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Cris Cyborg just got back from a philanthropic trip to Uganda -- where the UFC star says she was dangerously close to an American tourist who was kidnapped at gunpoint.

Cyborg was building water wells in Uganda for the Batwa Pygmies with fellow UFC fighter Justin Wren -- and during the trip, they learned an American woman and her tour guide had been abducted.

Officials say Kimberly Sue Endicott and her safari guide were ambushed Tuesday by 4 men with guns while traveling in a car through Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Endicott and her guide, Jean-Paul Mirenge Remezo, were taken near the border of the Congo where her captors used her cell phone to demand a $500,000 ransom.

Ugandan officials -- along with help from U.S. forces -- freed the two on Sunday. They appeared unharmed.

So, when we saw Cris on Friday -- before Endicott was freed -- we asked her about the situation ... and she essentially told us she's LUCKY she wasn't abducted as well.

"I can not stop thinking about [Endicott]," Cyborg told us ... "because I was really very close with her. Like, REALLY close."

Cyborg says she left Uganda one day after the kidnapping -- and she's been praying for Endicott and her guide ever since.

Ultimately, Cyborg says she's still VERY glad she went on the trip because her work helped out so many people.

FYI, Justin Wren has been very involved in helping the Pygmies for years with his "Fight for the Forgotten" foundation ... whose mission is to bring safe drinking water to 2 villages in need.

As for the kidnappers, they're still on the loose. President Trump tweeted about the situation on Monday morning:

3:31 PM PT -- Timmothy's Aunt and Grandmother have just spoken out, thanking law enforcement and promising that they will never stop looking for Timmothy.

They also asked everyone to join them in praying for Rini, stating, "We hope our tragedy will help to shed some light on the horrific problems of suicide and missing children in our country."

2:05 PM PT -- The story just keeps getting more bizarre ... the kid claiming to be Timmothy isn't a kid at all! Cops say he's a 23-year-old MAN named Brian Michael Rini.

1:48 PM PT -- According to The FBI, DNA testing has revealed the 14-year-old claiming to be Timmothy is NOT the missing child. A statement reads, "A local investigation continues into this person's true identity."

Timmothy Pitzen -- a 6-year-old child who famously went missing in 2011 and was featured on "Live PD" -- has allegedly been found in Ohio after escaping his captors.

The story's pretty wild. A teenager discovered by locals in north Kentucky Wednesday morning claimed to be Timmothy and said he'd just escaped his 2 kidnappers. He reportedly said they'd been holding him for 7 years. The locals then called 911.

Cops went on the hunt, and eventually found the boy in Sharonville, OH ... just outside of Cincinnati. He claims he's 14-years-old now, and managed to escape from a Red Roof Inn ... although he's unsure where the motel was. He describes his kidnappers as white men covered in tattoos on their necks and arms who look like bodybuilders.

It's unclear if the teen, who's now in police custody is, in fact, Timmothy. A DNA test to confirm his identity is reportedly underway and should take about 24 hours.

Timmothy initially disappeared after his mother took him out of school one day for a 3-day vacation, but she ended up being found dead a few days later at an Illinois hotel. A note was found near her body, saying Timmothy was safe with people who'd care for him.

The story was heavily covered at the time, and even featured last year on the popular A&E show, "Live PD." The show produced a visual rendering of what Timmothy should look like now.

Joe Biden is promising to change his ways in the wake of allegations he's gotten way too close for the comfort of at least 2 women.

The former Veep -- and expected Presidential candidate for 2020 -- is addressing the handsy allegations head-on ... saying it's just who he is, or at least who he HAS been. Biden added, in a video posted Wednesday, he'll get himself in check going forward and be mindful of people's personal space.

Joe says he's always thought of politics as a way to connect to people ... and that he took that to heart quite literally, with handshakes, hugs, shoulder squeezes and other forms of embrace.

He doesn't mention kissing women's heads, though, as Lucy Flores claims he did to her back in 2014. Another woman accused him of pulling her in by the neck to rub noses at a fundraiser in 2009.

In his kinda-mea culpa vid, Biden acknowledges the boundaries of personal bubbles have been reset, and says he'll change too.

