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Melania Trump just got what she wanted -- a retraction from the YouTuber who posted a video suggesting her son, Barron, might be autistic.

The guy behind the video now says, "It was incredibly irresponsible of me to diagnose Barron Trump using a selection of misleading videos. I falsely correlated him trying to stay awake and occasionally doing quirky things, with him suffering from autism."

TMZ broke the story ... Melania hired high-powered attorney Charles Harder to fire off a letter threatening to sue the YouTuber -- whose video blew up after Rosie O'Donnell tweeted the link with the caption, "Barron Trump Autistic?"

He also admits the video -- which has been deleted -- was "false, defamatory and malicious." The apology goes even further, and seems extremely genuine and heartfelt.

The guy behind the wheel of the Walmart truck that nearly killed Tracy Morgan has struck a plea deal in hopes of dodging jail time.

The driver, Kevin Roper, reportedly pled guilty Tuesday to vehicular homicide and 4 counts of aggravated assault ... stemming from the horrific 2014 crash that severely injured Tracy and killed his friend, James McNair.

Roper had been awake more than 24 hours when he slammed into Tracy's limo bus on the NJ Turnpike.

As part of the deal ... Roper will enter a 3-year intervention program that includes 300 hours of community service. If he stays out of trouble after that, the charges will be dropped.

The judge still needs to sign off on the deal.

Liam Payne is either about to be a dad, or his gf had way too much food and beer before enjoying Christmas carols.

The 23-year-old One Direction singer and Cheryl Cole, from Girls Aloud, showed up together Tuesday at the St James Christmas Carol Concert in London -- and it sure looks like something's in the oven.

The couple isn't commenting yet about the baby rumors ... or about what she had for dinner.

The radio DJ accused of grabbing Taylor Swift's bare ass while posing for a photo with her has spoken for the first time, and has a pretty handy explanation of what went down ... for him.

DJ David Mueller gave his account of the infamous alleged groping to a Detroit's "Mojo in the Morning" show Tuesday -- he says there was a touching of Tay ... but it was accidental and harmless.

Mueller claims his hand was never open and sounds pretty pissed over allegations he touched her bare bottom. Take a look at the pic ... do you buy David's story?

Darren Sharper just appeared in an L.A. courtroom -- where he received his final sentence in a multi-state rape case that involved as many as 16 women.

Secret Service agents felt Donald Trump's life was threatened earlier this month, and paid a visit to the messenger ... who says it was just a joke.

Law enforcement sources confirm to TMZ ... Trump's Secret Service team and Sheriff's deputies in Greene County, Ohio checked in with a guy Monday who posted a screen shot of a text message on Nov. 14 ... which read, "kill Trump."

We're told the meeting went like this. Agents asked the man -- who ID'd himself as Micah -- if he was serious about the threat. He responded, "Not unless he starts going door-to-door rounding up people like he says."

Micah tells us the agents seemed satisfied he wasn't serious and they left.

"Bachelor in Paradise" star Lace Morris is back on the market but she's absolutely certain about one thing -- the matching tattoo she got with ex-fiance Grant Kemp ... ain't going away.

Lace tells us even though she and Grant both got their couple name, "Grace," inked on their wrists, she's planning to keep it because it's not just about her ex and the broken engagement.

Lace says it's a reminder of good times she had with Grant, and memories of shooting 'BiP.' She says she always intended to get a tatt souvenir for her time on the show ... just so happens it ended up being about Grant when they got together.

We're told Grant's not rushing to remove the ink, but he's open to erasing it later. Translation: When a new hot chick wants it gone, he'll lose it.

As for the engagement ring -- reportedly worth almost $100k and bought by production, NOT Grant -- Lace says she's keeping it, unless producers demand it back.

Desiigner can finally put his NYC drug arrest behind him ... the final charge for possession will effectively go away, and his record will be cleared.

The D.A. moved to seal the case and dismiss the charge Tuesday in court. Sources connected with the case tell TMZ ... this was a face-saving move by authorities who avoided simply dropping the charge ... after previously dropping the other charges in his September arrest.

He'd initially been hit with intent to sell, menacing and possession of a loaded gun, but investigators never found a gun and the drugs turned out to be steroids -- most likely prescribed to the driver of Desiigner's SUV that night.

Bottom line for Desiigner: his name will be fully cleared.

He wasn't in court Tuesday. His attorneys, Ian Niles and Stacey Richman, were and told TMZ ... "We're happy he's been exonerated ... and happy with the investigation from the D.A."

"Napoleon Dynamite" fans rejoice -- Jon Heder and Efren Ramirez are back together for a sequel ... of sorts.

