President Trump received briefings on military plans against Iran on the 14th. According to reports, the US has informed Israel of plans to deploy dozens of aerial refueling aircraft to prepare for potential expanded military operations. This move extends beyond current US military strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated today that two oil tankers struck mines and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, drawing international attention. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global oil shipping route, and security conditions there affect worldwide energy supplies.
The United States attacked multiple bridges in Iran, prompting Iran to retaliate by striking a power generation and desalination facility in Kuwait. Both sides have expanded their targets beyond military installations to civilian infrastructure, raising concerns about further escalation in the Middle East.
China United Oil's soybean salad oil was found to contain carcinogenic benzopyrene exceeding safe levels, triggering a food safety crisis across Taiwan. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office sought detention of General Manager Yu Lingchong, though the district court initially approved bail of NT$20 million. The Taichung High Court found Yu posed risks of evidence tampering and flight, leading to a new ruling that Yu be detained without bail.
A landslide occurred near Wujiang Third Bridge in Pengshui County, Chongqing, burying multiple residential buildings and a bus. Rescue teams have extracted 18 people, with 8 confirmed dead. Currently, 34 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.
Europe has been gripped by an unprecedented heat wave since June, with excess deaths reaching 10,650 across 27 EU countries during the peak week of June 22-28, with over 90% being elderly people aged 65 and above. Temperatures in France, Spain, and Germany repeatedly exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, breaking century-old records. Despite surging air conditioner sales, the deadly heat wave continues, exposing structural vulnerabilities in Europe's weather forecasting, building design, and social safety systems.
Following seven consecutive nights of US airstrikes on Iranian military targets, Iran launched retaliatory attacks on Saturday against American military allies in the Gulf region. Kuwait faced significant strikes, with a desalination plant damaged and the international airport temporarily suspended operations. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have hit Camp Arifjan logistics support center and destroyed radar facilities at Ali Al Salem Air Base. The conflict has intensified following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement one week ago.
China has further restricted exports of critical rare earth minerals in response to policies from Japan and the United States. Prices of rare earth elements like yttrium oxide have surged significantly, potentially disrupting semiconductor and defense supply chains in Western countries. The move reflects growing geopolitical tensions affecting global critical material supplies.
The US military completed its seventh consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran on Friday, expanding operations from coastal areas to military facilities deep within Iranian territory. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US-related facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. The tit-for-tat escalation worsens the Middle East situation and threatens global energy supplies and maritime security. US Central Command targeted Iranian surveillance facilities, military logistics bases, and weapons storage sites.
President Trump received briefings on military plans against Iran on the 14th. According to reports, the US has informed Israel of plans to deploy dozens of aerial refueling aircraft to prepare for potential expanded military operations. This move extends beyond current US military strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated today that two oil tankers struck mines and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, drawing international attention. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global oil shipping route, and security conditions there affect worldwide energy supplies.
The United States attacked multiple bridges in Iran, prompting Iran to retaliate by striking a power generation and desalination facility in Kuwait. Both sides have expanded their targets beyond military installations to civilian infrastructure, raising concerns about further escalation in the Middle East.
China United Oil's soybean salad oil was found to contain carcinogenic benzopyrene exceeding safe levels, triggering a food safety crisis across Taiwan. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office sought detention of General Manager Yu Lingchong, though the district court initially approved bail of NT$20 million. The Taichung High Court found Yu posed risks of evidence tampering and flight, leading to a new ruling that Yu be detained without bail.
U.S. President Trump reiterated allegations that China interfered in the 2020 presidential election during a prime-time national address on the sixteenth. Analysts suggest the remarks, driven by domestic political considerations, may introduce new variables into recently stabilizing U.S.-China relations, potentially undermining the current truce and casting uncertainty over Chinese President Xi Jinping's planned September visit to Washington. China's Foreign Ministry responded by reaffirming its non-interference policy.
A landslide occurred near Wujiang Third Bridge in Pengshui County, Chongqing, burying multiple residential buildings and a bus. Rescue teams have extracted 18 people, with 8 confirmed dead. Currently, 34 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index's volatility relative to the broader US stock market reached its highest level in over 30 years this week, even exceeding levels seen after the 2000 dot-com bubble burst. This dramatic price movement reflects investors reassessing the entire semiconductor industry.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company held an earnings call on Thursday, announcing a significant increase in capital expenditure to USD 600-640 billion, with Q2 EPS reaching a record high of NT$27.25. The Executive Yuan approved the New Youth Housing 3.0 plan on the same day, set to launch on August 1st. Taiwan's stock market fell 2,953.71 points on Friday, marking the largest single-day point decline in history, with a weekly loss of 2,683 points, also a record.
