Taylor Swift has given fans another major reason to celebrate, announcing fresh music alongside an expanded version of her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl.

The 36-year-old pop superstar revealed that her new single, Patient Zero, will arrive Friday. She also confirmed that The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, a special edition featuring four additional songs, will be released the same day.

Alongside the announcement, Swift shared a glamorous new cover image showing her posing in a revealing gold dress. Reflecting on the album’s success, she wrote that fans had achieved something she considered “truly unfathomable” by giving The Life of a Showgirl the biggest first week for an album in music history.

Swift explained that she traveled to Sweden to celebrate the milestone with Max Martin and Shellback, her collaborators on the record. Although the trip was intended as a chance to appreciate the moment and express their gratitude, a nearby studio soon inspired them to return to work.

“We wrote more songs,” Swift said, adding that the new material came from the team’s appreciation for the overwhelming support surrounding the album. The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, which contains four bonus tracks, is available to pre-order and save ahead of its Friday release.

The expanded album announcement arrived just one day after Swift confirmed her musical comeback with the forthcoming single Patient Zero.

The announcement followed intense online speculation after Swift’s website displayed a mysterious two-hour countdown. The singer, who married NFL star Travis Kelce, 36, in July, had many followers wondering whether the timer would lead to the release of her long-awaited wedding photographs.

Swift has built a reputation for using countdowns, cryptic clues and Easter eggs to promote new projects. Similar teasers in the past have preceded album announcements, fashion shoots and exclusive merchandise drops.

She added to the mystery by updating her Instagram and Twitter bios with the phrase “And, baby, that’s sh0w business f0r y0u,” replacing the letter “o” with zeros and adding a fiery heart emoji.

When the countdown reached 2 p.m. ET, Swift unveiled the artwork for Patient Zero. The title appeared to reference a 2024 Los Angeles Times article that described the singer as “patient zero” for emotional contagion.

In her announcement, Swift said she had been “impatiently waiting” to share the news and confirmed that “Patient Zero” would be released on September 25. The track was also made available for pre-order through her website for 24 hours.

The accompanying images showed the singer in a series of dramatic black dresses, styled with smoky eye makeup and her trademark red lipstick. The dark, cinematic visuals appeared to signal the beginning of a new creative era.

Fans could pre-order three versions of the $3.99 track, including acoustic and piano arrangements.

The gothic photoshoot seemed to take place inside a crypt, fueling theories that Patient Zero might be connected to a companion project—or even a darker follow-up to The Life of a Showgirl titled “The Death of a Showgirl.”

The Daily Mail said it had contacted Swift’s representative for additional comment but had not received a response.

Before the reveal, fans flooded social media with guesses that the countdown would uncover the couple’s wedding photographs. Some joked that the surprise would be “Taylor and Trav’s wedding photos” waiting behind the timer.

Other theories centered on a deluxe edition of The Life of a Showgirl. Fans also interpreted the three zeros in Swift’s promotional messaging as angel numbers, potentially representing a fresh start for the singer.

Swift’s last album release came in October 2025 with the release of The Life of a Showgirl, while her most recent single, I Knew It, I Knew You, from the Toy Story 5 soundtrack, topped charts in June. 

Swift and Kelce tied the knot at Madison Square Garden on July 4 when the star’s publicist Tree Paine sent an email blast to journalists detailing the event – and how the couple were styled by Christian Dior.   

The bride complemented her look with Cartier jewelry and custom Christian Louboutin shoes. However, two months on from the nuptials, fans are yet to see any photos from the event.

‘Taylor & Travis did not have bridesmaids or groomsmen. Instead, her brother Austin Swift served as Taylor’s Man of Honor and Jason Kelce was Travis’ Best Man. The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler, Paine’s statement read.

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Swift commemorated her wedding, an event she has fantasized about in her songs for decades, by serenading her new husband in front of their A-lister guests.

The pop star reportedly took the stage alongside music icons Stevie Nicks and Paul McCartney, though no video or pictures from inside the venue have been released.