Napoleon and Pedro's reunion is kinda perfect because they did it for TOTS! But mostly for money ... they're doing a spot for a Burger King product.

It's like 2004 all over again -- awkward and hilarious, but they really should've gotten that fat lard, Tina, to show up.

9:55 AM PST -- Dolly just released a statement on the fire, saying, "I am praying for all the families affected by the fire and the firefighters who are working so hard to keep everyone safe. It is a blessing that my Dollywood theme park, the DreamMore Resort and so many businesses in Pigeon Forge have been spared."

Dolly Parton's Dollywood is under siege from wildfires which have triggered a rescue mission for several bald eagles inside one of the theme park's sanctuaries.

Dollywood, which is near the fires raging in Gatlinburg, TN, is also home to the American Eagle Foundation -- a group dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating birds of prey. The group shelters nearly a dozen bald eagles, and we're told staffers rounded up 50 of the birds Monday night.

We're told there are still a handful left to be captured and moved. The foundation's President, Al Cecere, tells TMZ the sanctuary's location puts the birds at serious risk for smoke inhalation. They'll remain at a nearby convention center until the air is clear and the park is safe.

Dollywood evacuated guests Monday, but so far firefighters have kept the flames at bay.

No one told Daisy Lea summer ended a long time ago -- and her ignorance is our bliss.

The former Playboy Playmate was practically in her birthday suit during a photo shoot Monday in Malibu. Temps never got out of the low 60s, but she still grinned and bared it in the surf.

One of the survivors of the Colombian plane crash Instagrammed shortly before boarding the plane that went down -- showing him smiling and laughing with a soccer teammate before the unthinkable occurred.

The man with the beard is Alan Ruschel -- a defender on the Chapecoense soccer team, based out of Brazil. The team was set to play in the finals of the Copa Sudamericana on Wednesday.

Ruschel Instagrammed with his teammate, Danilo Padilha, while aboard the first leg of their trip -- before they got on the charter flight that crashed en route to Medellín, Colombia.

Padilha survived the initial crash, but later died at a nearby hospital.

Ruschel reportedly suffered head injuries in the crash -- but is said to be alive.

The plane, which took off from Bolivia, contained 81 passengers -- including players, journalists and others. It reportedly suffered electrical failure just before it was supposed to land near the airport in Medellin, Colombia.

Miraculously, rescuers found 6 survivors in the wreckage -- 3 players, 2 crewman and 1 journalist. 71 people have been confirmed dead.

According to reports, Lionel Messi and the Argentina national soccer team flew on the exact same plane just 20 days ago to travel to a match in Brazil.

Story developing ...

Wiz Khalifa almost buried the hatchet with Kanye West by extending a weed stem ... but then turned hostile on 'Ye again at the last second.

We got Wiz leaving Catch Monday night, where he sounded sympathetic to Kanye's recent mental breakdown and even offers a psychedelic remedy that he specializes in.

But before he leaves ... he takes one last shot at his hip-hop foe, who once claimed to own Wiz and Amber Rose's kid. Old grudges die hard.

"Keeping Up with the Kardashians" came to a screeching halt on October 3rd, when Kim was held up at gunpoint in Paris, and we've learned the cameras will not roll for the rest of the year ... possibly longer.

Sources connected with the production tell us producers have enough footage for the series commitment, but the plan was to film through the holidays, and that won't happen.

We're told Kanye's hospitalization has temporarily shut down production, but Kim has been in such bad shape since the robbery that there was no real hope of shooting anything through December.

Kim, we're told, has been "rethinking everything" ... our sources would not elaborate.

Mohamed and Yolanda Hadid are living every parent's dream -- off to Paris to watch their daughters flaunt their talents ... in lingerie.

Gigi and Bella Hadid's folks couldn't hide their smiles at LAX as they jetted off for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show ... where Bella's making her debut at the lingerie line's biggest event.

Mohamed and Yolanda aren't the least bit nervous for their little rookie.

As for the girls -- they jetted off Sunday aboard the GREATEST flight. Ever.

Justin Bieber got down with the fastest man on Earth to celebrate a movie about the Olympian ... and he was anything but sorry to be partying with the champ.

Bieber was in London Monday night and showed up to an after-party following a screening of "I Am Bolt" -- a documentary about Usain Bolt's journey to the Rio Olympics.

Unclear if the Biebs saw the film itself, but he definitely raged with the man of the hour afterward.

One Direction's Liam Payne was there for the screening and party too, but was reportedly on the opposite side of the room ... meaning he missed out on the Bolt/Bieber selfies.