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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
ATHENS – In a shocking incident that unfolded at Greece’s renowned Acropolis, a man armed with a knife attacked and injured two tourists on Tuesday morning, according to police reports.
The assault occurred close to the Acropolis Museum’s entrance near the base of the ancient hill, targeting a Greek American duo—one man and one woman. The woman sustained minor injuries to her leg, whereas the man received more severe cuts on his arm, police stated.
Authorities quickly apprehended the suspect, and the injured tourists were swiftly taken to the hospital via ambulance. Although details about the attacker were initially scarce, police suggested he may have been experiencing mental health issues.
Such violent street incidents are infrequent in Greece. Notably, in April, an unusual event saw an 89-year-old man taken into custody after he allegedly fired a shotgun at a social security office and a courthouse in Athens, injuring no fewer than four people over social security disputes.
The Acropolis, crowned by the iconic 2,500-year-old Parthenon and other historical landmarks, draws in throngs of sightseers. Last year alone, this historic site attracted approximately 4.6 million visitors.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Several months ago, a series of mini trailers for “Avengers: Doomsday” left audiences unimpressed, lacking the impact that Marvel fans anticipated. However, the landscape has changed with the release of the first full “Doomsday” trailer, seamlessly connecting events that followed “Avengers: Endgame.” The buzz is centered around one particular element that has sparked widespread conversation. Dive into Looper’s video above for a comprehensive breakdown.
Spanning nearly two-and-a-half minutes, the trailer covers an extensive narrative. It brings the X-Men back into the spotlight and allows Channing Tatum’s Gambit a moment to capture viewers’ attention. Yet, the focal point is not the X-Men, Fantastic Four, or even Tom Hiddleston reprising his role as Loki in the TVA attire. The real show-stealer is Robert Downey Jr. lending his voice to Doctor Doom, accompanied by a subtle teaser of Doom’s iconic mask. Downey’s transformed voice delivers the opening lines, setting an ominous tone: “Something’s coming. Something we may not be able to deter. Before this day is done, we shall be faced with an unthinkable decision.”
Fans have flooded the comments section with excitement over Downey’s distinctive portrayal, applauding the departure from his Iron Man persona. A sentiment echoed by users like @airamplane1234 who stated, “Glad to hear RDJ doesn’t just sound like Iron Man.” Reddit users likewise shared their enthusiasm, with u/CakeBossUltimate commenting, “RDJ’s Doom voice is actually really good.” Downey’s commitment to taking on the role seriously, ensuring he doesn’t replicate Tony Stark, is crucial to maintaining the legacy after the colossal events of “Avengers: Endgame.”
Robert Downey Jr.’s Doom voice is inspiring a lot of jokes
Marvel
Doctor Doom hails from the fictional country of Latveria, which is typically located in Eastern Europe within various pieces of Marvel media. As such, it’s not too surprising to hear Robert Downey Jr. adopt a pseudo Russian and/or Hungarian accent for Doom. What may be surprising is to learn that Downey technically teased this accent years ago while on the press tour for “Tropic Thunder.” A clip making the rounds on social media sees Downey adopt a thick Russia voice and declaring, “Tony Stark! The most famous mass murderer!”
That’s far from the only hilarious thing people are bringing up in relation to Doom’s voice reveal. A lot of folks think Downey sounds like Nandor (Kayvan Novak) from the FX series, “What We Do in the Shadows.” That includes X user @foeyeahboi who tried pinning down all of Downey’s influences: “Literally had no idea this was supposed to be the rdj doom voice. It’s the way the accent goes from nandor to liverpool accent to white south african.”
On a lighter note, the majority of fans are appreciating Downey’s fresh approach, recognizing the distinct separation between Doom and Stark. This performance hints at a portrayal of Doom not just as an alternative version of Stark, but as an authentic Latverian monarch. While his voicework is garnering praise, it remains to be seen if Downey’s Doom can eclipse the fearsome presence of Thanos (played by Josh Brolin). For those eager to explore more reactions to Downey’s Doom, Looper’s video offers an insightful compilation.
