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☆ Bill Hwang, Whose Firm Archegos Collapsed in 2021, Is About to Go on Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Matthew Goldstein | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Three years ago, a multibillion-dollar investment firm called Archegos Capital Management blew up with little warning, causing big losses for some Wall Street banks and leading to federal criminal charges against the firm’s founder, Bill Hwang. On Wednesday, Mr. Hwang, 60, who was charged with 11 counts of securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy, racketeering and market manipulation, is set to go on trial in Manhattan federal court. Federal prosecutors are seeking to secure a conviction in a major stock market manipulation case in which Mr. Hwang, whose legal name is Sung Kook Hwang, was one of the big financial losers. Archegos had managed money mainly for Mr. Hwang, his family and some of his employees, and much of his family’s wealth was wiped out when the firm collapsed in March 2021. Also on trial with Mr. Hwang is Patrick Halligan, the former chief financial officer of Archegos.

Persons: Bill Hwang, Hwang, Sung Kook Hwang, Archegos, Patrick Halligan Organizations: Archegos Capital Management, Authorities Locations: Manhattan, Wall

☆ Opinion: Why antisemitism and anti-Zionism are so deeply intertwined
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Opinion Rabbi Avi Weiss | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Born at the tail end of World War II, I grew up with antisemitism by and large under control, as even vicious Jew haters were reticent to attack Jews. Rabbi Avi Weiss Courtesy Avi WeissThis doesn’t mean anti-Semitism was not a serious problem, especially in recent decades. During the Cold War, Soviet antisemitism came to the fore with a vengeance after the Second World War. However, the concept of one tiny Jewish state, the only Western-style democracy in the Middle East, is constantly rejected and attacked. But the State of Israel, and only the State of Israel, allows Jews to save themselves.

Persons: Avi Weiss, “, ”, I’ve, Rabbi Avi Weiss, Louis Farrakhan, David Duke, Yankel Rosenbaum, antisemites, Esther, Haman, Abraham Isaac Kook Organizations: CNN, Statehood, Twitter Locations: Riverdale, Persia, Soviet, Israel, Zion

☆ Jung Kook, BTS and English Language K-Pop
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A few weeks ago, Jung Kook — a member of the world-beating K-pop group BTS — released his solo debut album, “Golden,” a sleek affair notable for high-profile collaborators on its tracks and behind the scenes, as well as for the fact that it’s sung fully in English. That’s a logical extension of the shift undertaken by BTS beginning in the late 2010s and into the early 2020s, when it became the biggest pop act in the world, and focused its energies on the American marketplace. But it also is part of a longer story about how K-pop has been expanding its global reach, which has in turn altered the priorities of some of its biggest stars and record labels. On this week’s Popcast, a conversation about K-pop’s long march to American awareness and embrace, the earlier acts that began making inroads with American pop audiences, and whether there’s a point at which K-pop delivered fully in English ceases to be K-pop at all.

Persons: Jung Kook —, it’s Organizations: BTS

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It’s her, hi — Taylor Swift is Spotify’s 2023 most-played artist. According to Spotify Wrapped, Swift was 2023's most-streamed artist globally, raking in more than 26.1 billion streams since January 1. It's not such bad news for Bad Bunny, however: his 2022 album “Un Verano Sin Ti” was Spotify's most-streamed album for the second year in a row, raking in 4.5 billion global streams. Political Cartoons View All 1270 ImagesMiley Cyrus' empowerment anthem “Flowers” is Spotify’s most-streamed song of the year with 1.6 million streams globally. “Kill Bill” by SZA is the second most-streamed song of the year, while Harry Styles' “As It Was,” BTS member Jung Kook featuring Latto's “Seven,” and Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma's “Ella Baila Sola” came in third, fourth and fifth, respectively.

