Innholdsfortegnelse for March 15, 2024 i Newsweek International

1996 “The Ritalin riddle, a brain teaser for the ’90s, confounds doctors, parents and, sometimes, children,” Newsweek wrote, adding that “the stimulant can be a godsend for those who truly need it ... but for those who don’t need it, Ritalin and its generic twins can be useless, or can even backfire.” The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 6 million children in the U.S. have ADHD, 62 percent of whom are prescribed medications like Ritalin. Since late 2022, there has been a nationwide shortage of such drugs due to increasing demand and federal limits on supply. 1976 Newsweek said Luciano Pavarotti’s “extraordinary voice” could “explore the highest reaches of the tenor range without losing its honeyed texture and sweetness.” The famed Italian opera singer lives…

With Angola’s economy gathering momentum in recent years thanks to the emergence of new and booming sectors, the improved investment climate has enabled the rapid expansion of an increasingly competitive banking sector. The finance industry has supported the country’s economic diversification, moving away from a reliance on oil and exploring areas such as agriculture, fishing and semi-precious stones. The government has also introduced regulations and programs aimed at supporting emerging sectors, including tax incentives, credit guarantees and mortgage assistance. Furthermore, a lower, fixed interest rate of 7 percent was introduced to make banking services more affordable for the manufacturing sector. “The banking sector in Angola is probably the country’s best organized and regulated sector,” believes Mário do Nascimento, President of the Angolan Banking Association (ABANC). “The financial sector relies heavily…

With the oldest and fastest-aging population in the world, Japan’s healthcare is facing unprecedented challenges. However, with the help of Japanese ingenuity and innovation, the nation’s medical manufacturing companies are taking on these challenges by designing better products, solutions and devices. As the nation moves from treatment to preventive care, new digital technologies such as AI, robotics and Big Data are playing an increasingly prominent role in healthcare, with medical device manufacturers like Toray Medical looking at ways to incorporate these technologies into their products moving forward. “By utilizing Big Data and AI, the medical industry will be able to provide more high-precision detection and treatment to patients, thus overcoming discrepancies,” says Mitsuru Tanabe, President of Toray Medical, whose business includes dialysis equipment, ICU-related solutions, and other medical equipment. “This…

“We will continue to contribute to society by mobilizing our technological capabilities and through providing high-quality, cutting-edge medical products and services.”Mitsuru Tanabe, President, Toray Medical Since its establishment in 1980, Toray Medical has been committed to offering high-quality medical devices, pharmaceutical products and services to patients, as part of its vision to bring the finest-quality and most advanced healthcare to the world. The company is part of Toray Group, an integrated chemical industry organization developing its business in 26 countries and regions worldwide through combining nanotechnology with its core technologies of organic synthetic chemistry, polymer chemistry and biotechnology. “Our business began in the blood purification field by offering the world’s first synthetic polymeric membrane-based artificial kidney that utilized Toray’s fiber technology,” says the company president, Mitsuru Tanabe. “Since then, we…

In recent years the transport sector in Angola has undergone a substantial overhaul that has led to the implementation of new policies, the formation of regulatory and supervisory bodies and the creation of new infrastructure. Led by the Ministry of Transport, the significant improvements have helped to create a competitive and attractive sector that is drawing increased interest and investment from the private sector. One of the largest and most important projects has been the creation of the Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport, which was officially inaugurated on November 10, 2023. Situated in the capital of Luanda, cargo operations are already underway, while domestic flights will begin in the months ahead and international passengers are expected to use the airport by the summer. “The new airport is a significant…

Since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, Angola’s economy has enjoyed rapid growth as a range of industries have undergone a significant transformation and have embraced modernization and innovation. This has been seen in numerous sectors but is particularly prevalent in the fields of finance and energy. When it comes to the latter, one of the companies changing the way it operates is ACREP, an upstream player with a strategic focus on the promotion and relaunch of abandoned oil fields. Founded in 2003, it has recently made a significant investment in technological innovation to improve the efficiency of its exploration operations. “We created an autonomous company, Dinge Sondagens, and acquired an oil rig and a cementing unit for drilling and repairing oil wells. This acquisition represents a strategic step in…

KM Biologics plays a key role in safeguarding the health of Japan’s population, developing cutting-edge vaccines and blood-plasma products, and screening newborn babies. “Our company traces its origins to the mission of enhancing public health to bolster Japan’s postwar reconstruction,” explains President Toshiaki Nagasato. “In 1945, we began manufacturing a vaccine for the now-eradicated smallpox disease, and we’ve since become one of only three companies worldwide supplying modern smallpox and monkeypox vaccines.” Mr. Nagasato adds: “After the 2009 pandemic influenza outbreak, we were the first in the world to establish a domestic vaccine supply system – and today we boast the capability to supply the vaccine to around 57 million people.” In the blood-plasma field, KM Biologics’ ground-breaking R&D efforts have yielded notable feats such as the development of AnactC,…

