Tom Brady is making it clear where his priorities stand after recent headlines linked him to social media star Alix Earle, with sources now offering mixed perspectives on their much-discussed interaction.
While online chatter has fueled relationship speculation, Brady himself says his focus remains firmly on work and his children.
Speaking at the Fanatics Studios launch party at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on Tuesday, the 48-year-old NFL legend addressed his personal life directly.
“You know what? I don’t have much time for a personal life or much time for myself, but I love working and I love my kids,” Brady told PEOPLE.
He added that staying busy keeps him fulfilled, noting that he’s currently involved in several projects with teams he believes are doing positive work.
The renewed attention comes after Brady rang in New Year’s Eve in St. Barts, where he was seen partying with Earle, 25.
According to a Page Six source, the pair appeared close at a yacht party and at one point stepped away from the larger group to talk privately.
Another insider echoed that account, saying they spent much of the night together chatting.
A separate source told Us Weekly that Brady and Earle met through mutual friends while in St. Barts and felt an “instant connection.”
The source added, “There was a lot of chemistry between them,” but stressed, “It’s nothing serious between her and Tom, but they were together laughing, dancing and partying, enjoying themselves.”
The same source claimed Brady was hesitant about public attention yet “didn’t want to leave her side.”
Still, not everyone close to Brady is convinced.
An insider quoted by National Enquirer columnist Rob Shuter claimed, “Everyone in his circle is buzzing about how Alix is way too thirsty,” suggesting the retired quarterback may be wary of her intentions.
For now, Brady’s public message remains consistent: work, family, and staying fulfilled come first, regardless of the rumours swirling around him.
Armed Kurdish separatist groups tried to cross into Iran from Iraq in recent days, stoking fears that the country’s spiraling unrest has attracted dangerous foreign militants who could destabilize the wider region, according to reports.
Iranian officials said the attempted breach came amid a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests against the country’s regime, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leading the response, Reuters reported.
The Tasnim News Agency also reported armed militia groups operating in Iraq crossed the border in western and northwestern Iran, according to Middle East Monitor.
Kurdish Peshmerga fighters gather north of Kirkuk, Iraq.(Reuters)
Reuters had reported that three sources, including a senior Iranian official, said Turkey’s intelligence agency, known as MIT, warned the IRGC that Kurdish fighters were trying to cross the Iran-Iraq border.
The Iranian official said clashes also broke out after the attempt to cross and accused the fighters of trying to exploit the unrest and create further instability.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, around 30 million Kurds live in the Middle East and mainly in Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey.
Kurdish separatists attempted an Iran crossing from Iraq amid protests.(Mustafa Ozer/AFP via Getty Images)
Turkey has designated Kurdish militant groups in northern Iraq as terrorist organizations and has carried out cross-border military operations against them. The Turkish military has also targeted PKK bases in Iraq.
Reuters said MIT and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s office did not comment on the Iran crossing, though warned that any interference in Iran would inflame regional crises.
Iranians attend an anti-government protest, Jan. 9, in Tehran, Iran.(UGC via AP)
Iranian authorities alleged the fighters were dispatched from Iraq and Turkey and said the Iranian regime has asked both governments to stop any transfer of fighters or weapons into Iran.
The number of deaths during the crackdown on protesters rose to at least 2,571 on Wednesday, as reported by the Human Rights Activists News Agency.
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Meanwhile, President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had been told the killings were stopping and that he believes there is currently no plan for large-scale executions.
Asked who told him, Trump said they were “very important sources on the other side.”
Iran closed its airspace to most flights Wednesday, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24 with the closure lasting a little more than two hours.
Emma Bussey is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital. Before joining Fox, she worked at The Telegraph with the U.S. overnight team, across desks including foreign, politics, news, sport and culture.
Rihanna is reportedly working on a new music tour and a series of UK stadium shows.
The 37-year-old singer, who hasn’t released an album since Anti in 2016, has been planning the comeback since August.
According to The Sun, Rihanna, who welcomed her third child in September, will soon confirm the upcoming shows.
A source said, “Rihanna is raring to go and cannot wait to get back on the road. She had to cancel her London Stadium shows last summer due to her pregnancy, but the timing now works perfectly. This month also marks the tenth anniversary of Anti and a decade since her last tour, so it feels huge to her and her team.”
