Iran and Russia are drawing closer because both governments “need each other desperately,” an expert told News Media on Wednesday, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly signaled support for Tehran’s leadership.

Putin was seen shaking hands Tuesday with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during talks held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan. According to a Kremlin readout of the meeting, Putin said, “Russia is standing in full solidarity with the people of Iran.”

“We admire your courage and resilience in your fight for your national interests,” Putin said, adding, “Please convey my regards and words of sincere support to Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei.”

Retired U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove, who previously served as NATO’s top commander, told News Media that “this relationship between Iran and Russia is growing” because “they both need each other desperately.”

“In the grand scheme of things, they are both ‘broke.’ I’m using others language here, but the bottom line is they are hurting economically,” Breedlove said. He added that Russia urgently needs Iran to help produce missiles after Ukrainian attacks damaged Moscow’s missile-making capacity, while Iran “desperately needs Russian targeting and intelligence to continue to attack Americans in the Middle East.”

“Russia is transferring capability, transferring, in larger terms, technologies that enable Iran, and frankly, they’re sort of helping to prop up the religious leaders of Iran,” Breedlove added.

Jason Brodsky, the policy director of United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), told News Media that “Iran and Russia have had a long-time partnership that is strategically important for both countries.”

“Russia views Iran as a cudgel to use against America, and Iran has in recent years especially viewed Russia as a lifeline with respect to advancing its military, providing economic support, providing political support, most importantly at the U.N. Security Council as Russia is a permanent member. So that’s how the partnership serves both countries’ interests,” he said.

Breedlove also said the U.S. war with Iran has now “turned into almost more a test of will than it is a military test.” Both the U.S. military and Iran have been trading aerial strikes in recent days.

“The U.S. has established basically air and sea dominance, but because of the U.S.’ decision early in the war that they were not going to put boots on the ground, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps knows that they’re going to survive. And Iran’s IRGC, in their mind, understand clearly that they don’t have to win this war,” Breedlove told News Media.

“All they have to do is survive and continue to threaten” the Strait of Hormuz, which will drive up maritime insurance rates and cause “all kinds of problems with carriers,” he continued.

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“So we have a test of wills, a nation that can militarily end the war, should it make some more drastic decisions about how to get after the IRGC and a nation that understands it doesn’t have to win, it just has to survive, because its harassment of the strait will cause prices to go so high on transit that it’s going to be a problem for the world economy,” Breedlove said.

Brodsky told News Media that he believes there is “no diplomatic happy ending” for the U.S.-Iran war “as long as the Iranian regime is in power.”

“It is fundamentally anti-American to its core and that imperils any kind of diplomatic arrangement or negotiating process that the United States and Iran undertake,” he said. “I think we’ve seen in President Trump’s comments that he has grown exasperated with diplomacy with the Islamic Republic, and rightfully so.”

During their meeting Tuesday, Pezeshkian told Putin, “We are grateful to you for the stance you have adopted during the war, the conflicts, the U.S. sanctions and all the rest,” according to the Kremlin.

“Our relations are of a strategic nature. This is more than just ‘normal’ relations,” Pezeshkian reportedly added. “We believe – no, we are certain that thanks to this we can stand up against U.S. bias and the rightless sanctions they are imposing on us.”

Breedlove said to News Media following the Putin-Pezeshkian meeting that “the world has a problem with Russia, and for almost 25 or 30 years we tried to make a friend or at least a cooperative entity out of Russia.”

“We wanted to embrace them and bring them into the Western fold and so forth. And now we are clearly understanding based on what they’re doing for Iran and what they are doing in their illegal and immoral war in Ukraine, we now understand that Russia does not want to be a part of the Western world,” he said.

“Mr. Putin has this vision of three spheres of influence. Mr. Xi [of China] takes care of Eastern Asia. Russia takes care of Western Asia and Europe, and the United States should remain in the Western Hemisphere. And that’s what he’s pushing us to,” Breedlove continued. “And the bottom line is, in respect to Iran and in respect to Ukraine, Mr. Putin is going to do nothing until someone shows him steel. He understands power. Rhetoric doesn’t do anything with Mr. Putin.”

“Sanctions have never changed Mr. Putin’s battlefield actions,” he said, “so the West is going to have to figure out exactly what they’re going to do to Mr. Putin.”

For Perez Hilton, the difficult recovery from his harrowing livestream ordeal appears likely to extend well beyond the healing of his physical injuries.

