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Akon is assuring TMZ Hip Hop that reports of his beloved "Akon City" project being canceled are grossly overblown -- but he says there are a few haters who want to see it that way!!!

We caught up with Akon this week in NYC and got updated on his new-age city -- in addition to the country album he told us he was working on back in April.

Akon says his country classic is 60% done ... he doesn't want to rush the process and disrespect the community, and has been spending time in Nashville with Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts to soak up that honky-tonk energy!!!

Randy Couture is on the mend ... TMZ Sports has learned he's been discharged from the hospital following his scary crash last week and is now at home recovering.

The UFC legend sustained serious injuries after he wrecked his car during practice runs at a racetrack in Kansas City ... and actually needed to be airlifted to a medical facility to get treatment.

We're told he suffered first and second-degree burns in the accident ... and had trauma injuries as well as smoke inhalation.

Ever since she was spotted at Jeff Bezos' mega-wedding, rumors swirled that Sydney Sweeney may be in the running to be the next Bond Girl for his Amazon MGM Studios ... but TMZ has learned that casting isn't being shaken or stirred.

An insider with direct knowledge tells TMZ ... Sydney is not currently in talks to play the next Bond Girl, despite rampant online speculation -- and even some headlines debating the proposed choice.

We hear the casting conversation is just wishful thinking by her fans ... plus, there's also the fact the next film has just barely begun to take shape, with Denis Villeneuve recently tapped to direct. And no one has been cast yet to take the 007 mantle from Daniel Craig!

Shawn Ashmore and his wife Dana are speaking out on the horrific 2023 murder of their friend Mei Li Haskell ... finally feeling some sense of closure after the suspect, Sam Haskell IV -- the son of legendary TV agent Sam Haskell -- died by suicide and spared them the agony of a trial.

The "X-Men" star and his wife tell TMZ in a statement ... "Our hearts are heavy, but we feel some small sense of peace knowing there is finally a bit of closure. We are mourning the loss of an extraordinary mother, someone who poured her entire heart into her three boys and never stopped putting them first."

The couple was not allowed to speak out about the case until now ... because they were working alongside authorities as a representative for their close family friend.

12:07 PM PT -- Our law enforcement sources tell us Robin and Thomas were both shot in the head ... and they were found in different rooms.

We're told cops are reviewing surveillance footage and no one is in custody ... and as of now, this doesn't appear to be a burglary because the home was not ransacked.

Our sources say police found no signs of a break-in when they responded to the 911 call last week ... we're told a LAPD helicopter flew over the house but the suspect was not there when cops arrived.

Robin Kaye, an award-winning music supervisor on "American Idol," was found dead inside her Los Angeles home ... and TMZ has learned she and her husband, Thomas Deluca, were the victims of a gruesome double murder.

Our law enforcement sources tell us the bodies of the couple were discovered Monday inside their house in Encino after LAPD officers showed up for a welfare check.

We're told cops saw blood at the front entrance and then smashed a window to gain entry to the home, where they found Robin and Thomas suffering from possible gunshot wounds. They were both declared dead at the scene.

Darth Vader’s actual lightsaber from "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" is hitting the auction block for the first time ever ... and the estimated price tag is sky-high enough to make you choke!

Yup, you heard that right -- Propstore, the holy grail of movie memorabilia, is ready to unleash the real film-used lightsaber … with a jaw-dropping pre-sale estimate of $1-to-$3M.

It’s worth every penny -- especially 'cause it's the screen-matched lightsaber from the epic Vader vs. Luke showdowns wielded by Darth actor David Prowse and stunt legend Bob Anderson in some of the franchise's most climactic moments.

Columbus Short and his wife Aida are hurtling towards a divorce after they separately filed legal docs accusing the other of domestic violence ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell us Columbus is telling people close to him that he's going to be filing for divorce ... because he feels there's no going back after the latest batch of alarming allegations.

We broke the stories ... Columbus secured a temporary restraining order against Aida last week after claiming she kicked and threw a 10-week-old puppy, before busting his eye open and drawing blood, leading to her arrest. Aida then filed for her own TRO, claiming Columbus choked her ... and she included alleged injury photos in her filing.

Diddy is already attempting to rehabilitate himself -- he's enrolling in self-improvement programs while in federal lockup to address his drug use and violence against women.

