AI News 180m Report｜2026-08-21 00:00–03:00 JSThttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.htmlOne place for news and notices from 2 countries/regions: Taiwan, 33 items from 5 sources; Japan, 6 items from 1 source.One edition every 180 minutes: every item from every source received in the period, with the original link.en Why is someone always tending the incense during a wake? What does “the incense must never go out” really mean? A look at the most common funeral tabooshttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123044https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123044Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:00:00 +0900Taiwan風傳媒An article explaining the meaning and background of “the incense must never go out” in traditional Taiwanese funerals, as well as changes in modern funeral customs. It analyzes the practical significance of keeping vigil and the origins of related taboos, and compares them with modern funeral practices. Dilraba and Bai Lu both lose! The TOP10 most handsome actresses in male disguise in Chinese dramas: She takes the crown, looking more dashing in men’s clothes than the male lead, with her heroic air impossible to hidehttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123045https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123045Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:30:00 +0900Taiwan風傳媒中国のネットユーザーが選ぶ『陸劇で最もカッコいい女扮男装女優』ランキングが話題に。邢恩が1位に輝き、ディ麗熱巴や白鹿ら人気女優も上位にランクインした。 “5 household items” to throw away now! A fortune teller reveals Ghost Month taboos: get it wrong and your wealth will vanish, ruining your luck for the whole yearhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123046https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123046Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:05:00 +0900Taiwan風傳媒A fortune teller says five kinds of items should be cleared out of the home during the seventh lunar month, or they could lead to financial losses and bad luck for the whole year. This is a folk belief, not scientific advice, but is widely taken seriously in Chinese culture. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Along with the Gods lose! This film tops Taiwan’s Netflix movie rankings: based on a true story, it left viewers heartbroken｜Streaming links includedhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118450https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118450Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:59:00 +0900Taiwan風傳媒台湾映画『鳳姐』がNetflix台湾で1位に。実話を基にした感動ストーリーが『鬼滅之刃』などを抜き、社会的弱者の現実を描いた点が評価された。 U.S. Treasury yields rise, oil prices climb; 3 major U.S. stock indexes open slightly lowerhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118451https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118451Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:33:03 +0900Taiwan風傳媒Yields rose as the U.S. Treasury stepped up buybacks of long-term bonds, while worsening tensions in the Middle East also sent oil prices soaring. The 3 major U.S. stock indexes opened lower on the 20th, reflecting investors’ risk-averse stance. Big package for military, civil service and education personnel! Salaries to rise 4% next year, with a 5.89% adjustment to monthly pensions also included in the general budgethttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118452https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118452Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:31:59 +0900Taiwan風傳媒 Don’t fall in love with stocks? Expert reveals a strategy of investing “with marriage in mind”: profits can multiply several times overhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118453https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118453Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:20:34 +0900Taiwan風傳媒Xie Fuxu, editor-in-chief of “Stock Investment Assistant E-Newsletter,” said that an approach to stock investing akin to “dating with marriage in mind” is important. He explained that holding stocks long term rather than trading short term can yield gains of several times. U.S. “big move to save Treasuries” falls flat! Yields return to square one in just 1 day; expert says Trump must make a choicehttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118324https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118324Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:59:22 +0900Taiwan風傳媒The U.S. Treasury doubled its buybacks of long-term bonds, but the market reaction was temporary, and yields rose again the following day. Experts said this was not a fundamental solution and stressed the need to force the Trump administration to make policy choices. Mobile governance inspection heads to Xizhi; Hou You-yi says progress on the MRT Xidong Line is steadyhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118325https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118325Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:41:32 +0900Taiwan風傳媒New Taipei City Mayor Hou Youyi checked on progress on the MRT Xidong Line and improvements to sports facilities during a visit to Xizhi District as part of his action-based governance. The city is aiming for completion in 2032 and promoting improvements to local transportation and sports facilities. Stronger rebound potential than ETFs? Expert says active funds are capturing Taiwan’s leading stocks: these 3 funds have a high weighting in 川湖https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118326https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118326Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:39:30 +0900Taiwan風傳媒After a correction in July, Taiwan stocks rebounded in August. According to Feng Zhiyuan of Lipper, active funds in the Nomura group aggressively held shares such as 川湖 and achieved the top returns, demonstrating differences in stock-picking ability. Major reversal in the Third Terminal development case! Supreme Administrative Court rules Interior Ministry acted unlawfully, annuls original decision with finalityhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118327https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118327Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:15:51 +0900Taiwan風傳媒The Supreme Administrative Court