International oil prices surged on the 17th as US-Iran military tensions intensified. Brent crude rose 4.59% to $88.10 per barrel, while WTI climbed 4.48% to $82.49, both reaching their highest levels since mid-June. Market concerns about potential blockades in the Red Sea and Hormuz Strait, critical global energy transport routes, drove supply risk concerns higher. Both benchmark crude oils gained approximately 16% for the week.
The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index declined on July 17, dropping over 20% from recent highs and entering bear market territory. The index, comprising 30 component stocks, saw its market value evaporate by $1.5 trillion (approximately 48.6 trillion Taiwan dollars), ending the previous rally.
US stock markets extended losses on Friday as semiconductor stocks faced continued selling pressure. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 406.55 points (down 0.77%), the S&P 500 declined 1.01%, and the Nasdaq dropped 1.4%. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index led declines with a 1.63% fall, while TSMC ADR dropped nearly 3%, reflecting broad weakness in the semiconductor sector.
US stocks closed lower Friday as China's AI startup launched an open-source model, raising competition concerns and pressuring semiconductor stocks. The Nasdaq Composite declined 1.4%, while the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell 1.63% into bear market territory, reflecting chip stocks down at least 20% from recent highs. The S&P 500 dropped over 1%, and the Dow fell more than 406 points. All three major indices closed lower for the week.
Netflix disclosed that last quarter's revenue fell short of market expectations, with projected revenue growth expected to slow for a second consecutive quarter, raising investor concerns about future prospects. The company announced it will reduce the frequency of viewership reports from semi-annually to annually starting in 2027 as it seeks new growth drivers.
Global semiconductor stocks are experiencing selling pressure. Analysts cite three main reasons: market concerns over TSMC's increased capital expenditure impacting profit outlook, AI-related stocks being overvalued, and portfolio rotation. However, analysts emphasize this does not signal the end of AI investment trends, with support expected in the market ahead.
Hyperscale cloud providers are experiencing capital expenditure discipline pressures. Analysts expect AI spending growth to decelerate, declining to 25% in 2027 and further to 6% in 2028. Some investors have already begun repositioning their portfolios in anticipation of this trend shift.
Evergreen Marine director Chang Kuo-hua faces allegations of insider trading and was ordered to post 120 million NT dollars bail. Lawyer Lü Han-yu called on the Securities Investor and Futures Trader Protection Center to file a lawsuit seeking Chang's removal as director to protect investor interests. The case continues to draw public attention.
According to The Wall Street Journal, SpaceX is in talks with the U.S. Department of Defense to sell computing capacity. The potential deal could be worth billions of dollars, similar to previous agreements SpaceX made with Google and Anthropic. The transaction reflects SpaceX's expansion in the artificial intelligence computing resources market.
Chinese startup Moonshot AI unveiled its latest AI model Kimi K3 on the 17th, demonstrating technological progress that narrows the gap with well-capitalized international competitors. The development reflects China's rapid advancement in artificial intelligence and further escalates the US-China technological competition in the AI sector.
According to Wall Street Journal reporting, SpaceX is in discussions with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide AI computing power services. This move reflects the growing trend of computing resource rental and represents Musk's acceleration into the AI infrastructure market. The potential deal would supply the Pentagon with high-performance computing resources to support its technological requirements.
According to media reports, Meta Platforms is negotiating with artificial intelligence company Anthropic regarding computing power leasing. The potential collaboration could reach up to $10 billion in scale, reflecting Meta's investment strategy in AI infrastructure. If finalized, this partnership would involve significant commercial arrangements for computational resources between the two technology companies.
Harvard University researchers have achieved a breakthrough by repurposing traditional silicon chips for DNA synthesis and biological manufacturing. The innovation combines semiconductor and biotechnology, transforming information-processing chips into biological synthesis platforms. This development opens new possibilities for integrating semiconductor technology with biotechnology, with potential applications in medicine and pharmaceuticals.
According to Reuters, SpaceX is negotiating with the U.S. Department of Defense to provide data center computing capacity worth billions of dollars for AI model operations. If successful, the partnership would deepen their existing relationship. SpaceX is already a key Pentagon contractor handling rocket launches, satellite communications, and missile tracking. Internally, SpaceX is also discussing competing with emerging cloud computing providers by offering more competitively priced AI computing resources to attract enterprise clients.