Nearly a month after he was hospitalized in Florida, friends have told the Daily Mail that the 48-year-old celebrity gossip blogger remains deeply disoriented — reportedly unaware of what state he is in and, even more troubling, what year it is.

A source close to Hilton said he seems to have “lost a decade,” believing that it is currently 2016.

The source also claimed Hilton has been pleading with friends to bring Katy Perry to his bedside, saying the singer is his “best friend” and insisting he “made her into a star” and that she “would be nowhere without him.”

Hilton and Perry, 41, were once publicly close as he promoted her during the early stages of her career. But the source claimed the pair have had little contact in years, making his request all the more poignant.

‘He is not all there,’ the source added. 

Those closest to Hilton – whose memory of his livestream last month was already said to be spotty – are now fearing the worst. A family friend of more than 20 years told the Daily Mail that even a short phone call shows Hilton is ‘still not well at all.’

On August 4, Hilton (real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr) took to TikTok to record a truly shocking live video. Horrified fans watched him, naked and covered in blood, repeatedly harm himself with a large butcher’s knife. The footage was live for about 15 minutes before the social media site stopped the feed. Police arrived soon after.

Hilton was hospitalized under Florida’s Baker Act, which allows for the temporary and involuntary detention of individuals in mental crisis. He has not since had access to his mobile phone or the Internet. Any calls with the outside world have been made on the hospital’s landline.

The family friend described the gossip blogger as prone to ‘rambling’ and drifting off mid-conversation. While Hilton is said to have moments of clarity, he is also described as ‘all over the place.’

‘One minute he’s thinking about moving forward and making plans for when he’s back at work,’ the friend said. ‘The next minute he’s talking about walking away altogether.’

Even from his hospital bed, Hilton is said to be fixated on the future of the eponymous celebrity news site that shot him to internet infamy in the mid-2000s and still pays the bills, despite having markedly fallen off in terms of popularity.

‘He asked how the site is doing. He asked how people are talking about him – what they’re saying,’ the friend said. ‘His family has assured him that everything is OK, but he’s not believing it.’

Before this crisis, Hilton was said to be scrambling for work beyond his blog, with reality TV pitches reportedly fizzling out before getting off the ground. 

While his site traffic surged after his shocking livestream, such grisly curiosity was fleeting, with a source saying visitors quickly tailed off. 

His small team have since resumed posting celebrity news to the site, but it remains unclear whether readers will return in force, or if Hilton will ever be well enough to reclaim the reins.

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For now, the man who built a successful career online is now unable to work and cut off from both his phone and the internet while under medical supervision, the family friend said.

‘He can’t do any work at the moment. His family is handling all of his affairs,’ a source explained. ‘His mother and sister are making sure he is getting the best care. They are hopeful.’

Hilton is also covered in medical gauze after doctors stitched up dozens of cuts from the incident, sources said, and he also has limited mobility due to broken bones said to be caused by falling on the night of the livestream.

His three children – Mario, 13, Mia, 11, and Mayte, eight – were at the home when the incident began. It’s unclear what the children may have seen before they were rushed outside by his sister Barbara, who was also home, but they have not visited their father since. A source close to the family said Hilton’s injuries are still too distressing for young children to see.

A Miami judge granted Hilton supervised visitation from hospital while his mother, Teresita, has temporary custody. But he must first obtain psychiatric clearance, and any contact must be supervised by an approved family member or therapist.

‘He’s not mentally in a place where he can really see the kids, and he is feeling pretty alone right now,’ a source said.

Meanwhile, sources previously told the Daily Mail that Hilton had not received a single card, bouquet of flowers or even a text from any celebrities in his circle.

‘All the ones he wanted to reach out, all the celebrities who he has mended fences with, all the ones who said he’s their friend. None of them are doing anything,’ an insider said.

Now, in the moments when Hilton’s confusion lifts, the family friend said, the full scale of his new reality is beginning to hit home. 

‘He feels very isolated at the moment, very alone,’ the friend said. ‘He’s being really hard on himself, regretting all these things that he has done and where life is now. He’s despondent. He’s nowhere near ready to get out. He’s got a very, very long way to go.’

But Hilton needs something to look forward to once he has recovered – and being a father could give him a reason to keep going.

‘He can move forward by being a dad, but let’s be real…it will be a co-parenting thing with his family from here,’ the friend said.

He also must focus on his health, while returning to work remains ‘a distant thing.’

‘He says he wants people to learn from him,’ the friend said. ‘He can do that best by recovering mentally and physically. He understands that.’