Central Image: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas engages with the media as he leaves the U.S. Capitol on June 29, 2026. (Francis Chung/POLITICO via AP Images). Accompanying Image: U.S. Circuit Judge Stephen Higginson speaks at Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics in April 2025 (Columbia University/Instagram).
A significant warning has echoed from the judiciary, highlighting “untold consequences” for American law, sparked by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision to revisit a gun-related case. This comes on the heels of Justice Clarence Thomas’s call to “reconsider” the constitutional basis of the relevant statute.
In a brief dissent released on Monday, U.S. Circuit Judge Stephen Higginson voiced his concerns after it was disclosed that a “member of the court […] initiated a poll on the rehearing en banc request, securing a majority vote from the circuit judges actively serving and eligible to participate.”
This move to request an en banc rehearing on June 16 was spearheaded by Curtis Squire, a felon from Louisiana. Squire was charged under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) after a handgun was discovered in his residence during an unrelated shooting investigation not involving the discovered firearm.
Intriguingly, Squire’s submission, highlighting a “question of exceptional importance,” came just two days before Justice Thomas issued a sole concurrence in the case of U.S. v. Hemani, amplifying the gravity of the judicial discussion.
In the Supreme Court’s ruling from June 18, the majority sided against the federal government, ruling it could not apply the criminal statute to a Texas man who uses marijuana “a few times a week” and also owns a gun. As Law&Crime noted at the time, Thomas on his own expressed doubts that Congress could “criminalize[] possession of firearms apart from any purchase or sale of goods and services across state lines” under the Commerce Clause.
“So, while the issue was not presented in this case, the Court, and lower courts, should revisit the constitutionality of §922(g),” Thomas said.
And that is what the 5th Circuit set in motion on Monday, over the objection of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana — to Higginson’s dismay.
“Just a few weeks ago, Justice Thomas, writing alone, asked lower courts to reexamine the constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) under the Commerce Clause. Already, our court answers the call. Today, we grant a petition for rehearing in what was a Second Amendment as-applied challenge to § 922(g)(1), now reframed as a facial Commerce Clause challenge. So, rather than clarifying our § 922(g)(1) as-applied precedent to provide fair notice to people in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas about whether they can lawfully own guns, we imperil much
of the United States Code,” the judge said.
In 2025, Higginson spoke at Columbia University’s Institute of Global Politics about disagreements among judges, saying he typically asks himself — in the hopes of reaching compromise — whether a judge he has a disagreement with is concerned about the past, the present or the future.
His dissent on Monday sounded the alarm of “untold consequences,” writing that the 5th Circuit “welcomed the possibility of finding that Congress’s Commerce Clause authority cannot support § 922(g)” — something that would “have massive import for federal law.”
“More broadly, what would come of the countless other federal statutes hinging on Congress’s well-settled commerce authority? Can the federal government no longer criminalize possession of child pornography? Of explosive materials? Of biological weapons? Past the Title 18 level, do we lose regulations on financial transactions? On intellectual property? On endangered species?” the judge asked. “All told, this case hazards untold consequences for federal law. What was a Second Amendment as-applied challenge to § 922(g)(1)—where we have studiously avoided taking an inter-circuit split and our own intra-Circuit split en banc—now leaps beyond the felon-in-possession statutes, beyond federal criminal law, and beyond our authority as an inferior court. I dissent.”
Higginson, appointed by then-President Barack Obama in 2011, also wondered if the result will be that similarly situated “felons from the other eleven circuits [can] now flood the Gulf Coast to rearm themselves[.]”
The post ‘Already, our court answers’: 5th Circuit couldn’t wait to act after Justice Thomas’ solo stance on revisiting gun law’s constitutionality, judge says first appeared on Law & Crime.
SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. (WFLA) — As the fall season looms closer, the Safety Harbor Little League finds itself with a much-needed reprieve following a pivotal city commission meeting held on Monday.
Faced with pressing concerns, the league has been advocating for the urgent repair of multiple light systems at the city park, a venue integral for the games involving over 400 young participants.
