shock

The Belarusian’s exit follows top seed Rybakina losing to unseeded Charaeva in her first match as world number one.

Aryna Sabalenka was swatted aside in straight sets by 34th-ranked Nikola Bartunkova in the third round of the China Open, leaving the event without its top two seeds as world number one Elena Rybakina was ousted in the second round.

Czech player Bartunkova, 20, sent down four aces to beat the former world number one 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 35 minutes on Sunday.

“I focused on myself, to be calm,” Bartunkova said.

“She’s a legend … so I’m really happy that I won the match,” she said of the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Bartunkova next faces Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the round of 16.

Second-seeded Sabalenka squandered five chances to break serve in the sixth game of the first set, with Bartunkova strong on defence and firing deep.

The 28-year-old from Belarus threw on a cap for the eighth game of the first set as the women switched between playing in the shade and the sun, but it did not turn the tide in her favour.

A frustrated Sabalenka tossed her racquet at a break down in the fourth game of the second set, and lost on the first match point when she returned into the net.

Earlier on Saturday, Elena Rybakina – who replaced Sabalenka as the world number one last month – was ousted by Alina Charaeva in the second round.

Top seed Alexander Zverev was scheduled to play Novak Djokovic later on Sunday in the quarterfinals of the men’s 500-level event also taking place.

The 39-year-old Serbian great enters the match with an extraordinary unbeaten streak in Beijing, but Zverev — last month’s US Open champion — is in the running for the top men’s ranking.

EastEnders star Sophie Levy, who plays Priya, has left the show in an unannounced exit that left fans gobsmacked, as the BBC show’s official X account showed the cast’s emotional goodbye

The EastEnders cast have said goodbye to one of their stars in a shock exit that was not announced to fans. Sophie Levy, who played Priya Nandra-Hart, has left the show.

In tonight’s episode, Priya decided to quit Walford, terrified that Max Branning (Jake Wood) would do something drastic if he found out that she was pregnant with his child. She packs her bags and is driven off in a cab headed for Leeds.

It has now been revealed by the EastEnders’ official X, formerly known as Twitter account that these were one of Sophie’s last scenes. They shared a video of Sophie being given a huge goodbye from the cast, who chanted, “We love you Sophie, we do!”

Executive producer Ben Wadey then said: “We have just wrapped Sophie’s last scene with us on EastEnders. Congratulations, Sophie! We want to say a massive thank you on behalf of everyone at EastEnders for an extraordinary few years. It’s a really hard thing to come in and put on the shoes of a new character in the show and instantly become an icon.

“You’ve led so many amazing stories, you’ve had brilliant, unlikely partnerships with people like Martin, with Ian, with Jean most recently. I’ve been enjoying you actually driving Max Branning to have a heart attack by stressing him out so much. You’ve been extraordinary; you’re a delight to work with. You’re going to be very, very missed.”

He added that Sophie, who is pregnant, was onto a “more important adventure” next. Sophie then said that the EastEnders crew were like “family” and that she loved being on the soap. Speaking directly to the camera, she added: “I just wanted to say a massive thank you to all of the fans and the viewers of the show. I’ve been so proud and happy to be part of this family for three years. I can’t believe it’s been three years, it doesn’t feel that long but it also feels like it’s been forever!

“Thank you for having me. And let’s see. Watch this space, you knows if Priya will return.” Turning to the side to show off her baby bump, she signed off with: “See ya!”

EastEnders captioned the post with: “Sophie Levy Khan’s final day on EastEnders was an emotional one. From the moment she arrived, Priya has been an unforgettable character and leaves behind a Walford legacy to be proud of. We’re not crying, you are.”

Fans were shocked in the comments as they did not think Priya’s exit was permanent. “Wait she’s left for good?” one fan asked. Another said: “Shut the f*** up???? This can’t be Priya’s actual exit!”

A third added: “Wait a minute that was her actual last scene really I thought she would be gone for a bit and be back another great Eastenders character gone.”

Others said they thought she might return in time for Christmas, so that she could still be the pregnant woman in Max Branning’s bed at New Year. One said that it was “obvious” that Sophie would return: “She even says at the end of the video let’s see if priya will return ?? Do any of you even watch any of these videos before jumping on a bandwagon ! Its obviously just a temporary leave!”

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TWO years ago, Cat Deeley was in a very different place to where she is now.

