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The killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif in an Israeli airstrike has drawn global outrage from journalists, rights groups, and public figures, including former adult film star and outspoken activist Mia Khalifa, who delivered a blistering rebuke of those staying silent.

Speaking on the news of Al Sharif’s death, Khalifa said she felt “frozen” when she heard the announcement. “There’s been so much documentation of him being tracked and threatened and now outright targeted by the IDF and it’s just really… it’s just really getting to me how dark things can get and how silent people can still be,” she said.

Khalifa then took aim at a “certain artist” whom she did not name, who recently claimed it was “not their place” to speak about the war in Gaza. “What bird behavior? And that’s what you are at the end of the day. If all you do is keep your head down and pick at bread, you’re a fucking bird. You’re complicit in your bird brain.”

The Strike That Killed One of Gaza’s Last Remaining Voices

Al Sharif, 28, was killed Sunday alongside four Al Jazeera colleagues and an assistant when an Israeli airstrike hit a tent near Al Shifa Hospital in eastern Gaza City. Two others also died in the blast, according to hospital officials. Local freelance journalist Mohammad Al-Khaldi was among the dead.

Israel’s military claims Al Sharif led a Hamas militant cell and was “responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians” allegations that both Al Jazeera and Al Sharif, before his death, denied. Israel has not disclosed evidence to support the claims.

Al Jazeera described Al Sharif as “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists” and called the attack a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza.” The network accused Israel of using “fabricated evidence” to smear its reporters as militants.

International Condemnation

The United Nations human rights office called the killing a “grave breach of international humanitarian law.” Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the “deliberate targeting of journalists by Israel in the Gaza Strip reveals how these crimes are beyond imagination.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was “gravely concerned” about the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which had warned in July that Al Sharif’s life was in danger, accused Israel of failing to provide evidence for its allegations.

A Pulitzer-Winning Reporter Killed in Action

Al Sharif had previously been part of a Reuters team awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. His X account had more than 500,000 followers, and he was posting live updates about the bombardment just minutes before his death.

The Gaza government media office says 238 journalists have been killed since October 7, 2023. The CPJ’s own tally stands at at least 186, making this the deadliest war for journalists in recorded history.

A pre-recorded message from Al Sharif was posted after his death:

“I never hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or misrepresentation, hoping that God would witness those who remained silent.”

Funeral and Legacy

On Monday, mourners filled Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in central Gaza to bury the journalists. Friends, colleagues, and relatives embraced and wept over the loss of one of the region’s most prominent media voices.

Hamas condemned the killing as a prelude to a wider assault on Gaza City. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously vowed to launch a new offensive against Hamas strongholds, amid warnings of a worsening hunger crisis after nearly two years of war.

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Billionaire SpaceX, Tesla and X owner Elon Musk says he plans to sue Apple for not featuring X and its Grok artificial intelligence chatbot app in its top recommended apps in its App Store.

Musk posted the comments on X late Monday, saying, “Hey @Apple App Store, why do you refuse to put either X or Grok in your ‘Must Have’ section when X is the #1 news app in the world and Grok is #5 among all apps? Are you playing politics? What gives? Inquiring minds want to know.”

Grok is owned by Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI.

Musk went on to say that “Apple is behaving in a manner that makes it impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store, which is an unequivocal antitrust violation. xAI will take immediate legal action.”

He gave no further details.

There was no immediate comment from Apple, which has faced various allegations of antitrust violations in recent years.

A federal judge recently found that Apple violated a court injunction in an antitrust case filed by Fortnite maker Epic Games.

Regulators of the 27-nation European Union fined Apple 500 million euros in April for breaking competition rules by preventing app makers from pointing users to cheaper options outside its App Store.

Last year, the EU fined the U.S. tech giant nearly $2 billion for unfairly favoring its own music streaming service by forbidding rivals like Spotify from telling users how they could pay for cheaper subscriptions outside of iPhone apps.