Jessica Pegula’s answer said plenty. It reflected a growing tension in the opening week of the U.S. Open, a Grand Slam long known for its polished, high-end New York energy — and now seeing its cultural footprint expand as influencers, content creators and celebrity spectacle increasingly blend with the tennis at Flushing Meadows.

The $23 Honey Deuces. The TikTok clips. The blue carpet arrivals. The entire scene around the tournament. Madison Keys summed it up neatly when she called it the “big-show Grand Slam.”

Pegula is hardly new to that kind of stage. The No. 3 seed in the women’s draw, she has been one of the tournament’s central figures in recent years, reaching the 2024 U.S. Open final and the 2025 semifinals. After defeating unseeded Sofia Kenin in straight sets Wednesday, Pegula was asked about crowd behavior — a subject that drew fresh scrutiny this week after a chair umpire told spectators in a suite to sit down during Naomi Osaka’s match Monday, while viral videos showed ring lights being used to film influencers during play.

“I do think that it’s tough when you see videos like that when they’re taking pictures and using the selfie lights,” Pegula said. “People are down there trying to perform, and it’s their career and their job. It seems like a bit disrespectful. I think it’s gotten a little, maybe, too much, it feels like, this year. I don’t know.

“I think, again, I can appreciate one side of it, but I think when you have the other side literally interrupting matches, it gets a little tough.”

The video — and brief delay — in Osaka’s match captured some growing tension. It quickly evolved into a discussion point during the first official week of the tournament. 

But there’s a give and a take with it all. No. 7 Daniil Medvedev, who also cruised into the third round via straight sets Wednesday, said that “the more we try to raise awareness about tennis, the better it is, the more popular the sport is.”

But, he added, it can be challenging sometimes if a light disturbs the flow during the point. 

“Still, in general, the more the sport grows, the better it is,” Medvedev said. “So I would say this way: I trust USTA with what they are doing. … I think more, a lot of more upside than downside.” 

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The U.S. Open’s credentials for content creators nearly doubled from 54 to 100 this year, according to Sportico. In a statement to The Post on Wednesday, the USTA said it wants “our fans and guests to have an incredible time when they attend the US Open, but we also need to ensure that does not interfere with the action and competition on the court.

These instances happen infrequently, and similar to when crowd noise reaches a certain level, our chair umpires have the ability to address the crowd when they occur.” 

The presence of the U.S. Open on social media has shaped its modern identity.

Pegula has carved out a space in the media world, too, as one of four co-hosts — alongside Madison Keys, Jennifer Brady and Desirae Krawczyk — on “The Player’s Box” podcast.

An article on the U.S. Open website earlier this month cited $1.2 billion in economic impact from the tournament annually. Around 1.14 million fans, a record number, attended last year. Fan Week has continued to soar. 

“I think I can appreciate, you know, the influencers coming and kind of showcasing, like, the U.S. Open experience,” Pegula said. “I think that’s something that the U.S. Open has utilized a lot as far as food and drinks and things to do and the shops. That part is part of a fan experience and something that people might not know and make them want to go.” 

The rise of the influencer space has directly contributed to that. It’ll only continue to do so over the next 10 days, too, as Pegula attempts to finally win an elusive Grand Slam title and Medvedev tries to emerge from the men’s draw as champion for the first time since 2021.

But the opening days of the tournament have also served as a reminder of the limits, of when the videos go too far and infringe on the sport itself. 

The flip side of the benefit has started to appear, too. And Pegula and Medvedev captured both sides of the emerging debate.

Authorities in Brooklyn are looking for a man accused of attacking a 90-year-old woman on a neighborhood sidewalk this week, an incident that was apparently captured on surveillance footage obtained by a local television station.

The violent encounter took place at about 9:47 a.m. Monday near 501 Brighton Beach Ave. in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach section, the New York City Police Department said.

According to police, the woman was walking when an unknown man came near her and hurled a piece of furniture in her direction, knocking her to the ground. The suspect then ran off on foot, and investigators said his direction of travel remains unclear.

Video obtained by News 12 appears to show the man moving along the sidewalk with what resembles a discarded baby crib packed with debris. Moments later, as the elderly woman passes by, he seems to lift the item and throw it at her. The impact sends her falling onto the pavement, while the suspect appears to walk away without stopping.

Emergency medical personnel responded and transported the woman to NYC Health + Hospitals/Coney Island, where she was listed in stable condition, police said.