His video response couldn't have been better timed, as President Trump and the GOP lean into lampooning Biden for his touchy-feely tendencies.

Lance Bass has some choice words -- and a splash of sarcasm -- for the Sultan of Brunei on the day his country will start stoning gay people to death.

We got the 'NSYNC singer Wednesday leaving NBC in NYC -- where he was plugging his new doc, 'The Boy Band Con' -- and asked about the deadly law that takes effect Wednesday in the Asian country -- gay people can now be stoned to death for who they are.

Lance clearly has a POV, but it was tough for him because while we were talking to him a slew of fans were asking for selfies so whatever he said he had to say with a smile on his face.

Our camera guys also asks Lance if he was on board with George Clooney's renewed call to boycott hotels owned by Brunei's leader, including The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air. Check it out ... sounds like he's been with it for a while.

Jussie Smollett got off in his criminal case simply because he's a celeb -- so says Chicago's mayor, Rahm Emanuel ... who stops short of calling this a corrupt move, but certainly insinuated it.

Mayor Emanuel went on GMA Wednesday morning following his blistering attack on the Cook County State's Attorney's Office the day before, after they dropped all 16 charges against Jussie and let him walk scot-free.

The Mayor said flat-out ... if he did the same type of thing, he'd have the book thrown at him.

First Assistant to the State's Attorney Joseph Magats says they decided to drop the charges because it wasn't a violent crime -- and thought Jussie coughing up $10k and doing community service sufficed as punishment. Hizzoner says no one on the outside can make sense of it.

Jussie Smollett had pals of his in the Cook County State's Attorney's ear early on in his case -- and, based on leaked correspondence, it looks like she acted on his behalf.

Texts and emails between State Attorney Kim Foxx and two Jussie allies -- one of which is reported to be a family member of his -- have been leaked, and they show that Foxx was asked to intervene in the case a few days after he'd reported the alleged attack to Chicago PD. It appears that she did exactly that ... and kept Jussie's camp in the loop.

The initial correspondence started when Michelle Obama's former chief of staff, Tina Tchen, emailed Foxx to say that she was reaching out on behalf of Jussie's family to express "concerns" they had with how the investigation at that point was being handled.

Jussie had not been charged with a crime yet, but it's believed Chicago PD was already doubting his story and leaking info to the press pushing that narrative.

Foxx responded to Tchen on Feb. 1, saying ... "Spoke to Superintendent Johnson. I convinced him to Reach out to FBI to ask that they take over the investigation. He is reaching out now and will get back to me shortly."

The same day, an unnamed relative of Jussie's texted Foxx herself, as well, and Foxx said she was working on getting the case sent over to the FBI. The relative replied, "Omg this would a huge victory." Foxx then responded, "I make no guarantees, but I'm trying."

Later, Foxx recused herself from the case when Jussie became a suspect. And, of course, her office just announced Tuesday that it was dropping all of the charges against Jussie, after coming out strong with a 16-count indictment just weeks earlier.

Her official reasoning for dropping the charges ... Jussie has done community service in the community, so we're good. Her office asked a judge to seal the case, and they obliged. Mayor Rahm Emanuel strongly hinted at corruption in the State's Attorney's Office.

The Chicago-Tribune first reported on the leaked texts and emails.

Ariana Grande is acting like a tyrant on her new tour ... at least, according to media organizations that are fuming over her photography policy.

Several major news outlets -- including the AP, New York Times, LA Times and 12 others -- have joined the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) in protesting Ariana's photo policy on her current Sweetener World Tour.

The NPPA claims the tour contract she's making them sign to cover her concerts requires photographers to hand over all rights to their photos to her tour company, GrandAriTour, Inc. ... and they're only allowed to take still shots from a designated area during the first 3 songs.

If the photogs want to use their pics, they have to get written approval from Grande ... and even then, they can only use each photo once as part of a news story.

The 16 media outlets believe this is a massive overreach and flies in the face of journalistic principles ... and the NPPA president is urging members to refuse to sign Ariana's photography agreement.