“It’s heartbreaking,” expressed Sean Hackett, a committed coach with the league. “As a parent and coach, you strive for community engagement. Watching kids I’ve trained for years unable to play due to faulty lighting is simply absurd.”
The lighting setup has remained untouched since 2017, frequently plunging the fields into darkness during peak baseball hours, league coaches lament. Estimates from city officials suggest that restoring the lighting across all five fields could ring up to a hefty $800,000 bill.
City commissioners approved a “re-lamping” off the facilities, for approximately $50,000. The process includes replacing bulbs, offering a temporary fix for the upcoming season and a timeline of one to two years, according to public works.
“I consider this a city failure and hopefully we do a better job to not get to this point on issues like this,” said Commissioner Kevin Shanks.
On a night meant for celebration, University of Kentucky football player Trent DiGiuro found himself commemorating his 21st birthday on his campus porch when a sudden gunshot shattered the festivities, hitting him squarely in the head.
As DiGiuro slumped in his leather rocking chair, crimson spreading fast, his friends, in shock, leaped into action, pressing desperately on the wound and dialing 911—confounded about the shooter’s location.
“I walked onto the porch and couldn’t see a thing,” recounted friend Chris Davis in Oxygen’s The Killer Among Us. “The silence was unnervingly thick. I strained to understand if someone had targeted Trent?”
The murder cast a long shadow of fear over the college community, but the identity of the gunman and their surprisingly minor motive for DiGiuro’s murder wouldn’t see the light for years.
Who Was Trent DiGiuro?
In the summer of 1994, DiGiuro was on the verge of starting his final year at university. As an offensive lineman, he shared a home with three of his teammates just beyond the campus bounds.
Friends described him as a gentle giant who loved everyone. Though he had friends in all circles, his commitments with football kept him from ever joining a fraternity.
“Trent was the life of the party,” friend Holly Weddle recalled. “He always made you feel special and it was always a great time when he was around.”
What Happened to Trent DiGiuro?
On July 16, 1994, DiGiuro was celebrating his 21st birthday with a large party at his home.
As the night went on, many of the guests went home until it was just a small group of five close friends closing out the night on the porch.
“We were just having fun,” Weddle remembered, “getting ready to just wind down the night.”
But just shortly after Weddle and Davis stepped inside the house, friend Sean Mann heard a loud bang.
“I looked over to Trent and asked him if he heard that,” Mann said. “Trent was slumped over. He had clearly had a wound to his head. I saw that he had been shot.”
Mann took off his sweatshirt, put it on DiGiuro’s head and ran inside to call 911. Davis ran out to see what happened and saw DiGiuro “bleeding out both ears.”
As he recalled, “I was like, ‘Good lord, you know, what’s going on?’”
Trent DiGiuro’s Shooting Leaves Witnesses Baffled
Within minutes, emergency responders arrived to perform CPR and rush DiGiuro to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Lexington Police Department Detective Don Evans also arrived at the scene and found the shocked college kids milling around. DiGiuro’s recliner was knocked over and covered in blood.
“The forensics team had a mess,” he recalled. “You don’t know exactly where the person fell, what the placement was. They gotta figure out what was there prior to this happening.”
Though DiGiuro died from a fatal gunshot wound to the head, crime scene investigators were unable to find any shell casings at the scene.
Evans spoke with Mann, who insisted he’d never seen anyone approach the house and believed the shot must have come from the side of the porch.
“I briefly talked to anyone else there, they have no idea what happened,” Evans added. “I mean that’s basically the theme.”
As dawn approached, the news of DiGiuro’s death spread throughout the college community.
“I found out that he didn’t make it, unfortunately, and of course we were all like crying and sobbing,” Weddle recalled. “Just not understanding what could have gone wrong.”
Trent DiGiuro Was Killed in “Assassination” With Long-Range Rifle
Initially, Evans was operating under the theory that DiGiuro had been killed at close range by a handgun, but was surprised to learn from ballistics analysts that the bullet had actually come from a long-range rifle, making it possible the killer was up to 300 yards away.
