Soybean salad oil produced by Chung Lien Oil was found to contain benzopyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen. The Taiwan FDA identified over 400 related products requiring recall. Taichung Food Safety authorities fined Fuso Company 6 million NT dollars on the 12th for delayed reporting. Retailers stated customer shopping activity remained unaffected.
Iran conducted a retaliatory attack early on the 13th against multiple U.S. military facilities in the Middle East, using missiles and drones to target Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, Salem Air Base and Ahmed Al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, as well as U.S. naval vessels and military positions in the region. Bahrain activated air defense sirens in response.
Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham died suddenly. According to the Wall Street Journal citing emergency dispatch records, a person experienced cardiac arrest at the scene, and medical personnel performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. U.S. President Trump stated he was unaware of the cause of death.
The United States launched an attack on Iran's Qeshm Island in response to an incident involving a container ship attacked and set ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz, with one crew member missing. Iran subsequently conducted retaliatory strikes against Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Tehran. The escalation has heightened regional tensions and drawn international attention.
Escalating US-Iran conflict sees the US military conduct its third airstrike on Iran within a week, prompting Iranian retaliation against at least five Arab nations and claims of striking two vessels. Both sides maintain hardline positions while uncertainty surrounding Hormuz Strait passage is expected to trigger significant international oil price fluctuations in coming days.
Soybean salad oil produced by Chung Lien Oil was found to contain benzopyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen. The Taiwan FDA identified over 400 related products requiring recall. Taichung Food Safety authorities fined Fuso Company 6 million NT dollars on the 12th for delayed reporting. Retailers stated customer shopping activity remained unaffected.
The US Central Command announced on the 12th the completion of a new round of military strikes against Iran to counter threats to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation deployed fighter jets, naval vessels, and loitering munitions to strike dozens of targets within Iranian territory. This marks a significant use of unmanned vessels and other emerging weapons systems in strikes against Iran.
Iran conducted a retaliatory attack early on the 13th against multiple U.S. military facilities in the Middle East, using missiles and drones to target Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, Salem Air Base and Ahmed Al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, as well as U.S. naval vessels and military positions in the region. Bahrain activated air defense sirens in response.
A fire broke out at a nightclub in Bangkok, Thailand on the night of the 12th, killing at least 27 people and injuring 63 others, with 22 in critical condition. The fire spread rapidly along the ceiling. Many patrons fled to a rear bathroom area amid smoke and chaos but became trapped as the bathroom lacked an exit, reigniting concerns about safety regulations and fire management at Thai entertainment venues.
Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham died suddenly. According to the Wall Street Journal citing emergency dispatch records, a person experienced cardiac arrest at the scene, and medical personnel performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. U.S. President Trump stated he was unaware of the cause of death.
Following US airstrikes on Iran, Iran launched retaliatory attacks using drones and missiles against at least five Arab nations including Kuwait, Jordan, and Qatar, causing only minor damage. Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, but the US Central Command denied this claim, asserting the waterway remains open to all vessels and that US military is prepared to ensure freedom of navigation, creating global maritime confusion.
The United States launched an attack on Iran's Qeshm Island in response to an incident involving a container ship attacked and set ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz, with one crew member missing. Iran subsequently conducted retaliatory strikes against Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Tehran. The escalation has heightened regional tensions and drawn international attention.
Escalating US-Iran conflict sees the US military conduct its third airstrike on Iran within a week, prompting Iranian retaliation against at least five Arab nations and claims of striking two vessels. Both sides maintain hardline positions while uncertainty surrounding Hormuz Strait passage is expected to trigger significant international oil price fluctuations in coming days.
A fire broke out at a beer restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand on the night of the 12th, resulting in at least 27 deaths and 63 injuries. Survivors reported that lights briefly went out before thick smoke filled the venue, followed by an explosion and massive flames shooting from the front entrance. Images of the incident have circulated widely on social media.
According to Iranian state media Nour News, Iran's military and Revolutionary Guards conducted large-scale missile and drone attacks on Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan. The operation occurred amid ongoing US airstrikes against Iran. The Revolutionary Guards issued a statement confirming the military action, which triggered alarm systems in Bahrain.