As of early Tuesday, the top app in Apple’s App Store was TikTok, followed by Tinder, Duolingo, YouTube and Bumble. Open AI’s ChatGPT was ranked 7th.

Noir Nation, Shannon Sharpe’s recent exit from ESPN didn’t just make headlines—it stirred the pot on social media. Amanda Seales jumped into the conversation with her own spicy take, calling the moment a reminder that “karma was brought to my attention.”

In a video shared on Instagram, Amanda reflected on the news with her signature blend of humor and truth-telling, hinting that Sharpe might be facing consequences for past actions.

⚖️ Legal Troubles Behind The Scenes

As we’ve reported before, Shannon Sharpe’s ESPN departure came just days after he quietly settled a $50 million sexual assault lawsuit with an OnlyFans model. The lawsuit had put the former NFL star in a tough spot, and his exit from the sports network has many reading between the lines.

🤔 Social Media Sparks Questions

The social media buzz doesn’t stop there. While the exact origin of tension between Amanda and Shannon remains unclear, many point to Amanda’s 2024 interview on Club Shay Shay, where her candid comments and tough questions about Sharpe sparked controversy and online debates. Some fans believe this interview added fuel to the fire surrounding his departure.

🗣️ Noir Nation, What’s Your Take?

Is Amanda Seales just calling it like she sees it, or is there more behind the shade? Drop your thoughts below—this one’s just getting started.

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Sky Bri has revealed that she walked away from her lucrative adult entertainment career, including the adult film industry and OnlyFans, for her ex-boyfriend, YouTuber Nick Nayersina, only to end their relationship after she says he publicly flirted with other women in his videos.

Bri shared the candid confession during a recent appearance on One Night With Steiny on YouTube, explaining that the sacrifice she made for Nayersina was no small decision.

“I gave it up totally,” Bri said. “I’ve been retired now for a year and a half. And he… flirts with girls in videos and has girls in all his videos. And it’s hard for me — I gave up all of that. I would never.”

According to Bri, she not only stopped producing adult content but also cut ties with her entire network of collaborators in the industry.

A Career Stopped Cold

Before meeting Nayersina, Bri had built a substantial following and income through her work in adult content. She claims her retirement was motivated purely by her relationship, saying she wanted to focus on a more traditional personal life.

“I don’t work with any [adult creators]. I gave it up totally,” she emphasized. “I would never date a man that’s dumb… I wouldn’t want a man that’s in the mix like that.”

The Breaking Point

Despite her commitment, Bri says the relationship fractured when Nayersina’s on-camera behavior crossed a line for her.

“He flirts with girls in videos and has girls in all his videos… I can’t take the girl stuff though, it makes me cry,” Bri admitted.

She described the situation as especially hurtful because she had eliminated her own interactions with men in a work capacity, while Nayersina continued engaging with women for his content.

Speculation About a Reunion

The interview took a lighter turn when the hosts speculated that Bri and Nayersina might eventually rekindle their romance. Steiny suggested that their breakup was rooted in deep feelings, not irreconcilable differences.

“You broke up because you love him so much?” Steiny asked, to which Bri replied, “Yeah, yeah.”

The group even joked about a possible reconciliation leading to a pregnancy, prompting Bri to laugh and ask, “You saying I should trap him if I want him back?”

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Fifteen years after his divorce, Shaquille O’Neal says he’s finally learned the Five Love Languages and can “meet them all.” 

During an appearance on the August 11 episode of the “Armchair Expert with Dax Shephard” podcast, the 53-year-old retired professional basketball player opened up about how he’s gained a deeper understanding of the Five Love Languages. 

“I was reading ‘The Five Love Languages,’ and I didn’t realize that sitting with your wife watching TV is not spending quality time with her,” he admitted.

He explained that he didn’t realize what quality time actually was until much later because when he first entered the professional basketball world, he wasn’t exactly popular or dating much. 

