🔥 Top Stories
Following Iran's attack on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the US and Iran engaged in a new round of military exchanges on the eighth. The US military conducted airstrikes against over eighty Iranian targets, while Iran retaliated with attacks on US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait. President Trump, attending a NATO summit in Turkey, declared the US-Iran ceasefire "over" and threatened additional strikes against Iran.
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration expanded testing of Zhonglian Oil products manufactured from April to June and discovered another batch produced in May (1,309.5 metric tons) exceeded safe limits for benzo[a]pyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen. This batch was supplied to multiple manufacturers including Taishan and Fumaor. Taishan's blended oil product tested positive for the contaminant, marking an escalation following the initial April contamination discovery.
Zhonglian Oil Company's 1,300 metric tons of soybean salad oil tested positive for benzo[a]pyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen, exceeding safety limits and triggering a nationwide food safety crisis. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office launched a special investigation, indicting the company's general manager and a deputy section chief under food safety laws. Both were released after questioning. A Nanjiao Company factory manager appeared as a witness to assist in clarifying the case, with prosecutors expanding investigation to five major manufacturers.
Foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, and South Korea held talks in Turkey to discuss shared concerns about China's military conducting its first test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile toward the Pacific. The three nations reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and pledged closer communication with allied and like-minded countries on Indo-Pacific security issues.
US President Trump announced during NATO summit that he will authorize Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles. Meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, Trump stated he is urging Russian President Putin to agree to peace negotiations in a third country. Trump noted that Ukraine's drone operations help create conditions for ending the war.
🏛 Politics
US President Trump stated on the 8th that he is uncertain about continuing negotiations with Iran, suggesting the ceasefire has ended and preferring to let the military complete its mission. His remarks triggered market reactions, with US stocks declining broadly and crude oil prices surging to recent highs, indicating renewed volatility in US-Iran relations.
Following Iran's attack on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the US and Iran engaged in a new round of military exchanges on the eighth. The US military conducted airstrikes against over eighty Iranian targets, while Iran retaliated with attacks on US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait. President Trump, attending a NATO summit in Turkey, declared the US-Iran ceasefire "over" and threatened additional strikes against Iran.
Foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, and South Korea held talks in Turkey to discuss shared concerns about China's military conducting its first test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile toward the Pacific. The three nations reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and pledged closer communication with allied and like-minded countries on Indo-Pacific security issues.
New Taipei District Prosecutors Office launched an investigation into allegations that New Taipei City Fire Department officials accepted bribes or leaked bidding documents to favor specific contractors in nearly ten procurement cases involving fire trucks. Investigators searched 24 locations yesterday, including the office and residence of former Fire Chief Huang De-qing, now a municipal government counselor, and questioned seven people including Fire Department specialist commissioner Shang Shao-hua.
Over 39,000 test-takers will sit for Taiwan's university entrance exam on June 13-14, postponed due to Typhoon Bavi's southward track shift. Exam numbers and test locations remain unchanged. Exam venues will be open for viewing on June 12 from 4-6 PM. Results will be released on August 3, with final admission announcements on August 17.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated at NATO summit in Ankara that Ukraine has won the war against Russia. However, he emphasized that Kyiv urgently needs more air defense support from NATO allies. Despite Moscow's continued military operations, Stubb stressed the importance of strengthening defensive capabilities for Ukraine's security.
The Zhonglian oil scandal continues to expand, with Taiwan's FDA announcing 169 newly affected products, totaling 401 items. Health Minister Shih Chung-liang apologized in parliament for confusion caused by multiple revisions to removal procedures. A comprehensive precautionary removal was implemented on day seven of the incident.
Akira Yashita, executive director of the Indo-Pacific Strategy Institute, was attacked by a Chinese national, Li Gang-fa, on the 6th and sustained injuries. President Lai Ching-te, also serving as Democratic Progressive Party chairman, emphasized that Taiwan is a democratic rule-of-law nation that will not tolerate violence, intimidation, or threats to silence people. Lai noted that 374 Taiwanese citizens have gone missing or had their personal freedoms restricted after traveling to China in recent years, urging citizens to avoid unnecessary trips to China.
US President Trump announced during NATO summit that he will authorize Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles. Meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, Trump stated he is urging Russian President Putin to agree to peace negotiations in a third country. Trump noted that Ukraine's drone operations help create conditions for ending the war.
The Central Weather Administration forecasts that Typhoon Bawei will reach the waters near northern Taiwan on Saturday. Keelung faces a 100% probability of gale-force winds, while the Taipei-Taoyuan-Yilan region has a 99% probability. With a wind radius of 380 kilometers continuing to expand, Bawei's circulation nearly covers the entire island. International forecast models suggest the typhoon may make landfall near the northeast coast and traverse northern Taiwan, bringing significant wind and rain.
