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Police in Seoul said they will implement maximum security measures for a concert by BTS at Gwanghwamun Square on March 21, citing concerns over a potential terrorist threat amid rising tensions in the Middle East and deteriorating global security conditions.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said it will mobilise extensive resources to address terrorism risks around the venue near City Hall in central Seoul, where more than 200,000 fans are expected to gather.

Authorities also warned they will take strict action against false threats.

«If a bomb threat is reported on the day of...

The U.S. Department of State has introduced new rules for participation in the Diversity Visa Program, requiring applicants to hold a valid passport when submitting entries for the Green Card lottery.

The change will take effect on April 10. Under the updated rules, applicants must provide passport details during registration and upload a scanned copy of the page containing their photograph and personal information. Applications submitted without this information will not be accepted.

Authorities said exceptions may be granted in limited cases, such as for stateless individuals.

Officials said the new requirement is intended to combat fraud within the...

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released its 2025 Annual Safety Report, confirming that global aviation continues to maintain a high level of safety despite isolated accidents and growing geopolitical risks.

In 2025, the worldwide accident rate was 1.32 per mln flights, equivalent to one accident per 759,646 flights, an improvement on 2024’s rate of 1.42 but slightly above the five-year average of 1.27. A total of 51 accidents occurred across 38.7 mln flights.

Eight fatal accidents were recorded during the year, resulting in 394 fatalities on board. IATA noted that the rise in fatalities was largely due to...

Azamat Karamatov has been appointed chief executive officer of IT Park Uzbekistan, replacing Abdulakhad Kuchkarov.

In his new role, Karamatov will oversee key areas of development in Uzbekistan’s IT sector. His responsibilities include supporting startups and the venture capital ecosystem, working with resident companies at IT Park and expanding exports of IT services and digital products.

He will also focus on improving the efficiency of IT Park’s operations and advancing projects related to the country’s digital economy.

Karamatov graduated from Tashkent University of Information Technologies, where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He later studied at the Academy...

George Russell secured Sprint pole for the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, continuing his strong start to the season. The Mercedes driver clocked 1:31.520, 0.289 seconds ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli, with Lando Norris third for McLaren.

Sprint Qualifying consisted of three segments: SQ1 (12 minutes), SQ2 (10 minutes) and SQ3 (8 minutes). Medium tyres were mandatory in the first two segments, with softs required for SQ3.

Mercedes dominated, with Russell and Antonelli topping times throughout, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc took fourth and sixth. Oscar Piastri completed the top five for McLaren, and...

Netflix has confirmed a sequel to its record-breaking animated film KPop Demon Hunters, which remains the streaming platform’s most-watched movie to date.

No release date has been set for the follow-up, which will be the first project under a new multi-year deal exclusive to co-directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans.

The announcement comes as critics predict that the original film will win at the Oscars, where it has two nominations for best animated feature and best original song. The song “Golden” previously won a Grammy for best song written for visual media, making it the first K-pop track to...

A man who drove his vehicle into a synagogue in the U.S. state of Michigan on Thursday has died after the incident, authorities said.

According to Mike Bouchard, the suspect rammed his vehicle through the entrance of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield before driving along a corridor inside the building. The vehicle later caught fire.

Security guards at the synagogue opened fire as the driver approached and confronted him inside the building. One guard was struck by the vehicle and taken to hospital with injuries that authorities said were not life threatening.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it...

The United States has temporarily authorised countries to purchase sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products that are already being transported at sea, in a move aimed at stabilising global energy markets during the conflict involving Iran.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measure is designed to reduce the economic shock from the ongoing war involving the United States and Israel against Iran. The authorisation will remain in place until April 11.

«This narrowly tailored, short-term measure applies only to oil already in transit and will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government...

A U.S. military refuelling aircraft has crashed in western Iraq during an operation linked to the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to U.S. Central Command.

