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Thursday, 20 August 2026 Daily Edition

The Daily Edition

Thursday, 20 August 2026

400 stories across 8 sections

The Takeaway

Japan's exports reached a record high of 11.5 trillion yen in July, a 23.2% increase from the same period last year. This surge surpassed market forecasts and marked a significant increase from the previous month's 19.3% growth. Meanwhile, in the tech sector, Samsung Electronics Co. announced a Galaxy launch event for August 27, which is likely to unveil the new S26 FE smartphone.

In finance, South Korea's Kospi index jumped 4% as Asian stocks rose after a bond rally, while the Korea Exchange activated a buy-side sidecar for the Kospi due to its sharp rise. Seoul shares also opened higher, mirroring overnight gains on Wall Street. Additionally, Genesis unveiled its new electric SUV, the GV90, in San Francisco, marking a significant milestone in the company's luxury philosophy and electrification expertise.

Written by urgent.news from the day's reporting.

AI

AI

Anthropic expects to match or top SpaceX’s record IPO size

The Claude developer prepares to file publicly for its potential mega-IPO as soon as the end of August

·businesstimes.com.sg·5 outlets

Anthropic, the developer behind the Claude AI model, looks poised to surpass the record-breaking IPO size of Elon Musk's SpaceX, according to sources familiar with the matter. The company plans to file for its potential mega-IPO as early as the end of August. While the exact IPO size remains undisclosed, it is expected to match or exceed SpaceX's record-setting initial public offering of US$75 billion, which rose to US$86.2 billion with the overallotment option.

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Tech

Tech

The Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising 3-Pack Blister hits a new low price at Amazon — save $5

The Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising 3-Pack Blister falls to $24.99 at Amazon, its lowest third-party price yet.

·mashable.com·5 outlets

The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising 3-Pack Blister is now available at Amazon for a discounted price of $24.99, down from its original list price of $29.99. This represents a $5 savings, or a 17% discount, on the set of three booster packs. Each pack contains 10 game cards, one Basic Energy, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card. Amazon's current third-party seller, The Sports Card Zone, has provided the lowest price for this item, making it a more affordable option compared to the previous Amazon listing in May.

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Business

Business

[UPDATED] Panama Canal to cap daily transits, anticipating severe El Niño

PANAMA CITY: The Panama Canal Authority will cap daily transits as of early September as it gears up for a longer-than-usual El Niño season expected to reduce water levels, it said on Thursday, walking back a previous pledge not to limit vessel passage.

·nst.com.my·11 outlets

The Panama Canal Authority announced on Thursday that it will cap daily transits starting early September in anticipation of a longer-than-usual El Niño season, which is expected to lower water levels. This comes after the authority had previously pledged not to limit vessel passage. Starting September 4, the canal will restrict daily transits to 34 vessels and reduce it to 32 vessels from September 15.

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Finance & Markets

Finance & Markets

Why Treasury Secretary Bessent’s moves to calm the bond market haven’t worked so far

WASHINGTON (AP) — Interest rates rebounded Thursday despite efforts by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to put a lid on longer-term borrowing costs, a sign Wall Street investors remain worried about burgeoning government…

·apnews.com·11 outlets

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent attempted to stabilize bond market rates on Thursday, August 20, 2026, but his actions did not yield the desired results, indicating that Wall Street investors remain apprehensive about escalating government debt, substantial borrowing by technology companies, and the Federal Reserve's dedication to combatting inflation.

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US stocks: US market sinks as bond yields rise, Walmart results disappoint

The S&P 500 consumer discretionary sector was one of the biggest drags on the benchmark index, with megacaps including Amazon and Tesla among its biggest index-point weights. Big percentage decliners included Royal Caribbean Group and Carnival Corp, which are sensitive to fuel prices.

  • U.S. stocks declined as bond yields rose, reducing risk appetite
  • Walmart's quarterly results missed expectations due to high gasoline prices
  • S&P 500 ended lower at 7,642.69 points, Nasdaq dropped 1.00% to 26,067.81

·economictimes.indiatimes.com·5 outlets

World

World

A new US carrier strike group has arrived in the Middle East as concerns swirl around USS Abraham Lincoln

USS George Washington arrived in the Central Command region this week as the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports.

·businessinsider.com·10 outlets

A US Navy aircraft carrier, USS George Washington, has entered the Middle East as concerns rise over the USS Abraham Lincoln. The George Washington will likely replace the Lincoln on an extended deployment. Reports have surfaced regarding mental health issues and supply challenges aboard the Lincoln, which currently houses approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines.

