Today's Key News (7/21)! Free Bubble Tea with 'Middle 1 Character' on ID Card / What Benefits for 65-Year-Olds in Taichung in 2026? / Water Outages in 8 Counties Today

Amid the scorching summer, various beverage brands are rolling out limited-time promotions to capture the market. With an ID card containing a specific character, you can enjoy a free refreshing bubble tea, along with various choices such as buy-one-get-one-free deals and double-cup promotions for as low as 99 yuan. Meanwhile, Taichung City will provide multiple benefits for seniors aged 65 and above in 2026, including health insurance subsidies and respect-for-the-aged bonuses. Additionally, water outages are scheduled in 8 counties across Taiwan today, reminding residents to store water in advance. Politically, at the Democratic Progressive Party's national congress, legislator Wang Dingyu is unlikely to be re-elected as a central standing committee member due to controversies involving online commentators and a romantic scandal, with Lai Ching-te's stance potentially impacting his political future. Internationally, the Department of Health and Welfare's relaxation of pesticide residue standards for imported apples has raised public health concerns. In terms of industry trends, the Taiwan stock market surged today, with market analysts pointing out that U.S. AI earnings reports may influence future capital flows. With the rapid development of AI technology, the commercialization of CPO technology has become a hot topic. Intel expects CPO to achieve large-scale growth by 2028, currently facing supply tightness and technical challenges. Balancing the rapid growth in demand with production capacity will be a key focus for the industry in the coming years. Weather-wise, experts warn of a possible new typhoon this week, with potential heavy rainfall in southern and eastern Taiwan. Residents are advised to take preventive measures in advance. Take out your ID card! Free bubble tea with 'middle 1 character,' redeemable at all stores nationwide. CoCo also offers buy-1-get-1 deals. Check out all July promotions at bubble tea shops. Amid the scorching summer, bubble tea has become the top choice for cooling down, with various beverage brands rolling out limited-time promotions to help you stay cool. This promotion is more diversified, with options like free drinks for those with a specific character in their brand name, buy-one-get-one deals, and double-cup promotions for as low as 99 yuan. Want to know which beverage brands are participating and how to join the promotions? We've got all the details for you... Click to read the full report. What benefits are there for 65-year-olds in Taichung in 2026? Health insurance subsidies, senior allowances, respect-for-the-aged cards... Check out 9 benefits at once. In 2026, Taichung City will provide multiple benefit plans for seniors aged 65 and above, ranging from health insurance subsidies to respect-for-the-aged cards, as well as respect-for-the-aged bonuses and other allowances. But which ones are eligible? What are the payment amounts and application methods to note? This carefully selected benefit overview has it all sorted out for you. Special economic support for low-income seniors, such as living allowances and housing repair subsidies, each have their unique application conditions and amount settings. Through this list, you can grasp all the benefit policies that bring real help to Taichung's seniors at once... Click to read the full report. Have you stored water? Today, 8 counties are experiencing water outages 'no water for bathing from morning to the next day.' Check the water outage range in your home with one click. Have you noticed the recent water outage plans? The Taiwan Water Corporation has announced that Keelung City, Taoyuan City, Hsinchu City, and 5 other locations will carry out water outage operations of different degrees. In some areas of Taoyuan City, the water outage will last up to 21 hours, causing anxiety among residents. This water outage involves multiple causes, including improving the water supply system and reducing the risk of leaks. Residents need to prepare for water storage in advance to avoid being caught off guard during the water outage. Additionally, users of water pumps should turn off the device's power to prevent damage. Do not ignore these water outage details. Quickly check if your area is affected... Click to read the full report. Behind the scenes: Lai Ching-te has been unhappy with him for a long time! Wang Dingyu not only loses his position as a central standing committee member but also faces doubts within the party about whether he can retain his legislative seat. A shocking event has occurred within the Democratic Progressive Party recently, with well-known legislator Wang Dingyu withdrawing from the race for the central standing committee position at the national congress due to multiple controversies. This time, not only has he lost the opportunity to become a central standing committee member, but his political future is also shrouded in gloom. Not only was he accused of being involved in the campus online commentator case, causing dissatisfaction within the party, but his past private moral issues have also posed a challenge to his political image. High-ranking officials, including Lai Ching-te, have made it clear that they hope to maintain a clean image within the party, which may have an impact on whether Wang can continue to hold his legislative seat, and he may not be able to run for office in Tainan again. More