“And then when I hit that cover of ‘Sports Illustrated,’ [women were like] ‘I’m coming with you,’” he said. 

When host Shephard guessed that O’Neal’s love language is “words of affirmation,” the sports icon agreed, noting that was the first one he learned. When asked which others out of the five he could fulfil, which also include physical touch, gifts, and acts of service, O’Neal said he can “meet them all.” 

Shepherd clarified that “acts of service” isn’t simply writing a check, it’s sometimes manual labor like mopping the floor.

“Now, I can do that. Ten years ago, I couldn’t do that,” O’Neal quipped. 

O’Neal, who was married to Shaunie Henderson from 2002 to 2011, with whom he shares four children, has been open about where he fell short during his marriage in recent years. Henderson has since remarried and released a memoir detailing her side of the story. During an episode of his podcast, “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” he didn’t mince words when advising NFL player Jason Kelce to focus on his family. 

“I made a lot of dumbass mistakes to where I lost my family and didn’t have anyone. I was an idiot … I lost my whole family. I’m in a 100,000-square-foot house by myself,” he said. 

Noir Nation, after Claressa Shields publicly threw down a $15 million boxing challenge, the internet was buzzing, waiting for Muhammad Ali’s daughter to respond. Now, it looks like we finally have her answer—and it’s classic Laila.

In a recent post, Laila addressed the online chatter with a firm statement: “Now to answer the question that I know many of you who are poking around, waiting for me to give you an answer, the answer is yes. I’m going to answer your question when I’m good and ready to do it. Because you know what? Nobody calls shots on me. I do things when, how, and where I like to do them.” Though she didn’t call out Claressa by name, the timing had social media speculating heavily.

💥 Claressa Shields: The Dream Opponent

Claressa Shields hasn’t hidden her desire to face off with Laila, calling her the “dream opponent” and promising a historic fight between two of boxing’s fiercest women.

The $15 million offer was just the latest move to make it happen—and fans have been waiting for Laila’s reaction.

⏳ Laila’s In Control Of Her Story

But it’s clear Laila is playing the long game, focused on her own timing and terms. She’s not letting anyone pressure her into a decision before she’s ready. This isn’t just about a fight—it’s about owning her narrative.

🗣️ Noir Nation, What’s Your Take?

Is Laila setting the stage for a legendary showdown on her own terms, or is this fight still too far off? Let us know!

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When Shania Twain talks about pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter, the admiration is apparent. In an interview with EtalkCTV, country pop icon dissected collaborating with the “Manchild” artiste, not just her artistry, but her integrity as well.

“She’s so beautiful and she’s so popular,” Twain said. “She’s almost too popular to have to be nice. But she’s nice anyway, and I really love that about her. And she’s super talented, you know? We were singing and doing rehearsals, and she’s just got this beautiful voice, she can sing anything. And she’s a great actress, she takes her career very seriously.”

It’s high praise from one of the best-selling female artists in history, and it comes on the heels of a year in which Carpenter and Twain’s worlds collided onstage and on TV.

Sabrina Carpenter’s Netflix Christmas Spectacle

Carpenter ended 2024 with A Nonsense Christmas, a holiday-themed Netflix variety special that borrowed from her cheeky Christmas redo of “Nonsense” from her Fruitcake EP. The Grammy-nominated singer built the night around ridiculous duets, slapstick sketches, and a parade of high-fashion outfits.

She was joined on stage by the most promising faces in music. Tyla joined her on “This Christmas,” Kali Uchis sang with her on “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” amidst a roaring fireplace, and Chappell Roan shouted “Last Christmas” alongside Carpenter, who sported a fur coat tossed over her shoulders. Shania Twain guested for a sultry duet of “Santa Baby” that brought together two generations of pop queens.

Between digits, Carpenter proved her comedic strength in sketches with Quinta Brunson, Nico Hiraga, and Cara Delevingne. Perhaps the highlight starred Carpenter, Brunson, and Delevingne as ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future, respectively, who had all been romantically ghosted by Hiraga’s character. Carpenter also unwittingly dated Santa Claus without knowing he was Kris Kringle in another sketch.