ASKA Pharmaceutical is today the leading force in Japan’s obstetrics and gynecology sector, showcasing a relentless pursuit of excellence in women’s healthcare that demonstrates its commitment beyond mere sales figures. “We aim to become a total healthcare company and a global entity, aligning with our corporate philosophy,” says Sohta Yamaguchi, the company’s president. ASKA’s strategic shift to a holdings model enables the company to offer comprehensive health services, from prevention to post-treatment, meeting the evolving needs of a proactive populace. With innovative products like RELUMINA (relugolix) for uterine fibroids and endometriosis, and essential products in the treatment of thyroid disease, ASKA Pharmaceutical stands out by providing effective solutions. “We offer drugs that provide treatment options for women’s health challenges at every stage of life,” Mr. Yamaguchi explains. “We aim to…

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T CALL GAYLE KING an icon. “Diana Ross, to me, is an icon.” Fair. But one moniker she is fine with is America’s best friend. “I’ll take that as a compliment. I like that.” And it fits, considering her many titles: center anchor of CBS Mornings, editor at large of Oprah Daily, co-host of CNN’s King Charles. “If I get five [hours of sleep], I’m doing the hula.” At CBS Mornings, it’s the combination of King, Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson that creates a dynamic unlike any other morning show. “We can educate, we can inform and entertain without being a comedy show. Clearly, people like watching people that they think enjoy working with each other. We certainly have that down on lock. But I think that…

UNDERSTANDING THE BALANCE BETWEEN DARK COMEDY AND MYSTERY is a unique quality of Annette Bening, which she puts to good use in Peacock’s limited series Apples Never Fall (March 14), based on Liane Moriarty’s book. “Everybody has a secret, and that’s fun.” Bening plays Joy Delaney, the matriarch of a seemingly perfect family who suddenly disappears. “Even in the best comedies, there’s a deep dis-ease inside of people that we’re trying to dramatize.” In typical Bening style, she’s able to show this dance between genres with such subtlety. “A lot of times in film, the moments that we remember characters are often quiet [ones].” Describing the story as “juicy,” Bening says, “right now we all need a certain amount of entertainment.” Recently she did just that in the film Nyad,…

One of the key priorites of the government since coming into power in 2017, Angola has made substantial strides in the development of its ICT infrastructure through the introduction of data centers, the expansion of its fiber optic program and the use of communication satellites. There has also been rapid acceleration regarding digital transformation, with increased adoption of online platforms and remote working systems. Through this work, Angola hopes to become a prominent ICT hub in the southern and central regions of Africa, further diversifying the economy and boosting private sector participation. The government is also aiming to bring Internet access to the most rural and remote parts of the country, ensuring that there is digital inclusion throughout the whole of Angola. “We have introduced a host of projects that…

The economy in Angola has long been dependent on the thriving oil and gas industry and while the sector continues to be a substantial contributor to the country’s GDP, the emergence of agriculture, fisheries and mining has played an important role in helping the economy to recover since the COVID-19 pandemic. With the government keen to see the continued diversification of the economy so that there is less of a reliance on the oil and gas industry, even companies that have traditionally focused on the energy sector are beginning to explore new industries. One such company is Poliedro, which initially focused on the oil sector but has gradually begun to explore new revenue streams and is planning to diversify its operations in the decade ahead. “A substantial portion of Poliedro’s…

“Our mission is to transform healthcare through expertise in ENT and equilibrium, forging a path toward a better world.”Masaaki Hayashi, President, DAIICHI MEDICAL CO., LTD. In an aging Japan, where the emphasis is shifting towards preventive healthcare, Daiichi Medical stands at the forefront of innovation, with digital technologies being pivotal. With a focus on otolaryngology and equilibrium research, it has pioneered solutions like the ZAOSONiC Ultrasonic Surgical Device and the Diamond Forceps, with an underlying aim of restoring patients’ lost functions. The ZAOSONiC offers the advantage of delicately shaving bone without damaging surrounding tissue, ensuring minimal invasiveness in treatment procedures. The Diamond Forceps can grasp thin and slippery tissues firmly, facilitating precise manipulation during surgical interventions. “Our aim is to provide the highest quality, considering not only the welfare of…

Antigua and Barbuda’s economy is thriving, with the twin-island Caribbean idyll recording around 6.5 percent average annual growth in its gross domestic product since 2021. This performance has been helped by a rapid post-COVID rebound of tourism, which contributes about 65 percent of the nation’s GDP, as visitors flock back to experience its stunning beaches, seas, rainforests, colonial history and vibrant culture. “In the first quarter of 2023, our tourism numbers were 5 percent up on 2019, which was a record year. We also had a very good summer and 2024 is looking great,” reveals Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment Charles Fernandez. The country has invested in infrastructure to encourage the sector’s expansion, he says: “Antigua’s airport has been voted the best in the Caribbean for at…