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The hit tvN reality series “The Village Barber” is returning for a second season this November with a revamped cast.

Network officials confirmed the renewal on July 13, following earlier reports that production will commence in late August. Original cast members Park Bo Gum and Lee Sang Yi are set to reprise their roles. Ko Kyung Pyo will join the line-up to replace Kwak Dong Yeon, who is unavailable for the upcoming instalment.

The premise centres on Park, who earned a national technical barbering certification during his mandatory military service. The programme follows the actor operating a...

Canadian rapper Drake recently followed BTS member Jungkook on Instagram, prompting intense online speculation regarding a potential musical collaboration between the two global stars.

Fans noticed the social media update on Friday. Jungkook currently stands as the only K-pop artist on the Canadian hitmaker’s following list. Industry observers quickly pointed out that the rapper frequently connects with other musicians online shortly before announcing joint projects.

The digital interaction stems from a series of recent public acknowledgements. In May, Drake directly referenced the South Korean boyband in his track “Make Them Cry,” rapping about how his career trajectory mirrored their massive...

A rapidly spreading fire at a popular Bangkok bar killed 27 people and hospitalised more than 60 others late Sunday.

The blaze erupted near the stage of Rong Beer Na Lat Phrao in the Chatuchak district just before midnight. Plunging the venue into darkness, the fire sent panicked patrons fleeing through the flame-engulfed front entrance.

Firefighters brought the emergency under control within 30 minutes. However, rescue teams discovered most of the deceased, nine men and 18 women, trapped inside a bathroom where they had sought refuge.

Suriyachai Raviwan, director of Bangkok’s disaster mitigation department, stated initial findings indicate the...

Two batches of fresh apples weighing 39.7 tonnes have been exported from Yan’an to Uzbekistan through the Khorgos border crossing in the Xinjiang region, Xinhua reports.

This marks the first time the northwestern Chinese city has shipped its signature agricultural product to the Central Asian nation. The General Administration of Customs reported the milestone as a key development in expanding the area’s trade footprint under the Belt and Road initiative.

Situated on the Loess Plateau, Yan’an is a major apple-growing hub. While domestic sales remain stable, producers are increasingly looking abroad and currently export to 26 countries including Canada...

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a constitutional law establishing the Tashkent International Financial Centre (TMFC), an economic zone operating exclusively under English common law.

The legislation provides a distinct regulatory environment designed to attract foreign capital by offering an internationally recognised legal framework.

“This is one of the most important economic news items of the year and the result of reforms we have been working towards for almost 10 years,” said Saida Mirziyoyeva, head of the presidential administration.

The designated territory will feature an independent commercial court alongside alternative dispute resolution mechanisms aligned with...

Apple is preparing to increase prices for its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro lineup this autumn as surging component costs squeeze profit margins.

Industry analysts project the base model of the flagship smartphone will start at $1,399. Meanwhile, the top-tier iPhone 18 Pro Max equipped with 1TB of storage could approach the $2,000 mark.

A sharp rise in manufacturing expenses is driving the anticipated price hike. Analysts estimate the 1TB NAND memory module alone will cost the technology giant more than $250. Furthermore, high global demand from artificial intelligence hardware developers has driven up the price of RAM chips.

The introduction...

U.S. officials served legal orders to multiple New York Times staff members on Friday following published articles regarding alleged defensive flaws in the latest presidential aircraft.

Government operatives arrived directly at the private residences of the writers to hand over the paperwork. These court summonses require the individuals to appear at a federal grand jury hearing in Manhattan this Wednesday to discuss their confidential informants.

This aggressive judicial move stems from stories printed earlier in the week. The newspaper initially claimed that executive protection teams recommended a last-minute plane change over safety anxieties. A follow-up piece published Thursday stated...

Authorities in Brussels have officially accused the parent company of Instagram and Facebook of violating the Digital Services Act. European officials argue that the core architecture of these platforms relies on manipulative mechanics that put the psychological wellbeing of citizens in danger.

After a comprehensive 24-month inquiry that started in the spring of 2024, investigators determined that the tech giant employs engagement tactics detrimental to young people and vulnerable demographics. Preliminary documents point to endless content feeds, relentless alert barrages and media that plays without user prompting. Regulators claim these specific tools push human cognition into a passive state...