The TV presenter, 49, who had replaced Holly Willoughby on This Morning in March, was grappling with a punishing work schedule, the pressure to save the ITV show from its tarnished reputation and a marriage faltering under the pressure of two “tricky” work schedules.

In the three month period she became tearful three times on screen, and appeared at times “visibly overwhelmed.”

And speaking five months after stepping into her new hosting role, she admitted the scrutiny she was under had “shocked her.”

However, the popular star has rebuilt her life after her divorce from Patrick Kielty, 55, with a second National Television Award under her belt with This Morning, a series of lucrative commercial deals and new man Charlie Coleman, who she hopes to spend Christmas with.

And friends of the star this week told how ex Patrick’s new relationship with businesswoman Michelle McManus – the pair were seen cosying up at a North London boozer – is the icing on the cake – saying she told them: “She seems nice, and she is doing me a favour, he’s a better person when he’s happy.”

One said: “Cat’s attitude is: ‘Good luck to them. At the end of the day, that’s the whole point of separating in the first place.’

“She is genuinely happy for him, and knows it’s good for them that he’s happy and positive.

“Cat herself is in a great place and that’s where she wants to stay.

“She and Charlie are getting on really well and are already talking about spending this Christmas together, though they will have to work out the practicalities as she and Paddy share the childcare arrangements 50/50.”

Former So You Think You Can Dance? host Cat – who swapped her $5 million family home in Beverly Hills for a £4.9 million five-bedroom house in Hampstead in 2020 – joined This Morning during a period of extreme turbulence.

Former host Phillip Schofield had quit ITV in May after an “unwise but not illegal” affair with a younger co-worker was revealed.

Holly, who appeared on This Morning for 14 years prior to her exit, stepped back from the spotlight in October, following stalker Gavin Plumb’s terrifying plot to kidnap, rape and murder the TV star being uncovered.

Plumb was jailed for life in July following an eight-day trial.

Against this challenging backdrop, Cat and Ben Shephard, 51, took the reins of the popular daytime show.

Sources told how the pair appealed to bosses as a “safe pair of hands” who could steer them out of a crisis.

But even her early interviews showed signs she feared wading in too deep, as she said: “If it gets too much for me, I’m going to quit. I don’t need to do it – I could be a mum for most of the year and go and do the shows in America.”

And in one interview she opened up about juggling work and motherhood: “I do the juggle – the juggle is real, the struggle is real. You know, we know, we’re all just trying to make everything work. It’s all a juggle.”

Cat shares two sons, Milo and James, with ex husband Patrick – who she was married to for almost 13 years before they announced their split in July 2025.

But sources say the fault lines had appeared in late 2023, when the pair were struggling to balance their schedules.

Patrick – the host of RTE‘s The Late Late Show in Ireland – commuted to film the show in Dublin, while Cat’s So You Think You Can Dance? schedule had also created issues, requiring her to jet back to the US for long stretches.

Her move back to UK television was supposed to lessen the pressure on the duo – one of TV’s power couples.

But fans noticed that the star appeared increasingly emotional on the This Morning set.

In March 2024, just days after she joined as host, Cat burst into tears backstage upon meeting Buddy, an autism assistant puppy introduced to the studio.

She explained to viewers that meeting Buddy triggered her grief over losing her family dog, Lilly, the previous summer.

Weeks later in April, while introducing guest Kerry Irving – whose late springer spaniel Max had helped him overcome depression – Cat broke down in tears and had to ask co-host Ben to take over reading her lines.

And two months later Cat fought back tears during an interview with the family of William Reckless, eight, who had to have both of his legs and nine fingers amputated due to a severe battle with sepsis and scarlet fever.

Her 48th birthday broadcast in October also caused the presenter to break down in tears, after she was surprised by a recorded message from British poet Pam Ayres – who she said had inspired her as a child.

But 2025 seemed to bring a more positive standpoint – and a bombshell, as Cat and Patrick announced their divorce in July.

Both were keen to insist that they remained amicable, and stressed that no third parties were involved in their decision to split.

They also made clear their intention to share the parenting of their children, Milo, 10, and James, eight.

A few months later, September brought an incredible boost for the star – when This Morning won the National TV Award for Daytime, after the repeated scandals engulfing the programme had seen it lose the title in 2023 and 2024.

After the cast and crew were seen going wild in the audience, Cat said on stage: “We are so lucky to get to do this show, we all love it.

“Every single person who comes on, we love this show and it’s like having a family.”