💰 Finance
Russia announced on Wednesday an immediate ban on diesel exports through July 31 to stabilize domestic fuel supplies. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries and energy infrastructure have caused fuel shortages and long queues at gas stations. Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak stated the fuel market situation remains complex and acknowledged public concerns. The government decided to prohibit diesel exports to increase domestic supply and will begin importing fuel in July to balance market demand.
International oil markets surged to two-week highs amid concerns over crude supply disruptions from major Middle Eastern producers following renewed US military actions against Iran. WTI crude oil futures for August settlement rose 3.08 dollars, or 4.37%, reflecting investor anxiety about global oil supply stability.
International oil prices surged on Wednesday, with Brent crude rising 5.2% to $78.02 per barrel and WTI climbing 4.4% to $73.52, reaching multi-week highs. The rally was driven by escalating US-Iran tensions, increased shipping risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Russia's announcement of a diesel export ban. Intraday gains approached 9%, marking one of the largest single-day increases in recent months.
US President Trump announced the termination of a temporary agreement aimed at ending the Iran conflict, triggering market volatility. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 576.76 points, down 1.09%. Despite the overall market decline, semiconductor stocks rose, led by Broadcom, indicating divergent market movements across sectors.
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration expanded testing of Zhonglian Oil products manufactured from April to June and discovered another batch produced in May (1,309.5 metric tons) exceeded safe limits for benzo[a]pyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen. This batch was supplied to multiple manufacturers including Taishan and Fumaor. Taishan's blended oil product tested positive for the contaminant, marking an escalation following the initial April contamination discovery.
Zhonglian Oil Company's 1,300 metric tons of soybean salad oil tested positive for benzo[a]pyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen, exceeding safety limits and triggering a nationwide food safety crisis. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office launched a special investigation, indicting the company's general manager and a deputy section chief under food safety laws. Both were released after questioning. A Nanjiao Company factory manager appeared as a witness to assist in clarifying the case, with prosecutors expanding investigation to five major manufacturers.
Singapore's state-owned investment company Temasek achieved a record net portfolio value of SGD 518 billion (USD 401 billion) in the past fiscal year, marking the second consecutive year of record highs. The company plans to significantly increase AI investments over the next five years, aiming to raise AI's portfolio allocation from the current 6% to 15%, while also focusing on American assets.
Japanese government bond yields reached a 30-year high on the 8th as investors worry about yen depreciation and the impact of Prime Minister Takayaki Sanae's over 2 trillion dollar long-term spending plan on Japan's substantial national debt burden. Rising yields reflect market concerns about fiscal sustainability.
Apple announced a multi-year procurement agreement with chipmaker Broadcom exceeding 300 billion dollars, approximately 9.63 billion New Taiwan dollars. The deal aims to expand domestic chip supply in the United States and strengthen Apple's supply chain localization. The agreement covers critical components including wireless connectivity chips and reflects alignment with government manufacturing policies.
Contaminated cooking oil from Chung Lien Oil containing excessive benzopyrene has been distributed to 62 establishments in Taipei through Nan Chiao Company's seven oil products. Kaohsiung identified 29 additional affected businesses, bringing the total to 49. Taichung health authorities identified five companies in the first wave of distribution. The contamination incident continues to expand across multiple cities.
💻 Technology
Warner Bros. Discovery announced a collaboration with Amazon Web Services to develop a next-generation advertising technology platform powered by agentic AI. The new platform will integrate advertising planning, delivery, optimization, and monetization workflows across linear television and digital streaming channels. By leveraging automation and data-driven decision-making, it enables advertisers to manage multi-channel campaigns unified, accelerating AI adoption in the advertising industry.
Waymo, owned by Alphabet, announced it will launch fully autonomous ride-hailing services in San Diego, Las Vegas, Tampa, and Denver over the coming weeks. The service will initially be available to Alphabet employees for testing before gradually opening to the general public. Waymo currently operates autonomous vehicle fleets in over 10 US cities, maintaining its position as the largest robotaxi operator in the market, ahead of competitors Tesla and Amazon's Zoox.
Meta has released a new image generation AI model, marking the first product of this kind since the company appointed Tao Wang as head of its AI division a year ago. Industry analysts expect that as generative AI expands from text to images and video, data storage demands will surge significantly, boosting NAND Flash requirements and benefiting memory supply chain companies like Phison.
OpenAI announced that its most advanced AI model, the GPT-5.6 series, will be released globally on July 9. Originally scheduled for June, the release was delayed due to U.S. government requests for security risk assessments. Initially available only to select partners, the model recently received government approval. OpenAI states the model represents its most powerful capabilities to date, though concerns exist about potential misuse for software exploitation.
Blue Origin, the space company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has launched its first external fundraising in 25 years, raising approximately $10 billion. The funding round values the company at $130 billion. Bezos will personally invest $2 billion, while hedge fund Coatue Management plans to invest about $4 billion. The remaining $4 billion has attracted significant interest from major institutional investors, reflecting strong market confidence in the commercial space industry.