Persons: — It’s, Taylor Swift, Swift, Bunny, Drake, It's, Taylor Swift's, SZA's, ”, Karol G's “, Miley Cyrus, “, Bill ”, SZA, Harry Styles, Jung Kook, Latto's, Armado, Pluma's “ Ella Baila Sola ”, Morgan Wallen, Wallen's, Wallen’s, Luis Fonsi, Yankee, Justin Bieber’s “ Organizations: ANGELES, Spotify, Puerto, Apple Music Locations: He's, Mexican, Será, U.S

☆ BTS members RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook enlist for military service
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Four more members of South Korean boy band BTS are set to start their compulsory military service as the group’s hiatus continues. This means all seven members of BTS are now either serving in the South Korean military or in the process of enlisting. “We would like to inform our fans that RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook have initiated the military enlistment process,” the band’s music label BIGHIT Music wrote in a statement. “The artists are preparing to fulfill their military service duties. “We ask you for your continued love and support for RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook until they complete their military service and safely return.

Persons: “, Jung Kook, –, Jin, Suga Organizations: CNN, South Korean, BTS, BIGHIT Music, Spotify Locations: Jimin, South Korea, South Korea’s

☆ The Man Who Blazed a Trail for Dictatorship in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Ben Hubbard | More About Ben Hubbard | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

And help he did. He sent arms, military experts and advice on how to talk to the West. He encouraged the officers to assure the United States, Britain and France that the coup posed no risk to their people or interests. His long reign is but one strand of Nasser’s disastrous legacy, according to “We Are Your Soldiers,” by the Lebanon-based journalist Alex Rowell. Rowell takes the reader on a historical tour of the Middle East to illuminate how Nasser contributed to the region’s “shared curse of political repression mixed with economic misery.”

Persons: Gamal Abdel Nasser, Alex Rowell, King Idris I, Muammar el, el, ” Nasser, “, Colonel el, Qaddafi, brutalizing, kook, Rowell, Nasser, ” Organizations: Libyan Army, United Nations General Assembly Locations: Egypt, United States, Britain, France, Libya, Lebanon

☆ ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ Repeats at No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Taylor Swift holds the top of the Billboard 200 album chart with her latest remake, while Jung Kook of BTS opens at No. “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” a rerecording of Swift’s nine-year-old LP, stays at No. 1 for a second time after a huge debut, when the new edition topped the opening-week sales of the original. Jung Kook, the latest member of the K-pop kings BTS to release a solo album during the group’s hiatus, starts at No. 2 with “Golden,” which notched nearly 42 million streams and sold 128,500 copies as a complete album, mostly on CD.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Jung Kook, Jimmy Buffett, ”, Jung Kook —, Jungkook —, Latto, Buffett, Emmylou Harris, Angélique Kidjo, — Paul McCartney Organizations: BTS Locations: United States

☆ MTV Europe Music Awards cancelled amid Israel-Gaza crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Taylor Swift receives the award for the Best Video during the 2022 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) at the PSD Bank Dome in Duesseldorf, Germany, November 13, 2022. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Next month's MTV Europe Music Awards in Paris have been cancelled, organisers said on Thursday, citing "the volatility of world events" amid the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. "The MTV EMAs are an annual celebration of global music. We look forward to hosting the MTV EMAs again in November of 2024." The annual MTV Europe Music Awards are held in a different city each year.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Wolfgang Rattay, Olivia Rodrigo, Bad Bunny, Swift, Jung Kook, Marie, Louise Gumuchian, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: MTV, PSD Bank, REUTERS, Foo Fighters, Paris Nord Villepinte, MTV Europe, Thomson Locations: Duesseldorf, Germany, Paris, Israel, Gaza, France, Versailles

[1/2] A South Korea won note is seen in this illustration photo May 31, 2017. South Korean companies repatriated a record $33.13 billion of overseas earnings during the January-July period, 6.3 times the amount a year earlier, central bank data on current account balances showed. "The coming home of earnings retained abroad has been a big help for the won," a government official in charge of foreign exchange market said, asking not to be named due to internal policy. The automaker said on June 12 it plans to invest 7.8 trillion won ($5.82 billion) of retained earnings from overseas operations this year in electric car factories at home. The surge in repatriation also comes ahead of trading reforms planned for next year, when South Korea will extend onshore trading hours until 2 a.m. to improve access for foreign investors.

