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Cody Simpson's sister is beyond lucky to be alive after breaking her neck while diving into a pool, and as if that wasn't bad enough ... she tested positive for covid-19.

Alli Simpson was immediately taken to an Australian hospital in an ambulance on New Year's Eve... after diving head-first into a shallow swimming pool, and hitting her head on the floor. She ended up having 2 severe fractures in her neck.

The 23-year old opened up about the scary event ... posting photos from the ambulance and Gold Coast University Hospital -- outside Brisbane. She says, "I am extremely lucky to be alive and/or not quadriplegic as it JUST missed my spinal chord..⁣"

Though she didn't have to get any immediate surgery, she will have to live in a neck brace for 4 straight months ... all day, every day.

She admitted this was not the best start to the year for her, but she was mainly optimistic and shared her gratitude... "to say the least - I have a new lease on life & will be forever grateful that it was not worse!!⁣"

She thanked her family, friends and the medical staff for their support ... and left some encouraging words for us all going into 2022 ... "hoping the start to your year has been a whole lot better than mine!! stay safe this year fam & DON’T DIVE INTO ANYTHING WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW IT’S DEPTH!!! 🤍🤍🤍 "

A Southwest passenger says the airline is at fault after her dog wasn't able to breathe in his carrier and suffered a tragic death during a flight.

The 3-year-old French bulldog, named Charlie, was a comfort pet and a paying passenger that had been flying in a dog carrier on a SW flight last month to Pennsylvania.

Charlie's companion Courtney tells us the dog started having breathing problems during a connecting flight of their Dec. 21 journey. She claims when she tried to open the carrier or take Charlie out, an airline attendant refused to allow it and threatened to turn the plane around, or Courtney would face other consequences.

Courtney says it was "brutal," and claims Charlie had been otherwise healthy. She believes he overheated and suffered heatstroke and seizure due to the temperature on her first flight -- although, we're told a necropsy has not been done to confirm that.

She claims she had asked an attendant on that first flight to turn up the AC to cool down Charlie. During the connecting flight, she claims she tried explaining he would die if he continued to have trouble breathing ... but wasn't allowed to help him as he moaned for air.

As a result, she's alleging the Southwest staff "let him die." Courtney is an X-ray technician who says she'd been traveling around the U.S. to help Covid patients, and Charlie was her support animal.

Courtney's lawyer Evan Oshan tells TMZ his client was only offered a ticket refund, but now wants to sue for the loss of Charlie and for pain and suffering. She also wants the flight attendant fired.

Novak Djokovic will defend his Australian Open title after all -- the Serbian tennis star just announced he will compete at the Grand Slam event after being granted a medical exemption from the COVID vaccine mandate.

"I've spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I'm heading Down Under with an exemption permission," Djokovic said on Instagram on Tuesday morning.

"Let's go 2022."

Djokovic's status for the tourney in Melbourne had previously been in question, as he was uncertain if he would participate due to concerns over Australia's quarantine rules and the event's vaccine mandate.

But, the Australian Open said Tuesday that officials conducted two reviews of Djokovic's application for a medical exemption and granted it -- paving the way for the star's return to the Aussie courts.

"Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts,'' Australian Open officials said.

Added tournament director Craig Tiley, "Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone."

Novak -- the No. 1-ranked men's tennis player in the world -- is currently tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 20 grand slam titles ... and has won the last three Australian Open titles.

YG's been suspected of robbery for nearly two years now, but he finally has an answer on whether he'll be prosecuted ... and that answer is a resounding no.

The L.A. District Attorney's Office declined to file charges against the rapper because it says there wasn't enough evidence to link him to the crime ... this according to docs obtained by TMZ.

It's interesting though because it sounds like YG might have been on the scene during whatever the heck was happening. In the docs, the D.A.'s Office says, "Not enough evidence of what defendant did to aid and abet the crime. Presence during the crime alone is not sufficient."

We still don't know exactly what this was all about to begin with -- YG was arrested in January 2020 during an early morning raid on his house. Cops came heavily armed, with weapons and warrants, but, at the time, his powerhouse attorney, Joe Tacopina, assured us his client would be cleared.

It took a while, but turns out he was right ... Tacopina says the D.A.'s decision is a happy Christmas gift for his client. He tells us he actually had conversations with the D.A. over this matter, and got them to see the light -- namely, that YG hadn't done anything wrong ... and that charging him wasn't in anyone's best interest.

Tacopina thinks cops had a grudge against YG, and we're simply hassling him.

Tristan Thompson is officially a dad of three -- revealing he's the father of a baby boy recently born to a woman from Houston after getting the results from a paternity test -- and apologizing to his former girlfriend and mother of his child, Khloe Kardashian, in the process.