In a statement, the command said the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker went down on Thursday while flying in friendly airspace. The incident involved a second aircraft but was not caused by hostile action or friendly fire.

The military said rescue operations were underway, adding that the second aircraft involved in the incident landed safely.

Officials said the crash occurred during Operation Epic Fury, the U.S. campaign targeting Iranian facilities and forces.

A U.S. official speaking...

George Russell topped the only practice session of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend at the Shanghai International Circuit, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of Sprint Qualifying later today.

With the sprint format allowing just one hour of practice, teams rushed to gather data on tyres, energy deployment and car setup before competitive running begins.

Russell set the fastest lap of 1:32.741, finishing 0.120 seconds ahead of teammate Kimi Antonelli.

McLaren showed improved pace compared with Australia, with Lando Norris third and Oscar Piastri fourth, while Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton finished fifth and sixth.

The session featured several...

The Centre for Contemporary Arts Tashkent has been named among the world’s best places to visit in 2026 by TIME, highlighting Uzbekistan’s growing presence in the global art scene.

The new cultural hub is set to open this year in Tashkent, occupying a renovated former tram depot and diesel station redesigned by French architecture firm Studio KO.

The centre will launch with an international exhibition titled Hikmah, featuring artists from around the world, including Uzbek ceramicist Shokhrukh Rakhimov, Korean conceptual artist Kimsooja, Tunisian sculptor Nadia Kaabi-Linke, and Saudi artist Muhannad Shono.

The recognition follows the success of the...

British designer Mia Reay is turning fragments of history into modern interiors, drawing inspiration from sources that range from English country houses to traditional Uzbek textiles.

Since launching her London and Lancashire-based wallpaper studio in 2022, Reay has built a reputation for creating hand-painted designs that blend historical references with contemporary craftsmanship. Her made-to-order panels begin as paintings inspired by objects found in archives, antique books and historic homes before being digitally prepared and printed in Lancashire.

«Inspiration can come from a tiny Indian painting, or Scandinavia, or England … it’s just about the beauty,» Reay

Construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway is actively progressing, according to Dastan Usubakunov, the state railway operator of Kyrgyzstan.

Speaking to Birinchi Radio, Usubakunov said the railway will stretch 305 kilometers and construction is currently underway on several sections simultaneously.

«Work has already begun on four major tunnels. The project calls for the construction of 29 tunnels and 50 bridges, and progress is moving quickly,» he noted.

According to Usubakunov, some concrete work has been temporarily suspended due to winter conditions, but work inside tunnels continues.

The full project is expected to take six...

When Chinese actress Zhang Jingyi stepped onto the red carpet at the Beijing International Film Festival in March 2026, it wasn’t her gown that stole the spotlight. Instead, social media fixated on what appeared to be a simple plastic trash bag in her hand.

Within hours, the accessory became one of the most talked-about fashion moments of the year. What looked like a disposable bin liner quickly sparked confusion, jokes and criticism online. But the controversy was not entirely misplaced: the bag resembled the now-infamous «Trash Pouch» designed by Balenciaga, which sells for around $1,790.

The moment highlighted a growing...

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has awarded the Ataturk International Peace Prize to Antonio Guterres during a ceremony in Ankara.

Speaking at the event on Thursday, Erdogan praised Guterres for his efforts to promote peace, diplomacy and multilateral cooperation through the United Nations.

The Turkish leader also reiterated Turkey’s support for reforming the UN system to make it more representative and inclusive.

«As a leader who believes that there can be no development, peace or stability without justice, we will continue supporting efforts to transform the UN into a more inclusive structure,» Erdogan said.

The war in the Middle East has triggered what the International Energy Agency described as the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.

According to the agency, Iran’s actions in the region have effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor that normally carries around one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Oil flows through the strait have dropped by more than 90%, forcing Gulf producers such as Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates to slash production.

The IEA estimates that global supply will fall by about eight mln barrels per...

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned that Tehran will continue using the threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in its confrontation with the United States and Israel.

