RIP

Donald Trump's endorsing a controversial public figure to become the next head of the Catholic Church -- himself!

The President of the United States was asked Tuesday who he thinks should ascend to the role following Pope Francis' death ... and, he immediately responded he's his own No. 1 choice for the job.

It's clear President Trump is joking here ... following up the comment by saying he doesn't really have a preference -- though there's a cardinal from New York he thinks could handle the job.

Christina Applegate's dad passed away ... and, she got emotional while sharing the news -- full-on bawling during a recent podcast episode.

The actress sat down for a conversation on her 'MeSsy' podcast with Jamie-Lynn Sigler ... telling guest JoAnna Garcia Swisher that she was crying her eyes out because her father, Robert Applegate, passed away about a week before they were recording.

Listen to the clip ... Christina says this podcast appearance is the first time she's really cried following her dad's death -- saying she was too busy to sit and let herself really cry in the days following his passing.

Matt Petgrave -- the hockey player arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in connection to former NHL pro Adam Johnson's death in 2023 -- will not face criminal charges ... British officials stated this week.

The Crown Prosecution Service announced the decision Tuesday ... saying after a thorough police investigation, it has opted not to pursue charges.

"We have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offense and so there will not be a prosecution. Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson," the CPS said.

11:30 AM PT -- There's a happy ending to this story ... as TMZ Sports has learned Lakers superstar Luka Doncic has donated $5,000 to help restore the mural.

It's an incredible gesture ... as that is the total amount the fundraiser was hoping to rake in for the effort.

A tribute to the late Kobe and Gigi Bryant was defaced with graffiti ... with the mural becoming a canvas for an apparent beef between street artists.

The vandalism was spotted recently ... with a piece depicting the Lakers legend in uniform and kissing his young daughter on the cheek being covered in white paint and a graffiti tag.

In the top corner, where the original artist's name "Sloe Motions" appeared, it looks like someone scribbled out the tag and wrote "Keep running your mouth, p***y."

Mike Peters -- the lead singer of the rock band The Alarm -- has died ... according to the BBC.

It's not immediately clear when or how Peters died ... though it's worth noting the Welsh rocker fought cancer on and off for three decades leading up to his death.

Peters was best known for cofounding The Alarm, though the initial punk-rock iteration of the group went by the name The Toilets and started performing in 1977.

Kevin Love and his former teammate Tristan Thompson shared an emotional and powerful moment before Monday's Cavs-Heat playoff game, following the recent passing of Love's father, his "first Hero."

The touching scene went down before the Cavs' 138-83 blowout dub vs. the Heat at the Kaseya Center in Miami, when Love and Thompson -- who played together in The Land from 2014 to 2020 -- reunited on the court.

It was all caught on the broadcast ... showing Thompson hugging and comforting Love, who is mourning the death of his father, Stan, who passed away on Sunday.

New video shows the moment of impact in a fatal boat crash in Florida ... and audio reveals the distressing "mayday" calls.

Footage released Monday shows the Clearwater Ferry chugging along in the waters near the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge when a recreational vessel comes racing into frame ... crashing into the ferry from behind.

The recreational boat appears to override the ferry ... almost like a monster truck driving over cars and crushing them underneath.

Virginia Giuffre's father is now calling on authorities to do some digging into her death, which has initially been ruled a suicide ... something he says she always warned to be wary of if she was ever found to have taken her own life.

Virginia, who in 2015 publicly accused convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and British royal Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, was found dead in her Australian home last week ... after seemingly killing herself.

Virginia's family chalked her death up to suicide in a statement announcing her death last week, but now her father is walking that back.

Preston Ordone, the "Okay Baby" viral star, has tragically died after a car crash -- and now, chaos is breaking out between his family and cops, with both sides clashing over a crucial detail in his death.

The 2-year-old died on April 24 after the 2011 Ford F-150 pickup truck he was riding in with his parents, Katelynn and Jaelan, veered off the road and slammed into a tree, according to Louisiana State Police.

Katelynn and Jaelan survived the impact in St. Tammany Parish, north of New Orleans, with substantial injuries. Cops say they believe Preston wasn’t properly secured in his car seat, a claim strongly disputed by the boy's grandfather, Glen Norris.

Kevin Love shared the heartbreaking news of his dad's death with an emotional goodbye on Sunday ... saying he was "so proud to be" former NBA player Stan Love's son.

The 36-year-old Miami Heat forward -- who has spent time away from the team due to personal reasons -- said his dad "fought for a long time," and although it was painful to watch him "deteriorate" in his final days ... he still viewed him as his a "Giant," his "Protector," and his "first Hero."

"Your only wish was to be at home surrounded by your family when you took your dying breath," Kevin said. "That breath came. And now it’s time to rest."

Hit-and-runs usually involve vehicles ... but in Florida on Sunday, a boat made a quick getaway after crashing into a ferry, killing one person and injuring others, according to police.

The incident occurred Sunday night in the waters near the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater, FL, where the recreational boat was passing by and collided with the ferry, which had 45 passengers on board, cops said.

Moments after impact, the recreational boat sailed off, leaving behind the badly damaged ferry and its occupants.

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa's causes of death have been released ... and, it appears he went a while without eating before he passed.

The Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico has released final autopsy findings ... showing Hackman had a "history of congestive heart failure" and "severe chronic hypertensive changes" to his kidneys, according to Fox News Digital.

While the autopsy, also noted "neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer's Disease," Hackman tested negative for Hantavirus ... the disease that killed his wife, Betsy.

Kurt Cobain smashed this white Fender Stratocaster back in 1992 ... and, now it's smashing records -- bringing in a whopping sum at auction!

Dylan Kosinski -- president of popular music auction site Gottahaverockandroll -- tells TMZ … Kurt’s smashed guitar sold for $101,500 to a Texas collector when the auction closed yesterday.

The piece of music memorabilia sparked a bidding war on the site ... with five people making a total of 11 bids before a winner was ultimately crowned.

One of the key suspects in the Kim Kardashian Paris robbery reportedly died suddenly just as the case against him was about to go to trial.

According to the Daily Mail, Marceau Baum-Gertner died on March 6 in Paris. His cause of death is not yet known.

Marceau was accused of working alongside the gang that held the "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star at gunpoint in 2016.

Eleven people are dead and several others are injured after a car plowed into a group of people at a street festival in Canada over the weekend.

Police in Vancouver say the vehicle barreled straight into a large crowd at a street festival around 8 PM on Saturday.

According to cops, a 30-year-old suspect was taken into custody at the scene. Police say the incident is not an act of terrorism.

Jiggly Caliente -- a fan favorite on "RuPaul's Drag Race" and judge on "Drag Race Philippines" -- has died.

Caliente's -- real name Bianca Castro -- family confirmed the news in a post on her Instagram. She had reportedly been suffering from complications due to a severe infection. She underwent surgery and had her right leg amputated.

"Bianca passed away peacefully on April 27, 2025, at 4:42 am, surrounded by her loving family and close friends" ... the Instagram post read. "A luminous presence in the worlds of entertainment and advocacy, Jiggly Caliente was celebrated for her infectious energy, fierce wit, and unwavering authenticity."