The NBA star posted Monday, saying, "I take full responsibility for my actions. Now that paternity has been established, I look forward to amicably raising our son. I sincerely apologize to everyone I've hurt or disappointed throughout this ordeal both publicly and privately."

He then turns his attention to Khloe, with who he has daughter True, saying, "You don't deserve the heartache and humiliation I have caused you. You don't deserve the way I have treated you over the years. My actions have certainly not lined up with the way I view you."

He continues, "I have the utmost respect and love for you. Regardless of what you may think. Again, I am so incredibly sorry." Khloe and Tristan split in the summer.

It's an about-face for Tristan ... as we reported, he and Maralee have been duking it out in court over the paternity of the baby boy. As we told you ... Maralee Nichols sued Tristan for child support and claims he tried to pay her $75,000 to keep quiet about the baby.

Tristan's alleged messages claimed he's retiring after this NBA season, making him unemployed -- and, at least according to him -- requiring him to pay a smaller amount in child support.

TT asked a judge just last month for an emergency gag order to silence Maralee talking about the paternity case.

It's Tristan's third known child, and according to Maralee's timeline ... he was still publicly with Khloe when they hooked up back in March.

Both TT and KK have publicly supported each other since the split, and are co-parenting their daughter.

Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme's allegedly threatened to kill his ex-wife's new boyfriend ... and now the guy just got court-ordered protection.

According to new legal docs obtained by TMZ ... Josh allegedly started making death threats after Gunner Foxx started seeing Josh's ex-wife, Brody Dalle, back in 2020 ... and Foxx says things finally came to a head this past Christmas Eve.

Gunner claims he was doing some Christmas shopping at a mall in Thousand Oaks, CA when Josh approached him and threatened to throw him off a balcony.

In the docs, Gunner claims Josh first got in his face inside an Apple Store, telling him ... "I'm going to kill you, you f****** p****" ... and seemingly challenging him to a fight.

Foxx claims Josh approached him again outside the Apple Store, viciously berating him and threatening to kill him, and toss him over the second-floor balcony. He says at one point Josh actually grabbed his arm and tried to throw him over the railing.

In the docs, he claims Josh dug his fingernails into his hand during the altercation, and he truly believed Josh was going to throw him to his death.

Gunner claims he called law enforcement and cops responded, but not before Josh got the hell outta there -- still, he went ahead and filed a police report.

In the docs, Gunner says he lives with Josh's ex and their children in Malibu ... and thinks Josh broke into the home and even slashed his tires.

Foxx beelined it to court and a judge granted him a temporary restraining order requiring Josh to stay at least 50 yards away from Gunner and Gunner's 2 daughters.

AB out ... TO in?

Terrell Owens is hoping that's the case now in Tampa Bay ... saying this week that after Antonio Brown got the boot from the Buccaneers on Sunday, he wants to step in and fill the void on the team's roster.

TO made the announcement on "Getcha Popcorn Ready with T.O. and Hatch" -- which airs every Sunday at 8 p.m. on Fubo Sports Network -- saying he truly believes he can fill in for Brown during Tampa's playoff run.

"If you think about where they are in the season, they don't need me for a 16-game season," Owens said. "Three to four games at the max."

"So, yes, I feel like I can go in, I can contribute at a high level and can be productive."

Owens hasn't played a snap in the NFL since the 2010 season ... but the 48-year-old Hall of Famer has routinely said he's kept himself in good enough shape to make a comeback.

And, Owens says if he gets a shot with Tampa -- he's sure he can prove his critics wrong.

"I know that I can do it," TO said.

As for if the Bucs will actually call ... they do need wide receiver help and are reportedly eyeing some free agents in the wake of Brown's departure from the team Sunday.

Before this baby with a book was taking on iconic roles in film, she was just another pigtail princess skimming through a children's story in Inglewood, California.

This studious sweetheart debuted her talents on the screen when she scored a series regular role on a hit VH1 show revolved around a fictional cheerleading squad ... she was perfect for the character because she had been a Los Angeles Lakers cheerleader in real life back in 2010.

Now, this dancer and actress gained huge success last year when she starred in a critically acclaimed film based on a notorious Twitter thread.

Elizabeth Holmes is one huge step closer to doing hard time -- the jury found her guilty on 4 of the 11 charges she was facing in her fraud trial.

The founder of the blood-testing startup Theranos was facing two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and nine counts of wire fraud for deceiving investors, patients and advertisers ... all in search of money and fame.

After a week of deliberation, the jury returned its verdict Monday ... convicting her of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 3 counts of wire fraud.

