K-pop sensation BTS hope to hold an in-person concert in Seoul for the first since the pandemic.
The band hinted at the news in a tweet on Friday, saying to fans: "See you in Seoul, March 2022."
The tweet included hashtags for the group's Permission to Dance stage performances, but provided no other details.
Yonhap News Agency reported unnamed officials at the group's management company, Bighit Music, as saying they would push to hold the event in person to give fans in South Korea a chance to see the singers.
A Bighit press release said the next city in the BTS tour will be Seoul, but the company did not immediately confirm if the event would be in person.
On Thursday the seven-member BTS concluded a series of four live performances in California, the group's first in-person concerts since 2019.
Some of the most ardent South Korean fans flew to California for the concerts.
Plans for a world tour were repeatedly delayed and then cancelled, owing to the pandemic.
In early 2020, South Korea was one of the first countries to suffer a major Covid-19 outbreak outside China, where the pandemic began in 2019.
South Korea has been forced to reimpose some social-distancing measures just weeks after loosening them in October, to try and curb record numbers of infections despite a vaccination rate of 91.6 per cent for its adult population aged 18 and over.
The surge of new infections includes six confirmed cases of the Omicron variant that emerged last month, first reported by South Africa.
- Additional reporting by Reuters
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