The costumes were part of the show as her music, from the strapless pink formal evening gown with which the night opened to the red bodysuit that sparkled during the finale.

Netflix first announced the special in September, and Carpenter teased in the trailer, “Christmas is coming early this year. I wouldn’t count on a silent night.”

The Onstage Shania Twain Tribute That Broke the Internet

Just a few weeks prior, Carpenter was making headlines of another sort, her live performance of Shania Twain. During the Toronto stop on her Short n’ Sweet Tour, the pop star from Pennsylvania surprised fans with a rendition of Twain’s 1997 hit “That Don’t Impress Me Much.”

The show was no fluke. Twain, a national treasure in Canada where she grew up in Ontario, is adored, and Carpenter’s rendition felt like a coming-home tribute. The show gained far over 500,000 views online, with comments like “Now that impresses me” and “Sabrina Carpenter getting in touch with her inner Shania, now that impresses me much!”

As Twain viewed the clip, she was genuinely touched. Speaking with ET, she said, “It’s just a huge compliment. I mean she is such a talented person. You know, she really does have a clue about what’s going on behind the scenes. She’s smart. It’s a compliment to have her, I mean, not that she’s paying homage, she’s just a fan of music, and she’s displaying it and expressing it. So, that’s great.”

Carpenter’s Career is Skyrocketing into a New Era

The Short n’ Sweet Tour, which launched only days after her Twain cover went viral, is Carpenter’s first-ever arena headlining tour, an achievement mirrored in her record-breaking popularity. The tour is in support of her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, which was released last August, and features a rotating lineup of surprise cover songs. Including Twain’s chart-topping song, she has performed ABBA’s “Mamma Mia” and Sixpence None the Richer’s “Kiss Me.”

For Twain, the admiration is mutual. For Carpenter, the timing couldn’t be more fortuitous. Amid an arena tour, a Netflix stand-up special, and a co-sign from one of music’s most legendary names, 2024 positioned her as a crossover force, and if Twain’s commendation is anything to go by, a star whose talent and largesse shine just as brightly.

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Apparently, not even presidential portraiture is safe from the ongoing socio-political tensions. Once a striking focal point of the White House’s Grand Foyer, the official portrait of former President Barack Obama has been quietly and conspicuously relocated to a far less visible spot: the top of the Grand Staircase, tucked away in a corner that only the first family, Secret Service, and select staff can see.

According to CNN, this isn’t just a redecorating whim; it’s part of a broader reshuffle that has also sidelined portraits of former Presidents George W. Bush and George H. W. Bush, two figures who have had their own tense history with Trump. The decision breaks a long-standing White House tradition of typically placing portraits of recent presidents in prime view for dignitaries and public tours, symbolizing continuity and respect for the office.

Photos obtained by CNN show Obama’s portrait, by artist Robert McCurdy, hanging at the landing to the private residence, an area firmly off-limits to the thousands of visitors who pass through the White House each year. One source familiar with the decision reportedly explained that the president has been deeply involved in even the most minor changes to the residence’s aesthetic.

Now, this is not the first time Obama’s portrait has been displaced. Back in April, it was removed from its prominent spot and replaced with a painting commemorating Trump’s survival of an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. 

Currently, there’s no portrait of President Joe Biden, as it is still a work in progress. However, the repositioning of Obama’s image feels far from incidental. It comes as Trump has renewed attacks on his predecessor, most recently accusing him, without evidence, of “treason” related to the 2016 election. Obama’s office fired back in a rare public statement, calling the claims “outrageous,” “bizarre,” and “a weak attempt at distraction.”

In an administration where optics often speak as loudly as policy, the relocation of a portrait feels like a political statement, framed and hung firmly out of sight.

Neither the White House, the White House Historical Association, nor Obama’s organizations have responded to the news.