S&P Global Ratings has upgraded the credit rating of state-owned enterprise Navoiuran from BB- to BB, whilst maintaining a stable outlook. The agency attributed this decision to the company’s substantial surge in uranium output and its manageable debt burden.

Navoiuran increased its uranium oxide production by 35% in 2025, following a 30% rise the previous year. Over the period between 2024 and 2026, the firm’s total output expanded by more than 80%. S&P analysts noted the company achieved these capacity gains without necessitating significant capital outlays or operational disruptions.

Financial resilience and production outlook

Despite the volume surge...

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has signed a law ratifying a transboundary water agreement between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The pact establishes a framework for the joint management, rational distribution and safe operation of shared water resources between the two Central Asian nations. Initially signed in Tashkent in November 2025, the document received approval from Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in March 2026. The Kazakh Senate cleared the legislation in June 2026, noting it creates a vital legal foundation to address the region’s growing water deficit.

Under the new legislation, the two governments will establish an intergovernmental commission to oversee shared rivers...

Jay-Z launched his “Jay-Z 30” concert series with a surprise appearance from his wife Beyoncé during the opening night of a three-show run at Yankee Stadium on July 11.

The rapper began the Bronx performance with “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” the opening track from his 1996 debut album “Reasonable Doubt.” Beyonce joined him onstage shortly after the music began, delivering a remixed rendition of the vocal hook originally performed by Mary J. Blige.

Wearing a New York bomber jacket and matching fitted cap, Jay-Z addressed the roaring crowd:

“New York City, what’s up? That’s how...

Apple has initiated legal action against OpenAI and two former staff members. The Silicon Valley giant accuses the ChatGPT creator of systematically harvesting proprietary hardware data to accelerate its own push into consumer electronics.

Filed in a California federal court, the complaint highlights a deteriorating relationship between the two tech heavyweights. Industry analysts suspect OpenAI intends to manufacture physical devices that could circumvent traditional operating systems and directly challenge the iPhone’s market dominance. OpenAI strongly rejected the claims, stating it remains dedicated to innovating without relying on competitors’ confidential data.

The litigation targets Tang Yew Tan, a former iPhone...

South Korean entertainment giant Big Hit Music is mounting a rigorous defence against claims that BTS plagiarised an American track for their worldwide hit “Swim.”

Hybe’s management division publicly pushed back on Friday against a recent federal court filing that accuses the company of intellectual property theft.

Speaking directly to The Korea Herald, agency representatives described the K-pop anthem as a completely original work. They dismissed the legal challenge as entirely baseless and vowed to tackle the dispute head-on in court.

A trio of musicians comprising Steve Cooper, Jon Sandler and Greylyn Johnson initiated the litigation in California’s Central...

South Korean singer Yeonjun has recorded the highest first-day sales of any domestic soloist this year following the release of his latest mini album.

The TXT member launched “NO LABELS: PART 02” on July 10. By the end of its debut day, the record sold 661,924 copies according to Hanteo Chart data. This 24-hour figure comfortably eclipsed the first-week sales total of 601,105 copies established by his previous release last year.

With the official tracking period running until July 16, the final tally is expected to grow significantly.

Evolving identity and visual metaphors

The new project expands...

Quick-thinking passengers saved a man from being violently expelled from a Ryanair flight on Friday after an obliterated window triggered a sudden cabin depressurisation.

The mid-air emergency unfolded over North Macedonia when suspected engine shrapnel pierced the fuselage of the Boeing 737 NG. The Serbian national’s head and shoulders were dragged outside the aircraft into the freezing slipstream before fellow travellers managed to pull him back to safety.

He is currently undergoing medical evaluation for non-life-threatening injuries at AHEPA University General Hospital in Thessaloniki, according to statements from the Serbian consulate.

Following the explosive decompression, the aircraft swiftly aborted...

Uzbekistan has made significant progress in reducing water stress and improving water management, according to a new UN assessment. The country has lowered its water stress indicator from 169% in 2018 to 122% in 2022 through reforms including water-saving technologies, digital monitoring systems and more efficient irrigation.

Despite these gains, the report warns that Uzbekistan remains one of the world’s most water-stressed countries. Around 80% of its water resources originate outside its borders, making the country highly vulnerable to climate change, population growth and upstream water use. Rural areas also continue to lag behind cities in access to...