Sources close to the situation tell TMZ ... Diddy is in the STOP Program, a course the feds offer inmates focused on preventing sexual assault, domestic and dating violence.

We're also told he is undergoing therapy, and is in the Dr. Harry K. Wexler drug abuse program.

Sam Haskell Jr. -- the accused wife-murderer and son of legendary TV agent Sam Haskell -- left a suicide note referencing his children, but there's a twist ... TMZ has learned.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... before taking his own life at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility in Los Angeles last Saturday, Haskell left behind a note proclaiming he would miss his 3 best friends -- his children.

What's interesting ... Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman told us Haskell had purchased a one-way plane ticket for himself to Japan with his girlfriend before he was arrested, so there's evidence he was going to abandon his kids.

7/14/2025 3:00 PM PT -- The judge just granted Katy's permanent restraining order.

Katy Perry is seeking court-ordered protection from a homeless man she claims keeps showing up to her home uninvited ... and her security team believes the guy won't take "no" for an answer.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Katy filed a temporary restraining order against a 43-year-old man named Ross Elliott Hedrick. She says he's a transient and has twice visited her property in Santa Barbara, California.

Katy filed the TRO on June 18 ... and in her request, she also seeks protection for Orlando Bloom, noting he is her "partner" who lives with her. As we first reported, Katy and Orlando have since split.

The "Last Friday Night" singer claims Hedrick visited her Santa Barbara estate multiple times in May ... she says he was arrested after the first unwanted visit and then returned a week later.

Patton Oswalt’s hungry for a remake -- telling TMZ he’s all in for a live-action "Ratatouille"... and yes, he’s ready to cook up some magic as Remy again!

We caught up with Patton at LAX on Monday, and while he says the "Ratatouille" reboot call isn’t his to make -- if it’s happening, he’s 100% ready to squeak back into action.

Honestly, the full clip’s a must-watch for any "Ratatouille" fan ... especially when we hit Patton with the ultimate question -- where does it rank on his all-time Disney-Pixar list?

Joe Castaneda has already put hands on Adrian Peterson, but "Baby Joe" isn't taking the NFL legend lightly ahead of their Celebrity Boxing match ... he's started working out with a trainer, and TMZ Sports has the video!

We're told Castaneda -- a professional poker player by trade -- hired combat sports coach Teddy Concepcion at the Oasis gym in Las Vegas ... and Joe is already on the ground, going through a bunch of different drills, including hitting mitts.

It should come as no surprise that he's taking the fight seriously. Earlier this month, Castaneda told us this was the plan, saying he wanted to sharpen "up these hands to put on a show!"

12:00 PM PT -- Nathan Hochman joined us on TMZ Live to discuss the new details in the case.

7:40 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Sam Haskell Jr. died after slitting his wrists at Twin Towers Correctional Facility in L.A.

Sam Haskell Jr., the son of legendary TV agent Sam Haskell, killed himself in jail just 2 days before his preliminary hearing to determine if he should stand trial for allegedly dismembering his wife and killing her parents ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ, Haskell took his life behind bars Saturday, although the manner of death was not disclosed.

Haskell pled not guilty to murdering Mei Li Haskell and her parents, Gaoshan Li and Yanxiang Wang, back in 2023. He allegedly dismembered the bodies, stuffed them in garbage bags, and then hired 4 day laborers to take the bags to a dump site.

YouTube star Mikayla Raines, famous for rescuing foxes and other animals, died by suicide last month ... and now we know how she took her own life.

Mikayla hanged herself in a barn on her Minnesota property ... according to the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.

Her body was found on June 20, and when Mikayla's husband, Ethan Frankamp, announced her death he said it was suicide.

The mystery man who accompanied Jessica Alba to Cancun is none other than Danny Ramirez, TMZ can reveal.

Alba and the actor boarded a plane in Cancun -- where they had spent time together -- and headed back to L.A. on an American Airlines jet.

The pair left Cancun shortly after 5 PM Sunday and landed in L.A. at 7:45 PM.

Looks like Jessica Alba’s love life is taking off again -- 'cause she's jet-setting with a mystery man as she and Cash Warren still hammer out their divorce.

Check out these clips TMZ obtained of Jessica and her mystery man boarding an American Airlines flight together at 5 PM Sunday, flying from Cancun to LAX.

Jessica rocked a baseball hat and shades, and even used her passport to cover her face for a sec -- so, it seems like she's keeping it low-key for now.