According to the New York Times, Meta is discussing a potential $10 billion computing capacity rental agreement with AI company Anthropic. Anthropic initiated the collaboration proposal in June, planning to pay Meta monthly over a two-year period. The agreement is currently in preliminary discussions, with no guarantee of final signing. If finalized, this would mark Meta's first major rental of computing resources to an external enterprise.
Innolux has partnered with TSMC to develop glass core substrates for next-generation packaging applications. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in Innolux's transformation from a display panel manufacturer into a semiconductor packaging materials supplier after years of strategic transition.
Chinese AI startup Moonshot AI released its latest open-source model KimiK3, featuring low costs and full open-source capabilities. This sparked market concerns about AI chip demand. Analysts note that while chip stocks experienced fluctuations, the market has not entered panic mode, primarily reflecting capital rotation among different investment sectors.
Moonshot AI, a Chinese artificial intelligence startup, has unveiled a new model with impressive performance capabilities at half the price of ChatGPT. The development has raised market concerns about the necessity of heavy AI investments, and was cited by Bloomberg and CNBC as a contributing factor to the decline in global AI and semiconductor stocks on the 17th.
Apple faces a class-action lawsuit alleging that its Hide My Email feature within iCloud+ fails to adequately protect users' real email addresses as advertised. Plaintiff Anthony Alvarez claims Apple knew about the security vulnerability since last summer but failed to take sufficient corrective measures. The lawsuit, affecting millions of iCloud+ subscribers, was filed in federal court on the 15th.
Third-party payment service provider Pi Wallet announced investigation results confirming that personal information of members from 2019 and 2022 projects was exposed in a hacker intrusion. The company will provide designated electronic discount vouchers to affected users as compensation. Consumer advocacy groups criticized the compensation as insufficient and called for regulatory penalties.
A man surnamed Chen used an AI website to synthesize 35 fake nude images of a former female coworker and her friend from their social media photos, uploading them to Instagram. The dispute stemmed from a workplace conflict. Chen later settled by compensation. The court sentenced him to three years suspended sentence under laws against illegal use of personal data, highlighting risks of AI technology misuse for privacy violations.
Taipei's Criminal Investigation Bureau reported that after documenting fraudulent advertisements last year, authorities imposed penalties totaling NT$2.5 million. However, similar cases recurred in February and May this year, indicating slow enforcement progress. Police argue that preventing fraud at the source requires central government coordination beyond local evidence collection efforts.
Fraud rings exploit social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and LINE to distribute deceptive advertisements for investment scams, fake online shopping, and romance fraud. Victims are typically attracted by seemingly legitimate ads and posts rather than actively seeking fraudulent schemes. The scam advertising network generates an estimated 7 billion USD annually, with law enforcement noting difficulty in eliminating source operations.
As remote and hybrid work becomes increasingly common, AI meeting note tools that automatically record, transcribe, and summarize discussions have gained widespread adoption among enterprises. However, security experts warn that these tools present emerging risks, including voice biometric vulnerabilities and potential exposure of confidential business information. Organizations are advised to carefully assess privacy protections before implementation.
Prosecutors in Kaohsiung's Nanzih District dismantled a fake prosecutor scam operation, arresting four suspects including the ringleaders. Police recovered over one thousand personal records of Chinese nationals living in Japan, containing detailed information such as addresses and phone numbers. Investigators suspect the records originated from Chinese government internal databases, indicating potential information leakage by Chinese officials to the criminal group.
During the summer job season, scam groups are posting fake job advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, luring job seekers with promises of commissions and resale profits. A 20-year-old nursing student lost NT$30,000 after earning only NT$100 in commissions. The Criminal Investigation Bureau warns the public to be vigilant about job postings offering high salaries, no experience required, and remote work opportunities to avoid falling victim to fraud.
China United Oil's soybean salad oil was found to contain carcinogenic benzopyrene exceeding safe levels, triggering a food safety crisis across Taiwan. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office sought detention of General Manager Yu Lingchong, though the district court initially approved bail of NT$20 million. The Taichung High Court found Yu posed risks of evidence tampering and flight, leading to a new ruling that Yu be detained without bail.
A landslide occurred near Wujiang Third Bridge in Pengshui County, Chongqing, burying multiple residential buildings and a bus. Rescue teams have extracted 18 people, with 8 confirmed dead. Currently, 34 people remain missing as search and rescue operations continue.