A downpour swept across Manhattan just moments after Swift and Kelce said ‘I do’ – a sign of good luck undoubtedly noticed by the famously superstitious bride. 

The dramatic summer storm provided an unforgettable backdrop as the newlyweds kicked off the evening’s celebrations inside Madison Square Garden. 

‘The bride and groom’s wedding ceremony looks have been created by Christian Dior Haute Couture. They are designed by Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Dior Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections, in close collaboration with the Bride and Groom,’ Paine wrote in her statement.

‘This is the designer’s first couture wedding dress for a world-renowned celebrity. Their shoes were custom made by Christian Louboutin and the bride wore Cartier jewelry. 

There was no glimpse of a wedding dress, or titbits from speeches, with every guest under the rule of a strict non-disclosure agreement. 

Stars including Steven Spielberg, Jay Z, Paul McCartney, Graham Norton and Beyonce flooded MSG in blacked-out SUVs, while NYPD officials, briefed for the occasion, shut down streets in the sweltering heat. 

Swift’s beloved girl squad were by her side throughout. She started the day by getting ready at best friend Gigi Hadid’s house. Her other trusty sidekick, Selena Gomez, was in attendance, as was Lena Dunham, Ellie Goulding, Dakota Johnson and her childhood best friend, Abigail Anderson Berard.

Making a surprising appearance was Swift’s former close friend Karlie Kloss, who wowed in a gold dress alongside her husband Joshua Kushner.

Swift did not attend Kloss’s 2019 wedding after the pair had a rumored feud over the model’s close bond with the singer’s nemesis Scooter Braun.

Kelce was joined by his brother, Jason, members of the Kansas City Chiefs team and longtime friends Ross Travis and Aric Jones. 

Guests included business executives, singers, movie stars and models. 

A potential Super El Niño could affect far more than outdoor temperatures.

A troubling forecast from the Climate Impact Lab estimates that the extreme weather pattern could contribute to as many as 451,000 additional heat-related deaths by February 2027.

The analysis, prepared by researchers from the University of Chicago, projects 44% more extremely hot days than would typically occur in an average year. Sea surface temperatures have already climbed to 3.07°C—about 5.5°F—matching the record reached during the 2015–16 El Niño. Scientists say the developing event could ultimately become the strongest in roughly 1,000 years.

The potential human cost is severe. Of the more than 400,000 excess deaths predicted between June and February, approximately 239,000 could occur within the next six months, according to the study.

The final toll could rise further if El Niño persists into spring. Researchers warn that unusually high temperatures and heat-related fatalities could continue into the following summer as the event’s effects linger.

The largest share of the projected deaths is expected in the Global South. Nigeria has the highest estimated national total, with roughly 31,000 additional heat-related deaths forecast between September and February compared with a typical year.

Indonesia is projected to record about 19,300 excess deaths, followed by Sudan with an estimated 17,600. Across the arid Sahel region—including Niger, Chad, Nigeria and Sudan—the model forecasts approximately 66,800 heat-related deaths over the next six months.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia could collectively experience another 19,400 heat-related deaths, the projections indicate.

To estimate the impact of extreme heat, the researchers combined temperature forecasts with historical mortality data from more than 24,000 regions around the world.

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The team compared its mortality projections with the same months during an average year, using the period from 1996 through 2025 as the baseline.

The researchers described the current conditions as a warning of what may lie ahead. Without effective adaptation, they said, figures that now appear extraordinary could become increasingly common within just a few decades.

Scientists are calling for immediate preparation in regions facing the greatest risk. Some areas already rely on heat-alert systems, improved forecasting and broader access to cooling technology, but the study notes that those protections are not consistently available worldwide.

“We need to build the evidence base now for what works, and then invest in preparations and planning,” the researchers wrote. They added that protecting communities from a hotter future will require detailed, regularly updated knowledge about which measures save lives across different climates, regions and health systems.