According to media reports, Chinese authorities plan to allow major AI companies including Alibaba, ByteDance, and DeepSeek to purchase limited quantities of Nvidia H200 chips. This move reflects China's consideration of moderately relaxing restrictions on advanced U.S. AI chips amid growing domestic computing power demands. Following the announcement, Nvidia's stock rose approximately 1% during intraday trading. Relevant companies and government departments have not yet commented on the reports.
🌏 International
Following Iran's attack on three commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the US and Iran engaged in a new round of military exchanges on the eighth. The US military conducted airstrikes against over eighty Iranian targets, while Iran retaliated with attacks on US military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait. President Trump, attending a NATO summit in Turkey, declared the US-Iran ceasefire "over" and threatened additional strikes against Iran.
Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration expanded testing of Zhonglian Oil products manufactured from April to June and discovered another batch produced in May (1,309.5 metric tons) exceeded safe limits for benzo[a]pyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen. This batch was supplied to multiple manufacturers including Taishan and Fumaor. Taishan's blended oil product tested positive for the contaminant, marking an escalation following the initial April contamination discovery.
Zhonglian Oil Company's 1,300 metric tons of soybean salad oil tested positive for benzo[a]pyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen, exceeding safety limits and triggering a nationwide food safety crisis. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office launched a special investigation, indicting the company's general manager and a deputy section chief under food safety laws. Both were released after questioning. A Nanjiao Company factory manager appeared as a witness to assist in clarifying the case, with prosecutors expanding investigation to five major manufacturers.
Foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, and South Korea held talks in Turkey to discuss shared concerns about China's military conducting its first test of a submarine-launched ballistic missile toward the Pacific. The three nations reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and pledged closer communication with allied and like-minded countries on Indo-Pacific security issues.
US President Trump stated on the 8th that he is uncertain about continuing negotiations with Iran, suggesting the ceasefire has ended and preferring to let the military complete its mission. His remarks triggered market reactions, with US stocks declining broadly and crude oil prices surging to recent highs, indicating renewed volatility in US-Iran relations.
US President Trump announced during NATO summit that he will authorize Ukraine to produce Patriot missiles. Meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, Trump stated he is urging Russian President Putin to agree to peace negotiations in a third country. Trump noted that Ukraine's drone operations help create conditions for ending the war.
The Central Weather Administration forecasts that Typhoon Bawei will reach the waters near northern Taiwan on Saturday. Keelung faces a 100% probability of gale-force winds, while the Taipei-Taoyuan-Yilan region has a 99% probability. With a wind radius of 380 kilometers continuing to expand, Bawei's circulation nearly covers the entire island. International forecast models suggest the typhoon may make landfall near the northeast coast and traverse northern Taiwan, bringing significant wind and rain.
International oil prices surged on Wednesday, with Brent crude rising 5.2% to $78.02 per barrel and WTI climbing 4.4% to $73.52, reaching multi-week highs. The rally was driven by escalating US-Iran tensions, increased shipping risks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Russia's announcement of a diesel export ban. Intraday gains approached 9%, marking one of the largest single-day increases in recent months.
A major U.S. insurance company fell victim to a cyberattack that exposed millions of driver's license numbers. This represents the largest known breach of driver's license data in 2026 to date. The company has confirmed the security incident and is investigating the breach while notifying affected customers to take protective measures.
The United States has announced new military strikes against Iran, following Donald Trump's statement at a NATO summit that the ceasefire with Tehran is "over." The exact details and scope of the operation have not been publicly disclosed by US officials.
Former U.S. President Trump expressed support for Ukrainian military strikes targeting objectives deep within Russian territory. Additionally, Iran faces a second day of U.S. military operations, while a wall constructed to protect a golf course has sparked public controversy.
Following the president's earlier promise of a second night of attacks announced during the NATO summit in Turkey, the United States has launched new military strikes against Iran. The action marks the formal end of the previously declared ceasefire and represents a further escalation of tensions.
President Trump announced the end of the ceasefire agreement with Iran, warning of potential military strikes as early as Wednesday evening. He threatened to reimpose a naval blockade, signaling a significant deterioration in US-Iran diplomacy and increased risk of military escalation between the two nations.
The US Central Command initiated additional military strikes against Iran on the morning of January 9 Japan time. Iranian media reported that if attacked further, Iran would block the Strait of Hormuz and conduct retaliatory strikes. The escalating military confrontation between both nations has made diplomatic negotiations increasingly uncertain, with regional tensions continuing to rise.
The United States conducted new military strikes against Iran on Wednesday following Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump ordered the retaliation while expressing expectations for a quick resolution to the military escalation and leaving room for future negotiations. US Central Command stated the strikes aimed to degrade Iranian forces' ability to threaten freedom of navigation in the strait, through which approximately one-fifth of global oil passes.