No word yet if the singer will change her tune.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib says President Trump is NOT off the hook in Robert Mueller's Russian collusion investigation ... because she clearly doesn't trust the man who summarized it.

We got the Democrat Congresswoman at Reagan National and raised the issue ... isn't it a good thing for the country if the Prez didn't collude with Putin and Co.? The Congresswoman recoiled and made it clear ... she's not convinced Trump's clean, given all we know is what his hired gun, Attorney General William Barr, said in his letter.

Barr did quote Mueller's conclusion on the issue of collusion ... "[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities."

The unconvinced Tlaib says the only way this "dark cloud" can be lifted is for the report to be released in full, without a cushion from a Trump ally.

3/26 7:40 AM PT -- DeRay's response to the decision is a pretty pointed shot at Jeanine. He tellsTMZ, "I'm obviously disappointed, but as FOX argued and the judge recognized ... when you have a certain reputation, less is expected of you."

Black Lives Matter leader DeRay Mckesson is coming up short in his legal battle against Jeanine Pirro -- his defamation lawsuit has been tossed out of court.

The judge dismissed the case, according to docs filed Thursday in NY state, saying most of the statements Pirro made about Mckesson during a "FOX & Friends" appearance were her opinion ... and therefore protected by the First Amendment.

You'll recall ... DeRay sued Pirro and FOX News over comments she made back in 2017 when she essentially blamed him for inciting violence during a Baton Rouge protest. A police officer was injured during the incident, and Jeanine felt DeRay should've been held responsible for that.

The judge didn't exactly paint a flattering picture of Pirro's commentary, saying ... "Pirro's lack of temperament and caustic commentary is what she is known, celebrated, and frequently criticized for."

1:12 PM PT -- Adam tells TMZ walking 17.2 miles at the L.A. Marathon was the greatest weekend of his life. He says he's still beat up from the experience but clearly it was worth it. Check out the vid ... he tells us exactly how a paralyzed person can walk with help from the ReWalk Exoskeleton.

Adam Gorlitsky -- who is paralyzed from the waist down -- provided one of the most uplifting stories from the Los Angeles Marathon ... walking a stunning 17.2 miles.

As we first reported ... Adam walked with help from the $95k ReWalk Exoskeleton. His journey began Friday at midnight at Dodger Stadium, and by 7 PM ... Adam had made it to mile marker 11 at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood, walking for a whopping 19 hours straight.

The hills at Chavez Ravine and managing traffic before the race course was completely set up proved to be big obstacles for Adam. Exhaustion and pain on his wrists also forced him to take a breather.

He returned Sunday at 7 AM in Westwood at the brand new start line for the "ReEnabled Division" at mile marker 20. The new start line's something Adam and the foundation, I GOT LEGS, helped create for others like him who want to take part in the elite marathon with a little help from the course.

Adam walked the remaining 6.2 miles and crossed the finish line at around 4 PM. He started the race with a support group that included friends traveling from other states to walk with him. Adam finished with a bigger group as others inspired by his story decided to walk the final stretch with him.

While Adam didn't walk the entire 26.2-mile course ... he vows to keep trying until he becomes the first paralyzed person in history to complete a full marathon on U.S. soil. When you see his determination in this video, it's hard to doubt he'll do it.

A second student survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre has died by suicide -- this just days after another survivor took her own life.

The Coral Springs Police Department responded to a neighboring home Saturday night where a dead juvenile had been found, according to a spokesperson, who kept the victim's ID anonymous. Cop say they're investigating the death as an apparent suicide.

According to reports, the student was a 17-year-old male sophomore at MSDHS, who was enrolled at the school at the time of 2018 shooting, which claimed 17 lives.

This marks the second suicide death in just a matter of days, as 19-year-old Sydney Aiello -- who also survived the massacre and recently graduated from MSDHS -- killed herself last week and had a funeral held for her this past week.

Aiello's mother told local media that her daughter had been dealing with survivor's guilt after the shooting and was recently diagnosed with PTSD.

3/24 9:40 AM PT -- Viking Sky cruise has finally docked safely in the port of Molde in Norway.

