Seoul Gazette - News from Seoul, the Dongan District, Manan District, Buk District, Busanjin District, South Korea and the world

One of the things Hong Kong superstar Tony Leung Chiu-wai likes about acting is the novelty -- "you will never repeat the same role".

Much of Western Europe was sweltering in a gruelling heatwave on Friday with the mercury expected to continue rising in the coming days, shattering temperature records.

From the corridors of power in Washington to a Swiss mountaintop resort, via Tehran and a French spa, it has been a dizzying week of diplomacy on Iran -- marked by surprise twists and a last-ditch hunt for a printer in the Palace of Versailles.

No spring, no river, no lake: "Every litre counts" at French mountain lodges where water is scarce but visitor numbers are booming.

South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo told his team to keep their heads up and channel their disappointment into sealing a spot in the World Cup knockout rounds after a 1-0 defeat to Mexico.

More than half of France's population was dealing with scorching temperatures on Friday, according to AFP's calculations, with hundreds of schools adapting their timetables to keep students out of broiling classrooms.

Matt Henry took five wickets before Rachin Ravindra helped New Zealand extend their advantage in the second Test against England on Friday.

French Open champion Alexander Zverev will face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals of the ATP event in Halle after edging Raphael Collignon in straight sets on Friday.

Dropped England captain Ben Stokes was denied a wicket with just his fourth ball as he returned to action for Durham in their County Championship match against Northamptonshire on Friday.

Wyndham Clark made a bogey at the ninth hole to drop his lead to two strokes as he made the turn in Friday's second round of the US Open with rivals on his heels at blustery Shinnecock.

Queen's Club bad-boy Corentin Moutet has been fined £30,248 ($39,991) following his foul-mouthed interview at the Wimbledon warm-up event.

Japan's Ai Ogura set a new track record late in Friday's practice for the Czech GP to top the session ahead of championship leader Marco Bezzecchi.

Italy reacted angrily on Friday after reported comments by US President Donald Trump mocking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, with the foreign minister cancelling a planned US visit.

Turkey's interior ministry has instructed governors nationwide not to permit the installation of giant public screens for the national team's World Cup match against Paraguay, citing the need to minimise noise and traffic disruption during the country's university entrance examinations.

Like humans, wildlife is increasingly vulnerable as climate change fuels longer and more intense heatwaves, disrupting feeding and breeding, and in extreme cases proving fatal.

Israel and Hezbollah agreed a ceasefire on Friday, a US official said, after deadly exchanges between the two sides in Lebanon put a deal to end the Middle East war under strain less than two days after it was signed.

The fatal Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading rapidly, the World Health Organization warned Friday, despite accelerating efforts to tackle the virus.

For three days, Nepali mountaineer Dawa Sherpa was trapped deep inside an Everest crevasse, surviving on biscuits, chocolates and chunks of ice, while back home his family had already begun mourning his death.

Need some good news on a Friday after a long week?

American Wyndham Clark seized a three-stroke lead early in Friday's second round of the US Open with fellow major winners Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland and Matt Fitzpatrick in hot pursuit.

Russia's central bank on Friday cut its benchmark interest rate to 14.25 percent from 14.5 percent, less than analysts expected, and signalled a more cautious approach to further monetary policy easing as the Ukraine war takes a growing toll on Moscow's finances.

American Taylor Fritz battled past Ben Shelton in three sets on Friday to reach the semi-finals in Halle five days after losing the title match to his countryman in Stuttgart.

Matt Henry took five wickets as New Zealand strengthened their grip on the second Test against England on Friday by establishing a first-innings lead of 100 runs.

More than half of France's population were dealing with scorching temperatures on Friday, according to AFP's calculations, with hundreds of schools adapting their timetables to keep students out of boiling classrooms.

Inflammatory social media posts -- including of men brandishing a machete or calling foreigners "leeches" -- are stoking emotions around an unofficial demand for illegal immigrants to leave South Africa by the end of the month, fuelling a volatile situation, analysts say.

Deadly exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon put a newly signed deal to end the Middle East war under further strain on Friday, after the postponement of planned US-Iran talks in Switzerland.

Former England goalkeeper Mary Earps announced on Friday she has agreed to join Women's Super League club London City Lionesses after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.

Wyndham Clark finished his darkness-halted first round of the 126th US Open with two pars on Friday morning, completing a six-under par 64 to hold a two-stroke lead at windy Shinnecock.

French hurdler Dimitri Bascou, an Olympic medallist in 2016, was banned for four years on Friday for a positive test for steroids.

Italy's foreign minister on Friday cancelled a visit to the United States over reported comments by US President Donald Trump that appeared to mock Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

American world number four Jessica Pegula reached the semi-finals of the WTA event in Berlin after a straight sets win over countrywoman Madison Keys on Friday.

Oil prices and stock markets stabilised Friday after postponement of Mideast peace deal talks and following big movements for markets this week on hopes of an end to the US-Iran conflict.