The authors stress that their figures are projections rather than confirmed outcomes. At the same time, public debate over climate-related warnings and the language used to describe future global warming has grown increasingly contentious.

In October, Bill Gates said rising global temperatures “will not lead to humanity’s demise,” a notably less catastrophic assessment than some of his earlier comments about climate change.

Even so, El Niño has already been linked to a range of disruptive conditions, including wildfires in Indonesia, weaker monsoon rainfall in India and drought across parts of Central America.

In Central America, the dry conditions have contributed to crop and livestock losses while reducing water levels in the Panama Canal, where the shortage has helped slow maritime trade.

A New Jersey woman returning from a wheel alignment found an unexpected passenger in her car: a 3-foot python lodged inside the front grille. Police had to take apart part of the vehicle to rescue the snake.

Aiyana Hudson discovered the reptile on Sept. 14 in Franklin Township and contacted police, according to WABC-TV.

Body camera video captured officers examining the car and figuring out the safest way to remove the trapped snake.

Officer Lisseth Villacis said police first reached out to animal control, but the agency explained that it handled only domesticated animals.

“We tried getting animal control out there, and they’re like, they only deal with domesticated animals,” Villacis told the outlet. “And we’re like, oh shoot. OK. So, we’re kind of like the last resort.”

With no other immediate option, officers began dismantling the vehicle. They removed sections of the front end, including the bumper, to access the reptile.

After roughly 20 minutes, officers untangled the snake and pulled it free. Animal control officials identified it as a 3-foot ball python.

Hudson said she was grateful the snake had not entered the cabin while she was driving.

“I was just really happy that it didn’t, like, pop its head through the AC vent when I was driving or come in through the steering wheel,” Hudson told the outlet. “I want to let you know my car would have been lit on fire, and we’d be calling the fire department at that point.”

Officials have not determined how the python got inside the car’s grille.

The snake was not injured and was taken to the Franklin Township Animal Shelter, according to MyCentralJersey.com.

Franklin Township Public Safety Director Lloyd Fredericks reminded residents that releasing exotic pets into the wild is illegal and may endanger native wildlife and household animals. He said people who can no longer care for pet snakes should surrender them to the township animal shelter.

Newly unsealed court records reveal that Bryan Kohberger’s former defense attorneys questioned whether he could rationally grasp what was happening in his murder case and make critical choices about how to defend himself.

Kohberger, 31, previously studied criminology at Washington State University. He pleaded guilty to killing University of Idaho students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin inside a Moscow, Idaho, home.

After initially denying responsibility, Kohberger made a dramatic change of course in July 2025 when he admitted to the killings. He is serving four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

The latest details became public Tuesday after Judge Steven Hippler directed that a previously sealed memorandum be unsealed.

Kohberger’s new attorney, Greg Rauch, told Fox News Digital that the memorandum clearly raises questions about why the guilty plea may not have been accepted at the time.

“Those issues have to be fleshed out and explored,” Rauch said.

The filing says Kohberger’s attorneys informed the court on May 20, 2025, that he was having trouble processing unfavorable rulings and understanding how they affected the case overall.

His former defense team, led by Anne Taylor, requested more time and help from specialists. The attorneys said they needed to examine whether Kohberger understood the legal proceedings and could make “consequential decisions” about his defense.

“Counsel advised the Court that Kohberger was having difficulty comprehending adverse rulings and discerning their effect upon the case as a whole,” the newly released memorandum states.

In the memorandum, which had been filed under seal as part of an earlier request to remove the judge from the case, Rauch said his aim was not to prove that Kohberger was incompetent. Instead, he said the information supported his argument that the judge may have been biased.

The questions surrounding Kohberger’s ability to understand the charges surfaced as the case moved closer to what was expected to become a closely watched murder trial.

The defense had asked for additional time to assess Kohberger’s mental competency. On Thursday, June 26, 2025, however, Judge Hippler rejected the request.

The newly unsealed filing says the court found that Kohberger had not demonstrated good cause for delaying the case or shown that he would be prejudiced if the trial proceeded as planned.