Persons: Thomas White, Yoon Suk, Hong Sung, kook, Min Gyeong, 1,340.7400, Jihoon Lee, Cynthia Kim, Joyce Lee, Heekyong Yang, Vidya Ranganathan Organizations: South, REUTERS, Rights, Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Motor, Kia Corp, Reuters Graphics Bank of Korea, Woori Bank, Hyundai, Hyundai Motor Group, Shinhan Bank, Yena, Thomson Locations: South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Korea

BTS' Jung Kook to Join Global Citizen Festival Lineup to Make One of His First US Solo AppearancesJung Kook of BTS will join the Global Citizen Festival lineup, making one of his first live solo appearances at the Sept. 23 benefit concert in New York’s Central Park

Persons: Jung Kook Organizations: Global, BTS Locations: New

☆ The Future of Rap Is Female
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Niela Orr | Photographs Adrienne Raquel | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +22 min

The Future of Rap Is Female As their male counterparts turn depressive and paranoid, it’s the women who are having all the fun. In the mid-’80s, the dynamics shifted slightly, when UTFO released “Roxanne, Roxanne,” a comical torch song dissing a woman who rejected the men’s advances. Like good sex, raunchy rap is only fun if all parties are completely enthusiastic, and this music provides necessary female perspectives to match what the men make. In Miami one weekend in late July, Rolling Loud, one of the biggest annual hip-hop festivals, made itself into a microcosm of the rap world. There’s a relentless gender pessimism in the air, too — on the street, on dating apps, in the Supreme Court and, of course, in rap music.

Persons: Sackler, Drake, Foley, Yung Miami, Wu, Da, Tupac Shakur, Nicki Minaj, Cardi, Megan Thee, there’s, ”, There’s Latto, Jung Kook, “, Diana ”, Boy’s, Red’s, Munch, Rodney Dangerfield, munch, ” MAIYA, “ We’re, Lil Baby, Flo Milli, —, ” Flo Milli, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire —, Debbie D, Lisa Lee, Mercedes Ladies, UTFO, Roxanne, Lolita Shanté Gooden, Gooden, ” FLO MILLI, Roxanne Shanté, Clover Hope, M.C, Brian Coleman, Lyte, Ruff Ryders, it’s, Missy Elliott, Lauryn Hill, Kash Doll, SKODI LOLA BROOKE, Lil ’ Kim, “ I’m, I’m, ” That’s, Lolita Gooden, Greta Gerwig’s “ Barbie ”, James Harden, P.J, Tucker, KENTHEMAN “, I’ve, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Grace Jones, Benzino, blowin, ignorin ’, Berry hairdo, Grandmaster Flash, It’s, ” —, ” Leray, VETTE, CHANEL, ” Flo, Cartier, “ Lyte, Flo Organizations: YouTube, Girls, City Girls, Public, Down Productions, Wu -, Digital, City, Memphis, Brooklyn Locations: Miami, Wu - Tang, “, Bronx, Mobile , Ala, y’all

☆ Jason Aldean, Decrying ‘Cancel Culture,’ Has a No. 2 Hit
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-24 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In May, the country star Jason Aldean released a single, “Try That in a Small Town,” with lyrics that paint contemporary urban life as a hellscape of crime and anarchy: “Sucker punch somebody on a sidewalk/Carjack an old lady at a red light.”“You think you’re tough,” Aldean sings. “Well, try that in a small town.”Initially, the track got relatively little notice, landing at No. “Try That in a Small Town” makes its debut at No. 2 on the Hot 100, Aldean’s best showing ever on Billboard’s all-genre pop chart, beating current hits by Olivia Rodrigo and Morgan Wallen. Aldean was surpassed this week only by Jung Kook of the South Korean supergroup BTS, whose debut solo single, “Seven,” opens at No.

