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Friday, 21 August 2026 Daily Edition

The Daily Edition

Friday, 21 August 2026

400 stories across 8 sections

The Takeaway

Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, hinted at further increases in government repurchases of Treasuries, but investors remain wary, causing the US dollar to dip. In South Korea, the government is set to launch the Future Fund, utilizing windfall revenue from the chip boom to aim for long-term economic growth. The Bank of Korea's new deputy chief, Kwon Min-soo, emphasized that monetary policy decisions will be made carefully, taking into account various factors including economic growth.

The South Korean government also plans to monitor the impact of rising bond yields worldwide, while Kakao Corp, a leading South Korean company, announced its intention to split its primary operations into two separate entities to bolster its artificial intelligence capabilities. In other news, the New York Yankees completed a 3-game sweep with a 6-1 rout of the Orioles, and Vietnam is set to include artificial intelligence in its school curriculum.

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

AI

AI

A new Gemini for Home update is rolling out, but users are slamming Google for not fixing ‘missing and broken features’ despite the voice upgrades

Gemini for Home is getting some new upgrades, but users are still waiting for Google to fix the real problems.

·techradar.com·10 outlets

Google is releasing an updated Gemini for Home voice assistant, aimed at fixing voice command issues and adding new features. However, users are expressing frustration with the transition, as the latest update only addresses some of their long-standing problems. The Gemini for Home voice assistant has been in early access, with Google announcing three improvements on August 20th: better recognition of Spotify requests, improved message broadcasting, and more precise lighting control.

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Slack wants to drag AI coding out of the terminal and into the group chat

Slack wants to drag AI coding out of the terminal and into the group chat. The Salesforce-owned messaging platform today announced Slack Code , a new product that embeds AI coding agents — including Anthropic's Claude Code , Cognition's Devin , GitHub Copilot , and Vercel's agent — directly into dedicated Slack channels where entire teams…

·venturebeat.com·3 outlets

Tech

Tech

Take-Two kicks off GTA 6 leaker hunt with subpoenas demanding records from Microsoft and Discord

Meanwhile, another new Grand Theft Auto 6 leak dropped today.

·pcgamer.com·7 outlets

Take-Two Interactive, the developer behind Grand Theft Auto 6, has taken steps to identify the source of the ongoing leaks surrounding the highly anticipated game. The publisher has filed subpoenas with Microsoft and Discord, requesting user data and records of accounts associated with the leaks. According to a Kotaku report, Take-Two is seeking the identity of the alleged infringer or infringers, as well as any relevant business and investigative records.

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Business

Business

China launches biggest ever auto recall campaign over door handle safety

The sweeping campaign comes as Beijing steps up oversight of the EV industry

·businesstimes.com.sg·4 outlets

China launched its largest-ever automotive recall campaign on August 21, 2023, targeting door handle safety concerns in electric vehicles (EVs). The recall involved 11 carmakers, including Tesla and Xiaomi, who collectively recalled over 3 million vehicles. The primary focus was on emergency door-release handles, which regulators have noted can be difficult to locate or operate during emergencies.

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Ghana gets nuclear power plant simulator

Ghana has acquired a nuclear power plant simulator to train personnel and strengthen safety preparedness ahead of its planned nuclear power programme. The post Ghana gets nuclear power plant simulator appeared first on Ghana Business News .

·ghanabusinessnews.com·3 outlets

Hyundai Motor Plants Halt in First Full Strike Since 2016

The Hyundai Motor labor union has launched a full strike for the first time in 10 years. The union is demanding 30% of the company’s net profit from last year as performance bonuses, in addition to a 50% increase in bonuses, the reinstatement of union members dismissed during past union activities,

  • Hyundai Motor workers declare first full strike in 10 years
  • Union demands 30% of last year's net profit as bonuses
  • Production halted at Ulsan, Jeonju, and Asan plants

·businesskorea.co.kr·3 outlets

Finance & Markets

Finance & Markets

Dollar wobbles as investors balk at US Treasury’s rescue efforts

The euro last fetched US$1.1685 against a weak dollar

·businesstimes.com.sg·9 outlets

The U.S. dollar dipped on Friday as investors grew wary of the Treasury's bond buyback efforts, viewing them as a short-term fix for rising yields. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hinted at further increases in government repurchases of Treasuries and a new fiscal consolidation effort under President Trump. However, these moves failed to halt the sell-off in U.S. Treasuries and dampened the dollar's value.