Six days later, on Wednesday, July 2, Kohberger brought the anticipated trial to an end by pleading guilty.

At the plea hearing in Boise, Judge Hippler repeatedly questioned Kohberger to determine whether he understood the decision he was making.

“Do you feel like you are thinking clearly today?” the judge asked.

“Yes,” Kohberger answered.

Hippler then asked whether anyone had threatened him or anyone close to him to make him plead guilty.

‘No,’ Kohberger said.

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The judge asked whether anyone had promised him anything beyond the plea agreement.

Again, Kohberger answered: ‘No.’

And when Hippler asked the fundamental question – ‘Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty?’ – Kohberger answered: ‘Yes.’

He then pleaded guilty to each of the four murders and the burglary charge.

The judge ultimately found that Kohberger understood the charges and the possible consequences of his plea and that his plea was given ‘freely, voluntarily, and was intelligently made.’

That courtroom exchange will now become significant as Kohberger attempts to undo the conviction.

The saga had begun nearly three years earlier when Goncalves, Mogen, Kernodle and Chapin were killed on November 13, 2022 inside a rental home near the University of Idaho campus in Moscow.

Kohberger was arrested on December 30, 2022, and charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of burglary.

For more than two years, he maintained his innocence while his lawyers challenged the prosecution’s evidence and fought over issues including the death penalty.

His guilty plea meant there would be no murder trial.

On July 23, 2025, Judge Hippler sentenced him to four consecutive terms of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 10 years for burglary.

At the time, the plea appeared to bring the case to an end but more than a year later, Kohberger began trying to undo it.

On Monday, July 27, 2026, he filed a petition for post-conviction relief seeking to withdraw his guilty plea and challenge his conviction.

Kohberger alleged that his former lawyers pressured him into accepting the plea and claimed he had been ‘convinced to falsely confess.’ Those are allegations made by Kohberger and have not been established by the court.

His new attorney, Greg Rauch, filed the memorandum under seal on August 27, 2026. It remained sealed until Tuesday, when Hippler ordered it released.

The filing does not establish that Kohberger was legally incompetent when he pleaded guilty. His original defense lawyers expressly denied that he was incompetent.

Instead, it reveals that they had concerns about whether he could fully understand the rapidly changing circumstances of his case and make rational decisions about how to proceed.

Rauch wrote that the sequence does not itself establish that the pleas were constitutionally invalid, but said it raises a factual issue for the post-conviction court: whether Kohberger’s lawyers had enough time and assistance to ensure that he understood the circumstances confronting him and could meaningfully participate in the decision to resolve the case without a trial.

For now, Tuesday’s disclosure does not change his convictions or sentences and Kohberger remains imprisoned under four consecutive life sentences without parole.

His attempt to remove Judge Hippler from the post-conviction proceedings is scheduled for a hearing on October 15, 2026, while a potential evidentiary hearing has been set for June 2027.

Whether the concerns raised by Kohberger’s former lawyers before his guilty plea are ultimately enough to affect his conviction will now be decided through those proceedings.

When Ed Sheeran decided to leave his much-loved home in Suffolk and base himself in the United States during his tour, one priority shaped the move: making sure he would still be there to read bedtime stories to his two young daughters.

Friends say the prospect of being thousands of miles from six-year-old Lyra and four-year-old Jupiter was simply too difficult for the singer to contemplate.

Sheeran therefore arranged for his wife, Cherry Seaborn, and their children to join him in Nashville, Tennessee. From there, he could perform at sold-out venues across the US before returning to them by private jet.

His weekend concerts were planned with family life in mind, often leaving a full week between dates. That schedule allowed him to handle his responsibilities as a father while travelling between cities including Boston, Los Angeles and Atlanta. After years of the strain associated with constant touring, the arrangement appeared to offer an ideal balance.

When he first devised the plan, Sheeran could not have known how important that support would become. Its value was especially clear on Saturday night, when he returned to the family’s rented mansion hours after breaking down during a Philadelphia performance and telling fans about the turmoil of the previous five days.