“We’ve gotten this all wrong. It changed everything,” he said. “It looked like an assassination.”
During a door-to-door canvas of the neighborhood, one neighbor reported hearing what sounded like a brick hitting the side of her house at the time of the shooting. Detectives theorized that she had likely heard the percussion from the shot and discovered an area of bushes near the front of her yard with a direct line to DiGiuro’s porch.
Though they likely established where the killer had lie in wait, they still had no idea who would have wanted to kill the well-liked football player.
With no arrests, DiGiuro’s friends were left feeling on edge.
“Your mind starts racing, you watch every turn you make around this corner, everybody you pass on the sidewalk. It could be somebody on campus,” Mann remembered. “I did not feel safe anywhere.”
Tip Points to Shane Ragland in Trent DiGiuro’s Death
For five years the case went cold, until police received a call from attorney Tom Bullock, who was representing former University of Kentucky student Aimee Lloyd.
Lloyd had seen an article marking the fifth anniversary of DiGiuro’s death and was struck by the family’s continued anguish. She decided to come forward with chilling information that would break the case wide open.
Lloyd told Evans that she had been dating Shane Ragland in 1995 when he made a stunning confession and admitted to gunning down DiGiuro a year earlier.
Ragland—the son of a wealthy businessman—was an acquaintance of DiGiuro’s and had been living down the street at the time of the murders. According to Lloyd’s account, as freshman students in 1991, Ragland had been eager to join the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.
Yet, while hanging out with DiGiuro’s roommate in their dorm, Ragland claimed to have slept with a girl featured in a sorority calendar. DiGiuro overheard the conversation and knew the girl was dating the president of the fraternity. DiGiuro told the president about the rumors Ragland was spreading, ultimately tanking his chances of getting into the fraternity.
The account was corroborated by DiGiuro’s former roommate, who added that DiGiuro confirmed to Ragland he’d told the fraternity president after they bumped into each other on campus.
Who Killed Trent DiGiuro?
Years later, Ragland was still bitter and set out to kill DiGiuro, biking down the street with his rifle, taking the fatal shot and then returning to his home unnoticed.
Lloyd agreed to meet with Ragland in 2000 in the hopes of getting a confession and captured Ragland on a recording saying he regretted his actions, adding “I am very, very remorseful.”
“I was angry at him,” he said. “I made the wrong decision.”
Ragland was arrested the next day and charged with murder. The prosecution’s case was strengthened after they found a rifle that could have been the murder weapon at his mother’s house—although ballistics could never confirm that.
Though Ragland was found guilty and sentenced to 30 years in prison, the verdict was overturned three years later after a ballistics expert was discredited.
Ragland agreed to plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to time served of 8 years.
After he was released, Ragland was paralyzed in a car crash.
Mexico questions FBI role in Sinaloa Cartel abduction
In a bold rebuke aimed at Washington, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has accused the United States of covert involvement in the dramatic 2024 kidnapping of former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada. Sheinbaum insists that the U.S. government deceived Mexico about its role in Zambada’s capture, which she argues constitutes a breach of Mexican sovereignty. This controversy has sparked a heated debate over diplomatic relations and the extent of American intervention within Mexican borders.
Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia, a notable figure in Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, faced justice as he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States on Monday. Alongside this, he has been ordered to relinquish a staggering $15 billion amassed through his illicit drug trafficking operations, according to a release by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The life sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan, who acknowledged the mandatory nature of the punishment due to the severity of the charges. He expressed his belief that it was a fitting sentence for the crimes Zambada committed.
Judge Cogan highlighted that the overwhelming volume of drugs linked to Zambada, alongside the numerous murders documented, was sufficient to warrant Congress’s decision to impose a mandatory life sentence. “The almost unimaginable amount of drugs attributable to him and the number of murders that we can document is enough to justify Congress’s decision to make this a mandatory life sentence,” he stated.
Zambada stands as one of the most prominent Mexican drug traffickers to face such a sentence in the U.S. since the renowned Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, another leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, received his life sentence back in 2019.