3/24 7:40 AM PT -- The ship has regained some power and is being towed in by a tugboat and 2 supply ships. Only 500 people were airlifted from the distressed vessel. There are over 800 people still on board. Around 20 people sustained injuries as a result of being tossed around like rag dolls.

7:40 PM PT -- The evacuation is ongoing and may go well into Sunday, as rescuers have been facing waves more than 20 feet high. Passengers have been getting airlifted out one at a time.

According to CNN ... passengers were on a 12-day Northern Lights cruise that began on March 14 and was supposed to arrive at its final destination in England on March 26. The Viking Sky had been stopping at various Norwegian towns before the Saturday mayday call.

12:25 PM PT-- A passenger just shared video from inside the cruise ship ... and it's terrifying. Furniture and large plants on deck of the tilting vessel are being thrashed around by the rough seas.

Other reports are coming in from passengers who have made it back to the mainland, calling the experience the worst and scariest of their lives. One woman said there's water and broken glass everywhere due to items being thrown around and smashing windows, and people are getting cut up. It's easy to see how.

There are still reportedly more than 800 people on board, as the helicopters can only rescue 10-15 at a time, and the rescue boats have been having difficulty in the rough waters.

Passengers on a cruise off of Norway's coast are taking the ride of their lives ... but not in the fun way they expected at all.

Police say the cruise ship Viking Sky issued a mayday call Saturday off of Norway's western coast due to engine problems amid high waves and strong winds.

The ship's 1,300 passengers and crew are being evacuated by several helicopters and ships after Norway's sea rescue agency received the distress signal.

There haven't been any serious injuries, fortunately, but 5 people have reportedly been taken to the hospital. According to reports, the cruise ship was beginning to drift toward shore but managed to restart an engine and regain its course as the evacuation continues.

It's expected to take several hours.

The Viking Sky belongs to Viking Ocean Cruises and made its maiden voyage in 2017.

3/21 5:30 AM PT -- A spokesperson for KLM tells us ... "The dog's owner has been notified and we express our condolences. In cooperation with the local health authority in the US, the CDC, the dog was initially examined to ensure there was no immediately obvious public health threat. The dog was loaded correctly according to KLM's pet policy."

They concluded by saying they'll need to wait for the necropsy results to determine the cause of death.

2:14 PM PT -- A rep for PETA tells us, "Tragedies like this one are exactly why airlines must require that animals travel in the main cabin only. PETA urges Air France-KLM to join airlines such as JetBlue and Southwest in prohibiting companion animals from being flown in the cargo hold, where they endure noise, extreme temperatures and sometimes inadequate pressurization, before yet another sensitive animal suffers and dies, terrified and alone."

A dog that made a trip aboard an Air France-KLM jetliner that took off in Amsterdam ended up dead in L.A.

Airline sources tell TMZ ... the dog, which looks like a husky, was found dead Tuesday afternoon in the cargo hold.

One Air France employee with knowledge of the incident claims ... the dog was incorrectly loaded in the cargo hold and lost oxygen during the transatlantic flight. According to flight trackers, the flight time was 10 hours, 45 minutes.

We're told the dog's owner picked up her dead pet at Air France's LAX warehouse ... and as you can imagine, she was devastated.

We've seen pictures of the dead dog ... but the images are too disturbing to share.

As we've reported ... dead dogs on commercial flights are becoming all too common, and some deaths end up triggering criminal investigations.

Air France and KLM merged in 2004 to create Air France-KLM.

We've reached out to Air France for comment ... so far, no word back.

3/17 -- Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops are investigating whether Cali's killing was over a family dispute -- namely, whether Cali blocked Comello from dating his niece. We're told police believe this is something that could've possibly motivated Comello to shoot Cali.

2:21 PM PT -- The NYPD held a press conference Saturday, saying Anthony Comello is in custody and expected to be charged for Frank Cali's murder. NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea told the media that they believe Comello is the shooter. He's currently being held in a New Jersey jail but will be charged in Staten Island. No word on an official motive.

Police have apprehended a person of interest in the murder of Gambino crime boss, Frank Cali ... TMZ has confirmed.

