🔥 Top Stories
In May last year, a 78-year-old driver in Sanxia, New Taipei lost control and struck pedestrians and vehicles, killing three schoolchildren and injuring twelve others. The driver also died from injuries. The National Transportation Safety Investigation Board released its investigation report, recommending the Ministry of Transportation strengthen physical examinations and cognitive tests for elderly drivers renewing licenses. The ministry launched new elderly driver renewal procedures on May 31.
The Absolute Energy Group, led by Chiu Chih-hao, defrauded over 1,570 investors of approximately 5.7 billion NT dollars over three years using self-issued virtual coins, fake lending platforms, and high-yield stock schemes through multi-level marketing. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office charged the defendants with violations of the Banking Act, fraud, money laundering prevention laws, and illegal multi-level marketing, seeking 20 years imprisonment for the main suspect.
Huang Ching-chin received five thousand yuan to recruit a sergeant from the Army's Qishan Ammunition Depot to photograph classified military documents and deliver them to China. After the Tainan High Court initially acquitted him, the prosecution appealed to the Supreme Court for retrial. The Tainan High Court's retrial found Huang guilty of jointly developing an organization for a Chinese-dispatched person, sentencing him to seven years imprisonment.
Negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding ending Middle East conflicts have reached a critical stage. A White House official announced that President Trump is expected to convene a cabinet meeting at Camp David tomorrow to discuss the matter. This move underscores the US government's emphasis on Middle East affairs and the significance of ongoing diplomatic progress.
Iranian media reported that U.S. and Israeli warplanes struck several Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations. The incident casts uncertainty over peace talks aimed at reopening the strategic waterway. In response, Brent crude futures surged over 4% on the 26th, recovering half of the previous day's losses.
🏛 Politics
In May last year, a 78-year-old driver in Sanxia, New Taipei lost control and struck pedestrians and vehicles, killing three schoolchildren and injuring twelve others. The driver also died from injuries. The National Transportation Safety Investigation Board released its investigation report, recommending the Ministry of Transportation strengthen physical examinations and cognitive tests for elderly drivers renewing licenses. The ministry launched new elderly driver renewal procedures on May 31.
Huang Ching-chin received five thousand yuan to recruit a sergeant from the Army's Qishan Ammunition Depot to photograph classified military documents and deliver them to China. After the Tainan High Court initially acquitted him, the prosecution appealed to the Supreme Court for retrial. The Tainan High Court's retrial found Huang guilty of jointly developing an organization for a Chinese-dispatched person, sentencing him to seven years imprisonment.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou alleged that the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation's former executive director improperly handled finances, claiming the former executive received one million NT dollars in donations from a Taiwan businessman in 2023 that were not recorded in the foundation's accounts. New Taipei City's Culture Bureau stated it will send a letter requesting the foundation to clarify whether the funds belong to the foundation or an individual, and investigate potential violations of the Foundations Act.
Taiwan High-Speed Rail experienced signal abnormalities in the Miaoli section, causing full-line delays affecting over 180,000 passengers. After overnight emergency repairs, normal operations resumed the following morning. The malfunction was caused by power supply issues in the switch control box following replacement. The railway company apologized and provided refreshments and water to affected passengers.
Foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, India, and Australia met on the 26th in India for the Quad dialogue. The four nations agreed to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains and energy security, collaborate on port infrastructure in Fiji, and launch a new Indo-Pacific maritime surveillance initiative to enhance regional security and economic resilience.
Japan's Foreign Minister Shigeru Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks on January 26 in India during a Quad foreign ministers meeting. Both officials reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait following US President Trump's visit to China. The bilateral meeting lasted approximately ten minutes.
A cross-party delegation from the German Bundestag visited Taiwan, prompting criticism from China and demands to uphold the "One China" principle. Jürgen Hardt, chairman of the German parliament's Taiwan friendship group, told President Lai that democratic exchanges between nations are not subject to third-party interference. The visit aims to deepen Taiwan-Germany partnership.
New US military strikes against Iran dampened market expectations for de-escalation and ceasefire. Brent crude rose 3.6%, gaining $3.44 to $99.58 per barrel on Tuesday, while WTI fell $2.71 to $93.89 per barrel. Markets had previously anticipated a potential US-Iran agreement to end the three-month conflict and restore shipping through the Hormuz Strait.
Negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding ending Middle East conflicts have reached a critical stage. A White House official announced that President Trump is expected to convene a cabinet meeting at Camp David tomorrow to discuss the matter. This move underscores the US government's emphasis on Middle East affairs and the significance of ongoing diplomatic progress.
Iranian media reported that U.S. and Israeli warplanes struck several Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations. The incident casts uncertainty over peace talks aimed at reopening the strategic waterway. In response, Brent crude futures surged over 4% on the 26th, recovering half of the previous day's losses.
💰 Finance
Micron Technology's stock price surged over 21% in a single trading day, driven by growing artificial intelligence demand for memory chips. UBS upgraded its price target to triple the previous level, significantly boosting the stock. Market analysts expect this momentum to positively impact Taiwan-listed memory chip companies.