The jury found Holmes not guilty on 4 counts ... including 3 counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. One charge was also dropped.

The jury remained deadlocked -- unable to reach a verdict -- on 3 counts. Prosecutors could re-charge Holmes on those counts, or just let it go.

During the trial, Holmes testified that she meant well, and trusted the scientists behind the start-up. The jury heard from 32 witnesses in total.

Leading up to the trial and verdict, there's been a documentary, a best-selling book, and a podcast about the company's alleged fraud and deception.

The billion-dollar company made promises it could conduct cheaper and easier blood testing, but, it was later revealed its devices could only perform a mere 12 tests -- instead of Elizabeth's claim of 1,000 -- and the company shut down 3 years later.

The gym formerly known as Mamba Sports Academy is suing the company that owned the doomed helicopter in the Kobe Bryant crash ... claiming the copter co. should be forced to pay over $100K in costs related to the death of one of the passengers on board.

It's all spelled out in new court documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which an insurance company and the gym now known as Sports Academy are suing Island Express.

In the docs, the Academy and the insurance co. claim that because Christina Mauser -- a girls basketball coach -- was employed by the gym at the time of her death in the crash ... they paid "death benefits and burial expenses" to her family that exceeded $127,000.

In the docs, the plaintiffs argue that Island Express should be on the hook for that bill ... claiming the crash and Mauser's subsequent death were the result of the helicopter company's negligence.

The plaintiffs are asking for a reimbursement of the amounts already paid plus any additional workers' comp payments that may come due in the future.

As we previously reported, Mauser and eight others -- including Kobe and Gigi Bryant -- died in the helicopter crash in January 2020.

After a lengthy investigation, NTSB officials concluded that the crash likely happened due to a multitude of reasons, including, "Island Express Helicopter Inc.'s inadequate review and oversight of its safety management processes."

Patton Oswalt has nothing to apologize for when it comes to cozying up to Dave Chappelle, 'cause it's a comedian thing ... and that's it, according to fellow comic Aries Spears.

We got the comedian/actor Monday at LAX where we asked what he made of Pat posting a follow-up apology for his NYE photo with DC ... directly addressing those who were clearly offended, especially the LGBTQ community.

Aries says it’s a shame we live in a time where Patton felt the need to say sorry for hanging with a friend ... especially one as accomplished as Dave.

Check out the analogy AS drops on us -- he compares the 2 comics to masters of their crafts, who just wanted to have a bit of sparring fun ... and if Dave asks you to join him to perform with him or just hang with him for a night, you do it.

Aries' view is ... any comedian would, or should.

Of course, it’s quite possible Pat did, in fact, feel bad about taking/posting the photo after the fact ... and wasn’t just capitulating because he had to, as Aries suggests here. After all, he did say himself ... he doesn’t agree with Dave’s stance on trans issues -- so you kinda gotta take the man at his word.

'SNL' star Michael Che's also weighing in on Dave and Patton, and is definitely in Aries' camp -- as he put it, "celebrities love their fans way too much." He added some keywords for emphasis.

Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs was arrested for DUI just hours after the team's huge win over the Colts ... after cops say the rookie was found passed out in his car in Vegas.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports ... cops responded to The Cromwell Hotel around 4 AM on Monday, after they say witnesses saw Hobbs asleep at the wheel on a parking lot exit ramp.

Our sources say officers made contact with the football player ... and eventually arrested him after they claim he did not do well in field sobriety tests.

Jail records show the 22-year-old was booked into the Clark County Detention Center at 6:38 AM.

A jail official tells us Hobbs was booked on one count of misdemeanor DUI and is currently in the process of being released from custody. The jail official added that Hobbs has a court date set for May.

Hobbs started as corner for the Raiders in their win over the Colts in Indianapolis on Sunday ... recording 4 combined tackles.

The arrest comes just two months after Hobbs' former Raiders teammate, Henry Ruggs, was accused of driving drunk and slamming his Corvette into 23-year-old Tina Tintor's Rav4.

Tintor's vehicle caught on fire, and officials determined she burned to death. Ruggs was later hit with multiple charges over the incident -- including two felony DUI counts.

The Raiders, meanwhile, are just days away from the biggest game of their season ... they can clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win over the Chargers on Sunday.

Hobbs' status for the game is now unclear.

We've reached out to the Raiders for comment ... so far, no word back.

Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle are set to walk down the aisle -- and have been now for over a year ... a secret that's just now coming to light.

President Trump's eldest son apparently popped the question to his ex-Fox News anchor GF on New Year's Eve 2020, but kept the engagement hidden from public view -- at least until this past weekend, when KG was seen flashing her engagement rock on social media.