Sources told how the award was “a shot in the arm” for the entire team behind the show – appearing to signal they were back on track.

And in the months to follow, Cat was to build up a relationship with Amazon MGM exec Charlie Coleman – who she was spotted with at a Hyde Park Lewis Capaldi gig in July.

Two months later, she spoke out about how she was thriving as a single mum – saying it was about being “as organised as you can be.”

She also admitted she had an “amazing nanny” to keep their lives on track around her busy schedule.

And she added: “Everybody is doing their best.”

In the same month Paddy – who has signed a new deal with The Late Late Show which will see him host until 2028 – said he was “pretty good” adding that the divorce was “part of the tapestry of life.”

And now, with him also moved on with new love Michelle, it seems another piece of the tapestry is complete.

WASHINGTON — A bold military push by Iran and its proxies to create a choke hold on global oil supplies has once again caught the Trump administration off guard, threatening a market shock and a steep political backlash in the U.S. midterm elections.

A drone attack on Saudi Arabia’s most crucial pipeline, which siphons crude oil from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, has led to the line’s closure, potentially taking 4% of the world’s supply off the market.

And a lightning advance by Iran-backed Houthi rebels along Yemen’s Red Sea coast threatens commercial traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, second only to Hormuz in its importance to regional shipping.

The strikes put the Trump administration in a newly precarious position less than two months until the November midterms. President Trump’s military advisors have warned him that any retaliation could lead to a further depletion of critically low U.S. munition stockpiles, endanger American personnel in the field and risk escalation that could spiral out of Washington’s control.

A semi prepares for departure from a Pilot fuel station Monday in Buda, Texas.

(Brandon Bell / Getty Images)

On Tuesday, the global price of oil topped $107 a barrel — the first time in U.S. campaign history that an incumbent president has faced rising pump prices at this stage of an election.

The Iranian strikes come as Europe and the United States are facing increased energy needs entering the fall and winter months, and as Ukrainian attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure have surged, pushing diesel prices up to record highs.

Signs are emerging that the latest attacks could trigger an acute market panic, with Brent crude buyers paying a steep premium for early delivery — an indication that the industry fears an impending supply crisis.

“I fear there is a considerable risk of much higher gas and diesel prices in the weeks to come,” said Michael O’Hanlon, director of research of the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution.

“No one is quite sure how to predict the fuel markets,” he added, “but the military dynamics are seriously worrisome.”

Last week, Trump told reporters that the Iranian government is “desperate to try and affect the election” and could be trying to keep oil prices elevated to hurt Republican prospects.

“Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward,” Trump said. “I think it’s going to take a little bit longer than the midterm.”

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Monday morning.

(Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)

Polls have found that likely voters are prioritizing the economy far beyond any other policy matter going into the fall election season, with a New York Times poll published Tuesday showing voters trusting Democrats to handle the economy more than Republicans.

“There’s no quick fix,” said Simon Henderson, the director of the Washington Institute’s Gulf and Energy Policy program. “The main question is whether it is a big shock to the oil market or just another more minor shock. The answer depends on whether the damage to the East-West pipeline cable is repaired quickly.”

Region on edge

The latest Iranian campaign threatens Saudi Arabia’s economic core, straining a long-standing alliance built on robust U.S. defense of Riyadh’s vital interests.

The attack on the East-West oil pipeline originated in Iraq, where Iran continues to operate proxy militias, according to government officials in Riyadh and Baghdad. Saudi Arabia agreed not to retaliate militarily against targets on Iraqi soil, temporarily staving off a regional conflagration.

While the Iraqi militia group denied involvement, it also praised the Houthi advance in Yemen and the militants’ “ongoing battlefield victories against Saudi forces.”

Israel has been providing Saudi Arabia with intelligence to help thwart further attacks, using American military intermediaries, according to Israeli media reports.

Active combat in the war between Iran and the United States eased after a ceasefire was brokered in June. While that truce collapsed in July, the two sides have opted for asymmetric tactics over the resumption of direct attacks, with the United States maintaining a full naval blockade of Iranian ports.

The Trump administration has since focused instead on targeting Iran’s economic partners with aggressive secondary sanctions, seeking to further pressure Tehran into a meaningful peace agreement. But negotiations have failed for months to get back off the ground.

When he first launched the war in February, Trump projected the mission would last roughly six weeks. He said the goal of the U.S. operation was to incapacitate Iran’s ballistic missile program, its navy and its nuclear program.