Persons: Jason Aldean, Aldean, Aldean —, “, Olivia Rodrigo, Morgan Wallen, Jung Kook, ”, Henry Choate, — Organizations: Korean, BTS Locations: ”, Maury, Columbia, Tenn

☆ K-Pop supergroup BTS' Jung Kook releases solo single
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, July 14 (Reuters) - Jung Kook, a member of K-Pop supergroup BTS, officially launched on Friday his solo career with the release of single "Seven", a track also featuring American rapper Latto. BTS is on temporary break as a group with two of its seven members currently doing mandatory military service in South Korea, but other members are continuing to carry out solo projects and concerts. The video for "Seven" - described by his music label as an invigorating summer song - was also revealed on Friday and includes an appearance by South Korean actress Han So-hee. His label BigHit is part of South Korean entertainment company HYBE and also manages BTS. Ahead of his official solo debut, Jung Kook previously released two free singles.

Persons: Jung Kook, Han, Joyce Lee, Ed Davies, Michael Perry Organizations: BTS, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, South Korea, U.S, Korean, South Korean, New

☆ Seoul hosts large crowds as BTS fans celebrate 10-year anniversary
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/6] Fans of the K-pop boy band BTS dance during BTS 10th Anniversary FESTA in Seoul, South Korea, June 17, 2023. REUTERS/Kim Soo-hyeonSEOUL, June 17 (Reuters) - An estimated 400,000 people gathered in South Korea's capital Seoul on Saturday as fans from around the globe commemorated the 10th anniversary of the debut of K-Pop boy band juggernaut BTS. At the "BTS 10th Anniversary FESTA" at Han River Park in Seoul on Saturday, tens of thousands of fans wandered among various exhibits including a BTS history wall, stage costumes and commemorative sculptures, many in the band's signature purple colour. With hit songs playing in the background, fans danced under shady trees or bonded over their favourite band members. BTS leader RM later read out fan messages, performed and received calls from fellow members Jung Kook and V at the celebration.

Persons: Kim Soo, Audrey Lintner, RM, Jung Kook, V, I've, Kim Hye, Daewoung Kim, Jimin Jung, Joyce Lee, Lincoln Organizations: REUTERS, BTS, RM, Thomson Locations: Seoul, South Korea, SEOUL, South Korea's, Han, Sri Lanka

☆ BTS 10th anniversary: Superfans make pilgrimage to South Korea to celebrate the K-pop band that conquered the globe
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Kathleen Magramo Yoonjung Seo Paula Hancocks | Kathleen Magramo | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Scroll through the gallery to see how the K-pop group went global. ilgan Sports/Multi-Bits/Getty Images BTS fans at the "Love Yourself" North American Tour at the Staples Center on September 9, 2018 in Los Angeles. Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/Getty Images BTS won all three awards they were nominated for at the 2021 American Music Awards held in Los Angeles. Theo Wargo/Getty Images BTS addressed Asian inclusion and representation at the White House in Washington, DC on May 31, 2022. “Being in America and not seeing that much of Asian representation, when I saw that seven Asian guys were trending … that totally like piqued my interest immediately.

Persons: Rowan Joss, Katie Myles ’, they’re, ’ ”, Joss, HYBE, Myles, Kim Tae, Jung Ho, Kim Nam, Kim Seok, Jeon Jung, kook, Min Yoon, Psy’s, ”, Chelsea Guglielmino, Jimmy Fallon, Andrew Lipovsky, Matt Winkelmeyer, Theo Wargo, Kent Nishimura, CedarBough Saeji, ” Saeji, Katie Myles, –, hasn’t, Anthony Wallace, ’, Lisa Trinh, Diana Phung, they’ve, Trinh, they’ll, Jimin, Hwang Young, Startrip, Yoonjung Seo, Jungkook, dad, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, it’s, Michelle Cho, It’s, Phung Organizations: Seoul CNN —, BTS, Records, YouTube, ilgan, Staples Center, Chelsea, NBC, Getty, White, Los Angeles Times, East Asian Studies, Pusan National University, ARMY, Ministry of Culture, Tourism, Tower, CNN, The, Guinness, Spotify, University of Toronto Locations: Hong Kong, Seoul, South Korea, Scotland, Los Angeles, Washington , DC, Korean, AFP, Seoul’s, California, Gangwon province, Busan, Korea, Cafe, America

