For years, Meghan Markle’s relationship with Britain seemed defined by one word: departure. Now she is back — and the newest glimpse inside her life could hardly look more different.

A close friend has shared photographs of pub visits, garden games, family time and Prince Harry playing on the floor with a baby. But it is five words at the end of her message that may matter most: “She missed you too.”

Taylor Swift’s Showgirl era is suddenly back. The Life Of A Showgirl: The Encore arrives September 25 with four brand-new songs: “Patient Zero”, “Cleveland!”, “Pink Clouding” and “Babylon”. The announcement comes less than three months after Swift married Travis Kelce, making one title in particular almost impossible to ignore.

Kelce grew up in Cleveland Heights — but does “Cleveland!” actually have anything to do with him? And were these songs even written after the wedding?

We separate what Swift has actually confirmed from the theories already forming around the new tracks, explain how an unexpected studio session with Max Martin and Shellback created the expansion, and look at why this release could give The Life Of A Showgirl an entirely different final chapter.

The curtain was supposed to have fallen. Apparently Taylor Swift had one more scene.

Kyiv has endured another deadly night. Russian ballistic missiles approached Ukraine’s capital in repeated waves during the early hours of September 24, triggering explosions, emergency responses and damage across multiple districts.

People were killed and injured, medical facilities were affected, and residents who had already endured a major attack the previous day were once again forced towards shelter.

Harvey Weinstein has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in New York after being convicted again over the 2006 sexual assault of former production assistant Miriam Haley.

But the headline only captures the final moment of an extraordinary legal journey.

Weinstein’s original New York conviction brought a 23-year sentence before the state’s highest court overturned it in 2024 over serious trial errors. Prosecutors then went back to court, presented their case again and secured a new conviction.

Further proceedings produced deadlocked juries, another charge was eventually dropped, and Weinstein has now returned to court for sentencing.

Pakistan says it has launched air and drone strikes against 10 locations inside Afghanistan after detecting and intercepting drones that it says entered Pakistani airspace from Afghan territory.

Afghanistan disputes responsibility for the attacks. Pakistan says it triggered the retaliation, creating a dangerous problem at the centre of an already volatile relationship: the two governments increasingly disagree not only about how to respond to violence but also about who initiated it.

What is known about the latest strikes, how drone warfare is changing the escalation equation, the long-running dispute over militant groups operating around the border, and how recent violence in Kohat has intensified Pakistan's security pressure?

With regional governments attempting to keep the confrontation contained, another round of retaliation could become far harder to stop.

Donald Trump has welcomed Xi Jinping to Washington as the United States and China extend their trade truce until January 10. The state visit puts tariffs, semiconductor controls, rare earths, artificial intelligence, Taiwan and Iran under intense scrutiny.

The immediate trade deadline has moved, but the larger economic rivalry between Washington and Beijing remains unresolved.

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping enter a critical Washington summit with trade, artificial intelligence, Iran and Taiwan dominating the agenda. Xi's three-day US state visit comes as both countries try to preserve a fragile economic truce while competing for technological and strategic power.

The talks could produce limited agreements on AI communication, tariffs and military dialogue, but some of the world's most dangerous disputes remain unresolved.

Xi Jinping was expected to bring a notable Chinese business presence to Washington, but later reporting says a CEO delegation is unlikely. We trace how the expectation developed, why the distinction between “planned” and “confirmed” matters, and what the attendance question could mean for commercial announcements.

Xi Jinping was expected to bring a notable Chinese business presence to Washington, but later reporting says a CEO delegation is unlikely. We trace how the expectation developed, why the distinction between “planned” and “confirmed” matters, and what the attendance question could mean for commercial announcements.

Elon Musk has called Xi Jinping a “great leader” in an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, just before Xi’s meeting with Donald Trump. We examine what Musk actually said, why Tesla’s Shanghai factory gives the remarks commercial significance, and where interpretation runs ahead of the evidence.

Iran has threatened neighbouring airports if countries cooperate with US efforts to stop Iranian flights.

We explain what senior security official Mohsen Rezaei said, how aviation sanctions can affect routes beyond America, and why a warning must be distinguished from an actual airport closure.

Police say at least 11 people were killed and three wounded at a house party near Durban. Three gunmen are being sought, while investigators say the motive remains unconfirmed.

Tigrayan forces have reportedly taken control of Mekelle airport as fighting reaches neighbouring Afar. Three airport destinations have lost flights, and Tigray’s regional government says it is in a defensive war.

Taylor Swift has announced Patient Zero for 25 September. Here are the confirmed release details, the listed acoustic and piano versions, and the questions fans cannot answer until they hear the song.

A reported six-month Gaza proposal includes housing, rubble removal and hospital repairs. The full $2.45bn is not secured, and political barriers still stand between the plan and delivery.

China's US ambassador has identified four red lines before Xi meets Trump. Taiwan is the most immediate test, with US arms sales and Beijing's objections still unresolved.

Trump plans an unusual airport greeting, military review and state dinner for Xi. The elaborate welcome comes as both countries face difficult decisions on trade, AI, rare earths and Taiwan.

US and Iranian officials passed messages through Qatari mediation in New York. It is their first shuttle contact in months, but disputes over the war and the Strait of Hormuz remain.

Russian drones struck Kyiv after Donald Trump met Volodymyr Zelenskyy in New York. This update explains what Ukrainian authorities reported, why casualty figures may change and how the attack bears on proposals to protect energy infrastructure. We distinguish the timing of the attack from evidence about Moscow's motives. Read the companion Taylor Tailored article for sources and later updates.

Hurricane Polo has undergone an extraordinary transformation over the eastern Pacific, strengthening into an exceptionally powerful Category 5 hurricane with aircraft measurements indicating sustained winds near 180 mph.

The storm remains offshore from southwestern Mexico, but its extreme intensity, slow movement and proximity to the coast mean the danger is not confined to the hurricane’s tiny eye. Heavy rainfall, flooding, mudslides, dangerous surf and tropical-storm conditions remain possible across parts of the Mexican coastline.

But the biggest story may be the speed of the transformation itself. Polo went from a far weaker hurricane to one of the most powerful tropical cyclones possible in a remarkably short period.

This episode examines what drove the explosive intensification, why a storm can still be dangerous without making landfall, and why Polo’s next movement could matter even more than its extraordinary wind speed.