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Worldwide boy-band sensation BTS may be on hiatus, but refreshing new financial acts threaten to upend the world of K-pop, and perhaps South Korea. The battle over 28-year-old SM Entertainment, the $2.3 billion force behind Girls' Generation and EXO, is at heart a family feud. It helps, too, that K-pop has turned into one of South Korea’s strongest exports, thanks largely to “Butter” and “Dynamite” singers BTS. "We oppose all aggressive outside mergers and acquisitions, including Hybe," SM said in a statement, according to Reuters. Separately, internet conglomerate Kakao said on Feb. 7 it would acquire a 9.05% stake in SM via 112 billion won of new shares and 105 billion won of convertible bonds.

But unlike ICBC and its peers, Ant neither took deposits, nor piled risky loans onto its balance sheet. Free from the red tape that binds regular banks, the loans facilitated by Ant ballooned. Digital offerings accounted for half of overall consumer loans in China, Fitch Ratings calculated in 2021. Ant is set to become a licensed financial holding company, putting it under the close watch of China's main banking regulator. Beijing wants Chinese consumers to consume, so is likely to indulge controlled growth of consumer credit.

☆ Michael Haight is accused of killing his wife and 5 kids in a brutal Utah familicide. Police reports suggest he had a troubling pattern of aggression toward children.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Police say Michael Haight, 42, shot and killed his wife, Tausha Haight, 40, her mother, Gail Earl, 78, and the couple's five children, three girls, and two boys ages 4 to 17, before committing suicide. The couple had five children: Macie Haight, 17, Briley Haight, 12, Ammon Haight, 7, Sienna Haight, 7, and Gavin Haight, 4. The officer told her there was no indication Michael Haight would respond with violence, according to the report. At some point prior to the massacre, Tausha Haight told family members that her husband removed all the firearms from the home, her sister-in-law, told the AP. Park said he last met with Tausha Haight on Tuesday, January 3 — the day before the family's bodies were discovered.

Kishida said in a speech at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies that China was the central challenge for both Japan and the United States. "It is absolutely imperative for Japan, the United States and Europe to stand united in managing our respective relationship with China," he added. "The international community is at a historical turning point: the free, open and stable international order that we have dedicated ourselves to upholding is now in grave danger," Kishida said. China's vision for the international order differs from the views of Japan and the United States in some ways that the allies "can never accept," Kishida said. "China needs to make a strategic decision that it will abide by established international rules and that it cannot and will not change the international order in way that are contrary to these rules," Kishida said.

HONG KONG, Jan 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Jack Ma is leading China’s consumer internet out of the sin bin. After his fintech champion Ant said its founder will cede control, shares in affiliate Alibaba (9988.HK), rose 7% in Hong Kong on Monday morning. The company on Saturday announced that Ma's 50%-plus voting stake will be whittled down to roughly 6%, and a fifth independent director will join the board. Follow @mak_robyn on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSChinese financial technology company Ant on Jan. 7 announced its founder Jack Ma will give up majority control of the company as part of a broader "corporate governance optimization". Ma held more than 50% of voting rights in Ant via his investment vehicle, Hangzhou Yunbo, which effectively controlled two other entities that owned a combined 53.46% stake in Ant.

HONG KONG, Jan 5 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Western Digital (WDC.O) faces a daunting M&A challenge. Both outfits specialise in a type of memory chip called NAND flash, which is used in smartphones, computers and data centre servers. Yet even if the logic for a combination looks more compelling against this backdrop, the M&A hurdles Western Digital faced in 2021 are even more challenging today. The union between Western Digital and Kioxia will be a long slog, but worth it. Shares of Western Digital rose 7.7% to $35.63 during after-hours trading in New York on Jan. 4.

Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, is gearing up to supply cars, and the chips and batteries that go into them, to global marques. It sees automakers entrusting the company with production in Indonesia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, the United States and beyond. Getting there requires Foxconn ditching a tried and tested business model. To make smartphones, the company relies on a few factories it owns in China and it has little say over the underlying supply chains and which components to use. Foxconn has also tied up with Ohio-based Lordstown Motors (RIDE.O) in the United States; its factory is already making electric pickup trucks and could start supplying to other American brands within a year.

HONG KONG, Dec 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - America’s chip war against China will make only partial inroads in 2023. After unveiling sweeping new export restrictions in October, Washington appears to have successfully lobbied friendly governments including Japan and the Netherlands to join. Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher already said in November her government "will not copy the American measures one-to-one". Rival Nikon (7731.T) made sales of over 153 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in China, some 28% of total. In November, Dutch Trade Minister Liesje Schreinemacher confirmed the Netherlands was in talks with the U.S. government about new export restrictions.

A combination of targeted subsidies and local demand will help. China's dependence on foreign suppliers for lithography machines, used to print patterns onto silicon wafers, light-resistant wafer coatings known as photoresists and other vital tools cannot be understated. A 2021 report found that Chinese chipmakers buy less than a fifth of their equipment by value from local suppliers and that the country has localised less than 8% of annual equipment demand. China's equipment specialists, such as little-known firms NAURA Technology Group (002371.SZ) and Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment (688012.SS), are probably too small to effectively absorb massive amounts of government funding anyway. The majority of the funds will be used to subsidise the purchase of domestic semiconductor equipment by Chinese chipmakers.