A photo of former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia being detained by federal agents is displayed next to a Beechcraft King Air aircraft, used in July 2024 to transport Garcia and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of notorious narco leader “El Chapo” Guzman, to the U.S., at the War Eagles Air Museum, in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.(REUTERS/Paul Ratje)
Garcia, 76, agreed to plead guilty in August 2025 to multiple charges, including racketeering conspiracy and continuing criminal enterprise, after the DOJ said it would not pursue the death penalty.
He was arrested in July 2024 alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of Guzman’s sons, after their plane landed in the U.S. Guzman Lopez has since pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including drug trafficking and a July 2024 kidnapping.
Joseph Nocella, a federal prosecutor, told reporters after Garcia’s sentencing that Guzman Lopez had admitted to kidnapping Garcia in an attempt to secure leniency and credit from U.S. law enforcement.
A reward sign for former Sinaloa Cartel leader Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia standing next to a Beechcraft King Air aircraft, used in July 2024 to transport Garcia and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of notorious narco leader “El Chapo” Guzman, at the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.(REUTERS/Paul Ratje)
“The United States made perfectly clear that we do not condone kidnapping and that he would receive no credit,” Nocella said.
Guzman Lopez has not yet been sentenced.
Garcia told the court during his sentencing on Monday that he took responsibility for the harm he had caused.
“No one wins in a war like this. To the next generation, I say, choose a different path,” he said.
Cogan suggested that Garcia be placed in a facility where he would receive adequate medical care since he was suffering from several progressive health ailments.
“Ismael Zambada Garcia spent nearly four decades poisoning American communities to make billions of dollars in profit and ordering the murders of anyone who stood in his way. Today, that chapter closes for good,” Nocella said in a statement.
Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada Garcia was sentenced to life in a U.S. prison.(REUTERS/Gustavo Graf)
“He will spend the rest of his life in a U.S. prison, exactly where he belongs,” he added. This sentence was made possible by the tireless bilateral cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement, who refused to let El Mayo’s years of evading justice become a permanent state of affairs. We hope that today’s sentence brings some measure of justice to the countless victims of the Sinaloa Cartel’s narcotics trafficking and violence.”
Baker Mayfield had a significant source of motivation fueling his performance during his encounter with the Jets last season.
In the latest installment of Netflix’s docuseries “Quarterback,” the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ signal-caller delves deep into his past dealings with Steve Wilks, the former Jets defensive coordinator. Wilks, who briefly took on the role of interim head coach in Carolina, was at the helm when Mayfield faced a career setback, leading to his release in 2022.
“This is personal for me. Wilks cut me. F— him,” Mayfield boldly declared during a huddle ahead of the intense Week 3 matchup.
Baker Mayfield’s feelings on then-Jets DC Steve Wilks, revealed on Netflix’s “Quarterback” Netflix
Mayfield shed light on the history behind their tension in an interview for “Quarterback,” stating, “[Wilks] was the defensive coordinator there, and then he was the interim head coach, which is kind of where things started to take a downward spiral in our relationship.”
“This is personal for me. Wilks cut me. F*** him.”
Baker Mayfield was extra motivated to get the W against the Jets last season 😂 pic.twitter.com/aUMN2REyVC
— Covers (@Covers) July 20, 2026
“I could tell that I was not his favorite, which is fine, but the only thing you can really ask for in this business is to be upfront and honest,” Mayfield said. “When I was going to be released, or inactive first, they asked me what I wanted to do, that they would grant me my release, and I was like, ‘Listen, if you want me to ask for my release, I’ll say it, but if you’re going to cut me, just tell me that.’ … He’s ultimately the one that made that decision, that I wasn’t gonna be active.”
Mayfield led a game-winning field goal drive to beat the Jets 29-27 in that revenge game. Postgame, Mayfield referenced the iciness with Wilks.
“Also their D-coordinator was the one that cut me in Carolina. Lot of stuff was personal today. Haason Reddick, former Jet. … Lot of people,” he mused.
Wilks responded days later.
Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers runs onto the field prior to an NFL football game against the New York Jets. Getty Images
“I don’t really think an interim head coach has much authority over personnel,” Wilks told reporters. “If that’s the case, I wouldn’t have gotten rid of our best player, Christian McCaffrey.”
Mayfield, who landed with the Rams for the rest of 2022, has since revived his career, leading Tampa Bay to two playoff appearances and generating MVP talks after a 5-1 start last season.
In a move that electrified her followers, Jennifer Love Hewitt debuted a daring new hairstyle on Monday that left many fans in awe.
The star of “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” now 47, has made a striking change by swapping her signature dark locks for a vibrant light blonde, revealing her fresh look in a captivating Instagram video.
This bold hair transformation is just in time for the upcoming 10th season of “9-1-1,” where Hewitt will continue her role as the beloved dispatcher Maddie.
“Season 10 hair ready! Let’s go!” she enthusiastically captioned the post, a nod to her readiness to tackle a new era in her career. Hewitt has previously opened up about how early-career body scrutiny impacted her.
Having sported a fiery red hue in the show’s ninth season, the actress is clearly not afraid to experiment as she revamps her look for the new episodes.
Her fans were thrilled with the stunning blonde look, with one writing, ‘So beautiful!’
Jennifer Love Hewitt, 47, surprised fans with a bold new look on Monday. The I Know What You Did Last Summer star ditched her dark tresses for a light blonde look
Hewitt pictured with her brunette tresses while stepping out in Los Angeles back in 2019
‘You can literally pull off every color,’ someone else gushed.
‘Oh gurl I love a blonde. And this is eating,’ another added.
‘Season 10 Maddie walking in like she’s about to solve three cases and emotionally wreck us in one episode,’ someone else quipped.
Hewitt credited her new look to Nine Zero One salon hairstylists Nikki Lee and Taryn Houston.
The actress joined the series – created by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear – in season two.
The hit show explores the lives of Los Angeles first responders – including firefighters, police officers, and paramedics – as they risk it all to save lives.
Aside from Hewitt it currently stars Angela Bassett, Oliver Stark, Ryan Guzman, Aisha Hinds, Kenneth Choi, Corinne Massiah and more.
Season 10 of the procedural drama is set to premiere in the fall.
She underwent the dramatic hair change for the upcoming 10th season of 9-1-1, where stars as dispatcher Maddie
‘Season 10 hair ready! Let’s go!’ she wrote in the caption
The beauty has rocked a number of different hairstyles before, though she’s best known for her light brunette tresses; Pictured in 2012
Pictured with her espresso brown hair in a 2005 still from Ghost Whisperer
Her hair transformations aren’t the only aspect of her appearance that has drawn public attention over the years.
Last year, Hewitt opened up about how body criticism in her early career had a lasting effect.
In an interview with Vulture, she revealed that she nearly passed on the opportunity to reprise her role as Julie in the new I Know What You Did Last Summer sequel due to the excessive scrutiny she faced as a younger actress.
It wasn’t until she watched the 2021 New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears that she understood the ramifications of being picked apart for her appearance.
‘When I started watching it, I was like, “Oh, they talked to me like that. Oh.” I started crying for her. And then I realized I was crying for me,’ she reflected.
Hewitt rose to prominence as a teen when she starred in the family drama Party of Five.
She went on to appear in movies including the original I Know What You Did Last Summer, Heartbreakers, and Can’t Hardly Wait.
It wasn’t long before she became a household name, making her subject to heightened judgement.
The former child star said she ‘really wanted to be a good actor’ but the focus was on her figure, which left her ‘trying to outact the conversation around my body.’
Fans won’t have to wait much longer for the return of 9-1-1, as season 10 is set to premiere in the fall; Hewitt seen in an older still from the show
She described media coverage in the early 2000s as being ‘”Boob, boob, boob,” everywhere.’
When she was photographed wearing a bikini in Hawaii in 2007, it sparked media coverage around her weight.
At the time, Hewitt said that she wasn’t ‘upset for me, but for all the girls out there that are struggling with their body image.’