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Bessent faces bond-market test as Treasury tries to rein in long-term yields

US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent is taking on increasingly sceptical bond investors as Washington attempts to contain rising borrowing costs in the $32tn Treasury market without addressing the deeper fiscal pressures driving yields higher, according to a report by then Financial Times.

  • Treasury Secretary Bessent tackles long-term bond yield control challenge.
  • 10- and 30-year Treasuries yield climb despite increased purchases.
  • Administration plans to boost regular Treasury purchases to $4 billion.

·hedgeweek.com·4 outlets

World

World

Pezeshkian: Time to end war while Iran is in position of strength

TEHERAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Friday it was time to end the months-long Middle East war with the United States because Teheran appeared to be in a stronger position than Washington.

·nst.com.my·11 outlets

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated on Friday that it was time to end the ongoing Middle East war with the United States, as Iran appeared to be in a stronger position compared to Washington. The conflict, initiated by the US and Israel in February, remains stalemate, with Teheran maintaining partial closure of the key Strait of Hormuz and Washington enforcing a naval counter-blockade.

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Iran threatens military response to US sanctions

DUBAI: Iran said on Friday that its response to any new US threats would be “devastating” after Washington pledged to impose the toughest financial penalties in history with the aim of toppling the Iranian leadership.

·nst.com.my·9 outlets

Eight killed in plane crash at US Air Force site in Alaska

Eight people have died after a civilian-contracted aircraft crashed at a remote United States Air Force facility in Alaska, military authorities said Thursday. The aircraft went down at the airport serving a long-range radar installation at Cape Newenham in southwestern Alaska, according to the Alaskan Command.

·dailypost.ng·8 outlets

Science

Science

Using thunderquakes to X-ray Earth – a new study shows urban seismology in action

With the help of thunderstorms and everyday fiber-optic cables, these scientists are revealing a hidden world underground.

·theconversation.com·5 outlets

When lightning strikes, it generates a shock wave that we perceive as thunder. Interestingly, this energy isn't limited to the atmosphere; some of it is transformed into seismic waves that travel through the Earth's soil and rock. These ground vibrations, known as "thunderquakes," have long been underexplored. A new study reveals that thunderquakes can serve as a tool to map the Earth's subsurface, much like X-rays for the human body.

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Health & Medicine

Health & Medicine

Can we make blood transfusions safer by testing for proteins linked to strokes and Alzheimer's disease?

A review and opinion piece published in The Lancet and led by UCL (University College London) and UCLH researchers discusses the possibility that blood transfusions may inadvertently transmit harmful brain proteins, and whether additional safety measures are warranted as a precaution while further research is conducted to better understand these potential risks.

·medicalxpress.com·5 outlets

A review published in The Lancet investigates the potential risks of blood transfusions transmitting harmful brain proteins that could lead to strokes and Alzheimer's disease. Professor John Collinge, the lead researcher, emphasizes the importance of thoroughly investigating any potential risks to ensure the safety of blood transfusions.

The study reviews evidence of amyloid-beta, a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), which causes brain hemorrhages. A 2023 Scandinavian study found recipients of blood from donors who later developed brain bleeds had a higher risk of experiencing similar events themselves, although this does not prove causation.

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Trump administration asking public comment on vaccine recommendations

Asking people to weigh in on adoption of different categories in move that will sow confusion and create access challenges, say experts The Trump administration is asking for public feedback on changes to the ways it recommends vaccines – likely opening the door to greater access challenges and confusion, experts say.

·theguardian.com·2 outlets

Culture

Culture

How to watch Dutch Grand Prix 2026: Live stream F1 race from anywhere

All the ways to watch Dutch Grand Prix 2026 live streams online and from anywhere, and potentially for free.

·techradar.com·9 outlets

The 2026 Dutch Grand Prix will be held from August 21-23, with the sprint taking place on Saturday at 11am BST / 6am ET and the race on Sunday at 2pm BST / 9am ET. The event is set to be the final appearance of Zandvoort on the calendar, with Max Verstappen bidding farewell to his home race in style. Red Bull is in the spotlight with Verstappen on a new deal through 2030 and Isack Hadjar missing due to injury.

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Meghan faces difficult return to the UK

LONDON: Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan, faces a tough challenge in reassimilating to life in the UK where she remains deeply unpopular, as well as managing uneasy ties with the royal family.

·nst.com.my·5 outlets

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