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Israel issues veiled threat to Turkey following airbase strikes in Syria

Israel issues veiled threat to Turkey following airbase strikes in Syria Submitted by Ragip Soylu on Thu, 08/20/2026 - 09:56 Katz warns Turkey over its involvement in Syria, but Ankara and Damascus reject claims of military build-up at airbase The flags of (L to R) Israel and Turkey fly behind battle tanks on display at the Yad La-Shiryon…

·middleeasteye.net·8 outlets

Science

Science

September ranks among Saudi Arabia’s hottest months: What climate data reveals

JEDDAH — Long-term climate records show that September is one of the hottest months of the year in Saudi Arabia, according to data from the National Center for Meteorology (NCM). NCM data show that September records an average temperature of 30.8°C, an average maximum temperature of 38.3°C and an average minimum temperature of 23.27°C, based on the 1991–2020 climate baseline. September ranks as…

·saudigazette.com.sa·9 outlets

Jeddah reports that September is among Saudi Arabia's hottest months, based on climate data from the National Center for Meteorology. September's average temperature is 30.8°C, with an average maximum of 38.3°C and minimum of 23.27°C, according to the 1991–2020 climate baseline. This places September as the fourth-highest temperature month for all three measures.

September is typically the hottest in western and eastern regions, while southwestern highlands are the coolest. The year 2023 saw the highest average maximum temperature for September, reaching 39.57°C. In comparison, 2021 had the lowest average maximum temperature at 37.92°C.

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Government Chemist formally receives ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation certicate

The Government Chemist Department has formally received its ISO/IEC 17025 Testing Laboratory Accreditation Certificate from the Kenya Accreditation Service (KENAS), marking a major milestone in strengthening confidence in the scientific evidence used in criminal investigations, court proceedings, public health decisions and regulatory…

·kbc.co.ke·3 outlets

NASA study finds Earth fungi could survive up to 7 days near lunar south pole

The study, published in Science Advances, examined several areas being considered for Artemis landings, including Nobile Rim and Connecting Ridge. Researchers used data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to model surface conditions, then compared them with the known survival limits of bacteria and fungi commonly found on spacecraft.

·techspot.com·3 outlets

How China can turn its ‘blue cradle’ into a bridge with Southeast Asia

China has spent 80 years building formidable marine science capabilities. The harder test now is whether it can build rules for ocean data that its neighbours trust – and share. When China’s first department of oceanography was established in 1946, the country had only a modest capacity to study the seas around it.

·scmp.com·2 outlets

Health & Medicine

Health & Medicine

Australia races to shield little penguins from H5N1 bird flu

Phillip Island's tourist-attraction penguins face a disease threat after the virus was detected in a dead colony member.

·freemalaysiatoday.com·4 outlets

Phillip Island, home to the world's largest colony of little penguins, is battling a new threat - the highly contagious H5N1 avian influenza. These small, knee-high seabirds, weighing as much as a standard bag of sugar, are the stars of the annual "penguin parade" on the eastern coast's Phillip Island. The island's colony, numbering up to 40,000 seabirds during the southern hemisphere's spring and summer breeding season, faces the risk of this deadly virus, which has never before infected a wild population in Australia.

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Why I Spend My Days Raising Mosquitoes

The writer Every morning, I walk into a room full of mosquitoes. While most people spend their lives trying to avoid them, I spend my days raising, monitoring and Read More... The post Why I Spend My Days Raising Mosquitoes appeared first on DailyGuide Network .

·dailyguidenetwork.com·3 outlets

Sugary Drinks May Double Stomach Cancer Risk

Drinking sugary beverages every day may double the risk of developing stomach cancer, according to a new study. Drinks with … Read More The post Sugary Drinks May Double Stomach Cancer Risk appeared first on ProPakistani .

·propakistani.pk·3 outlets

Culture

Culture

Prince Harry and Meghan to move back to Britain

London — The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are planning to move back to Britain, CNN understands, a shock move that comes six years after the couple stepped back from official duties and fell out with other members of the royal family. Prince Harry and Meghan are said to be planning to relocate from the US … The post Prince Harry and Meghan to move back to Britain appeared first on Egypt Independent…

·egyptindependent.com·9 outlets

London — Reports indicate that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to return to Britain, marking a significant shift in their lives six years after they stepped back from royal duties. The couple, who have been living in the United States, are reportedly moving to a private residence outside of London. The Telegraph claims that their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, have also been enrolled in British schools for the upcoming term.

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Mourinho told Vinicius Jr ‘not worth’ leaving Real

Jose Mourinho told Vinicius Jr it was “not worth” leaving Real Madrid as he successfully persuaded the Brazilian to remain at the club. The 26-year-old had entered the final 12 months of his contract at the Bernabeu, meaning he would have been able to leave Real for free next summer. Premier League champions Arsenal were […]

·adomonline.com·6 outlets

‘Sterling Point’ Scores Season 2 Renewal at Prime Video

"We cannot wait to dive deeper into these characters," creator Megan Park says The post ‘Sterling Point’ Scores Season 2 Renewal at Prime Video appeared first on TheWrap .

  • "Sterling Point" renewed for second season on Prime Video
  • Show follows 17-year-old Annie Jacobson on Canadian island
  • Cast includes Amélie Hoeferle, Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie

·thewrap.com·4 outlets

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