Law enforcement sources tell us cops picked up a white 24-year-old man in New Jersey Saturday morning, who is now being questioned in connection with the killing.

As we reported ... someone rolled up to Cali's Staten Island home Wednesday night and opened fire on the mob boss, apparently running him over as well.

Our sources say the man was apprehended in Jersey in the vicinity of a blue pickup truck -- which is significant to the investigation. According to investigators, witnesses say they saw a man in a blue pickup truck slam into Cali's parked car, prompting him to come outside.

Police say about a minute after Cali confronted the man who'd struck his car, the other guy pulled out a handgun and fired 12 shots ... 6 of which hit Cali. Cops say Cali then tried to crawl under the back end of the other guy's truck before the man drove away.

We're told the 24-year-old, who has yet to be identified, has not been arrested or charged with a crime as of yet. He's simply someone cops wanted to talk to. Our sources also tell us the dude -- whom we're being told is from Staten Island -- was tracked down in part through his cell phone.

Also interesting ... we're told cops don't believe the murder was actually mob-related, as it appears to be more of a personal dispute than anything else.

Cali reportedly took over as head of the Gambino family in 2015. John Gotti was the "boss" before going down for murder and racketeering in 1992.

'Breakfast Club' host Angela Yee isn't shying away from having President Trump on the hip-hop radio show -- in fact, she's already got her questions lined up.

Angela expanded on the interview she, DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God did with FOX News this week, where they were asked if they'd be open to having DT come on the show. She doubled down with us, saying sure ... but they're not gonna reach out.

Seeing how the Prez's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, entertained the idea further by encouraging an appearance, Angela gave us a taste of what she and the team might ask.

Hint ... they're tough questions the Prez has been able to duck and dodge in a press conference setting, but would be incredibly difficult to evade in a radio setting. And, they're valid questions too -- ranging from his Central Park Five history to Obama himself.

But, because Trump has a history of censoring the media -- or at least trying to -- it doesn't sound like Angela is holding her breath for a possible face-to-face.

7:50 PM PT - Our intel is clear -- Lori's not coming back to "Fuller House." A well-placed production source tells TMZ, "Fuller House is not currently in production. Lori is a guest star and was during the previous 4 seasons and there are currently no plans for her to return to the 5th season." Translation ... she's gone from the show.

6:56 PM PT -- Hallmark has now addressed their show, "When Calls the Heart," which is now in the middle of airing its 6th season and stars Loughlin, saying, "The series will not air on Sunday, March 17. We are evaluating all creative options related to When Calls the Heart series."

With 7 episodes to go for the season, that must be a busy writers' room.

2:50 PM PT -- Tresemme has also announced they are cutting ties with Olivia. They stated, "We take this very seriously and are no longer working with Olivia."

12:35 PM PT -- Hallmark has cut ties with Lori Loughlin, a longtime collaborator with the company. In a statement Hallmark's parent company, Crown Media, says it is no longer working with Lori and has stopped development of all productions she's involved in, adding it was "saddened" by the allegations.

Hallmark's first tragic ending ever. That's a shame.

12:08 PM PT -- Olivia's page with clothing brand Princess Polly is no longer active ... we've reached out to the company to see if the line has been completely shelved, but no word back so far.

Lori Loughlin's alleged cheating is already costing her daughter, Olivia Jade -- 'cause Sephora just kicked the kid to the curb in the wake of the college admissions scandal.

A honcho for Sephora -- which had a partnership with Olivia -- tells TMZ, "After careful review of recent developments, we have made the decision to end the Sephora Collection partnership with Olivia Jade, effective immediately."

Olivia had a makeup partnership with the cosmetics chain that produced the Olivia Jade x Sephora palette. That page on Sephora's website has been 86'd.

Lori's youngest daughter has been catching the bulk of the backlash since her mom and dad were indicted for allegedly paying bribes to get their kids into USC.

TMZ broke the story ... Olivia was on Rick Caruso's yacht in the Bahamas with his daughter when the indictment news broke ... Caruso -- the Chairman of USC's Board of Trustees -- tells us that Olivia is no longer on his yacht, and has since gone home.

USC has yet to decide Olivia's fate.