News

OpenAI is putting the kibosh on Sora users' ability to generate videos featuring Martin Luther King Jr. ... after his daughter, Bernice King, made the request following "disrespectful depictions" of her late father.

In a joint statement with the King Estate ... OpenAI says it's pausing A.I.-generated depictions of the civil-rights icon as the company "strenghthens guardrails for historical figures."

The company acknowledges there are strong free-speech interests in depicting historical figures, but says public figures and their families should ultimately have control over how their likeness is used.

Moving forward ... OpenAI says authorized representatives or estate owners can request their likeness not be used in Sora cameos.

If you're unfamiliar ... Sora is an app that allows users to create high-definition videos based on simple texts and prompts -- including ones that feature real living people and historical figures.

People are already taking issue with their loved ones being featured in A.I. videos ... including Robin Williams’ daughter, Zelda, who’s publicly objected to fans sending her A.I.-generated clips of her late father.

A real life horror movie played out on a Virginia family's doorstep ... captured in harrowing doorbell footage showing three people in creepy costumes threatening to kill them -- and even allegedly trying to break into their home.

The chilling video -- taken Tuesday night in Alexandria, Virginia -- shows the trio taunting the homeowners to open up and pounding on the door.

Police say the masked suspects threatened bodily harm to the family ... saying they'd kill them -- and demanding to come out or they would come in.

Jake Haro -- father of Emmanuel Haro, the 7-month-old baby who was reported missing back in May -- pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Thursday.

Haro entered the guilty plea during a scheduled felony settlement conference, and according to NBC Palm Springs -- who had a reporter in the courtroom -- he became visibly emotional ... breaking down in tears while admitting to the crime.

Rebecca Haro -- Jake's wife and Emmanuel's mother -- is also facing a murder charge in connection with their son's death ... though she is still pleading not guilty. The child's remains are still missing.

10:37 AM PT -- A rep for McConnell tells TMZ ... "He’s all good -- went on to vote and ready to do this next vote… to see if Dems decide to fund our nation’s defense priorities or not…"

Mitch McConnell tripped and hit the ground hard while walking through the Russell Senate Office Building basement ... and the tumble was caught on video.

The 83-year-old Republican Senator from Kentucky -- who has served in Congress for more than 40 years -- was listening to a question about ICE when he fell to the ground ... slamming hard against the unforgiving stone.

Mitch has had his fair share of health concerns in the past ... including abruptly freezing in front of the camera multiple times like he did in this video from July 2023.

An Italian model was found dead on her balcony in Milan after her ex allegedly stabbed her more than 20 times ... according to local reports.

Pamela Genini was killed Tuesday, local newspaper il Fatto Quotidiano reports ... though neighbors apparently tried to break into the apartment when they heard screaming from inside to help Genini.

The outlet reports Genini was stabbed 24 times in the neck, back, upper limbs, and hands ... and, when police arrived, they allegedly found 52-year-old Gianluca Soncin standing over her.

Ellen Greenberg's parents are demanding answers after a medical examiner reconfirmed their daughter died by suicide back in 2011 ... claiming the M.E. doesn't know a thing about Ellen's mental state at the time.

Sandee and Josh Greenberg sat for an interview with ABC News Wednesday ... and, they told the outlet they still aren't convinced of Ellen's official cause of death.

Sandee claims from a "clinical view" there's no evidence Ellen took her own life ... questioning the medical examiner's credibility when it comes to pointing to Ellen's mental health state at the time ... since the M.E. didn't actually know her.

Ellen Greenberg's 2011 death from multiple stab wounds in the back of her head and neck was ruled a suicide once again ... but a forensic pathologist tells TMZ that's "biomechanically implausible."

Veteran death investigator Joseph Scott Morgan joined us on "TMZ Live" Tuesday, saying he was shocked when he heard the ruling ... "You could've knocked me over with a feather, as they say."

He continued, "We thought that science would prevail. None of us really saw this coming."

President Trump is picking off alleged Venezuelan drug traffickers one by one ... with six of the purported Narcos getting blown to pieces today on dramatic video.

