright said in a July statement.

"As I have said many times before, our new identity should unite us. It should bring us together the way this team comes together on the football field and the way we have seen our Fans come together and proudly support our Team and our DMV community."

No hints have been given yet as to other possible nicknames, though an announcement on a new, permanent name change is expected to come before the 2022 season.

The panic in Kyle Richards' voice is painfully evident on the 911 call she made moments after she was attacked by bees ... as the operator desperately tried to help her work a lifesaving EpiPen.

Kyle, who is allergic to bee stings, is clearly panicked about what could happen to her because she can't figure out how to use the injectable device. The operator tries to calmly talk her through it, but even he starts to lose patience at times.

As we reported, a swarm of bees stung Kyle last month in the backyard of her Encino home.

The dispatcher tells Kyle helps is on the way ... but in the meantime, you can hear his, and Kyle's, frustration that she can't get the EpiPen out of its carrying case.

Kyle repeatedly says she's trying, but can't work the twist-off case ... and at one point asks if she should just stab her leg while the EpiPen is still in the case.

As we reported ... The 'Real Housewives' star posted the terrifying security footage following last weekend's attack that sent her to the ER. She later posted from her hospital bed and underscored the importance of always carrying an EpiPen ... and knowing how to use it.

Gloria Vanderbilt -- the late mother of Anderson Cooper -- lived in a snazzy, one-of-a-kind Manhattan home for more than 2 decades before she passed ... and now it's on the market.

The CNN anchor's listed his mom's 3-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom apartment -- located in Midtown East -- for $1.125 million ... and it's truly a sight to behold.

We could mention how the property is located in one of NYC's most coveted locations with tree-lined streets and features a gorgeous view of the river -- or how it boasts spacious rooms and high ceilings -- but it's really all about the aesthetic.

The home's filled with family treasures and artwork, and Anderson's said her long residency -- she lived there from 1997 until her death in 2019 -- is a testament to her love for the place.

Gloria -- designer, artist and heiress to the Vanderbilt railroad fortune -- passed away from stomach cancer in 2019.

The man who got duct taped to his seat aboard a Frontier plane was incoherently rambling and yelling shortly before he got his trap shut for him ... and it's truly a sight to see.

TMZ has obtained new video showing a different angle of Max Berry getting restrained on his weekend flight from Philly to Miami ... and it captures much of what was happening right before a male flight attendant wrapped him up in tape, and the moments thereafter.

Watch ... after several minutes of Berry ranting, the attendant walks up and then a scuffle breaks out. Not too long after, you see Berry taped to his seat and going on a tirade about what this means big picture. To him, it signaled war was imminent ... although he couldn't seem to articulate why. Between all the cussing/shouting (and slurring of his words, perhaps) it sounds like pure nonsense.

Another weird moment ... Berry mentions that he's white and that there's nothing he can do about that. We're told he was speaking to a Black passenger at the time.

Like we said, one of the crew members eventually comes up behind him and wraps up his blowhole with a crap ton of tape, and the rest of the cabin cheers. And yet, Berry seemed able to get out of that too and continue ranting.

As we reported ... the guy was arrested on several charges over this incident.

The police report, obtained by TMZ, says witnesses claimed Berry had had 2 alcoholic drinks prior to his meltdown, and upon receiving (and spilling) a 3rd, things spiraled into what you see here. BTW, an eyewitness tells us they allegedly saw Berry drinking even before the flight.

He also allegedly grazed the backside of one flight attendant, and was accused of groping another one's breasts. He's facing multiple counts of battery, and was released after posting $4,500 bail.

TMZ Sports has obtained video showing the controversial arrest of New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes ... an incident LAPD is now investigating for possible use of excessive force.

The clip starts with 21-year-old Hayes -- the #8 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft -- tussling on the ground with 3 police officers who are attempting to control and cuff Jaxson. One of the cops presses his taser against the Pelican center's chest and shocks him.

Backup eventually arrives and the video shuts off as the man recording is approached by police.