ruled that the Interior Ministry acted unlawfully in approving the Third Terminal development project and annulled its original decision. Taoyuan residents and environmental groups won their case to protect the algal reefs, highlighting the conflict between environmental and energy policies. After leading Hongtai Life for 12 years, president Tang Wei-hua resigns; Hsing Kai-kuo to serve as acting presidenthttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118328https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118328Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:14:19 +0900Taiwan風傳媒Hongtai Life President Tang Wei-hua resigned for career planning reasons, ending a 12-year tenure. Senior vice president Hsing Kai-kuo will serve as acting president. Chairman Li Chi-hsien will remain in his post, signaling the company’s emphasis on stable governance. Why is Wang Hui-mei letting Wei Ping-cheng off the hook? Media figure reveals “feud between 2 KMT heavyweights”: Changhua election outlook is not optimistichttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118329https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118329Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:02:02 +0900Taiwan風傳媒It has been suggested that a feud between KMT Chairperson Cheng Li-wun and New Taipei City Mayor Hou Youyi lies behind Changhua County Magistrate Wang Huimei’s refusal to support fellow party candidate Wei Ping-zheng. The election outlook is challenging for the KMT. 500 local residents back Lee Chuan at Zhonghe forum; he pledges full support for urban renewal and MRT constructionhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118348https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118348Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:57:00 +0900Taiwan風傳媒New Taipei mayoral candidate Lee Chuan held a forum in Zhonghe, winning support from 500 local residents and more than 40 borough chiefs. He announced plans to promote “Urban Renewal 5 Strong” and extend the MRT Zhonghe-Guangfu Line, improving housing safety and transport. Are Switch 2 sales stalling? U.S. sales halve as console market sees its worst July since the pandemichttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2122984https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2122984Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:00:04 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網任天堂 Switch 2 sales in the U.S. in July were down by half from a year earlier, while the overall video game console market slumped. High component costs and a shortage of new releases were factors. Bessent saved $200 million but may have created a bigger risk? Wall Street warns U.S. debt costs could rise furtherhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2122985https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2122985Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:30:09 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網The U.S. Treasury expanded its buybacks of long-term bonds without warning, temporarily restraining borrowing costs. But the move undermined policy predictability, raising the risk of higher borrowing costs over the long term. U.S. initial jobless claims fall to 20.6万 last week, giving Fed more reason to stand pat next monthhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118390https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118390Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:00:11 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網Initial U.S. jobless claims fell to 206,000 last week, below market expectations. This indicates that the labor market remains solid and gives the Federal Reserve grounds to hold off on raising interest rates in September. $4 billion is not enough! Bessent hints at expanding Treasury buybacks againhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118391https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118391Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:39:50 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent suggested that buybacks of long-term bonds could be increased to more than $4 billion. The move is intended to address deteriorating market liquidity and rising yields, while emphasizing the economy’s underlying strength. 〈Earnings〉Raises full-year forecast but still takes a hit! Walmart Q2 comparable-store sales growth slowest in more than 6 years; shares plunge 9%https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118392https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118392Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:30:08 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網U.S. retail giant Walmart reported Q2 sales and earnings that beat expectations, but U.S. same-store sales growth slowed to its lowest level in 6 years, shaking market confidence. Its shares plunged more than 9%. Major new investment in AI memory! Micron to spend $10 billion on research centerhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118263https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118263Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:10 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網U.S. memory chip giant Micron announced that it will invest $10 billion over the next 10 years to establish “Micron Research Labs” in Boise, Idaho. The facility will be the first dedicated memory technology research center in the United States, with the aim of strengthening semiconductor competitiveness in the AI era. Bloomberg: Meta uses trillions of tokens every week, quietly becoming a major Microsoft AI customerhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118264https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118264Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:51:13 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網Meta is using Microsoft Azure to run AI workloads of several trillion tokens every week. The concentration of AI demand has become apparent, raising concerns about its impact on the industry’s structure. Startups eye Beitou-Shilin Science Park? Premier Cho directs National Science Council to study TTA base to vie for AI and next-generation communicationshttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118265https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118265Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:45:28 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網Premier Cho Jung-tai directed the National Science Council to study establishing a new TTA base in Beitou-Shilin Science Park to expand space for startups and strengthen AI and next-generation communications development, as the existing TTA is nearing capacity. Weekday lodging subsidy of up to 3700 per person; Tourism Administration says program starts 9/1 to boost domestic travelhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118266https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118266Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:44:25 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網The Tourism Administration of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications will launch weekday accommodation subsidies starting September 1 to boost domestic travel and stimulate the economy. It will also offer discounts of up to NT$3,700 and roll out measures to attract international tourists. Investigation into NVIDIA server transshipment case released! Super Micro says senior executives were unaware; shares briefly surge nearly 6%https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118267https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118267Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:30:04 +0900Taiwan鉅亨網U.S. server company Super Micro Computer (SMCI) launched an independent investigation into allegations that servers equipped with NVIDIA AI chips were illegally diverted to China. The company said executives were not involved and dismissed some employees. Its shares rose as much as 6% after the announcement. Inflation concerns persist; most European stocks close lowerhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123105https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123105Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:15:11 +0900Taiwan中央社 CNA Washington to impose its harshest-ever sanctions on Iran; U.S. Treasury secretary urges China to cooperatehttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123104https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2123104Fri, 21 Aug 2026 02:14:09 +0900Taiwan中央社 CNA 趙建銘返台不受訪 提供文件稱2人協議違反保密賠1億https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2122983https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2122983Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:50:06 +0900Taiwan中央社 CNA Supreme Administrative Court revokes coastal-use permit for 三接; 內政部: deeply surprisedhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118389https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118389Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:46:59 +0900Taiwan中央社 CNA 華盛頓號 aircraft carrier arrives in the Middle East after 美林肯號 carrier faces criticism over its prolonged deploymenthttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118387https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118387Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:34:56 +0900Taiwan中央社 CNA 金管會 unveils priority bills for the new session, pushes REITs amendmentshttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118261https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118261Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:53:51 +0900Taiwan中央社 CNA Russian strikes on Kyiv cause civilian casualties; 歐盟 pledges to help strengthen air defense capabilitieshttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118262https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118262Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:49:49 +0900Taiwan中央社 CNA 高校生軽音グランプリ2026夏: The winners are 飛鳥未来高等学校 and N高等学校’s 「ほわほわ」; a thrilling live stage that had tens of thousands cheeringhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118510https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118510Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:02:16 +0900JapanPR TIMES QPS-SAR18号機「スサノオ-Ⅱ」 was launched on Aug. 20, 2026 (Japan time), and successfully made its first contacthttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118388https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118388Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:38:31 +0900JapanPR TIMES COZOY unveils the D2, featuring 2 Dynamic Drivers with different diaphragms and a design inspired by marblehttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118386https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118386Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:02 +0900JapanPR TIMES [Available today] Sizzling works to beat the heat!! The latest issue of the BL magazine iHZ［アイハーツ］│大洋図書https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118385https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118385Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:02 +0900JapanPR TIMES New releases to watch!｜Electronic-only novel versions inspired by hugely popular comics, 『帝王の生誕祭 αの花嫁』 and 『Desire Ωの花燭』, are out now! Novel by 岩本 薫; illustrations by 幸村佳苗https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118384https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118384Fri, 21 Aug 2026 00:00:02 +0900JapanPR TIMES [Full footage now available] 『クラプトン・フェスティヴァル』: The second installment, 「エリック・クラプトン：セッションズ・フォー・ロバート・ジョンソン２００４」, opens Friday, 8/21! “Tears in Heaven,” a classic song from the third installment, is now availablehttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118323https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118323Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:57:01 +0900JapanPR TIMES Donated breast milk, a guardian of babies’ health? Exploring the role of human milk banks in maternal and infant healthhttps://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118511https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118511Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:01:25 +0900Taiwan照護線上 August 21: Behind good times lie countless hardships - Heho健康https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118561https://ainews.idaeo.ai/180m/20260821-00/index-en.html#n2118561Fri, 21 Aug 2026 01:00:00 +0900TaiwanHeho健康