List of All Articles with Tag 'ties'

Kanye West is used to causing outrage on Twitter/X, having been banned from the platform in the past. But now he’s accusing Elon Musk of taking advantage of his clout in a bid to boost the “struggling” platform’s numbers. The controversial rapper, 46, apparently sent his friend, stylist Ian Connor, a screenshot of a furious text message he’d sent to the Tesla founder. He then told Connor, a former consultant for the Yeezy brand, to “get [the message] out to the public”. The 29-year-old duly obliged, posting a zoomed-in grab of Ye’s text on Instagram for all to read. Allegedly addressing Musk, the ‘Gold Digger’ star wrote: “When are we going to speak. “You owe me nothing. You never have to speak to me again. But if we do speak the nature of the relationship has to change.” It went on: “I’m not bipolar I have signs of autism from my car accident. “You can’t watch Kim keep my kids from me and not say anything publicly and then call yourself my friend so I can bring my audience to your struggling platform.” The bizarre diatribe, with its sudden, stream-of-consciousness-style changes of topic, includes references to his ex-wife Kim Kardashian, his mental health, and a car crash in which he nearly lost his life. The near-fatal accident occurred when he was driving home from a recording studio in October 2002. He miraculously survived but his jaw was shattered. He famously rapped about his recovery process, with his jaw wired shut, in the 2004 classic ‘Through the Wire.’ And yet, his claim that he is “not bipolar” runs at odds with numerous accounts of his struggles with the disorder over the years. He was reportedly diagnosed with the condition back in 2016 and, since then, a number of his more shocking outbursts and behaviours have been attributed to manic episodes stemming from the illness. Indeed, back in 2020, Kim defended her then-husband after he penned a series of jaw-dropping tweets about her and her mother Kris. The mother of his four children wrote at the time: “"He is a brilliant but complicated person who on top of the pressures of being an artist and a black man, who experienced the painful loss of his mother, and has to deal with the pressure and isolation that is heightened by his bipolar disorder (sic).” And whilst she has been less ready to jump to his defence since their split, she has also refuted claims that she has been preventing him from seeing their kids. In March last year, Kanye shared a photo to Instagram of their daughter North's backpack, saying he had spotted the design “when I was 'allowed' to see her last week." Kim fired back in a comment, which she subsequently deleted, telling him to "stop with this narrative” and pointing out that he’d seen their children that same morning. Elsewhere, it’s fair to say he hasn’t had the smoothest relationship with Musk. He was banned from Instagram for his horrifying antisemitic rants last year and was suspended on X/Twitter by Musk, who said he "tried [his] best" to reason with the hip-hop-star-cum-designer. “He again violated our rule against incitement to violence,” the billionaire wrote in December last year after Ye praised Adolf Hitler in an interview with Alex Jones. The 46-year-old’s account was suspended at the time and then reinstated around eight months later, however, he’s still yet to post on the platform. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings

YouTuber turned MMA fighter Logan Paul has explained why he has done a 180 on his promise of an MMA rematch with Dillon Danis. On Saturday (14 October) at Manchester's AO Arena, Paul and Danis took to the boxing ring in their anticipated fight which was preceded by a violent press conference and a lawsuit made against Danis by Paul’s fiance Nina Agdal for cruel trolling. Paul defeated Danis in the ring but has since gone back on his promise of an MMA rematch, despite agreeing with a handshake. During an episode of his podcast, Impaulsive, Paul was asked if he was going to uphold the promise. He replied: “No, and you know why? I said I would if he gave me his whole purse, which is not gonna happen obviously… Bro, he doesn’t deserve the platform.” “We saw the kind of person he is. I walked into the arena to boos, I left to cheers. No one likes that dirty fight s**t, bro. You came to box, like, respect the sport. Respect me as an opponent.” Paul went on to discuss how Danis had trolled him and his fiance for months before the fight and tried to “ruin someone’s life” before showing a poor performance in the ring. He continued: “Back up your words. Are you a man? You can’t talk that much s**t for three months. You can’t try to ruin someone’s life and then come in there with that kind of performance.” Danis is in the process of appealing his loss to Paul after he was defeated by disqualification following repeated attempts to use illegal MMA moves in the boxing fight. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK Foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries in August rose to their largest level since

Even if you can’t appreciate this masterpiece's aesthetic, it has a history that’s worth its weight in house paint and stacks of cash.