The insider added that fans can expect “massive” performances, with Rihanna eager to get back on stage. Last year, she had canceled planned but unannounced concerts because of her pregnancy.
Over the past decade, Rihanna has mainly focused on her fashion and beauty ventures, despite selling over 250 million records worldwide.
The news comes as the star hinted at potentially growing her family further. In a playful New Year Instagram comment on former Love Island star Montana Brown’s post about choosing between “getting hot and sexy or getting pregnant in 2026,”
Rihanna wrote, “Wait! So I’m not crazy then? Bet!”
Rihanna and partner A$AP Rocky, also 37, are parents to three children, including sons RZA, three, Riot, two, and a four-month-old daughter, Rocki.
Tish Cyrus calls post-divorce period ‘roughest’ time of her life
Tish Cyrus opened up about the traumatic phase of life post-Billy Ray Cyrus divorce shortly after the death of her mother, Loretta “Mammie” Finley.
In a recent appearance on The Squeeze podcast, Tish said the events came so close together that she did not have time to properly process them.
“Two of the most probably tragic things in my life that happened, I did not, like, process or even stop to really think,” Tish told Tay Lautner.
Tish revealed her mother died in 2020 “during COVID.” She explained how close Mammie was to the family.
“I was very close to my mom, and my kids were really close to my mom,” she said, adding that her mother lived with them while Miley Cyrus filmed Hannah Montana. “She was just a massive part of our lives.”
She also shared how close Mammie was to Miley. “Her and Miley were very close. She’d go to the set with Miley and just my kids just worshiped her,” Tish said.
“When she passed, not long after that, my marriage started falling apart.”
Back in 2024, Tish revealed in an interview with People that she was “terrified” to leave her marriage, “I thought I was going to be alone forever,” she said at the time.
Now she described the phase to the podcast host as “freaking rough … it was the roughest thing I’ve ever gone through.”
She coped with her anxiety by smoking weed at the time.
Tish admitted that therapy helped her in her recovery. “When I started therapy, and I really started talking about my life and moving out here and my kids in the business and, what my life had been, they were like, ‘Wow,'” she added.
Pete Davidson is cooking up a new creative venture in his garage!
The Saturday Night Live alum made an announcement that he is launching The Pete Davidson Show in collaboration with Netflix.
The format of the talk show will be one video weekly as it kicks off on January 30.
The comedian and the streaming channel announced the new launch on January 14, with initial episodes being filmed in his garage, “where all the best conversations happen,” Pete joked per Tudum.
The King of Staten Island actor said in a statement, “Netflix was the home of one of my first stand-up specials.”
“So it felt right to bring the podcast there, too. It’s me and my friends talking about anything and everything. It’s going to be a great time,” he continued.
The show, which will be directed by Sarah Brennan Kolb, will present “candid, no-holds-barred conversations” with Pete’s friends, according to Netflix.
Ayala Cohen oF SNL and Marc Lieberman, president of Above Average will co-produce the upcoming podcast.
It is pertinent to mention that Pete’s previous collaboration with the streamer includes Pete Davidson Presents: The Best Friends, Pete Davidson: Alive from New York and 2024’s Pete Davidson: Turbo Fonzarelli.
Pongal 2026: Know the significance, rituals and meaning of all four days – Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal.
Pongal 2026: This year, Pongal will be celebrated from January 13 to 16.
Pongal Festival 2026 – Four Days of Celebration: Pongal is one of the most important harvest festivals in South India, especially in Tamil Nadu. It marks the beginning of the harvest season and is celebrated with food, prayers and family gatherings. The festival is closely linked to nature, agriculture and gratitude for a good yield.
This year, Pongal will be observed from January 13 to 16, with each day having its own rituals and significance. The festival follows the Tamil solar calendar and begins with the Tamil month of Thai. In many parts of India, Pongal coincides with Makar Sankranti, Lohri and Uttarayan, though traditions vary across regions.
Pongal 2026: Four Days Of The Festival
Happy Pongal 2026: This year, Pongal will be celebrated from January 13 to 16. (Image: Shutterstock)
Pongal is celebrated over four days: Bhogi, Thai Pongal, Mattu Pongal and Kaanum Pongal. Each day highlights a different aspect of life, ranging from renewal and gratitude to family bonding.