Taiwan's Ministry of Finance reported that first-half tax revenue reached 2.5876 trillion NT dollars, a significant 81.5% increase year-on-year, setting a new record. Corporate income tax rose 499.7 billion NT dollars (1.8x growth), individual income tax increased 381.9 billion NT dollars (1.3x growth), and securities transaction tax reached 333.6 billion NT dollars (1.9x growth). Income taxes and securities transaction tax drove the growth, with overall achievement rate reaching 65.6%.
South Korea's stock market experienced severe selling pressure today as investor concerns about artificial intelligence investment enthusiasm deepened. The Seoul stock market triggered circuit breakers during intraday trading, with the KOSPI index closing down nearly 9%. The volatility reflects market reassessment of tech stock valuations and cautious sentiment toward AI investment prospects.
The Academia Sinica released updated economic forecasts on the 13th, significantly raising its 2026 economic growth estimate to 10.16%, the highest projection among domestic think tanks. The growth is primarily driven by surging global AI application demand boosting Taiwan's exports, coupled with steady private consumption, increased corporate profits, and active stock market trading. However, global inflation and geopolitical uncertainties remain concerning factors requiring continued monitoring of financial market volatility risks.
Changxin Technology, a major Chinese domestic memory chip manufacturer, will launch its IPO subscription on the Shanghai Stock Exchange's Science and Technology Innovation Board on July 16, aiming to raise 29.5 billion yuan. This represents the largest IPO on China's A-share market since 2026 and the second-largest in the board's history, following China Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation's 53.2 billion yuan offering. The company plans to issue 6.688 billion shares initially.
The Zhonglian edible oil case continues to develop as Taiwan's health ministry requires the company to resubmit oil samples produced between April and June for retesting. Health Minister Shih Chung-liang stated that due to discrepancies between Zhonglian's test results and those of downstream companies, the ministry considers Zhonglian's results unreliable and will not publicly release them. Instead, the ministry will conduct its own independent testing and evaluation, with guidelines for downstream product relisting expected to be announced soon.
China has announced export restrictions on helium, a critical material for semiconductor manufacturing. Helium is essential for processes including chemical vapor deposition, wafer cooling, and etching, particularly for cooling EUV lithography machines. While China's limited share of global helium markets suggests limited catastrophic impact, the restriction will further strain the already fragile semiconductor supply chain amid surging AI-driven chip demand.
The US earnings season kicks off this week with second-quarter profits projected to grow over 29% year-over-year. However, persistent inflation, rising energy prices, and anticipated Fed rate hikes pose significant challenges to sustaining market gains. Fed Chair Powell's congressional testimony this week and June inflation data release will set the tone for July policy decisions.
The European Union is developing a "solidarity tool" mechanism to help businesses reduce their dependence on critical supplies from China and mitigate retaliation risks during trade conflicts. The tool requires EU member states to negotiate funding contributions, though disagreements persist over the investment scale needed.
South Korea's central bank is expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points this week, with another anticipated increase by year-end. The rate hikes respond to accelerating inflation and weakening Korean won. Despite these headwinds, strong semiconductor exports continue to support economic growth momentum.
The contamination crisis involving Chung Lien soybean salad oil with excessive benzopyrene (BaP) continues to escalate. Fukushou discovered two products exceeding benzopyrene limits on June 30 but delayed reporting to Taichung authorities by six days. The city government imposed maximum fines of 3 million yuan per product, totaling 6 million yuan, to penalize the company's failure to promptly report the contamination.
Debian, a major Linux distribution, released version 13.6 with recent component vulnerability patches and critical bug fixes. The update notably upgrades the fwupd firmware update tool to version 2.0.20 to address UEFI Secure Boot certificate expiration issues, enabling systems to update their Secure Boot certificates and maintain boot security.
While generative AI lowers programming barriers, it has led to an influx of low-quality code and bug reports in open source projects. Financial Times reports that review and maintenance costs are shifting to a small number of maintainers, potentially weakening the collaborative model of open source communities and creating maintenance gaps.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed the company is considering entering the cloud rental business by selling surplus AI computing resources from its Meta Compute platform. Zuckerberg stated the move is "very reasonable" and Meta is currently researching the feasibility of this plan.