In his first public statement since taking office, Khamenei said Iran would persist with attacks on Gulf facilities and could target US military bases in the region if the conflict continues. The remarks were read on state television, and the leader did not appear on camera.

«The leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used,» Khamenei said in the...

A swarm of drones targeted a coalition military base in Erbil overnight, injuring several US soldiers, while British special forces helped intercept some of the incoming aircraft, UK officials said.

According to the UK military, personnel believed to be members of the Special Air Service shot down two «kamikaze» drones aimed at the base used by coalition forces fighting Islamic State.

However, several other drones penetrated the air defences and struck the facility.

Brigadier Guy Foden confirmed the incident, saying:

«Last night they shot down two UAVs coming at the camp, but...

The United States Navy will not be ready to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz for several weeks, according to the Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

Speaking to CNBC, Wright said preparations for a naval escort mission are still underway as the United States focuses on strikes against Iran’s military capabilities.

«It’ll happen relatively soon, but it can’t happen now,» Wright said. «We’re simply not ready.»

The delay comes as Iran continues attacks on commercial shipping in and around the strait, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes. Iran’s new...

Uzbekistan and India’s Rupa & Company Ltd are exploring plans to establish a joint knitwear production venture in the Central Asian country.

The proposal was discussed during a meeting in West Bengal between Uzbekistan’s ambassador to India, Sardor Rustambaev and Ramesh Agarwal.

Talks focused on potential cooperation in textile manufacturing and the creation of joint production facilities in Uzbekistan.

Rupa is one of India’s largest knitwear and innerwear producers, manufacturing more than 8,000 apparel products for men, women and children and exporting to markets across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

According to company representatives, Uzbekistan offers an...

The International Fund for Agricultural Development, the European Union and Hamkorbank have launched a new initiative aimed at transforming remittances into business opportunities for rural families in Uzbekistan.

The programme targets nearly 4,000 remittance-receiving households and returning migrant workers, helping them access credit and develop small businesses in rural areas.

Under the initiative, remittances sent home by family members working abroad will be used as proof of income through a new credit-scoring model, allowing families without formal credit history to obtain loans.

Pedro de Vasconcelos, manager of IFAD’s Financing Facility for Remittances, said recognising remittances as reliable income...

The government of Uzbekistan has announced a tender for the construction and operation of a new airport in Bukhara, according to the press service of Uzbekistan Airports.

The facility will be built in the Kumsulton area and will include a passenger terminal covering 48,500 square metres.

Once completed, the airport will be able to handle up to 1,200 passengers per hour on international flights and 400 passengers on domestic routes.

Plans also include the construction of catering facilities, parking areas and a fuel storage complex with a capacity of 8,000 cubic metres.

Uzbekistan Airports said the aerodrome infrastructure will...

A Russian military court has handed down 15 life sentences in the case of the deadly attack at the Crocus City Hall concert complex near Moscow, RBC reports.

After seven months of hearings, the panel of the court sentenced four gunmen who carried out the assault to life imprisonment during a session held at the Moscow City Court.

The attackers — Shamsidin Fariduni, Dalerdzhon Mirzoev, Muhammadsobir Fayzov and Saidakrami Rachabolizoda — were found guilty of carrying out a terrorist act, participating in a terrorist organisation, weapons trafficking and receiving terrorist training.

Fariduni, described by investigators as the leader of...

Season nine of the animated series Rick and Morty will premiere on Adult Swim on Sunday, May 24 at 11 p.m. ET/PT.

The new season will feature the return of the show’s main cast, including Ian Cardoni, Harry Belden, Sarah Chalke, Chris Parnell and Spencer Grammer.

The series is executive produced by Dan Harmon and Scott Marder, who also serves as showrunner.

Rick and Morty remains Adult Swim’s most popular programme and has grown into a global cultural phenomenon. Season nine will debut in more than 170 countries in 42 languages.

In the United States, new episodes will be available...