details and insider information... Click to read the full report. Didn't pay national insurance or labor insurance but still have retirement benefits! If you meet the criteria and are 65 years old, you can receive a monthly subsidy of 8,000 yuan until death. Did you know that even those who have not paid national insurance or labor insurance may be eligible to receive a monthly subsidy after turning 65? This is particularly important for those who have been engaged in agriculture and fisheries for many years. This subsidy is determined by a set of specific eligibility criteria, including not only age and place of residence but also insurance years and property conditions. Missing these details may cause you to miss out on a monthly subsidy of up to 8,110 yuan. There are also some details about property calculations worth noting. Which assets can be excluded? The complete application eligibility and procedures are all sorted out here... Click to read the full report. Opinion: Pointless relaxation, health sacrificed, the Department of Health and Welfare's 'poisoned apple.' In the aftermath of the poisoned oil incident, the Department of Health and Welfare announced the relaxation of pesticide residue standards for imported apples, sparking fierce criticism. This adjustment raises the residue standard of fenpyroximate in apples to six times the original standard, with external parties suspecting it to be a result of yielding to American pressure. Although the Department of Health and Welfare denies pressure from the United States, American products account for the largest share in imported apples, with various signs making people suspicious. The current question is whether such relaxation is really necessary, and how to ensure the health risks of the public... Click to read the full report. The Taiwan stock market surged by a thousand points today. Is the washout over? Insiders reveal 3 key points on the market: Is this topic making money? The Taiwan stock market has been volatile recently, with a dramatic drop last Friday that was epic, followed by a continuing decline in the black Monday. However, today after the opening, the Taiwan stock market seems to have shown signs of recovery, surging by a thousand points, making the market begin to re-evaluate the reasons behind this movement. 'Stock market veteran' pointed out the three core points that the market is concerned about, especially whether AI investment has begun to bring benefits, which has become the focus of concern for all investors. In addition, the flow of funds is like the ebb tide, is the real market trend hiding something? The three key points of observation on the market will affect the future trend... Click to read the full report. CPO still needs to wait! Intel CEO Gao Yongzhong: The earliest large-scale growth in 2028, indium phosphide is still tight in the short term. With the increasing demand for high-speed optical interconnection in AI data centers, the commercialization of CPO technology still has a way to go. Intel Technology CEO Gao Yongzhong estimates that CPO will not achieve large-scale growth until 2028, and the supply of indium phosphide is also facing pressure, which may not be expected to recover balance until after 2028. At present, the supply chain is striving to cope with the dual challenges of demand surge and geopolitical risks, but technological maturity and mass production still need time to brew. During this period, how to solve the problems of heat dissipation, light source configuration, and maintenance will be the key to whether CPO technology can be commercialized... Click to read the full report. Weather / Is there a new typhoon? Experts reveal the earliest 'day' of formation: 2 regions with the heaviest rainfall. Taiwan's recent hot weather continues, with high temperatures frequently occurring in various places. Experts remind that New Taipei City and Hualien County have already shown orange warning lights for high temperatures, and many other places also need to be alert to the impact of extreme heat. Notably, weather experts have revealed that a new tropical system may gradually develop this week, with the earliest possibility of a typhoon forming between Friday and Saturday. Its path is still uncertain, but it may bring heavy rainfall to southern and eastern Taiwan. The specific rainfall hotspots and impacts, especially the changes after the formation of the typhoon, need to be closely monitored, and preventive measures need to be taken... Click to read the full report. Netflix Park Eun-bin and Liang Shizhong 'Creepy Romantic Love' is it good? The internet digs up '4 flaws' in the evaluation: The male and female leads are both swollen and fat, and falling in love is creepy. The Korean drama 'Creepy Romantic Love,' starring Park Eun-bin and Liang Shizhong, was recently simultaneously premiered on tvN and Netflix. The plot continues a suspenseful setting: A chaebol heiress who can see ghosts meets a prosecutor who is extremely afraid of ghosts, with horror and comedy intertwined, but also provoking intense comments from netizens. The first episode had good ratings, and the second episode rose to 5.3%. Although the drama has diverse themes, gathering elements of ghosts, cases, and love, some netizens have caught four major flaws, from the performance of the plot and characters to the arrangement of the main line, giving criticism. Are you curious about what these flaws are? And how are Cain and the conspiracy of the chaebol family fascinating?... Click to read the full report.