As per Drik Panchang, here are the dates for Pongal 2026:
Bhogi Pongal: Tuesday, January 13
Thai Pongal: Wednesday, January 14
Mattu Pongal: Thursday, January 15
Kaanum Pongal: Friday, January 16
Pongal 2026: Bhogi Is About Clearing The Old
Bhogi marks the first day of Pongal and the focus is on discarding the old to welcome a fresh beginning. Homes are thoroughly cleaned, unused items are cleared away, and families prepare for the festivities ahead. In the early hours, bonfires known as Bhogi Mantalu are lit, during which old wooden items are burned as part of the traditional ritual.
People wear new clothes, decorate their homes with colourful kolams and share sweets. In many Telugu households, a special ceremony called Bhogi Pallu is performed for young children, where fruits, flowers, coins and pieces of sugarcane are showered on them as blessings for good health and a long life.
According to Drik Panchang, Bhogi Pandigai will be observed on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, while the Bhogi Sankranti moment falls at 03:13 pm on January 14, 2026.
Pongal 2026: Thai Pongal Thanks The Sun God
Thai Pongal is the main day of the festival and is dedicated to the Sun God. On this day, families prepare the traditional dish known as Pongal using freshly harvested rice, milk and jaggery. The dish is cooked in a new clay pot, and the moment the milk boils over is considered an auspicious sign of prosperity.
The prepared Pongal is first offered to the Sun God and then shared among family members. The cooking is usually done outdoors in the morning, symbolising reverence for nature and agriculture. Thai Pongal also marks the beginning of the Tamil month of Thai.
According to Drik Panchang, Thai Pongal will be observed on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, with the Thai Pongal Sankranti moment occurring at 03:13 pm.
Pongal 2026: Mattu Pongal Honours Cattle
Mattu Pongal is dedicated to cows and bulls, acknowledging their vital role in agriculture. On this day, cattle are bathed, adorned with flowers and bells, their horns painted, and worshipped by farmers.
In many villages, the celebrations feature folk dances, traditional games and cattle processions. In some parts of Tamil Nadu, Jallikattu, the traditional bull-taming sport, is organised as part of the festivities. The day underscores the close bond between humans, animals and nature.
According to Drik Panchang, Mattu Pongal will be observed on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
Pongal 2026: Kaanum Pongal Is For Togetherness
Kaanum Pongal is the final day of the festival. This day is about spending time with loved ones. Families visit relatives, go on picnics and enjoy meals together. Many people head to beaches, riverbanks, temples or public parks to relax and unwind.
The word Kaanum means “to see,” reflecting the idea of meeting people and reconnecting after days of rituals. It is also a popular day for short trips and outings across Tamil Nadu.
According to Drik Panchang, Kaanum Pongal will be observed on Friday, January 16, 2026.
Pongal 2026: Tamil Nadu Cities Mark The Festival With Music And Traditions
During Pongal, cities and towns across Tamil Nadu come alive with festive energy. People enjoy folk songs and dances, Pongal-themed displays, local craft stalls, temple processions and special prayers.
Cities such as Chennai, Madurai, Thanjavur and Coimbatore are especially known for their large and colourful Pongal celebrations.
First Published:
January 12, 2026, 09:35 IST
Newslifestyle Pongal 2026: Bhogi, Thai, Mattu And Kaanum, What Each Of The Four Days Signifies
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LONDON — Arsenal‘s semifinal curse isn’t quite broken, but they are on the verge of shattering a cycle that could have major consequences for their season.
The Gunners are strong favorites to progress to the Carabao Cup final after beating Chelsea3-2 in Wednesday’s first leg of their semifinal tie at Stamford Bridge.
After six years of steady progress under Mikel Arteta, the last step for his team is to consistently win trophies and translate the superiority many believe they possess in their squad to the scoreline when it matters most.
At times, it has felt an insurmountable hurdle. Across four semifinal ties comprising eight matches, Arteta’s Arsenal have won none, lost six, and scored just twice. In this competition last season, Newcastle United beat the Gunners 4-0 on aggregate in a comprehensive defeat, which again raised questions about their ability to win silverware.
Their 2020 FA Cup win still feels like a distant memory. In that context, then, this felt like a significant night for Arsenal.
“It is another step but it is just halftime,” said Arteta.
“We know the big fight we are going to have at the Emirates in a few weeks’ time because they are a top side.
“In 20 minutes, I’m going to start thinking about Forest, start to prepare there, and make sure everybody recovers from that. That’s the routine we have. Very happy with what we have done tonight. Put it to bed and now focus on the next one.