‘A size 2 is not fat! Nor will it ever be. And being a size 0 doesn’t make you beautiful,’ she declared. ‘To all girls with butts, boobs, hips and a waist, put on a bikini – put it on and stay strong.’
In a bold overnight declaration, Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, escalating the tension in the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran. This move poses a significant threat to Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil exporter, particularly concerning its ability to bypass the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz.
Tensions flared last week when Saudi Arabia and the Houthis exchanged fire for the first time in several years, threatening to unravel a ceasefire established in 2022 that has miraculously endured even after its official expiration.
This recent exchange of hostilities was triggered when an Iranian aircraft attempted to land in Sanaa, directly challenging Saudi Arabia’s air supremacy over Yemen.
Should the Houthi blockade materialize, it could severely disrupt Saudi Arabia’s economic stability by hindering access to its vital Red Sea ports. With renewed conflict potentially limiting the vital oil passage through the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia may face significant economic repercussions.
The blockade is also expected to hurt global markets that rely on Saudi Arabia — which produces over 10 million barrels of crude per day — for energy imports.
The rebels declared “a maritime embargo against the criminal Saudi enemy, based on the equation of ‘an eye for an eye’, effective immediately”, military spokesman Yahya Saree said.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, warned that the threat from the Houthis risked an “even wider” regional conflict.
How could the blockade impact global economy?
The Houthis have previously tried to cut off shipping through the Red Sea, leveraging the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a chokepoint at its southern tip which vessels must navigate when travelling to or from the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean.
Security expert Andreas Krieg said Tehran could ask the Houthis to “prepare the Bab al-Mandab front and may provide the strategic trigger, particularly if US pressure is degrading Iran’s position around Hormuz” even if the rebels retain “considerable autonomy”.
The full closure of the Bab al-Mandab strait would reduce global oil supply by 7 per cent as it would leave most of Saudi oil exports unable to leave the region. The disruption would add to the huge cut to oil flows from the US-Iran war, which has already reduced shipments by 10 per cent of global supply.
“A simultaneous crisis at Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab would produce a much larger shock than either blockade alone,” the King’s College London academic told Agence France-Presse.
“Hormuz disruption constrains Gulf oil and liquefied natural gas exports, while Bab al-Mandab disruption interrupts the principal maritime connection between Asia, the Gulf and Europe.”
The Houthis previously launched attacks on ships transiting the waterway beginning in November 2023 during the Gaza war, forcing vessels to take lengthy detours around Africa instead of travelling directly from Europe.
Yemen shares a border and coastline with Saudi Arabia, whose Red Sea port of Yanbu has been crucial for exporting oil, bypassing Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz during its war with the US.
The conflict sowed panic on global energy markets until a ceasefire last month — which has since collapsed.
“Even if no ships are attacked, the announcement alone is likely to disrupt shipping and create uncertainty for Saudi ports,” said Mohammed al-Basha, of the US-based risk advisory Basha Report.
“Whether the Houthis move from threats to direct action remains the critical issue.”
Krieg said the blockade “would hurt Saudi Arabia very seriously”, explaining that much of Saudi Arabia’s oil was sold to Asian markets.
With the Bab al-Mandab closed, “those vessels would have to sail north through Suez, cross the Mediterranean, pass Gibraltar and travel around Africa before reaching Asia”.
In a statement, the Saudi foreign ministry condemned statements by the Houthis accusing Riyadh of “besieging” the Yemeni people.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said it will respond to the Houthis’ threats to ships with “force”.
The coalition said in a statement that it began implementing safety measures for its ships passing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait.
Saree said the announced closure of Bab al-Mandab was in response to Saudi Arabia’s blockade of Houthi “ports and airports” and the targeting of Sanaa airport, adding they would respond to “the blockade with a blockade”.
Last week, the Houthis fired missiles at a Saudi airport in Abha after the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa was struck.
The Houthis blamed Riyadh for the strike, which the Aden-based Yemeni government said was launched to prevent an Iranian plane from landing.
