Korean Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Hope’ Dominates Box Office
Local science-fiction survival thriller 'Hope' topped the South Korean box office for the weekend of July 17-19, capturing 66.62% market share with $11.3 million from 1,504,019 admissions.
Sunday, August 30, 2026
News in Brief
Short updates, all on one page — read straight down like a newspaper.
Star Fusion to acquire electrical engineering firms
Star Fusion Group announced plans on July 15 to acquire Chao Lung Electrical Engineering and Chin Yao Electrical Engineering for NT$252 million (US$7.8 million), aiming to enhance its competitiveness.
South Korea to Export Intelligent Industrial Systems
South Korea is integrating physical AI, domestic semiconductors, and gigawatt-scale data centers into its export strategy to promote intelligent industrial systems.
China invests heavily in edge AI
China is increasing its investment in edge artificial intelligence, with companies like ModelBest achieving valuations of over US$2.8 billion.
Samsung ramps up AI memory capacity
Samsung Electronics is increasing its equipment procurement by multi-billion dollars to meet the growing demand for AI memory, reflecting an aggressive fab expansion strategy.
Apple sues OpenAI over AI hardware control
Apple has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging antitrust violations and contesting future hardware control in the AI sector.
Pakistan issues new forward foreign exchange rates for July 20
The Exchange Rates Committee of the Financial Markets Association of Pakistan has issued new forward foreign exchange rates for July 20.
3GPP finalizes 6G Release 21 timeline
The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) has finalized the development timeline for 6G Release 21 at its plenary meeting in Singapore in June 2026.
AI firm highlights GPU financing potential
Compute Labs is positioning graphics processing units (GPUs) as financeable assets in the AI race, emphasizing capital over chip technology as the new bottleneck.
AI data center boom stretches PCB and passive component delivery times
The surge in AI data center construction is leading to extended lead times for printed circuit boards (PCBs) and passive components due to material shortages and insufficient capacity expansion.
Startup OpenRouter rumored to be sold for billions
OpenRouter, a startup that provides software allowing app developers access to multiple AI models through one interface, is reportedly in talks with a larger tech company for a potential sale valued at several billion dollars.
AI chip race expands to connectivity and memory
The AI competition is broadening beyond chips, now encompassing connectivity, memory, talent, patents, and model access.
Holtek Semiconductor reports strong revenue growth
Microcontroller supplier Holtek Semiconductor reported a 12.62% month-over-month and 30.93% year-over-year increase in June 2026 revenue to NT$351 million, equivalent to approximately US$12 million.
Nvidia and TSMC face internal chip shortages
TSMC, despite strong earnings boosted by Nvidia orders, is grappling with expensive chips for its own operations. Meanwhile, Nvidia faces a shortage of chips to meet its own needs.
CXMT’s IPO fuels DRAM capacity race
Chinese DRAM maker ChangXin Memory Technologies is expanding its manufacturing capacity and upgrading technology following its A-share subscription on July 16.
Component shortages threaten networking equipment shipments
AI data center expansion and high-speed network upgrades continue to support demand for networking equipment, but component shortages, particularly in memory, PCBs, and passive components, are extending lead times.
China unveils AI interoperability and space computing plans
At the 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai, China announced initiatives to standardize AI agent collaboration and develop space-based computing infrastructure.
Nvidia CEO meets Japanese officials, firms in push for AI ecosystem
Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang met with government officials and industry leaders during a recent trip to Tokyo, as the company aims to strengthen its presence in Japan’s manufacturing and AI sector.
BYD to Enter Japan’s Kei-car Market
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD is set to enter Japan's all-electric kei-car market, stepping up promotional activities and appointing a brand ambassador.
Alibaba claims Qwen3.8 Max rivals Anthropic’s Fable 5
Alibaba has positioned its latest AI flagship, Qwen3.8 Max, as 'second only to' Anthropic's Claude Fable 5, highlighting China's growing competition with US AI labs despite lacking benchmark data.
Argentina coach in tears after Spain’s World Cup victory
Lionel Scaloni expressed doubt over his future as Argentina coach following their defeat to Spain in the World Cup final.
I don't know what will happen next. I'm very sad.
Lionel Scaloni, Argentina coach
Singapore’s neutral stance boosts cloud adoption in Southeast Asia
Global companies are prioritizing performance, compliance and cost when choosing cloud services in Singapore, as the country's neutral position influences decision-making in the region.
Spain fans celebrate World Cup victory in Madrid and Barcelona
Fans in Madrid and Barcelona celebrated into the night after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 in extra time to win their second FIFA World Cup title.
Nvidia CEO confident despite HBM shortage
Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang has stated that the company’s growth remains robust, despite facing a shortage of High Bandwidth Memory (HBM).
Nvidia's growth is still accelerating.
Jensen Huang, CEO
Trump presents World Cup trophy to Spain, calls US a ‘soccer country’
President Donald Trump presented the 2026 World Cup trophy to Spain following its victory over Argentina in the final on Sunday. He declared that the tournament demonstrated the United States had become a soccer nation.
The United States has become a soccer country.
President Donald Trump
Trump and Sánchez meet at World Cup final
US President Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez held a meeting during the World Cup final, following nearly two years of diplomatic tensions over various issues.
Argentina vs Spain: Final of 2026 FIFA World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup final sees Argentina face off against Spain, with Lionel Messi representing the defending champions while Lamine Yamal leads Spain's young talent.
Kevin O’Leary Sued for Defamation Over China Ties Claim
Kevin O'Leary is facing a defamation lawsuit after claiming on Fox News that individuals opposing Utah's data center construction have ties to China.
‘The Odyssey’ breaks box office records for Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' has achieved a global box office debut of $264.1 million, making it his biggest opening worldwide.
Matt Damon set to star in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’
Actor Matt Damon will lead the cast of director Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, ‘The Odyssey’, which is scheduled for release in theaters.