Minecraft's new dimension, Iggy's return to music, Adam Brody's support for Palestine

⁠⁠Minecraft unveils new dimension for the first time in 15 years

Minecraft is expanding beyond its familiar trio of dimensions, with Mojang announcing a bizarre new realm called the Sift that will arrive in the main game in 2027.

Revealed during Saturday’s Minecraft Live, the Sift was introduced through a short clip showing a bunny-like creature calmly walking through bright pink grass beneath a turquoise sky. The unusual creature immediately set the tone for a dimension that appears to be unlike anything currently found in the game.

Mojang has not revealed many details about the Sift’s Minecraft version, but players can expect the new dimension to eventually bring its own mobs, blocks and biomes. It will be available in both the Java and Bedrock editions.

Players will actually get an early look at the Sift through Minecraft Dungeons 2, which launches next week. That version of the dimension features environmental effects described as “shifting tides,” along with dangerous blocks and both friendly and hostile creatures.

Two Sift biomes have also been revealed for Dungeons 2: Singer’s Meadow, where vegetation grows from red sculk, and Carapace, a desert filled with blue structures and enormous hollow fossils.

The Sift is not the only new location coming to Minecraft. Mojang also announced ice caves, underground areas that can appear beneath colder Overworld biomes. The caves will introduce falling icicles triggered by nearby torches, glowing crystals, calcite and a new frozen zombie variant.

While the Sift is still largely a mystery, its Dungeons 2 appearance could offer the first glimpse at what Mojang has planned for Minecraft’s newest dimension.

Iggy Azalea returns to music

Iggy Azalea may not be finished with music after all. The rapper, who stepped away from the industry following the release of her 2021 album The End of an Era, has revealed that she recently returned to the recording studio.

Azalea shared the update on Instagram while reflecting on her complicated relationship with music. Although she once insisted that she had no intention of returning, she now appears to be reconsidering that decision.

In November 2025, Azalea responded to a fan asking about a possible comeback with, “F**k no,” adding that she was “very sure” she did not want to return to the music industry. At the time, she said she had considered another opportunity for weeks before ultimately deciding against it.

Her latest update tells a different story. “I am back recording music. Is that a bad idea? Maybe. Probably. Definitely,” Azalea wrote.

The rapper said that she repeatedly found herself questioning her identity without music, particularly during what she described as “mushroom-fueled” moments of reflection. “I can’t even eat them anymore because I know that’s where my mind will wander every time,” she joked.

Azalea also admitted she had deleted comments from fans asking when she would make music again because she was trying to move forward. However, after months or even years of reconsidering her decision, she realized she did not want to keep avoiding something that mattered to her.

“After months (maybe years) of pondering, I’ve decided it’s unlike me to run away from anything in life,” she wrote.

Her first studio session back left her “really f**king happy,” although Azalea emphasized that she is taking things slowly. She ended her message with a teasing warning to fans: “Baby steps my darlings but I fear I may be coming…”

⁠Woman who accused Jay-Z of sexual assault recants allegations

A woman who accused Jay-Z and Sean “Diddy” Combs of sexually assaulting her as a teenager has withdrawn her allegations against both musicians, saying she had never met or spoken to Jay-Z.

The woman, identified as Jane Doe in the 2024 lawsuit, filed a declaration Thursday in the defamation case brought by Jay-Z, whose legal name is Shawn Carter. In the statement, she said there was “no truth to any of my claims” against the rapper.

“Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter never raped me,” she wrote. “I have never met or spoken to Mr Carter. Mr Carter never engaged in any inappropriate conduct toward me whatsoever.”

The woman also stated that Combs did not rape her. Her original civil lawsuit, which was voluntarily dismissed, had alleged that the two musicians assaulted her in 2000 when she was 13.

According to her new declaration, she contacted the law firm involved in the case after seeing a Facebook advertisement seeking people who may have been harmed by Combs. She said the ad brought back memories of a sexual assault she experienced at 13, prompting her to complete an online form.

She claimed the attorneys subsequently filed the lawsuit without conducting an independent investigation or obtaining corroborating evidence. She also said she was never shown a draft of the complaint before it was filed.

Jay-Z's attorneys have since moved to drop the woman as a defendant in his defamation lawsuit. His representatives declined to comment.

The woman's allegations against Combs were separate from the criminal case that resulted in his 2025 conviction on two prostitution-related transportation counts and a 50-month prison sentence.

⁠Adam Brody speaks up for Palestine

Adam Brody is speaking more openly about his political views, including his support for a free Palestine, while explaining why his activism rarely becomes part of his public appearances.

In a recent interview with GQ, the “Nobody Wants This” star said he generally discusses politics only when journalists bring the subject up. “I just answer the questions I’m asked,” Brody said, noting that he does not wear political pins or other visible symbols that might invite questions. “99% of what I’m asked about is about the show.”

Brody said the Israel-Gaza conflict has nevertheless been a frequent subject of his private conversations. Asked where he stands, he responded, “Put me down as thinking it’s a genocide. Put me down as wanting a free Palestine.” He added that the scale of suffering has made the issue feel as though it is approaching “a breaking point.”

The actor also discussed his decision to stay off social media. Brody called being offline “the healthiest thing” and said he has no regrets about avoiding X, despite acknowledging that people use the platform for meaningful work.

Brody currently stars as Rabbi Noah Roklov opposite Kristen Bell in Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This.” The romantic comedy series is scheduled to return for its third season on Oct. 22, continuing Noah and Joanne’s relationship as they begin building a life together.

ICYMI:

• A’ja Wilson has become the first player in WNBA history to record 30 or more points and 15 or more rebounds in multiple playoff games. The Las Vegas Aces star reached the milestone with another dominant postseason performance, adding a new record to her already historic WNBA résumé.

• Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero” remains at No. 1 on the U.S. Spotify chart with 2.34 million streams. The track also holds the No. 2 spot on Spotify’s Global chart with 5.54 million streams.

— Bea Bertuldo

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