Names and faces
■ A court in Romania’s capital Tuesday granted a request by British authorities to extradite online influencer Andrew Tate, but only after legal proceedings against him in Romania have been concluded, his spokesperson said. The Bucharest Court of Appeal’s decision came after Tate, 37, and his brother Tristan Tate were detained Monday evening on arrest warrants issued by British authorities over allegations of sexual aggression in a United Kingdom case dating to 2012-15. The appeals court also ordered them released immediately, spokesperson Mateea Petrescu said. Four women reported Andrew Tate to the U.K. authorities claiming sexual violence and physical abuse, but the Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute him. The women then turned to crowdfunding to cover their legal costs as they pursue a civil case against him. It wasn’t immediately clear what Tristan Tate is accused of in the U.K. Before the court’s ruling Tuesday, lawyer Eugen Vidineac said the Tate brothers, who are dual U.K. and U.S. citizens, reject the charges and “express profound disappointment that such serious allegations are being resurrected without substantial new evidence.” McCue Jury & Partners, the legal firm representing the four British women who accuse Andrew Tate of sexual violence, said in a statement Tuesday they urged British police to “immediately seek a warrant” for Tate’s detention and extradition after they received information last week that he might be planning to flee Romania. Andrew Tate is charged in a separate case in Romania with rape, human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. He was arrested near Bucharest in December 2022 along with his brother and two Romanian women. Romanian prosecutors formally indicted all four in June and they have denied the allegations.
■ Vanessa Hudgens opened the Oscars red carpet pre-show Sunday with news that she’s expecting. The 35-year-old actor-singer turned to the side, revealing a baby bump under her long-sleeved black gown. During the show she hosted on ABC, Hudgens accepted congratulations from various celebrities on her pregnancy. A publicist for Hudgens didn’t immediately respond to an email request for comment. In December, Hudgens married Cole Tucker, a shortstop who signed with the Seattle Mariners in the offseason. Hudgens rose to fame as part of the “High School Musical” movies.