Research teams from South Korea and Japan have unveiled two innovative memory integration concepts aimed at improving high-bandwidth memory (HBM) performance without increasing stack height. The new design employs a lateral orientation approach to address thermal dissipation and bandwidth limitations, offering a promising technical direction for enhancing AI chip performance.
Japanese robotics manufacturer Yaskawa Electric reported a significant increase in orders last quarter, reaching a 15-quarter high, driven by strong demand from the AI and semiconductor industries. The growth reflects robust global expansion in AI and semiconductor sectors, which continues to drive increased demand for industrial robots and automation equipment.
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang clarified rumors regarding delays to the Rubin Ultra chip. Morgan Stanley's latest research report indicates NVIDIA's quarterly revenue approaches one billion dollars, maintaining its position as the top semiconductor investment choice. The report emphasizes NVIDIA's leadership in the AI chip market and continued growth potential.
According to Business Insider, AI companies including Anthropic and OpenAI face accusations of applying inconsistent standards regarding intellectual property. These firms claim fair use when training models on others' data, yet assert copyright infringement when their own models are replicated. The contradiction has drawn online criticism questioning the industry's inconsistent approach to intellectual property rights.
Samsung Electronics plans to accelerate operations at its Yongin semiconductor fabrication plant south of Seoul to 2029, ahead of the originally scheduled 2030-2031 timeline. The move responds to growing global demand for AI chips. The facility represents a key expansion of Samsung's advanced chip production capacity.
The artificial intelligence industry is undergoing structural transformation. Over the past year, intense competition among Chinese large language model suppliers has driven AI Token prices down sharply, with some models experiencing 99% cost reductions. AI inference capabilities are shifting from premium technical services to commoditized resources similar to utilities and cloud services. This commoditization wave is reshaping enterprise competition dynamics.
Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, and Micron Technology, the world's three largest memory chip manufacturers, are aggressively expanding production capacity. The expansion aims to meet the strong demand for memory chips driven by rapid artificial intelligence growth and address supply shortages in the market.
Okta warns that since April 2026, threat actors designated O-UNC-066 have been conducting voice phishing attacks against enterprise employees across multiple industries. Attackers impersonate Microsoft representatives, falsely claiming users need to register new passkeys, tricking victims into revealing account credentials and multi-factor authentication codes. Researchers assess the attackers aim to take over accounts and register attacker-controlled passkeys.
Progress, operator of enterprise file-sharing platform ShareFile, issued an emergency notification on July 10 requiring users to temporarily shut down servers running Storage Zone Controller due to external security threats. Progress has suspended access to affected accounts and launched an investigation. No unauthorized access to ShareFile accounts or data has been detected so far, but the company recommends users take preventive measures. Specific threat details remain undisclosed.
Threat intelligence firm SOCRadar revealed a large-scale attack campaign where Chinese hackers exploited 27 CVE vulnerabilities targeting over 1.4 million WordPress domains. The attackers installed webshells and resold victim site access to other hacker groups in what SOCRadar calls Webshell Access Brokerage Operation (WABO). Over 5,700 active webshells have been confirmed.
Microsoft Threat Intelligence has identified GigaWiper, a destructive backdoor targeting Windows systems. The malware enables attackers to remotely control compromised computers and execute disk erasure, file encryption, and system destruction functions. Microsoft has disclosed this threat to alert users and enhance security awareness.
A U.S. court sentenced Angelo Martino, a former ransomware negotiator, to 70 months in prison. He exploited confidential information obtained through his work to secretly assist the BlackCat (also known as ALPHV) ransomware group in extorting higher ransoms from victim organizations. Martino collaborated with two former cybersecurity professionals to deploy the ransomware against additional U.S. organizations.
Australia's Cyber Security Centre issued a critical alert on July 9, warning of a global-scale attack campaign targeting vulnerabilities in multiple content management platforms (CMS). Many Australian small and medium-sized enterprises have been affected. Hackers are actively scanning websites and exploiting known vulnerabilities in CMS and plugins to deploy webshells for unauthorized access and control.
Dutch telecom company Odido fell victim to a cyberattack by hacker group ShinyHunters in February. Attackers impersonated IT staff to conduct phishing attacks, resulting in data breach affecting approximately 6.2 million customer accounts. Dutch authorities have released investigation findings indicating involvement of local individuals.
