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Fans elated as BTS play first gig together in nearly four years

Fans elated as BTS play first gig together in nearly four years24 minutes agoShareSaveYuna Ku,BBC Korean, SeoulandJake Kwon,Seoul correspondentShareSaveReutersBTS performing on SaturdayFans have poured into the historic heart of South Korea's capital for what may well be the year's biggest event: the return of the world's most successful band in recent years, BTS.
Some 260,000 people were expected to turn up on Saturday at Gwanghwamun Square, where the seven K-pop stars – RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook – are performing together for the first time since October 2022.
Set against the backdrop of a 14th Century gateway to the royal palace, the band's one-hour set will include songs from their long-awaited new album, Arirang, which was released on Friday afternoon.
Review: On Arirang, BTS rekindle their fireEntering Seoul's central Gwanghwamun square was like stepping into a temple dedicated to the boyband. It was covered in purple, the signature col..

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Could Taiwan’s military continue to fight after an Iran-like decapitation?

AdvertisementTaiwanChinaMilitaryCould Taiwan’s military continue to fight after an Iran-like decapitation?Analysts and officials in Taipei are assessing what lessons they can learn from the US-Israel precision strikes on the Iranian leadership
4-MIN READ4-MIN1 ListenLawrence Chungin TaipeiPublished: 8:00pm, 21 Mar 2026Updated: 8:00pm, 21 Mar 2026The survival of Iran’s political and military apparatus following a massive US-Israeli decapitation strike has ignited a strategic debate in Taiwan, with experts weighing the island’s ability to withstand a similar “surgical” opening to an attack from the mainland.Military analysts and officials in Taipei are closely studying the February 28 strikes that killed Ali Khamenei, the Iranian supreme leader, and Iran’s ability to sustain organised resistance in the weeks that have followed.Iran’s capacity to absorb the severe blow of the loss of its top leadership has provided a real-world test of “distributed command” – a doctrine Taiwan has been ra..

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It’s not just vaccines — parents are refusing other routine preventive care for newborns

One day at an Idaho hospital, half the newborns Dr. Tom Patterson saw didn’t get the vitamin K shots that have been given to babies for decades to prevent potentially deadly bleeding. On another recent day, more than a quarter didn't get the shot. Their parents wouldn't allow it.
“When you look at a child who’s innocent and vulnerable — and a simple intervention that’s been done since 1961 is refused — knowing that baby’s going out into the world is super worrisome to me,” said Patterson, who’s been a pediatrician for nearly three decades.
Doctors across the nation are alarmed that skepticism fueled by rising anti-science sentiment and medical mistrust is increasingly reaching beyond vaccines to other proven, routine, preventive care for babies.
A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which analyzed more than 5 million births nationwide, found that refusals of vitamin K shots nearly doubled between 2017 and 2024, from 2.9% to 5.2%. Other research su..

World

Iranian strikes on bases used by US caused $800m in damage, new analysis shows

Iranian strikes on bases used by US caused $800m in damage, new analysis shows14 hours agoShareSaveDaniel Bush,Washington correspondentandPaul Brown & Alex Murray,BBC VerifyShareSavePlanet labs PBC and AirbusDamage to radar sites at Al Sader and Al Ruwais (UAE)Iranian strikes on military bases used by the US in the Middle East caused about $800m (£600m) in damage in the first two weeks of the war, a new analysis shows.
Much of the damage was caused in initial retaliatory strikes by Iran in the week after the US and Israel launched the war, according to a report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) and an analysis by the BBC.
The full extent of the damage caused by Iranian strikes on US assets in the region is not clear.
But the $800m in estimated damage to US military infrastructure – a figure that's higher than has been previously reported – offers a picture of the steep costs to the US as the conflict drags on.
“The damage to US bases in the region has bee..

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“I want an apology”: Piers Morgan feud explodes as HSTikkyTokky threatens wife’s photo leak unless he apologizes

A heated clash between Piers Morgan and influencer Harrison Sullivan has escalated into a personal online feud. Sullivan shared photos of Morgan’s wife, Celia Walden, mocking him and demanding a public apology within 24 hours. He threatened to release more images if ignored. The controversy has sparked backlash, highlighting concerns over privacy, online harassment, and the growing toxicity of viral confrontations. A heated argument on the air between Harrison Sullivan aka HSTikkyTokky and Piers Morgan has turned into a viral online feud that has gotten a lot of attention. What began as an argument on a livestream quickly turned personal, with Sullivan going after Morgan's private life and refusing to back down. He made the situation worse by posting another picture of Morgan's wife, Celia Walden, along with inflammatory comments. The move made a lot of people angry, but it also got a lot of people talking on social media. This event shows how quickly online fights can get ou..