An all-female team of Israeli soldiers monitors cameras along Israel's volatile northern frontier.

There has been a range of conspiracy theories surrounding celebrities over the years, from Steve Jobs faking his death to Katy Perry actually being JonBenet Ramsey. There is now another outlandish theory that Eminem died in 2006 and was replaced by an android clone. The theory first started after some fans began to notice a change in his voice over the years, often naturally occurring amongst singers and rappers due to years of strain on the voice, as well as ageing. The theory escalated when Spanish website La Guía Del Varón decided to claim that the rapper had died in a car accident back in 2006. Some fans also pointed out slight changes in appearance such as jaw shape and overall facial structure, something that can occur as a person ages. Looking for more to back up their theories, fans then turned to Eminem's lyrics and music style, where they cite 'significant changes' since 2006 (when he supposedly died). Back in 2013 there was also footage of Eminem supposedly 'glitching' on a live ESPN report which convinced people even more that he was an android. @grace.mitscherlich Reply to @purpleheadedqueeflicker_ #clone #eminem #conspirancytheory Others, though, said "That's just Eminem being Eminem." But after rapper B.o.B posted a series of cryptic tweets in 2016 that claimed human cloning had existed for years, many saw it as even more proof that Eminem was now a clone. But whilst some believe it most are more sensible about what caused the changes with Eminem, such as age and stylistic evolution. "You're reaching way too far," wrote one user under a video about the conspiracy theory. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Richard Madeley has been on our television screens in the UK since the early 80s and, at aged 66, he’s showing no signs of slowing down or having a lack of things to say that leave you gritting your teeth. The experienced broadcaster, who often pops up on Good Morning Britain as part of a rotation of presenters, has - how can we put it? - a certain way with words. Whether it’s him speaking his mind quite freely or having an apparent lack of foresight into whether his words might be offensive, Madeley has become an oddly fascinating figure in British television history. Whenever his name is trending on Twitter due to another gaffe or embarrassing quote, you’ll inevitably see him being compared to Alan Partridge - a character that often says things that are hilariously mundane, but also completely incomprehensible. Many viewers think it’s hard to tell the two men apart and, in many ways, Madeley is a better Partridge than Steve Coogan ever could be. Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter That’s why we’ve put together a fun little quiz featuring a selection of 15 of the two men’s most bizarre, amusing and awkward quotes. All you have to do is guess whether Madeley or Partridge said them. Let’s see how you get on: 1. "Stop crying! This is supposed to make you happy! Anyway after the break, the biggest dog in the UK. And he really is big. Don’t miss it” A. Madeley B. Partridge 2. "What do you notice most that has changed during your 18 years in jail? Cars have five gears now, for example." A. Madeley B. Partridge 3. "Guide dogs for the blind? It's cruel really isn't it? Getting a dog to lead a man around all day. Not fair on either of them" A. Madeley B. Partridge 4. "Can we get some make-up please, get Keira looking like a crack whore. She'd make a good crack whore." A. Madeley B. Partridge 5. "Imagine two things you enjoy. Great individually but put them together and you get something quite special. Strawberries and cream. Egg and bacon. Yawning and scratching. Johnson and Johnson. Charles and Camilla. But what about drugs and sex? This is Chemex." A. Madeley B. Partridge 6. "I’ve gotta say, Pat, kids don’t make you happy. Some of the unhappiest times of my life have been with my kids. I remember... a holiday on the beach in Prestatyn. The kids came over to me and said, “Papa, Papa! Follow me,” and... you know... I followed them about 200 yards across the sand dunes. When I got there, finally, all they’d done was dug a big hole. Miserable." A. Madeley B. Partridge 7. "There’s not many better things than seeing an older woman skipping" A. Madeley B. Partridge 8. "An egg still in its shell, looks fine but… It‘s from the nineties" A. Madeley B. Partridge 9. "You look at the beach and you think, ‘ahh, pretty pretty, lovely golden sand, that’s safe.’ Not in certain parts of the country… quicksand!" A. Madeley B. Partridge 10. "I have to confess, as someone who is lucky enough to own more than one home, I know nothing about squatting." A. Madeley B. Partridge 11. "What is the point of salt grinders? 30 plus years of grand delusion. We must be mad!" A. Madeley B. Partridge 12. "I've never met a single woman happy with the way she looks, except Jordan - but I've never met her." A. Madeley B. Partridge 13. "I would've taken it off sooner, but I was having a fascinating conversation with the proud father of Norfolk's most sun-tanned child" A. Madeley B. Partridge 14. "Obviously, we had the Nuremberg trials after the war and we hanged quite a few Nazis and imprisoned a lot of others and we let them out eventually. But we didn’t go after the Hitler Youth as far as I’m aware. We didn’t go after the Hitler Youth – we only went after adults who served in the Hitler regime. And that’s something to reflect on, I think.” A. Madeley B. Partridge 15. "There are more proven facts in my book than in the Bible. People call the Bible the good book but my book is really good" A. Madeley B. Partridge How’d you get on? Check your answers below and feel free to let us know your score. Answers: 1. Madeley 2. Madeley 3. Partridge 4. Madeley 5. Partridge 6. Partridge 7. Madeley 8. Partridge 9. Madeley 10. Madeley 11. Madeley 12. Madeley 13. Partridge 14. Madeley 15. Partridge Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Jared Leto has shared a POV video of himself bungee jumping into a festival appearance in Texas. Leto was performing with his band Thirty Seconds To Mars at ACL Festival, when he took to the incredibly high platform, which towered over the site. Fans screamed as the thrill-seeker threw himself from it to land by the stage, ready to perform. Just last month, he was spotted scaling a building in New York, so he's definitely earned his reputation as a daredevil. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Britney Spears shocked the world when she shaved her head back in 2007, and now she has revealed why she did it. The then-26-year-old's dramatic makeover made headlines around the world at the time and the images of Spears shaving her head from a Los Angeles hair salon remain an infamous pop culture moment. Now, 16 years on, the 'Baby One More Time' singer has opened up in her new memoir The Woman in Me about how her decision behind the transformation was in response to the tabloid scrutiny she has dealt with from a young age. “I’d been eyeballed so much growing up. I’d been looked up and down, had people telling me what they thought of my body, since I was a teenager,” she told People. “Shaving my head and acting out were my ways of pushing back." From 2008, Spears was under a court-mandated conservatorship which her father Jamie Spears was in charge of and this meant the pop star didn't have control over certain matters in her life such as her personal and financial affairs. “Under the conservatorship I was made to understand that those days were now over,” she wrote. “I had to grow my hair out and get back into shape. I had to go to bed early and take whatever medication they told me to take.” Spears was under the conservatorship for 13 years. Jamie was removed as her conservator in September 2021 before it was completely lifted in November 2021, following the singer's plea to a judge to end the ruling as she declared: "I want my life back." In celebration of the conservatorship ending, Spears was pictured holding a glass of champagne and in the post wrote: "I’m celebrating my freedom and my B day for the next two months." “I mean after 13 years…I think I’ve waited long enough. I’m so happy my lawyer Mathew Rosengart came into my life when he did… he has truly turned my life around… I’m forever thankful for that.” Elsewhere, the 41-year-old also claimed in her memoir that she fell pregnant during her three-year relationship with fellow superstar Justin Timberlake. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings

Mia Khalifa has been one of the most vocal supporters of Palestine throughout the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Khalifa, one of the most famous former porn stars, has been using her large following on social media to share messages of support towards Palestine and criticise the Israeli government. Who is Mia Khalifa? Born in Lebanon, Khalifa and her family moved to the United States in 2001. In numerous interviews Khalifa has shared her struggles of racism that she faced, especially during school, that only heightened after 9/11. Despite only working as an adult film star for three months, she became the most-searched-for adult actress on sites such as PornHub and xHamster from 2016 to 2018. Her popularity occurred after she appeared in an adult film scene wearing a hijab, resulting in a range of criticism, and even death threats, as well as her parents publicly disowning her. Since leaving the industry she has been critical of it, claiming to have only made $1,000 per scene - $12,000 in total - despite her videos generate millions of dollars. Khalifa also has no ownership over the videos and images that exist of her online, despite her wishes to have such content removed, referring to that time of her life as a "lapse of judgement". "What I can take away from this is protecting other women and being a cautionary tale," Khalifa told Yahoo Life in 2021. Since leaving the adult film industry she has pivoted into content creation, regularly posting on platforms such as Instagram. Khalifa has also entered the world of sports commentary, previously hosting shows such as Sportsball and Out of Bounds. What has she said on the Israel-Palestine conflict? Khalifa was recently fired by the company Red Light Holland after tweeting "Can someone please tell the freedom fighters in Palestine to flip their phones and film horizontal." "I'd say supporting Palestine has lost me business opportunities, but I'm more angry at myself for not checking whether or not I was entering into business with Zionists. My bad." Khalifa tweeted in response to her being fired by the company." Khalifa has also been sharing posts on her X/Twitter profile such as: "rooting for everyone resisting oppression", as well as another post writing "Hamas ≠ [not equal to] Palestine" and "Jewish people ≠ Israeli government". She later returned to social media to clarify her comments, adding: "I just want to make it clear that this statement in no way shape or form is [inciting] spread of violence, I specifically said freedom fighters because that's what the Palestinian citizens are... fighting for freedom every day." There have since been claims on social media that Pornhub stepped in and started donating her video profits to Israel aid funds since her comments - rumours which were shut down by the company after indy100 reached out for comment. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Britney Spears shot to fame as the quintessential sugar-pop princess but, in 2003, she showed her serious side with the moving hit ‘Everytime’. And now, the track has acquired a whole new meaning in the light of revelations made in her upcoming memoir ‘The Woman in Me’. In the autobiography, Spears, 41, claims that she fell pregnant during her three-year relationship with fellow superstar Justin Timberlake. And while she’d been convinced that she and the NSYNC heartthrob would have children together “one day”, she said he “definitely wasn’t happy” about the news. The singer wrote in an excerpt published by People on Tuesday: “I loved Justin so much. I always expected us to have a family together one day. This would just be much earlier than I’d anticipated. “But Justin definitely wasn’t happy about the pregnancy. He said we weren’t ready to have a baby in our lives, that we were way too young.” She went on: “I’m sure people will hate me for this, but I agreed not to have the baby. I don’t know if that was the right decision. If it had been left up to me alone, I never would have done it. “And yet Justin was so sure that he didn’t want to be a father.” Spears then revealed that she had an abortion in late 2000 when she was just 18 or 19 years old, and said the procedure was “one of the most agonizing things” she had ever experienced. Inevitably, the deeply personal disclosure soon dominated social media, with fans convinced that ‘Everytime’ was, in fact, a tribute to her lost, unborn child. They swiftly scanned the music video and performances for clues – and the evidence seems pretty convincing. In the end, the ‘Baby One More Time’ star went on to have two sons — Sean Preston, who is now 18, and Jayden James, who is 17 – with her ex-husband Kevin Federline. Meanwhile, Timberlake also has two sons – Silas, 8, and Phineas, 3 – with his wife Jessica Biel. The ‘Cry me a River’ idol had apparently been “concerned” about what Spears was going to write about him in her book, which will be released on 224 October. “It’s eating at him,” one insider told Page Six. Maybe now, to quote ‘Everytime’, it will haunt him, too. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