Trump was warned ahead of the war by his joint chiefs of staff that Iran could attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz in response. But he dismissed the threat, anticipating Tehran would quickly back down from a direct confrontation with the United States.

More than six months on, Iran’s ballistic missiles continue to pressure U.S. defense systems across the Middle East. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted and discussions on Iran’s future nuclear work have broken down. In private, Trump administration officials fear the war could drag through the remainder of the president’s term.

Ismail Kartal resigned as head coach of Fenerbahce just minutes after the Turkish side’s 1-1 draw with Roma in the Champions League.

Kartal made the surprise announcement in his post-match news conference, stating he plans to never return to the club he previously served as a player and assistant coach.

He came back to Fenerbahce for a fourth spell as manager in June 2026, with the club returning to the Champions League for the first time in 18 years.

Now he departs with the team sitting ninth in the Turkish Super Lig after two wins and two defeats, and after only one Champions League match.

“I have been here three months. From the beginning of the season until today, the training sessions and camps we held with the players, and the efforts of our president, have been very helpful. Those were wonderful days,” Kartal said.

“As of this evening, I congratulate my players and resign from my position.

“I made this decision to pave the way for my club. We made this decision together as a team.

“From now on, to help Fenerbahce, my players and future coaches, I have resigned from my position, with the intention of never returning.”

Club president Aziz Yildirim has not accepted 65-year-old Kartal’s resignation.

Yildirim said in a statement released on Fenerbahce’s website, external: “Ismail Kartal is still in charge. The club should support our coach. Until I leave, Ismail Kartal is the head coach of Fenerbahce.”

Frankfurt has tightened again.

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The European Central Bank’s governing council lifted the deposit facility rate from 2.25% to 2.5% on Thursday. It is the second hike since 11 June, when the ECB moved for the first time in three years.

The ECB sets monetary policy for the eurozone through three key interest rates, with the deposit facility rate serving as its main policy benchmark.

The main refinancing rate was lifted to 2.65% and the marginal lending facility to 2.9%.

In its statement, the central bank noted that “the conflict in the Middle East continues to generate inflation pressures, and inflation is set to remain well above target for an extended period,” while ensuring that “with today’s decision, the Governing Council remains well positioned to navigate the uncertainty caused by the conflict.”

The ECB staff projections continue to estimate that headline inflation will average 3% this year. However, it has revised up the expectations for 2027 and 2028 to 2.5% and 2.1% respectively, compared with June.

An energy problem, not a demand problem

The decision follows an August inflation reading of 3.3%, up from 2.9% in July and the highest since September 2023.

Energy costs did nearly all the work, with energy inflation jumping to 14.3% from 10.3%, as fighting around the Strait of Hormuz kept crude supply constrained. The problem persists as Brent crude crossed $100 a barrel again on Wednesday due to renewed exchanges of fire between the US and Iran.

Underneath, the picture is calmer.

Core inflation, which strips out energy, food, alcohol and tobacco, actually fell to 2.4% from 2.5% in August, while services inflation, the component most sensitive to wages, dropped to 3% from 3.3%. There is still little sign that expensive energy is spreading into the rest of the economy.

That distinction has been central to the ECB’s own thinking.

In a paper published earlier this month, its economists found that adverse energy supply factors accounted for around 90% of the rise in energy inflation between January and May of this year.

“This time the energy supply shock dominates, while demand and public policy stimulus have minor roles,” the economists wrote, contrasting it with the 2021-22 surge that prompted a far more aggressive response.

A single rate for very different economies

The eurozone inflation average conceals a wide spread.

August inflation ran at 4.5% in Spain, 2.9% in Germany and 2.7% in France, three economies facing the same energy shock with markedly different outcomes.

Growth complicates matters further.

The bloc has held up better than expected, but resilience is not overheating, and even at 2.5% the deposit rate remains within the range the ECB considers neutral. Going further would mean deciding that policy must actively restrain the economy.

Christine Lagarde had signalled this move in July, when the council held rates but instructed staff to model oil and gas scenarios ahead of September.

“The burden of proof is on data,” Lagarde said then, adding that “the full inflationary impact of the energy shock has yet to play out.”

Thursday’s decision comes alongside fresh staff projections, though their cut-off date falls roughly two weeks before the meeting, meaning neither the latest leg higher in oil nor the surge in European government bond yields to 15-year highs will be reflected.