☆ Tantrums: Screens hurt kids' emotional regulation, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Frequently using digital devices to distract from unpleasant and disruptive behavior like tantrums was associated with more emotional dysregulation in kids — particularly boys and children who were already struggling with emotional regulation, according to the study. It can be helpful for caregivers to help kids name their emotions and offer solutions when they are responding inappropriately to those feelings, she said. To reinforce it, adults can talk about their own emotions in terms of colors in front of their kids, Radesky said. And there is some content that can help teach emotional regulation when your tank is empty. The study isn’t saying to never distract a child with media, but rather to keep your go-to tools ones that encourage emotional regulation, Radesky said.

The Chinese pharmaceutical giant may revive a buyout of its 32%-owned traditional medicine arm listed in Hong Kong. The state-backed group's latest bid for China Traditional Chinese Medicine (0570.HK) looks generous. China TCM's woes are a stark contrast to mainland-listed rivals, including some with heavy exposure to drugs presented as fixes to Covid-19. Assuming some of that enthusiasm can rub off on China TCM, that makes Sinopharm's latest offer look like a steal. Follow @mak_robyn on TwitterloadingCONTEXT NEWSSinopharm is considering reviving a bid for China Traditional Chinese Medicine Holdings, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 7, citing people familiar with the matter.

But doctors often recommended the monoclonal antibody for people taking certain immunosuppressive medications, such as cancer patients or transplant recipients, since Paxlovid can interact negatively with several of those drugs. Casadevall said convalescent plasma is an effective alternative to monoclonal antibodies, but it's more complicated to administer and oversee. Pharma companies haven't given up on the promise of new monoclonal antibody drugs, however. A spokesperson for Eli Lilly said the company is searching for and evaluating monoclonal antibody candidates. Casadevall said new monoclonal antibody drugs are still worth pursuing, since they have proven safe and effective against Covid.

HONG KONG, Dec 1 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Covid-19 lockdowns and protests across China have highlighted the risks of the mutual dependence between Taiwan's Foxconn and its top customer Apple (AAPL.O). It makes 70% of the world’s iPhones, according to Fubon Research. Meanwhile Apple’s huge investments into Foxconn have paid off: the U.S. company is the most profitable smartphone maker by far. Foxconn has been scrambling to contain the fallout, offering bonuses to temporary workers and shifting production to other facilities. At the time, Foxconn said it was bringing the situation under control and was coordinating with other plants to increase production.

☆ Adderall users struggle amid ongoing medication shortage
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Raenu Charles | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A report from data analytics firm Trilliant Health found that nationally, prescriptions for Adderall among people ages 22 to 44 increased 15% between 2020 and 2021. “I’ve had patients call 10,15, 20 pharmacies in order to get their medication,” Goodman said. Clara is headed to her doctor to seek an alternative medication until Adderall is back in stock. It took five days for his pharmacy to fill his prescription in late October, and those days took a toll. Goodman strongly warns against this, offering a reminder that not only is selling your own prescription medication a felony, so is sharing it with others.

HONG KONG, Nov 17 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Naspers (NPNJn.J) has a new Tencent (0700.HK) quandary. In June, they launched an open-ended plan to gradually sell Tencent shares and use the proceeds to repurchase stock in both companies. The problem, however, is that Tencent stock has underperformed that of Naspers and Prosus. Over the same period Naspers shares rose 6% while those of its Dutch subsidiary are down 19%. “The Naspers Board and Prosus Board reiterate their continued confidence in Tencent's long term prospects and continue to believe that the share repurchase programme is in the best interests of Prosus, Naspers and their respective shareholders," they said in a statement.

☆ Experimental therapy gantenerumab fails to slow or improve Alzheimer’s memory loss in clinical trials
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Gantenerumab is part of a class of injected drugs that are designed to remove sticky protein pieces called beta amyloid from the brain. Beta amyloid buildup is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Roche said Monday that gantenerumab appears to have removed less beta amyloid from the brains of study participants than anticipated. The results for gantenerumab follow positive results for a different beta amyloid reducing drug, lecanemab. An estimated 6.5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2022, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

HONG KONG, Nov 1 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Hong Kong’s third-quarter GDP plunged 4.5% from a year earlier as consumers and companies slashed spending. The government is trying to rally enthusiasm for its finance sector - as signaled by the flagship Fintech Week and Global Financial Leaders Investment Summit events happening this week. Beijing's commitment to stamping out Covid-19 infections on the mainland has halted vital flows of tourists and business people to Hong Kong. Moreover, Hong Kong's currency peg to the U.S. dollar means it must follow the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate hikes even though its inflation rate is less than half that in the United States. "Looking ahead, the markedly deteriorating external environment will continue to pose immense pressure on Hong Kong's export performance in the remainder of the year," the city government said.