“[It is] really good [for the momentum] because it is a really tough place to come. When you watch them live and the quality they have, how they open you up in a second with the quality they have. It is impressive. That’s why I really value what the team has done again.”
They reconfirmed their dominance over Chelsea, who excelled despite playing with 10 players for almost an hour of their Premier League meeting here at the end of November.
The Blues have, of course, changed head coaches since then, with Liam Rosenior replacing Enzo Maresca in the dugout, and he quickly gained an unwanted record in becoming the seventh consecutive man to fail to win his first home game in charge.
This was always going to be a tough ask — Arsenal haven’t lost to Chelsea anywhere since 2021, a run spanning nine games now — and substitute Alejandro Garnacho‘s second-half brace gives them hope of an improbable turnaround.
But they were chasing the game from the moment Ben White scored a seventh-minute header as goalkeeper Robert Sánchez made the first of two bad mistakes to gift Arsenal their advantage.
The second came four minutes after the restart as Viktor Gyökeres turned the ball in from inside the six-yard box after Sanchez allowed White’s cross to squirm under him.
Garnacho gave Chelsea hope on 57 minutes with a smart finish inside Kepa Arrizabalaga‘s near post before Martín Zubimendi scored the goal of the night, collecting Gyökeres’ clever pass at the end of a flowing move, feigning an effort to create more space before finishing left-footed. Arteta’s reaction was a mixture of joy and disbelief.
Gyökeres can count this as arguably his best night in an Arsenal shirt. After another battling but peripheral 45 minutes, his industry produced a tangible return with an assist and a goal, his first from open play since Nov. 1.
The hope for Arsenal is that progressing to the final can give them the confidence boost needed to see out the job in the competitions they really want, topping the table as they currently do in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea kept plugging away and Garnacho struck again at the back post, this time from a corner Arsenal failed to clear to give them a glimmer of hope in the return game on Feb. 3. Rosenior can at least take encouragement from the way his team rallied, particularly given the adversity he outlined afterwards.
“Cole [Palmer], the game came too early for him,” explained Rosenior.
“Hopefully he’ll be available to train on Friday and play for us on Saturday. But he had a little minor strain in his thigh. If you play a player too early in January with a minor strain, it can turn into six weeks. I can’t afford to lose him for six weeks because he’s that good.
“Reece [James] had a big knock on his hip. It was too sore for him today. Jamie Gittens was ill last night, Liam Delap was due to play but was ill four hours before the game and we couldn’t play him.
“Moi Caicedo was suspended, Malo Gusto was out. There were a lot of positive aspects from the group today.”
Rosenior is trying to strike a balance between speaking with the authority demanded of his role and the humility of someone stepping up to this level.
“I have been in for six days, we’ve had two games,” he said, referring to Saturday’s 5-1 FA Cup win at Championship strugglers Charlton Athletic.
“I’m not asking for time because I think the group are good enough to win now but I need to put my stamp on the team as well, otherwise there is no point me being here. So it is a fine balance and hopefully the fans will see the progression in the team but we need to win at the same time.”
Progressing and winning. Somewhere close to where Arsenal are now, then.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to dissolve Parliament’s powerful lower house as early as this month, setting up a snap election aimed at securing voter backing for her agenda while her approval ratings remain high, a senior party official said.
The Associated Press reported that the move would allow Takaichi to seek fresh support for her economic and security priorities at a time when her scandal-tainted party and a new coalition partner hold only a slim majority in Japan’s legislature.
Described by some Japanese and international media as an ultraconservative, hard-line figure, Takaichi has backed strengthening Japan’s defense posture, emerged as a vocal China hawk and supported constitutional revisions to expand the role of the Self-Defense Forces.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose warnings about a Taiwan crisis have angered Beijing, in Tokyo, Japan. Oct. 21, 2025.(Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)
Calling a snap election could allow Takaichi to capitalize on approval ratings of about 70% and help her Liberal Democratic Party gain additional seats in Parliament.
Shunichi Suzuki, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters that Takaichi informed him and other senior officials of her intention to dissolve the lower house “soon” after it convenes Jan. 23.
Suzuki said no date has been set for dissolving the chamber or holding a snap election, adding that Takaichi plans to outline her strategy at a news conference Monday.