For over a decade, aircraft entering Yemeni airspace have needed prior clearance from the Saudi-led coalition that backs the government and says it enforces the restriction at its request.
The Houthis have been at war with Yemen’s government since 2014, in a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Diplomatic push to restore US-Iran ceasefire
A senior Iranian official told Reuters news agency on Monday that Tehran had received a proposal from mediators for a 10-day ceasefire in efforts to salvage the interim deal, intended to pave the way to a lasting agreement to end the war that began on 28 February with US-Israeli attacks on Iran.
But they didn’t give any details on the putative ceasefire discussions.
Two Pakistani government sources said separately that Iranian interior minister Eskandar Momeni had asked Pakistan to resume its mediation role in the conflict. He later arrived in Islamabad for further talks.
The diplomatic push followed another night of US strikes on Iranian cities and attacks by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on US military assets across the region.
US President Donald Trump, under mounting political pressure at home over rising gasoline prices since the war began and Iran effectively closed the vital Strait of Hormuz, defended the latest strikes on Iran as “honouring” the deaths of up to three American service members in recent Iranian attacks.
“Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over! This directive has been passed on to Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Daniel Caine, and every Leader in the Military,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
As midterms approach, the economic landscape could see significant shifts, suggests Libby Cantrill, Head of Public Policy at Pimco. She highlights the potential impact these elections might have on markets and tax policy. Cantrill notes that while Democrats might seize control of the House, the Senate sway remains uncertain, influencing future legislative clarity.
In a decisive move, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega announced that the country would cease holding elections, effectively eliminating any avenues for opposition parties to contest his and his co-governing wife, Rosario Murillo’s, rule.
Ortega, Nicaragua’s longest-serving leader, initially came to power in the 1980s and has held office since 2007. His current term is set to end in 2027.
“There will be no more elections for them to attempt to take over the government and seize control,” declared Ortega.
Ortega’s statement came on Sunday during a speech marking the anniversary of the 1979 Sandinista revolution, a historic event in which he played a pivotal role in toppling the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza.
Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega said officials in the Central American country will no longer hold elections.(REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
The declaration appeared to eliminate the possibility of a future electoral challenge as Ortega and Murillo continue consolidating control over the country’s political institutions.
“The days when parties backed by the Yankees (United States) and the Somocistas would return to power are over — never again,” Ortega declared.
News Media has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.
The Trump administration has described the Ortega-Murillo government as a dictatorship and imposed sanctions on members of the government and their allies. The State Department has also enacted visa restrictions targeting more than 2,350 Nicaraguan officials and their family members.
“The United States stands with the Nicaraguan people who, like Rivera, aspire to see a free Nicaragua,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in June.
The Trump administration has described the Ortega government as a dictatorship.(Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg)
The Biden administration previously said Ortega illegitimately awarded himself another term following Nicaragua’s disputed 2021 presidential election.
Authorities arrested presidential candidates, opposition figures, business leaders and journalists ahead of that vote as the government intensified its criminalization of dissent.
Ortega and Murillo further expanded their authority through sweeping constitutional changes that took effect in 2025. The reforms extended the presidential term from five years to six and elevated Murillo from vice president to “co-president.”
The changes also placed Nicaragua’s legislative, judicial and electoral institutions under the authority of the presidency, according to United Nations experts.
Ortega and Murillo now exercise control over nearly every branch of the government, including the armed forces, police and judiciary.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, have control over nearly every aspect of the country’s government.(INTI OCON/AFP)
Ortega had already effectively eliminated meaningful electoral competition during elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021, Salvador Marenco, coordinator of the Costa Rica-based Nicaragua Nunca Más Human Rights Collective, told Reuters.
Many prominent opposition leaders have been imprisoned, forced into exile or stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship, while opposition parties and independent civic organizations have lost their legal status.
A United Nations group of experts has accused the Ortega-Murillo government of systematically violating human rights as part of a campaign to eliminate criticism and preserve its hold on power. The experts said some alleged violations may amount to crimes against humanity.
The government launched a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2018. More than 300 people were killed during the unrest, according to international human rights groups.