A 22-year-old medical student from Kerala was killed in Uzbekistan, prompting a murder investigation in India after her family alleged she had been subjected to repeated pressure to convert her religion by a fellow student.

According to police, the woman died following an alleged assault during an argument with a classmate, who has been arrested by Uzbek authorities. Her family claims the suspect had repeatedly attempted to force her to convert and has called for a more extensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Kerala Police have registered a murder case based on the family’s complaint and...

A cross-civilization dialogue between China’s Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City and Uzbekistan’s historic city of Samarkand has reinforced cultural ties and cooperation in heritage preservation.

Held in Hangzhou on July 6 as part of the “Liangzhu and the World” programme, the event brought together more than 100 participants from China and Uzbekistan. Experts discussed UNESCO World Heritage conservation, archaeological research, heritage management, digital technologies and the integration of culture with tourism.

The dialogue marked the first partnership between the “Liangzhu and the World” initiative and an Asian UNESCO World Heritage site. Participants also explored opportunities for closer collaboration...

Turkey has signed new serial production agreements for its domestically developed Hisar-A and Hisar-O air defence missile systems, strengthening the country’s multi-layered “Steel Dome” air defence network.

The contracts were signed with leading defence companies Aselsan and Roketsan following decisions by Turkey’s Defence Industry Executive Committee. Defence Industries Secretary Haluk Gorgun said the agreements will accelerate mass production of the short- and medium-range air defence systems, which are designed to protect against aircraft, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles.

Gorgun said the expansion reflects Turkey’s growing defence-industrial capacity, which now includes more than 4,000 companies and around 100,000 engineers...

England face an anxious wait over the fitness of key players Declan Rice and Marc Guehi ahead of Saturday’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final against Norway after both missed full training this week.

Rice has been recovering from illness, while Guehi is managing a hamstring issue. The pair trained separately alongside Reece James, who is also working his way back from injury. Despite the concerns, England manager Thomas Tuchel remains hopeful that Rice and Guehi will be available for the clash in Miami.

England’s preparations have also been complicated by defender Jarell Quansah’s suspension, increasing the importance of Guehi’s...

France midfielder Adrien Rabiot has stirred controversy after claiming Les Bleus “didn’t have to worry a lot” about Morocco following their 2-0 victory in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

Speaking after the match, Rabiot said France felt Morocco posed little attacking threat throughout the game, adding that the team “had little to fear” despite the Atlas Lions’ impressive run to the last eight. France secured their place in the semi-finals with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele after controlling much of the contest.

Morocco, the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final in...

The recent conflict involving Iran has reignited debate over NATO’s purpose and strategic role beyond its traditional borders, with some analysts arguing that the alliance has increasingly become an instrument supporting broader Western geopolitical objectives rather than solely a collective defence organisation.

In a commentary published as part of an IOL BRICS series, the author argues that the Iran conflict demonstrated NATO’s political alignment with U.S. and Israeli security interests. The piece contends that several alliance members publicly backed Washington’s military actions, reinforcing perceptions among parts of the Global South that NATO increasingly acts as a geopolitical bloc...

Israeli intelligence reportedly warned the United States of a new Iranian plan to assassinate President Donald Trump, according to multiple U.S. media reports. The alleged plot was shared with Washington in recent days and is believed to be linked to Tehran’s long-standing vow to avenge the 2020 killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, which was ordered during Trump’s first presidency.

Neither the White House nor Israeli officials have publicly confirmed details of the reported intelligence, while Iran has not officially commented on the latest claims. The reports come amid heightened regional tensions following renewed military confrontation between the...

The Rolling Stones have returned with a biting critique of modern global affairs on their 25th studio album. Released today, “Foreign Tongues” combines hard-hitting blues, poignant power ballads and sharp political commentary, proving the rock veterans remain fully engaged with contemporary anxieties.

Following the critical success of 2023’s “Hackney Diamonds”, the core trio of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood reunited with producer Andrew Watt. The resulting 14-track collection, recorded in less than a month at west London’s Metropolis Studios, captures a visceral urgency that defies the band’s advancing years.

Jagger, 82, directs his lyrical frustration at rising autocracy...