Hayes was ultimately taken into custody around 3 AM before being treated at a local hospital for minor injuries sustained during the altercation. He was charged with resisting arrest ... and posted a $25K bond.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles PD Chief Michael Moore announced the department launched an investigation into the arrest after Hayes alleged force was applied to his neck -- causing him difficulty breathing.

It's important to note the video we obtained starts with Jaxson on the ground and the taser against his body. TMZ Sports did not edit the starting point of the video.

However, what happened before the video starts rolling is critical ... 'cause cops say Hayes is the one who started and escalated the physical confrontation.

Police claim when they arrived on the scene, Hayes attempted to enter the home -- despite their commands -- before he ultimately shoved an officer, injuring him.

"Body worn video captured Hayes repeatedly attempting to enter the
residence despite officers blocking his path and verbal commands for him to remain outside,'' police said in a statement.

"Officers requested a backup and they attempted to place Hayes' hands behind his back; however, Hayes broke free of the officers' grasp and pushed one of the officers into a wall.''

Kendall Jenner's being sued by a famous Italian clothing designer for only appearing in one of 2 contracted photo shoots -- but her management team says COVID's to blame, and the company refused to be flexible.

According to the suit filed by Liu Jo ... the company struck a deal with Kendall in early 2019 to pay her $1.5 million to appear in 2 shoots -- one for Liu Jo’s Spring/Summer 2020 campaign and the second originally intended to be used for its Fall/Winter 2020 campaign.

Liu Jo says Kendall fulfilled her obligation for the first shoot in 2019 and received more than $1.3 million by Feb. 2020 when it was time for the second shoot ... but then the coronavirus pandemic happened.

According to the docs ... the Italian fashion house offered to reschedule with Kendall for fall of 2020, but it claims she "ultimately turned down all of Liu Jo’s good-faith offers of compromise."

The company says it even tried to work with her to shoot in October 2020 in Italy when she was already going to be there shooting with another designer ... but Kendall allegedly told them it wouldn't work.

Liu Jo claims it became clear then, she had no intention of fulfilling her contract, so it had to sue ... and it's seeking at least $1.8 million in damages.

However, we're told Kendall's team tried to come up with a compromise to shoot in the U.S. during the pandemic, but it was unable to commit to that. Our sources say it's always her intention to complete every deal ... and it's unfortunate Liu Jo decided to go this route.

A spokesperson for The Society Management tells TMZ ... "This suit is without merit. The Society Management, on behalf of Ms. Kendall Jenner, has continually offered Liu Jo alternative dates and locations to fulfill an agreement that was forced to be delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic."

Simone Biles says the abuse she suffered at the hands of Larry Nassar likely triggered feelings that eventually forced her out of the Olympics.

The 24-year-old gymnast was asked whether her horrific experiences with the Team USA doctor affected her mental health while at the 2020 Tokyo Games, during an interview with the "Today" show.

"Now that I think about it, maybe in the back of my head, probably, yes, because there are certain triggers. You don't even know, and I think it could have."

Remember, Biles backed out of the team competition last week citing issues with her mental health. She eventually returned for the beam event on Tuesday ... winning a bronze medal.

The superstar gymnast is one of more than 150 victims who came forward and accused Nassar of sexual misconduct ... saying back in 2018, "It is not normal to receive any type of treatment from a trusted team physician and refer to it horrifyingly as the 'special' treatment."

Biles said she wanted to compete so the Nassar scandal would not be forgotten.

"I knew that still being the face of gymnastics and the USA and everything we brought, it's not going to be buried under the rug, and it will still be a very big conversation," she said Wednesday.

The scandal has taken a toll on the 4x gold medalist, recently revealing on her "Simone vs Herself" Facebook series that she would constantly stay in bed because "sleeping was better than offing myself."

"It was my way to escape reality. Sleeping was like the closest thing to death for me at that point, so I just slept all the time."

57-year-old Nassar was convicted and sentenced to up to 175 years ... and is currently rotting in a prison cell.