☆ Staff shortages make patient surges harder for children’s hospitals – and the situation won’t get better soon
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Jen Christensen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“We’re extremely overwhelmed,” said Dr. Rishi Lulla, director of pediatric hematology/oncology at Hasbro Children’s Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island. Seasonal respiratory viruses fill children’s hospitals every year, but the number of beds that are full now is well above the average. Driving much of the current need for beds at children’s hospitals is a spike in cases of RSV, which are 60% higher than at 2021’s peak. Nurse turnover is up 50% across the country since 2019, according to Mark Wietecha, CEO of the Children’s Hospital Association. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team.

☆ The world is running out of helium. Here's why doctors are worried.
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Caroline Hopkins | Nbc News Contributor Caroline Hopkins Is A Health | Science Journalist Who Covers Cancer Treatment For Precision Oncology News. She Is A Graduate Of The Columbia University Graduate School Of Journalism. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

A global helium shortage has doctors worried about one of the natural gas’s most essential, and perhaps unexpected, uses: MRIs. Now, four of five major U.S. helium suppliers are rationing the element, said Phil Kornbluth, president of Kornbluth Helium Consulting. That’s where helium comes in: With a boiling point of minus 452 degrees Fahrenheit, liquid helium is the coldest element on Earth. “Without helium, MRIs would have to shut down.”Manufacturers like GE Healthcare and Siemens Healthineers recognize this vulnerability. As doctors dread possible worst-case scenarios, scientists who use liquid helium for research are already there.

☆ With homicide a leading cause of maternal death, doctors urged to screen pregnant women for domestic violence
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Other research suggests that they are also at higher risk of homicide than women who are not pregnant. “While many factors contribute to the high maternal mortality rates observed in the US, the inextricable and lethal link between intimate partner violence and gun violence must be considered. Pregnancy represents a particularly high-risk time for experiencing intimate partner violence and women are more likely to be killed by an intimate partner if their partner has access to a firearm,” Lawn said. Brown added that intimate partner violence has been part of discussions around maternal health at Northwell’s Center for Maternal Health, as well as assessing women for risks of intimate partner violence. Data on maternal deaths related to intimate partner violence is often lacking – but screening can help, said Kamila Alexander, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

HONG KONG, Oct 19 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Solving Hong Kong's brain drain problem need not be complicated. Leader John Lee hopes lower property taxes and a new visa scheme will persuade foreign talent not to move to destinations like Singapore. As a result, Hong Kong's mid-year population dipped 1.6% to 7.29 million - the steepest year-on-year drop on record. Non-residents are also eligible to apply for a refund of the extra stamp duty paid for buying property in Hong Kong once they become a permanent resident. Lee may be ignoring them, but the main policy solutions are staring him in the face.

There has been evidence that the omicron variant tends not to burrow deeply into the lungs as much as previous variants. How quickly do omicron symptoms appear? What is the duration of omicron symptoms? Although much about the omicron variant remains unknown, some experts say it could lead to long Covid, even with mild cases. The BA.5 omicron subvariant accounted for nearly 80% of new Covid cases as of Oct. 8, according to the CDC.

HONG KONG, Oct 11 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Washington's sweeping technology curbs on China today will have ripple effects across global supply chains tomorrow. But the ban may prompt Chinese chipmakers to hasten their progress in the commoditised parts of the market, embedding firms like Semiconductor Manufacturing International (0981.HK) in global supply chains. The measures mark a huge escalation in President Joe Biden's efforts to hobble Beijing's chip advances. Essentially, any company that uses American equipment will be restricted from selling relatively high-tech semiconductors or tools to Chinese firms. And because nearly every factory relies on crucial hardware and software from U.S. suppliers like Lam Research (LRCX.O) and Applied Materials (AMAT.O), the latest move potentially sets back Chinese chipmakers by years, if not decades.

HONG KONG, Oct 7 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Too much cash can be a problem sometimes, especially in South Korea. Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), meanwhile, may find that deploying its $77 billion war chest is getting trickier. The company estimates third-quarter operating profit at 10.8 trillion won ($7.7 billion), down 32% from a year earlier and below analysts’ expectations. Prices for so-called DRAM and NAND memory chips, a highly cyclical sector that's Samsung's biggest profit driver, have yet to bottom out. CONTEXT NEWSSouth Korea's Samsung Electronics on Oct. 7 announced earnings guidance for the third quarter of 2022.

☆ Experimental Alzheimer's drug: After promising data, experts say many questions remain
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-04 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

CNN —The experimental Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab made big news last week when the companies testing it released trial results that showed the drug met its goals, making it one of the first dementia drugs to return positive results. By some counts, lecanemab is the 16th drug that’s been developed to clear toxic amyloid plaques from the brain. Or did the companies that are testing it – Biogen and Eisai – run a smarter clinical trial that finally showcased the potential of these kinds of medications? Clinical trial results were mixed, with only one showing a small benefit to patients. He says he might change his mind if analysis of the clinical trial shows that one group of people got more of a benefit than others.

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