With the 2024 US presidential elections on the horizon, thoughts are turning to who will stand as a candidate - and Grimes believes Taylor Swift is the woman for the high office job. GrimesAI, an X/Twitter account that simulates the musician through artificial intelligence, tweeted: “it’s not just the fact that Taylor Swift as president would course correct society and fix carbon emissions in 10 years. "it’s that I care about her mental health and she cares about mine (she doesn’t know me but she’d care).” It looks like the actual Grimes agrees as she quote tweeted in response: "In many ways Taylor Swift is the only presidential candidate who can unite the country. Trump v Swift is totally occurring in a parallel universe rn." Now that would be an interesting line-up for a presidential debate. It's fair to say that 2023 has been Swift's year with her recording-breaking Eras Tour and concert film - she is more popular than ever, and the Swifties would certainly flock to the polling booth in this hypothetical scenario. This prompted another person to reply: “Actually not a bad idea, Don’t know how good it would be for her mental health though.” Grimes then answered: “It’s probably exceptionally unadvisable. It just probably would work." “Perhaps she should run as the Republican candidate," someone else added. To which Grimes responded, “She’d be preferable as a Republican I think – actually unbeatable at that point.” However, Swift herself publicly stated back in 2018 that she is a Democrat and endorsed Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives for the midterm elections after years of her political views being unknown. “In the past I’ve been reluctant to publicly voice my political opinions, but due to several events in my life and in the world in the past two years, I feel very differently about that now,” Swift wrote on social media at the time. “I believe in the fight for LGBTQ rights, and that any form of discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is WRONG. I believe that the systemic racism we still see in this country towards people of color is terrifying, sickening and prevalent,” she added. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.