The Absolute Energy Group, led by Chiu Chih-hao, defrauded over 1,570 investors of approximately 5.7 billion NT dollars over three years using self-issued virtual coins, fake lending platforms, and high-yield stock schemes through multi-level marketing. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office charged the defendants with violations of the Banking Act, fraud, money laundering prevention laws, and illegal multi-level marketing, seeking 20 years imprisonment for the main suspect.
Driven by increased memory chip demand from artificial intelligence applications, Micron Technology, the largest US memory chip manufacturer, saw its stock surge 18% intraday today. The company's market capitalization reached $1 trillion for the first time, equivalent to approximately NT$31.44 trillion, reflecting market optimism about AI industry prospects.
Taiwan's stock market overtook India on Monday to become the world's fifth-largest by market capitalization. The growth is primarily driven by technology stocks, particularly semiconductor companies like TSMC. Taiwan's strong performance in the global stock market rankings reflects the robust growth of its semiconductor industry and overall economic strength.
Japan's Ministry of Finance reported that Japan's net overseas assets reached a record high last year but fell below China's, making Japan the world's third-largest net creditor nation. This marks the second consecutive year of ranking decline following Japan's loss of the top position to Germany in 2024.
The Iran conflict has triggered rising energy prices, impacting wealthy nations including the United States and United Kingdom. Despite wage increases, growth lags behind inflation, causing consumers' real purchasing power to decline. Experts warn that persistent inflation could become a structural labor market issue, difficult to resolve in the short term.
AI coaching programs designed for Wall Street finance professionals have surged in demand. Single-day courses cost $25,000 (approximately 780,000 TWD), with bookings extending two months ahead. These coaches simplify complex financial analysis and behavioral detection, highlighting that AI has become essential for survival in finance rather than merely a collaborative tool.
Scientists predict a strong El Niño phenomenon will raise summer temperatures across Asia above historical averages. Increased temperatures will boost air conditioning usage and strain power grids. With energy supplies already constrained by the Strait of Hormuz situation, China's energy demand as the world's largest LNG importer is expected to rise, further pushing up global LNG prices.
Micron Technology, the largest US memory chip manufacturer, experienced a strong rally today with stock prices jumping $144.88 to $895.88, representing a 19.29% gain. The company's market capitalization reached $1 trillion for the first time, driven by sustained investment momentum in artificial intelligence, positioning it as a key focus in the AI wave.
U.S. stocks rallied broadly on March 26 morning as Middle East geopolitical risks eased, with semiconductor and AI stocks leading gains. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index surged over 4%. Memory chipmaker Micron saw its stock price jump 14-18% intraday, with market capitalization exceeding 1 trillion dollars for the first time, lifting the broader memory chip sector.
💻 Technology
Apple's Security Engineering and Architecture team released an updated corecrypto library last Friday, implementing ML-KEM and ML-DSA quantum-safe algorithms. The library has been mathematically proven to comply with U.S. Federal Information Processing Standards FIPS 203 and FIPS 204, and is available for independent expert evaluation.
Apple's first foldable iPhone Fold encounters production delays, with surface mount technology (SMT) emerging as a critical bottleneck. Following earlier concerns about hinge durability, supply chain sources indicate that SMT manufacturing processes are slowing production progress. Industry insiders describe the situation as not optimistic, as this technology is essential for printed circuit board manufacturing.
American Airlines announced on Tuesday that it will deploy Starlink satellite internet service on over 500 narrow-body Airbus aircraft, beginning in early next year. The agreement marks a significant expansion of SpaceX's Starlink in the global aviation market. The airline's existing Boeing fleet will continue using Viasat and Panasonic Avionics services.
Ferrari officially unveiled its first all-electric supercar, Luce, on the 25th. The vehicle abandons traditional internal combustion engines and conventional axle configurations, marking Ferrari's first five-seater model. As global luxury car markets cool on electric vehicles, Ferrari is making a strategic pivot, hoping to attract new customers through innovative design, technology, and driving performance.
South Korean memory manufacturer SK Hynix announced a new iHBM thermal solution that integrates cooling elements directly into chip packaging, reducing thermal resistance by 30%. This technology improves chip stability under high-temperature and high-load conditions and is planned for implementation in the next-generation HBM5 high-bandwidth memory.
According to Bloomberg, Qualcomm has reached an artificial intelligence chip cooperation agreement with ByteDance, TikTok's parent company. Qualcomm will supply specialized chips for AI data centers, with ByteDance planning to purchase millions of units as the computational foundation for its AI agent software. The agreement marks a significant breakthrough for Qualcomm's entry into the AI infrastructure market and will help ByteDance advance its self-developed chip production. Following the announcement, Qualcomm's stock surged over 8% intraday, reaching a record high.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang criticized some corporate executives for using artificial intelligence as a pretext for layoffs during an interview with Singapore's Channel NewsAsia, calling the practice "lazy" and expressing his disapproval. Huang's rare strong remarks reflect industry frustration with companies irresponsibly invoking AI to justify workforce reductions without genuine technological necessity.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated on the 26th that artificial intelligence has not triggered the global employment crisis he previously feared. The disappearance of entry-level white-collar jobs has occurred much slower than anticipated. Altman acknowledged his earlier predictions about AI's impact on the job market were incorrect, noting that roles requiring human interaction remain difficult to replace and concerns about employment disruption have been exaggerated.