☆ Boy Band BTS’s Next Hit: A Boardroom Drama?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Jacky Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

BTS member Jung Kook performing during the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar last year. The Korean pop-music industry’s influence has swept around the world in the past couple of decades. It is also producing gripping corporate drama: A potential bidding war is brewing, involving two of the largest companies in the K-pop industry. South Korea’s Hybe, the agency behind boy band BTS, launched a tender offer on Friday to buy a quarter of its rival SM Entertainment. It has also agreed to purchase a 14.8% stake from SM’s founder Lee Soo-man.

☆ The US may have lost in the World Cup, but soccer is more popular than ever in America
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +36 min

The Atlas Lions made history as the first African team to reach a World Cup semifinal. They made history as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament. Less spoken about is that they also rate better on television than the men do in the World Cup. We’ll just have to wait and see, though with the US, Canada and Mexico hosting the 2026 World Cup, soccer isn’t going away anytime soon.

☆ Croatia beats Japan on penalties to reach World Cup quarterfinals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +28 min

CNN —Goalkeeper Dominik Livaković made himself a national hero as Croatia beat Japan on penalties 1-1 (3-1) to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. Marko Djurica/ReutersJapan’s heartbreakDespite its defeat, Japan can look back at an impressive World Cup campaign. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Mbappé was one of the leading stars of the team's World Cup triumph four years ago. He also became just the third goalkeeper to save three penalties in a single World Cup shootout.

☆ France reaches World Cup quarterfinals with 3-1 victory over Poland as Kylian Mbappé breaks Pelé’s record
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +30 min

CNN —France was made to work hard for its place in the World Cup quarterfinals, overcoming an improved Poland side 3-1 thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé. That is Mbappé’s fifth goal of Qatar 2022 and already his ninth World Cup goal overall, breaking Pelé’s record of seven World Cup goals scored before the age of 24. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Issei Kato/Reuters Kylian Mbappé scores his second goal on November 26, leading France to a 2-1 victory over Denmark. Mbappé was one of the leading stars of the team's World Cup triumph four years ago.

☆ USMNT’s youth and talent at Qatar 2022 bodes well for 2026 World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +31 min

The Netherlands knocked the USMNT out of the Qatar World Cup on Saturday. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Frappert became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament. Qatar is the first Islamic country to host a World Cup.

☆ Japan vs. Croatia: Samurai Blue aiming to reach World Cup quarterfinals for first time
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +31 min

CNN —In a World Cup of surprises, Japan has played a leading role in headline-making shock results. Croatia is a team undefeated in nine of its last 10 World Cup matches. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Frappert became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament.

☆ Gareth Bale saves Wales to frustrate USMNT
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Matthew Ashton/AMA/Getty Images Walker Zimmerman fouls Wales' Gareth Bale in the box, conceding a second-half penalty that Bale would convert to tie the match at 1-1. Pedro Nunes/Reuters US fans stand for the national anthem prior to the Wales match. Stu Forster/Getty Images Wales' Neco Williams tries to fend off Weston McKennie on Monday. Francisco Seco/AP A family watches the opening match from their home in Doha. But just as all hope looked to have disappeared for Wales, Bale was clumsily brought down by Walker Zimmerman in the US box.

☆ Ecuador dampens Qatar’s party as controversial World Cup gets underway
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Al Khor, Qatar CNN —For the past year, a giant clock in Doha has been counting down to the opening match of the World Cup. Qatar and the world need wait no more, after this controversial tournament got underway Sunday with the host losing 2-0 to Ecuador. People watch as fireworks go off before the start of the World Cup at the Al Bayt Stadium. The country’s last-minute ban of alcohol in World Cup stadiums also made headlines around the world. Colombian singer Maluma, who features in the official World Cup anthem, walked out of an interview on Israeli television when he was questioned about the Gulf state’s human rights record.

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