OpenClaw, a popular open-source AI agent integration platform with 381,000 GitHub stars and 100,000 daily users, has been found to contain multiple security vulnerabilities. Researcher Chinmohan Nayak disclosed flaws in the platform's environment variable filtering, Git transport protocol, and sandbox protection mechanisms. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities by sending WhatsApp messages disguised as debug requests to execute arbitrary code on OpenClaw servers.
Security researchers demonstrated a novel prompt injection attack using seemingly harmless PNG image files to compromise AI assistant systems. The attack method allows adversaries to manipulate AI behavior without embedding malicious code in traditional software, potentially enabling unauthorized access to sensitive project information. This discovery highlights critical security vulnerabilities in how AI systems process multimedia inputs and raises concerns about information protection in enterprise environments.
Vietnamese authorities announced the arrest of seven suspects allegedly operating the anime piracy website HiAnime, with assistance from the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the anti-piracy coalition ACE. HiAnime shut down in June 2026 after attracting over 150 million monthly visitors at its peak, making it one of the world's largest anime piracy platforms.
The World Cup quarterfinal matches featured multiple controversial calls, sparking debate over technology-assisted refereeing and VAR intervention timing. FIFA announced that the next World Cup will coincide with the tournament's 100th anniversary and will be hosted by an unprecedented six nations. Additionally, FIFA is considering expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 participating teams.
Taiwan's delegation achieved outstanding results at the 56th International Physics Olympiad held in Colombia, with five students—Qiu Bowei, Wu Siqian, Hong Jingcheng, Liu Qianyi, and Guo Chenyuan—each winning gold medals. The team tied for first place globally, demonstrating Taiwan's excellence in physics education and talent development.
The World Cup semi-finals are now set. Argentina, defending their title, defeated Switzerland 3-1 after extra time, marking their third semi-final appearance in the last four tournaments. England secured a 2-1 comeback victory over Norway, with midfielder Bellingham scoring twice, reaching the semi-finals for the fourth time in their history. The two teams will face off on July 16 at 3 AM Taiwan time to determine who advances to the final.
Taiwan's complete delegation roster for the 2026 Aichi Nagoya Asian Games will be announced on the morning of the 14th, with the Games set to open on September 19th. The highly anticipated baseball team roster will be revealed simultaneously, with particular attention on overseas-based players.
England advanced to the World Cup semi-finals and will face Argentina. The historical tensions between the two nations, combined with passionate fan bases, make this matchup one FIFA hoped to avoid. Experts warn the encounter will be highly contentious, prompting the United States to implement unprecedented security measures to prevent potential fan violence and disturbances.
A wildfire in Spain's southern Andalusia region has killed at least 12 people, with 23 others missing and death toll expected to rise. Authorities have collected DNA samples from the 12 confirmed victims for identification purposes. However, the identification process is progressing slowly as family members must travel from various countries to Spain to provide comparison samples.
Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham died suddenly. According to the Wall Street Journal citing emergency dispatch records, a person experienced cardiac arrest at the scene, and medical personnel performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation. U.S. President Trump stated he was unaware of the cause of death.
The United States launched an attack on Iran's Qeshm Island in response to an incident involving a container ship attacked and set ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz, with one crew member missing. Iran subsequently conducted retaliatory strikes against Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan, and Tehran. The escalation has heightened regional tensions and drawn international attention.
Escalating US-Iran conflict sees the US military conduct its third airstrike on Iran within a week, prompting Iranian retaliation against at least five Arab nations and claims of striking two vessels. Both sides maintain hardline positions while uncertainty surrounding Hormuz Strait passage is expected to trigger significant international oil price fluctuations in coming days.
Following US airstrikes on Iran, Iran launched retaliatory attacks using drones and missiles against at least five Arab nations including Kuwait, Jordan, and Qatar, causing only minor damage. Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, but the US Central Command denied this claim, asserting the waterway remains open to all vessels and that US military is prepared to ensure freedom of navigation, creating global maritime confusion.
Soybean salad oil produced by Chung Lien Oil was found to contain benzopyrene, a Class 1 carcinogen. The Taiwan FDA identified over 400 related products requiring recall. Taichung Food Safety authorities fined Fuso Company 6 million NT dollars on the 12th for delayed reporting. Retailers stated customer shopping activity remained unaffected.