47 announced Tuesday on Truth Social, his Secretary of War ordered this morning's lethal strike against the 6 narcotics dealers, who were cruising in a boat through International waters just off the coast of Venezuela.

Check out video ... which shows the precise moment bombs rained down on the alleged bad guys, sending them and their boat straight to Trump hell.

Drew Struzan -- the legendary artist who created hand-illustrated posters for blockbuster film classics like "Star Wars" and "Harry Potter" -- has died at 78.

Moderators of Struzan’s official Instagram posted that he died Monday, adding ... "I feel it is important that you all know how many times he expressed to me the joy he felt knowing how much you appreciated his art."

No official cause of death has been announced, though it was confirmed back in April that Struzan had been battling Alzheimer’s for some time.

Newly-minted billionaire Edwin Castro is planning to rebuild in his hometown of Altadena ... spending roughly $10 million to rebuild properties ravaged by the Los Angeles wildfires.

Edwin told The Wall Street Journal he wants to help people looking to settle down ... "This is for a family that wants to move in. Those are the people that need to be looked out for right now."

The $10-million price tag is a drop in the bucket for Edwin ... he won the record $2 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022, on a lottery ticket purchased at Joe's Service Center in Altadena.

Mitt Romney has spoken out after his sister-in-law Carrie Elizabeth Romney was found dead Friday ... describing her death as a heartbreaking loss for his family.

Romney told the Daily Mail ... "Our family is heartbroken by the loss of Carrie, who brought warmth and love to all our lives. We ask for privacy during this difficult time."

The sudden death happened Friday night ... that's when she was found dead on the street next to a parking garage in Valencia, California -- a suburb just north of L.A. -- according to the L.A. County Coroner's Office.

A concert went off the rails in Hanoi, Vietnam Saturday night ... when an extravagant fireworks display included some fireballs randomly launched directly into the crowd.

Check out the video ... massive comets rocket directly at the feet of concertgoers, forcing panicked spectators to scramble in all directions.

This was at the tail end of the "Em Xinh Say Hi" show at My Dinh National Stadium. No injuries were reported at the scene.

Gavin Newsom is becoming the ultimate troll ... the California governor mocked Donald Trump and Bibi Netanyahu as the stars of the comedy film "Dumb and Dumber."

Newsom's press office posted a photo on X of President Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister -- clutching hands during their historic announcement to Israel's Knesset on Monday, championing a long-awaited peace deal between Israel and Hamas.

The rival factions have agreed to end a two-year war that has left the Gaza Strip in shambles, with scores dead. As part of the deal, Hamas released the 20 remaining Israeli hostages and Israel released nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

Eliya Cohen -- formerly a hostage in Gaza -- tells TMZ President Donald Trump has gained massive popularity in Israel thanks to the new peace deal ... but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu? Not so much.

Cohen joined us on "TMZ Live" Monday, saying ... "Here in Israel Trump is a hero. Just because of him, I am released, and I'm alive."

Cohen, who was set free in February, was reportedly held captive for 505 days after Hamas militants abducted him from the Nova music festival October 7, 2023.

An Arkansas dad charged with killing his 14-year-old daughter’s accused sexual predator is now running for sheriff ... saying his fight for justice showed him exactly how law enforcement drops the ball.

Aaron Spencer -- charged with fatally shooting 67-year-old Michael Fosler last year -- kicked off his run for Lonoke County Sheriff in a Facebook video ... calling out "failures" in law enforcement and the courts.

Court docs say 37-year-old Spencer -- a military veteran -- was charged with second-degree murder last October for allegedly killing Fosler -- who was already facing multiple sex crime charges against Spencer’s daughter -- after finding him in a truck with her.

A plane crash in Massachusetts has left at least two dead ... TMZ has learned.

According to a press release, state police responded to an airplane crash at about 8:15 Monday morning on the median of Interstate 195 in Dartmouth, Massachusetts.

In the video, you can see flames billowing from the wreckage on the ground.