During an emotional address, he said friends and family had abandoned him after he failed to publicly support his tour’s opening act, Macklemore, who had used his performance slot to deliver pro-Palestinian speeches.

“I’m feeling all of my friends and family and people I know abandoned me,” Sheeran told the audience.

He also acknowledged making “mistakes” in the way he dealt with the dispute and admitted he was uncertain whether the tour would continue.

“When the family move was first planned, it was simply so he could see Cherry and the children most days,” a source close to the singer said. “Ed had no idea this would happen, but it is a relief that they are in the States because, at the moment, Cherry and the girls are the only things putting a smile on his face. They are his sanctuary, and that has proved far more valuable than anyone could have expected.

“The Philadelphia concert was the hardest of his life and this is the biggest challenge he has ever faced. But the thought of returning to Nashville, where his loving family would be waiting, kept him going.”

Friends of the 35-year-old singer have reportedly been increasingly worried about his wellbeing since last week, when billionaire businessman Robert Kraft barred Macklemore from appearing at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Sheeran is a personal friend of Kraft’s and performed at his wedding in 2022.

Kraft, 85, who is Jewish, accused the US rapper of hate speech following two earlier support performances in which Macklemore called for “Free Palestine” and made further comments while displaying images of Gaza.

Macklemore also performed a song dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters and used the term “genocide” to describe events in Gaza, a characterization rejected by Israel. He said his criticism of Israel was not aimed at “my Jewish brothers and sisters”.

Macklemore was dropped from the tour last Monday, prompting another backlash. Sheeran’s remaining support acts subsequently withdrew in protest, while several other public figures have since entered the debate.

Nadiya Hussain, the television chef and former Great British Bake Off winner, shared a video with her one million Instagram followers accusing Sheeran of displaying “white tears” and presenting himself as “the victim”. In the clip, British therapist Megan Cooper said: “If the tears of Palestinians and black, brown and indigenous communities carried as much gravity, genocide would not happen.”

Welsh singer Charlotte Church also criticised Sheeran, telling the audience at her Cardiff concert on Sunday that he was choosing money over what she considered the right course of action.

“Whilst he has made millions and has an enormous following, he has an enormous platform to do real good in the world. He chose consumerism and capitalism over doing the right thing,” Church said.

She added: “So we say the same thing to Ed Sheeran because f*** the fact [he says] that musicians shouldn’t be involved in politics. F*** that s***. Politics is life.” Church then told Sheeran, “we’re watching you,” repeating the line with her band at least four times before leading the crowd in chants of “Free Palestine”.

Friends of Sheeran were quick to hit back at both women, saying of Nadiya: ‘Hasn’t she got anything better to do?’ and adding of Charlotte: ‘She’s just cross.’

But, make no mistake, the saga has left Sheeran ‘in bits’. One friend tells me: ‘It is something he will never get over. ‘Ed is a people-pleaser, he tries to keep politics out of his singing but this has hit him like a train.’

Although, I’m told, his parents Imogen and John have been ‘propping him up’ as has his brother Matt, a classically trained composer, Sheeran is said to be ‘absolutely furious’ that his estranged cousin Jethro has joined the online pile-on.

Writing under his artist handle Alonestar, the rapper from Bristol dubbed Sheeran a ‘bad human’ and said: ‘I’m ashamed of my cousin Ed. He’s a coward.’

It was Jethro, I understand, whom the singer was referring to when he cited being abandoned by his family in his onstage meltdown. ‘Jethro has been a very difficult issue in the family for quite some time and a bit of a thorn in Ed’s side,’ a source tells me.

‘He seems to throw stones at Ed whenever he gets the chance and has made all sorts of wild allegations over the years. The truth is he’s just jealous and disgruntled.’

The repercussions appear far from over yet.

Sheeran’s manager Stuart Camp has jetted out to the US to deal with the fallout, while there have been transatlantic Zoom calls between members of his team.