The US Central Command announced on the 12th the completion of a new round of military strikes against Iran to counter threats to international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. The operation deployed fighter jets, naval vessels, and loitering munitions to strike dozens of targets within Iranian territory. This marks a significant use of unmanned vessels and other emerging weapons systems in strikes against Iran.
Iran conducted a retaliatory attack early on the 13th against multiple U.S. military facilities in the Middle East, using missiles and drones to target Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, Salem Air Base and Ahmed Al-Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, as well as U.S. naval vessels and military positions in the region. Bahrain activated air defense sirens in response.
A fire broke out at a nightclub in Bangkok, Thailand on the night of the 12th, killing at least 27 people and injuring 63 others, with 22 in critical condition. The fire spread rapidly along the ceiling. Many patrons fled to a rear bathroom area amid smoke and chaos but became trapped as the bathroom lacked an exit, reigniting concerns about safety regulations and fire management at Thai entertainment venues.
A fire broke out at a beer restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand on the night of the 12th, resulting in at least 27 deaths and 63 injuries. Survivors reported that lights briefly went out before thick smoke filled the venue, followed by an explosion and massive flames shooting from the front entrance. Images of the incident have circulated widely on social media.
According to Iranian state media Nour News, Iran's military and Revolutionary Guards conducted large-scale missile and drone attacks on Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan. The operation occurred amid ongoing US airstrikes against Iran. The Revolutionary Guards issued a statement confirming the military action, which triggered alarm systems in Bahrain.
OpenClaw, a popular open-source AI agent integration platform with 381,000 GitHub stars and 100,000 daily users, has been found to contain multiple security vulnerabilities. Researcher Chinmohan Nayak disclosed flaws in the platform's environment variable filtering, Git transport protocol, and sandbox protection mechanisms. Attackers can exploit these vulnerabilities by sending WhatsApp messages disguised as debug requests to execute arbitrary code on OpenClaw servers.
South Korea's stock market experienced severe selling pressure today as investor concerns about artificial intelligence investment enthusiasm deepened. The Seoul stock market triggered circuit breakers during intraday trading, with the KOSPI index closing down nearly 9%. The volatility reflects market reassessment of tech stock valuations and cautious sentiment toward AI investment prospects.
The United States has launched fresh military strikes against Iran, escalating tensions over control of the Strait of Hormuz. The Trump administration claims the waterway remains open for passage, while Tehran asserts it will stay closed until further notice. The conflicting positions highlight rising tensions in the strategically critical Middle Eastern region.
The United States launched a new round of strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, intensifying weekend military exchanges. The escalation reflects heightened tensions between the two nations in this strategically critical waterway.
A fire broke out at a bar in Bangkok's Chatuchak district, resulting in at least 27 deaths. Firefighters arriving at the scene found patrons escaping through intense flames. The exact time of the incident and cause of the fire remain under investigation.
Two 13-year-old girls were allegedly lured into a beauty shop in Taichung's Yizhong commercial district under the pretense of completing a survey. Multiple staff members surrounded them and engaged in aggressive sales tactics, forcibly applying lotion to the girls' hands. One girl developed allergic reactions with redness and swelling after returning home. After one girl paid a 100 NT dollar deposit, both were able to leave. The parents have filed a police report.
During environmental cleanup at Dawulun Beach following Typhoon Bavi, Keelung City Government discovered three hawksbill sea turtles aged 3-5 years old entangled in abandoned fishing nets. One turtle died, while the two surviving turtles were transported to a sea turtle rescue center for medical treatment and care.
A record-breaking heat wave swept across central United States today, breaking high temperature records across multiple regions from the northern plains to the Rocky Mountains. The extreme heat event affected a wide area, with numerous weather records shattered. Local residents face unprecedented high temperature challenges.
A nightclub fire in Bangkok, Thailand on the night of the 12th resulted in at least 27 deaths and 63 injuries, with 22 in critical condition. A surviving performer recounted that the fire started from electrical equipment near the stage, causing an immediate blackout that hindered evacuation efforts. Authorities continue investigating the cause of the incident.