Meghan Markle is planting the seeds for her lifestyle brand’s next chapter and all signs point to Australia. 

As she prepares to travel Down Under with Prince Harry next month, the Duchess is lining up what could be a strategic expansion of her growing venture, As Ever.

While the royal couple’s visit includes public-facing engagements, Meghan’s schedule carries a distinctly entrepreneurial edge. 

She’s set to appear at the exclusive Her Best Life retreat in Sydney, a luxe gathering where attendees can expect curated experiences, wellness-focused sessions at the InterContinental Sydney.

The Duchess has reportedly secured a dozen trademarks in Australia for As Ever, spanning everything from skincare and homeware to gardening tools, jewellery, and even podcasting. 

It’s a wide-ranging portfolio that hints at a brand aiming to be less a shop and more a lifestyle ecosystem. 

Royal insiders suggest this trip is far from a casual visit. Industry watchers believe it could serve as a testing ground for a new audience, especially given the country’s strong appetite for wellness culture and premium lifestyle brands. 

• Trump delays Iran strikes, signals progress in diplomatic talks.
• PM Shehbaz engages regional leaders to promote dialogue.
• Pakistan’s balanced foreign policy earns int’l recognition: analysts.

Pakistan is positioning itself as the lead mediator trying to broker an end to the US and Israeli war against Iran, the Financial Times reported on Monday.

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir spoke with US President Donald Trump on Sunday, Reuters quoted the newspaper that cited two people briefed on the call.

It also reported that senior Pakistani officials were back-channelling communications between Tehran, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

US President Donald Trump’s announcement to halt further military strikes on Tehran is seen as a direct result of Islamabad’s strategic diplomatic efforts.

Earlier today, Trump said he had ordered a five-day postponement of any strikes on Iranian power plants, hours ahead of a deadline that threatened to further escalate the conflict now in its fourth week.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president described the past two days of discussions with Iran as “VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE”, signalling hopes for a “COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST”.

Over the past 48 hours, Pakistan, in close coordination with Turkey and Egypt, has played a pivotal role in back-channel diplomacy, relaying messages between the US and Iran to prevent further conflict and maintain stability in the region.

The country’s engagements highlighted the proactive leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the strategic-level engagements of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, reflecting Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue over confrontation.

To defuse rising tensions in the Middle East, PM Shehbaz and his administration maintained continuous and strategic contact with both global and regional leaders, coordinating diplomatic efforts to promote dialogue, prevent escalation, and facilitate a peaceful resolution.

In his recent contact, PM Shehbaz talked to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian over the phone, stressing the need for dialogue and diplomacy amongst all the neighbouring countries to settle their differences.

The premier also conveyed Pakistan’s solidarity with the “brave Iranian people in the wake of the ongoing hostilities”.

Analysts note that this coordinated diplomacy demonstrates how regional powers are prioritising negotiation and reconciliation to defuse tensions.

Pakistan’s balanced foreign policy has earned international recognition for maintaining positive relations with all key stakeholders while reducing regional volatility.

With mediation efforts continuing, global outlets including Axios and Arab News report that progress is being made towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

More than 2,000 people have been killed in the war that the US and Israel launched on February 28 against Iran, which has upended markets, driven up fuel costs, accelerated global inflation fears and convulsed the Western defence alliance.

Lisa Kudrow has some strong opinions about what remains arguably the biggest debate among Friends fans: Were Ross and Rachel on a break? 

The actress, who rose to fame as Phoebe Buffay on the hit ‘90s sitcom, revealed she is firmly team Rachel when it comes to one of television’s most iconic breakups. Kudrow made the revelation while speaking to Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet for the season 3 premiere of her comedy The Comeback.

“Rachel now!” Kudrow answered definitely, admitting she was previously team Ross but has since changed her stance ever since she recently started re-watching the show. “I’ve switched.”

“Ross was ridiculous,” added the Easy A actress. “What a baby! You can’t plan a future with that guy.”

Kudrow was, of course, referring to the infamous season 3 episode where a heartbroken Ross (David Schwimmer) sleeps with the xerox girl hours after Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) suggests they “take a break” from their relationship.

In the next season, the on-again-off-again pair briefly reunite during a beach getaway. However, Ross refuses Rachel’s demand for him to take “full responsibility” for their breakup, yelling the iconic line, “We were on a break!”

The line would later become a recurring gag in the show, and sparked a never-ending debate among fans.