When talking to friends and those around Sheeran, it’s clear his torment is deeply felt.

‘Ed has cried, he’s been angry, he’s been hurt, but more than anything he’s just hugely upset. He can’t believe he has found himself in this position and it feels as though he can’t do right whichever way he turns.

‘He’s been talking a lot to his team, his manager Stuart who he’s very close to and others who are there around him and trying to work out what to do. But it feels as though there just isn’t any solution to keep everyone happy.

‘He’s completely exhausted emotionally. Everyone involved is utterly drained. And every time he tries to make the situation better another celebrity comes out of the woodwork and criticises him. He feels a bit exploited and used by others who seem to be enjoying the publicity at his expense. Some of the comments have come as a real shock. He’s had it from both sides at once.’

So distraught is the star that I’m told he’s considering taking a long break from his music career. Friends tell me that all he wants to do is ‘stick on a baseball cap and pretend he’s not famous’ for as long as he possibly can.

He has previously taken himself off to far-flung places – such as Japan and Antarctica (where he and Cherry conceived their first daughter, Lyra Antarctica) as well as backpacking across Australia and New Zealand. Friends say this crisis has deepened his resolve to do something similar again.

‘He has made a pattern of taking himself away for long periods during his career, especially since starting a family.

‘When he travels he often doesn’t have any contact with the rest of the world – he leaves it all behind him and goes away to places that are often quite remote and a million miles away from his daily stresses and the pressure of being famous.

‘He loves nothing more than to put on a baseball cap and go back to being normal Ed, with no showbiz entourage or anything. He likes to go totally off-grid – and he’s never needed it more.’

In the past week, several members of the music industry have got in touch with me to share their views on the crisis.

Some who have spent time with Sheeran and adore him are deeply upset for him. One told me: ‘It’s heartbreaking to hear him like this when none of it is his fault.’

Others, however, have been quick to describe it as a ‘PR disaster’. One senior music executive took the view that Sheeran should have cancelled the 26-date tour.

‘He was absolutely stupid if he thought he was going to get away unscathed with this. If I was advising him, I would have told him to cancel it.’

However sources close to Sheeran have been quick to explain that this was simply not feasible. I’m told that with around 150 people employed by the tour as crew, cancelling the remaining North American gigs would have cost Sheeran in the region of £30million because he would not have been covered by insurance.

A source says: ‘People don’t seem to understand what the reality of cancelling those gigs would have actually looked like and cost Ed personally. There was no definitive need to cancel the shows, so no insurance company is going to pick up the bill, and the bill for hosting them is huge.

‘On top of that there were about 750,000 tickets which would need to be reimbursed and all sorts of other upfront staging and transport costs. In the end a rough estimate would have meant Ed personally becoming liable for around £30million. Even someone as successful as him isn’t in a position to pull that sort of money out of nowhere.

‘The artists speaking out have no clue how many people are relying on Ed for their livelihoods and he really respects that – he understands this isn’t just about him.’

While Sheeran currently feels as if he is, as one friend says, ‘public enemy number one’, he has been touched by support from some of his long-term allies, including Elton John, to whom he speaks via video call on his iPad (Ed doesn’t own a phone) most days.

‘Ed has amazing friends in the business who totally get it. Nobody is closer to him than Elton John. They speak every single day via iPad, often video calls, just to chat and keep in touch. He’s a very valuable mentor.’

As for his long-standing friend Taylor Swift, her PR didn’t respond to repeated requests when I asked whether she had been in contact with her fellow singer.

A-list support aside, those in Sheeran’s camp know they are in for an arduous journey before they reach the end of the tour on December 11 in Mexico City.

This Friday, he will play at Robert Kraft’s Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where there are likely to be huge protests.

Those close to the star fear the performance – at the arena which first banned Sheeran’s controversial support act – will only reignite the row. One said: ‘Ed is terrified of what will be that night.

‘But what will undoubtedly get him through will be the thought of Cherry and his little girls waiting for him when he gets home.’