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“I was the closest person to Charlie”: Candace Owens makes explosive claims about Charlie Kirk amid growing controversy

Candace Owens has sparked fresh controversy by claiming Charlie Kirk was unaware of key details during his relationship with Erika Kirk. She alleges Erika misrepresented connections to Kanye West’s circle, raising questions about credibility and hidden truths. The remarks have triggered intense online debate, with critics demanding evidence while supporters cite Owens’ proximity as reason to take her claims seriously. Candace Owens has started another online scandal with her comments about the shady dealings of people close to Kanye West. Her statements have been rapidly circulated on social media and have elicited mixed responses with those in support and those against it calling them into doubt. What is most striking is the confidence that Owens is able to convey in her account as she highlights the fact that she is too close to the people she is writing about. She presents her arguments as something subject to personal experience and not speculation; this has heightened public criti..

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Taiwan’s main opposition parties join forces for local elections, foundation for 2028 race

AdvertisementTaiwanChinaPoliticsTaiwan’s main opposition parties join forces for local elections, foundation for 2028 raceKuomintang and Taiwan People’s Party approve cooperation agreement to contest local elections in November
3-MIN READ3-MINAmber Wangin BeijingPublished: 8:14pm, 20 Mar 2026Taiwan’s two main opposition parties are set to join forces in local elections, a midterm contest this autumn that analysts say could lay the groundwork for potential cooperation in the 2028 leadership race to challenge the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
The elections, scheduled for November and commonly known as the “nine-in-one” elections, will determine local officials and councillors across nine categories, ranging from mayors and county magistrates to village chiefs, as well as councillors and representatives in Taiwan’s 22 administrative regions.
On Wednesday, the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and the smaller Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) approved a cooperation agreement for the local..

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Japanese leader calls Barron Trump a ‘good-looking gentleman’ during White House dinner

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that Barron Trump was a “good-looking gentleman” during a dinner at the White House.
Takaichi paid a compliment to Barron last night, just a day before Trump’s youngest child’s twentieth birthday.
The Japanese leader also remarked upon Barron’s height. The NYU student stands around 6-foot-9, according to estimates, with photos often showing him towering over his father, President Trump, and mother, First Lady Melania Trump.
“I know he has grown up so much into a very tall, good-looking gentleman,” Takaichi said. “As I see you, Donald, it is very clear where he got it. Of course, from his parents.
“There is no doubt about it,” she continued. “So Donald, if I may ask you, please convey my sincere happy birthday wishes to him.”
open image in galleryJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says that Barron Trump is a ‘good-looking gentleman’ (Getty)Trump has previously joked about his son’s height, telling crowds in Iowa in 2024 that his mother..

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Australians brace for ‘significant damage’ as tropical Cyclone Narelle makes landfall

Severe tropical Cyclone Narelle lashed Australia's northeast coast on Friday, bringing destructive winds, heavy rain and power outages as authorities urged people to brace for significant damage.
Narelle made landfall in remote parts of the Far North Queensland region as a category four system, one rung below the strongest category five, with winds reaching about 195kmph.
The cyclone, which authorities initially said could be among “the worst in living memory”, appears less damaging than feared, but concerns over severe flooding remain.
After crossing the coast, the storm dropped to a category three system, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said, adding that Narelle was still packing wind gusts of around 140kmph.
The cyclone was expected to weaken as it moves west across the Cape York Peninsula over the next 18 hours.
“There is a lot of rain in this system, and as it moves it will be hard and fast,” Queensland premier David Crisafulli told a press conference. “I don't ..

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Trump’s Pearl Harbour ‘joke’ falls flat in Japan, Takaichi praised for response

AdvertisementJapanThis Week in AsiaPoliticsTrump’s Pearl Harbour ‘joke’ falls flat in Japan, Takaichi praised for responseAs Japan faces pressure over the Iran war, Takaichi has been commended for steering her meeting with Trump towards trade deals
4-MIN READ4-MIN4 ListenJulian RyallPublished: 7:03pm, 20 Mar 2026People across Japan have recoiled in shock over US President Donald Trump’s joke about the attack on Pearl Harbour in the presence of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in the White House, perceiving the incident as an insult to a long-time ally of Washington.On the other hand, Takaichi has received praise for her measured response even as she stiffened visibly over Trump’s comments at the joint press conference in the Oval Office on Thursday.
In response to a question from a Japanese reporter about Washington’s failure to tell its allies before its February 28 attack on Iran, Trump replied: “We wanted a surprise. Who knows better about surprises than Japan. Why didn’t you tell me a..