🌏 International
In May last year, a 78-year-old driver in Sanxia, New Taipei lost control and struck pedestrians and vehicles, killing three schoolchildren and injuring twelve others. The driver also died from injuries. The National Transportation Safety Investigation Board released its investigation report, recommending the Ministry of Transportation strengthen physical examinations and cognitive tests for elderly drivers renewing licenses. The ministry launched new elderly driver renewal procedures on May 31.
The Absolute Energy Group, led by Chiu Chih-hao, defrauded over 1,570 investors of approximately 5.7 billion NT dollars over three years using self-issued virtual coins, fake lending platforms, and high-yield stock schemes through multi-level marketing. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office charged the defendants with violations of the Banking Act, fraud, money laundering prevention laws, and illegal multi-level marketing, seeking 20 years imprisonment for the main suspect.
Russia's Foreign Ministry announced that Foreign Minister Lavrov spoke with US Secretary of State Rubio by phone. Russia stated that Ukraine continues attacking civilian facilities, and therefore Russia will continue conducting attacks on military-related facilities in Kyiv.
Huang Ching-chin received five thousand yuan to recruit a sergeant from the Army's Qishan Ammunition Depot to photograph classified military documents and deliver them to China. After the Tainan High Court initially acquitted him, the prosecution appealed to the Supreme Court for retrial. The Tainan High Court's retrial found Huang guilty of jointly developing an organization for a Chinese-dispatched person, sentencing him to seven years imprisonment.
Negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding ending Middle East conflicts have reached a critical stage. A White House official announced that President Trump is expected to convene a cabinet meeting at Camp David tomorrow to discuss the matter. This move underscores the US government's emphasis on Middle East affairs and the significance of ongoing diplomatic progress.
Iranian media reported that U.S. and Israeli warplanes struck several Iranian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz amid ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations. The incident casts uncertainty over peace talks aimed at reopening the strategic waterway. In response, Brent crude futures surged over 4% on the 26th, recovering half of the previous day's losses.
New US military strikes against Iran dampened market expectations for de-escalation and ceasefire. Brent crude rose 3.6%, gaining $3.44 to $99.58 per barrel on Tuesday, while WTI fell $2.71 to $93.89 per barrel. Markets had previously anticipated a potential US-Iran agreement to end the three-month conflict and restore shipping through the Hormuz Strait.
The United States and Iran are engaged in negotiations to end hostilities, with both sides continuing discussions on agreement language. Iranian media reports progress on unfreezing assets. However, the US conducted attacks on targets in southern Iran, prompting Iranian condemnation of ceasefire violations and claims of downing a US drone, leaving the situation unstable.
The United States is preparing offensive weapons to counter China's military satellites in potential future conflicts, according to defence analysts. Kari Bingen, director of the Aerospace Security Project at CSIS and former US deputy under secretary of defence for intelligence, stated that Washington is openly discussing how to "hold at risk" Chinese satellites. However, analysts warn that the US and China lack reliable communication channels to manage risks in an increasingly congested orbital environment.
As Washington, Beijing, and Moscow treat each other as bargaining partners, northeast Asia faces mounting pressure. Taiwan, Korea, sanctions, energy routes, nuclear risks, and missile defence are no longer separate issues but part of a unified strategic conversation among the US, China, and Russia. Northeast Asia is being reorganised through three trilateral structures with distinct purposes, institutionalisation levels, and strategic effects.
Former President Ma Ying-jeou alleged that the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation's former executive director improperly handled finances, claiming the former executive received one million NT dollars in donations from a Taiwan businessman in 2023 that were not recorded in the foundation's accounts. New Taipei City's Culture Bureau stated it will send a letter requesting the foundation to clarify whether the funds belong to the foundation or an individual, and investigate potential violations of the Foundations Act.
Taiwan High-Speed Rail experienced signal abnormalities in the Miaoli section, causing full-line delays affecting over 180,000 passengers. After overnight emergency repairs, normal operations resumed the following morning. The malfunction was caused by power supply issues in the switch control box following replacement. The railway company apologized and provided refreshments and water to affected passengers.
Foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, India, and Australia met on the 26th in India for the Quad dialogue. The four nations agreed to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains and energy security, collaborate on port infrastructure in Fiji, and launch a new Indo-Pacific maritime surveillance initiative to enhance regional security and economic resilience.
Japan's Foreign Minister Shigeru Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held talks on January 26 in India during a Quad foreign ministers meeting. Both officials reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait following US President Trump's visit to China. The bilateral meeting lasted approximately ten minutes.
A cross-party delegation from the German Bundestag visited Taiwan, prompting criticism from China and demands to uphold the "One China" principle. Jürgen Hardt, chairman of the German parliament's Taiwan friendship group, told President Lai that democratic exchanges between nations are not subject to third-party interference. The visit aims to deepen Taiwan-Germany partnership.