Attention now turns to Frankfurt’s peers.

The Federal Reserve will announce on 16 September and the Bank of Japan on the 18, with both expected to consider hikes of their own.

Meanwhile, the Bank of England will decide on 17 September and is expected to hold rates as it currently maintains a much higher benchmark than the rest at 3.75%.

GEMMA Owen has revealed she’s split from her multi-millionaire boyfriend Red Morgan.

The Love Island star and equestrian, 23, called time on her romance with the property tycoon heir, 22, in June shortly after the death of a close family friend.

Speaking on her latest vlog, she said: “We had some really sad news of a really close family friend. He passed away really suddenly and unexpectedly.

“And within a day or two, Red and I split up, which I’m obviously not going to go into too much detail about either of the things because they’re both personal.”

Gemma, who is the daughter of football legend Michael Owen, insisted she and Red remain good friends but ultimately weren’t on the same page as far as romance was concerned.

“Red and I are on good terms,” said Gemma. “We’re friends. It was a mutual decision and ultimately we just came to a bit of a crossroads and we wanted different things out of the relationship.

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“We didn’t want to waste anyone’s time if we weren’t both sort of aligned with what we want. So yeah, that’s what’s been going on. It’s been, as you can imagine, a pretty hard few weeks, months.”

Following the split, Gemma spent time with family and friends and said she focused on herself.

The Sun revealed Gemma and Red were an item in April last year while they were on a luxury holiday in Dubai.

Red is a talented showjumper having represented Great Britain in the European Championships at youth level.

His dad Steve, 73, featured on the latest Sunday Times rich list with an estimated fortune of £935million.

He founded housebuilding company Redrow and is an ex-chairman of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Loose Women star Coleen Nolan revealed she was ‘devastated’ after Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch both left the ITV daytime show

Coleen Nolan has described her ‘devastation’ after it was revealed that both Nadia Sawalha and Denise Welch had left Loose Women.

The 61-year-old has been a staple of the ITV daytime show for decades, and has appeared beside both women countless times over the years.

Amid reports that bosses have lined up two new stars to replace them, the Celebrity Big Brother star revealed her heartache at returning without her pals.

“It’s back to school for me on Monday. Loose Women is back on air and I’ve really missed it and can’t wait to see everyone,” she penned in her recent newsletter for the Mirror. “We’ll be missing two of our longest-serving Loose Women – Nadia and Denise – which I’m a bit devastated about.

“I love Nadia and she’ll be a big loss to the team. I’m so pleased for Denise, who left to focus on acting, which is her first love and she’s brilliant at it. At 66 she’s had a whole new lease of life and has never looked better.

“But it’ll be exciting to welcome new people in. One of the things I love most about the show is that it incorporates every age group, from women in their 20s to Gloria Hunniford, who’s 86. I think a show that offers that when women still have to battle ageism and having an opinion is something to be celebrated and cherished.”

Hitting back at scrutiny of a feud behind the scenes, she insisted: “I’m always reading stories about us not getting on, but it’s just not true – unless I’m missing something! I’ve never seen it and never felt it.

“So, thanks to those of you who’ve stuck by us through thick and thin for all these years, and hopefully we’ll be sticking around for years to come.”

There has been a shake-up on the panel in recent months, with Denise, 68, confirming her departure in a video in August, explaining that she would be focusing her attention on her acting career.

Nadia had been away from the show for a while before speaking out over her absence, telling the Mirror that she threatened legal action, claiming that ITV bullied her out of her job.

Discussing her exit, the 61-year-old previously said that she feared she was being targeted over speaking out for Palestinian rights.

It was recently claimed that singer Anastacia and entrepreneur Emma Grede – who recently stole the show on Dragons’ Den – were being lined up to join the panel, following the high-profile departures.

According to the Sun, they have been offered short two-month contracts with those behind the scenes hoping they will ‘bring in new perspectives’.

“If we are honest, Loose Women has become a bit of a train wreck. The past 12 months have seen scandal after scandal. Mix that with the cuts and it’s been a perfect storm,” a source told the Sun.

“ITV have offered both Emma and Anastacia contracts that will see them appear on the show as panellists. Both have been on as guests so they know the set up.”

The insider added: “Emma was a huge hit on Dragons’ Den and it’s hoped she would bring in a younger demographic to the show. Anastacia is a household name and brings in a new perspective and isn’t shy when it comes to speaking her mind.”

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