Former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during the Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership election in Tokyo Oct. 4, 2025. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool Photo via AP)
Takaichi’s scandal-tainted LDP and its coalition hold only a narrow majority in the lower house, Parliament’s more powerful chamber, after losses in the 2024 election.
By calling an early vote, Takaichi appears to be aiming to expand her party’s share of seats and strengthen its position alongside a new junior coalition partner.
Opposition lawmakers criticized the plan as self-serving, saying it would delay urgent parliamentary debate over the national budget, which must be approved quickly.
President Donald Trump, with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, speaks to members of the military aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka Oct. 28, 2025.(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Echoing Suzuki’s comments, media reports have said Takaichi plans to dissolve the lower house on Jan. 23, the opening day of this year’s ordinary parliamentary session, potentially setting the stage for a snap election as early as Feb. 8.
Takaichi is seeking voter backing for her agenda, including “proactive” fiscal spending and an accelerated military buildup under a new coalition with the Japan Innovation Party, Suzuki said.
The conservative Japan Innovation Party joined the ruling bloc after the centrist Komeito party withdrew, citing disagreements over Takaichi’s ideological positions and her approach to anti-corruption reforms.
Takaichi met Wednesday with Suzuki and other coalition leaders after holding talks in Nara with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. The meetings came as she faces rising trade and political tensions with China following remarks on Taiwan that angered Beijing days after she took office.
Winning a snap election would also make it easier for Takaichi and her governing bloc to pass a budget and advance other legislation.
Her Cabinet approved a record 122.3 trillion yen ($770 billion) budget in late December that must clear Parliament before the fiscal year begins in April. The plan includes measures to fight inflation, support low-income households and boost economic growth.
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Known for her hawkish and nationalistic views and her ultra-conservative positions on social issues, including gender and sexual diversity, Takaichi is seeking to reclaim conservative voters drawn to emerging populist parties in recent elections.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi adjusts glasses during a press conference following talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, December 17, 2025. — Reuters
WASHINGTON: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday that “there is no plan” by Iran to hang people, when asked about the anti-government protests in the Middle Eastern nation.
“There is no plan for hanging at all,” the foreign minister told Fox News in an interview on the Special Report with Bret Baier show. “Hanging is out of the question,” he said.
According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Society, hangings are common in Iranian prisons.
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said he would take “very strong action” if Iran started hanging protesters, but did not elaborate on his comments. “If they hang them, you’re going to see some things,” Trump said.
Trump said on Wednesday that he was told that killings in the Iranian government’s crackdown on the protests were subsiding and that he believed there was currently no plan for large-scale executions.
Trump has been weighing a response to the situation in Iran, which is seeing its biggest anti-government protests in years.
Iran had a 12-day war with US ally Israel last year and its nuclear facilities were bombed by the US military in June. Trump has been piling pressure on Iran’s leaders, including threatening military action.
The protests posed one of the gravest tests of clerical rule in the country since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, as they evolved from complaints about dire economic hardships to defiant calls for the fall of the deeply entrenched clerical establishment.
The US-based HRANA rights group said it had so far verified the deaths of 2,403 protesters and 147 government-affiliated individuals. HRANA reported 18,137 arrests so far.
Iran’s government blames foreign sanctions for economic difficulties and alleges that its foreign enemies are interfering in domestic affairs.
Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval have reached a settlement in their long-running legal dispute over the Los Angeles home they continued to share after their breakup.
Attorneys for Madix, 40, filed a notice of settlement on Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, indicating that the case against Sandoval, 43, has been resolved in its entirety.
The filing doesn’t reveal the terms of the deal, but says the case will be dismissed once certain conditions are met.
The former couple is now scheduled to appear in court on February 5 for a final status conference. If the settlement terms are not fulfilled, the matter could proceed to trial on February 17.
The agreement comes nearly three years after the Vanderpump Rules stars ended their nine-year relationship in March 2023. It all came after allegations that Sandoval had an affair with castmate Rachel “Raquel” Leviss.
After the split, the couple’s shared home became a major source of dispute. In January 2024, Madix filed a lawsuit asking the court to order the house sold and the proceeds divided, along with repayment of debts, sale costs, and legal fees.
Sandoval later opposed the request, saying there wasn’t enough legal basis for a forced sale. Madix told PEOPLE at the time that selling the house was necessary for her to move on, recover her investment, and separate her finances so she could buy a home on her own.