Police have not identified a motive for the attack, and it was not immediately clear whether the suspect and victim knew each other.

The suspect remains at large.

The NYPD released a photo of the man investigators are seeking. He is described as wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, black pants and white sneakers at the time of the attack.

Anyone with information about the suspect’s identity or whereabouts is asked to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted online through the Crime Stoppers website or by messaging @NYPDTips on X. Police said all calls and tips will be kept confidential.

News Media has reached out to the NYPD for additional information about the investigation.

Aryna Sabalenka unveiled a fresh take on her much-discussed sheer dress at the US Open on Wednesday night, ensuring her on-court fashion remained a major talking point in New York.

The world No. 1 had already drawn plenty of attention at Flushing Meadows after stepping out in a black, basketball-style look for mixed doubles, with her vivid orange sports bra and coordinating briefs clearly visible beneath the see-through design.

Sabalenka, the two-time defending singles champion, followed that up with a similar outfit in Queens on Monday, swapping the black for a bold all-orange version as she opened her 2026 US Open campaign with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Camila Osorio.

For her second-round appearance on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, however, Sabalenka went back to black. This time, the entire look was coordinated, with a black sports bra and matching briefs worn underneath the sheer outer layer.

The Belarusian star appeared completely at ease in the latest version of her US Open outfit, quickly taking control against Russian-born opponent Polina Iatcenko and powering through the opening set 6-1.

After Monday night’s eye-catching orange look, Sabalenka explained the change was because sponsor Nike actually developed day and night versions of the outfit for her to wear during the tournament.

‘To be honest, I didn’t know that I have a day dress,’ she said. ‘I thought I have a black dress with orange underneath. I figured [out] when I went to Nike that I actually have day session and night session, which is just like black and orange for the day.’

Tennis fans were quick to slam the risque outfit that Sabalenka wore during the mixed doubles event with Djokovic, although she did not back down from criticism.

‘Who cares what people think?’ she told reporters at Flushing Meadows on Friday’s media day. ‘I love it,’ she added.

As she explained, her grand-slam outfits are inspired by the cities where the four tournaments are played.

‘Surfing for the Australian Open, ballet for Roland Garros, cricket for Wimbledon,’ she said. ‘Now it’s basketball and we’re in New York. Isn’t it the perfect fit?’

The outfit certainly set fans’ tongues wagging on social media, with one viewer writing: ‘How about that – Sabalenka leading the parade of streetwalker chic at the US Open with fishnet over shorts and a sports bra. Why does New York bring out all the trashy-ness?’ 

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‘This Sabalenka clown kit can’t be actually real,’ another posted as a third questioned: ‘What is this outfit on Sabalenka???’

Another asked: ‘What on f***ing Earth is Aryna Sabalenka wearing? The netting and the heavy tacky jewellery. Who put her in that?’

Sabalenka has been to the last three US Open finals, rebounding from a loss to Coco Gauff in 2023 by winning in 2024 and then topping Amanda Anisimova last year to repeat.

‘I feel like this is one of my favorite stadiums,’ Sabalenka told the crowd after Monday’s win. ‘I really experienced the best emotions here in this stadium.’

She must have certainly been happier with the level of tennis she delivered Monday, after a series of poor events coming into the U.S. Open. She was knocked out in the fourth round in both Toronto and Cincinnati, after being ousted at the same point at Wimbledon.

That has left Sabalenka needing help to retain the No. 1 ranking, even if she wins again in New York. No. 2 Elena Rybakina will pass her if she reaches the semifinals, and won’t even need to win any matches if Sabalenka fails to win the title.

Sabalenka once again completed her all-black ensemble on Wednesday night with a dazzling array of rare gemstones.

She partnered up at the start of the year with New York jeweler Material Good and has since debuted an eye-catching array of pieces in Melbourne, Paris, and London. 

In keeping with the bold style of the US Open itself, her necklace, bracelet and earring set for the Big Apple is particularly vivid, featuring an array of colored stones said to represent the city’s ‘multicultural melting pot heritage’. 

It is also her most expensive jewelry set, with the pieces valued at over $400,000.  

Sabalenka’s necklace is set in 18-carat gold, featuring 83.20 total carats, courtesy of its sapphire, tourmaline, garnet, zircon, spinel, chrysoberyl, and tanzanite stones. 

A matching bracelet, worn during her media duties, and stud earrings which can be lengthened feature similar stones, with the carats of the set as a whole totaling over 127.