According to the Daily Mail ... their future nuptials have been known to folks in their inner circle because Kimberly wasn't hiding the ring during private gatherings -- she only kept it under wraps while on camera.

Of course, Don Jr. and Kim have been dating for a few years now ... ever since 2018, when she left Fox and started working/campaigning full-time for then President Trump. Who can forget her, umm ... passionate speech during the RNC??!!

They each have children from previous relationships -- as you know, Don was married to Vanessa Trump until their divorce finalized the same year he got with Kimberly. And she was previously married to California Governor Gavin Newsom as well as furniture heir Eric Villency.

Jody "Babydol" Gibson -- a former madam who operated a massive network of prostitutes in Hollywood throughout the '80s and '90s -- has died ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops got a call Sunday from a family member and responded to Jody's Yucca Valley home around 11 AM, and she was pronounced dead on the scene. We're told she appears to have died in her sleep, and no foul play is suspected.

Eric Markel, her husband of 12 years, confirmed her death, and told us Jody's death is a bit of a mystery -- he explains she was not battling any known illness, but she had suffered dramatic weight loss of late. He says she'd dropped down to about 87 pounds.

Markel believes it's highly relevant that they were in the middle of a nasty lawsuit regarding the sale of their home -- he told us he thinks she died of "exhaustion" from the turmoil.

Gibson, infamously known as "Sasha of the Valley," did prison time in the early 2000s after being convicted of felony pimping in L.A. -- with prosecutors at the time alleging she ran one of the biggest escort services in town ... something JG herself eventually copped to in books and otherwise. She's said to have had upwards of 300 women working for her.

Babydol was sentenced to 3 years behind bars after going to trial but ended up just doing 2. Her trial had Hollywood buzzing because her black book allegedly listed several big-name celebs -- from sports, politics and entertainment -- as clients.

Her life story is pretty fascinating ... she came to L.A. in the early '80s seeking stardom via a music and modeling career -- with the latter taking off first and becoming her main bread and butter.

Soon, an agency she'd started began turning into an upscale hooking hot spot.

While she was running that biz, Jody had a couple of on-camera appearances ... showing up in a B-movie horror flick called "Evil Laugh," and a guest spot on the talk show "Up All Night." Later, she was featured a handful of times on "Larry King Live," "The Playboy Morning Show" and other one-off variety shows/docs.

Over the course of her life, Jody was not shy about sharing her journey ... and ended up becoming somewhat of a beloved pop culture icon. She was 64.

Tyra Banks ended the year by flipping another mansion in Pacific Palisades ... which is kinda becoming her thing, you know, next to the whole supermodel gig.

Tyra sold a 5-bedroom estate in the affluent coastal community on the west side of Los Angeles in the final days of 2021, with the sale price coming in at $7,895,000 ... which is what she was asking for the pad.

The place is 6,160 square feet and comes with all the bells and whistles ... including a home gym, office and media room with a giant 120-inch projection screen.

The rooftop deck features 360-degree views of the ocean, coastline and skyline, and it comes with its own outdoor kitchen, spa, fire pit and multiple seating areas.

Oh, and there's also an infinity-edge pool with limestone and a cascading waterfall backdrop on the terrace.

It's the fifth place Tyra's flipped in Pacific Palisades since 2018 ... and seems to be the final.

We now know how much money Jeffrey Epstein paid to the woman who is accusing Prince Andrew of having sex with her when she was a minor.

According to just-released legal docs, Epstein paid Virginia Giuffre $500,000 back in 2009. The money was paid as a settlement of her lawsuit against the now-deceased sexual predator.

The settlement is relevant now because Giuffre is suing Prince Andrew, but he maintains the 2009 settlement in effect blocked her from suing him. Andrew's lawyer points to a clause in the 2009 settlement that extends the release to other, unnamed potential defendants, and Andrew claims that covers him.

Giuffre claims Andrew had sex with her in London, New York and in the Virgin Islands when she was still a minor. He has categorically denied the allegations.

As for the photo of the 2 of them ... he has said he doesn't recall taking it and suggested it might be photoshopped. He says he has no recollection of ever meeting Giuffre.

Prince Andrew's lawyers have filed a motion to dismiss Giuffre's lawsuit, claiming, “... Epstein negotiated for [a] broad release, insisting that it cover any and all persons who Giuffre identified as potential targets of future lawsuits, regardless of the merit—or lack thereof— to any such claims.”

And, Prince Andrew's lawyers say Giuffre got more than the $500k settlement from Epstein ... they claim she got \even more money in exchange for a full release from all potential defendants.