President Trump received briefings on military plans against Iran on the 14th. According to reports, the US has informed Israel of plans to deploy dozens of aerial refueling aircraft to prepare for potential expanded military operations. This move extends beyond current US military strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated today that two oil tankers struck mines and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, drawing international attention. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical global oil shipping route, and security conditions there affect worldwide energy supplies.
The United States attacked multiple bridges in Iran, prompting Iran to retaliate by striking a power generation and desalination facility in Kuwait. Both sides have expanded their targets beyond military installations to civilian infrastructure, raising concerns about further escalation in the Middle East.
The US military completed its seventh consecutive night of airstrikes on Iran on Friday, expanding operations from coastal areas to military facilities deep within Iranian territory. Iran retaliated with missile and drone attacks against US-related facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. The tit-for-tat escalation worsens the Middle East situation and threatens global energy supplies and maritime security. US Central Command targeted Iranian surveillance facilities, military logistics bases, and weapons storage sites.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company held an earnings call on Thursday, announcing a significant increase in capital expenditure to USD 600-640 billion, with Q2 EPS reaching a record high of NT$27.25. The Executive Yuan approved the New Youth Housing 3.0 plan on the same day, set to launch on August 1st. Taiwan's stock market fell 2,953.71 points on Friday, marking the largest single-day point decline in history, with a weekly loss of 2,683 points, also a record.
China has further restricted exports of critical rare earth minerals in response to policies from Japan and the United States. Prices of rare earth elements like yttrium oxide have surged significantly, potentially disrupting semiconductor and defense supply chains in Western countries. The move reflects growing geopolitical tensions affecting global critical material supplies.
Following seven consecutive nights of US airstrikes on Iranian military targets, Iran launched retaliatory attacks on Saturday against American military allies in the Gulf region. Kuwait faced significant strikes, with a desalination plant damaged and the international airport temporarily suspended operations. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have hit Camp Arifjan logistics support center and destroyed radar facilities at Ali Al Salem Air Base. The conflict has intensified following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement one week ago.
Europe has been gripped by an unprecedented heat wave since June, with excess deaths reaching 10,650 across 27 EU countries during the peak week of June 22-28, with over 90% being elderly people aged 65 and above. Temperatures in France, Spain, and Germany repeatedly exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, breaking century-old records. Despite surging air conditioner sales, the deadly heat wave continues, exposing structural vulnerabilities in Europe's weather forecasting, building design, and social safety systems.
Military tensions between the United States and Iran are intensifying in the Persian Gulf region as both sides conduct strikes on sensitive targets. With neither party showing signs of backing down, the conflict risks spiraling into a broader regional war, raising concerns about further escalation.
The US military command states it is conducting additional strikes to degrade Iran's armed forces capabilities. Iran reports explosions occurring near the Strait of Hormuz. The military confrontation between the two nations in the Middle East continues to escalate.
One month after the United States and Iran signed a memorandum to end combat operations, daily exchanges of attacks have intensified. Infrastructure in Gulf states has sustained damage as the agreement faces implementation challenges. Regional deterioration raises concerns about further escalation of the conflict.
China conducted a successful test of a submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missile on July 6, firing it from a nuclear-powered submarine. This achievement brings China into an exclusive group alongside the United States, Russia, Britain, and France—all permanent UN Security Council members. Analysts believe the missile was launched from China's Type 094 Jin-class nuclear-powered submarine, demonstrating advances in China's sea-based nuclear deterrence capabilities.
The US struck bridges in Iran, prompting Tehran to attack a power and desalination plant in Kuwait on Friday. Both sides have expanded targets to include critical infrastructure, raising escalation concerns. US Marines boarded a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz, while armed men seized another vessel off Yemen, threatening energy supplies and maritime security in the region's key shipping chokepoints.
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration issued heavy and torrential rain warnings for 17 counties and cities this afternoon, with rainfall expected to continue until early morning. Due to vigorous convective cloud development, short-duration intense rainfall is possible. The agency urges residents to take precautions, prepare for potential disasters, and avoid outdoor activities during the heavy rain period.
A pediatric emergency physician reported treating a one-year-old boy who developed severe respiratory distress after several days of continuous cough. The child exhibited rapid breathing, chest wall retractions during inhalation, nasal flaring, and decreased oxygen saturation, despite no high fever. Testing confirmed human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection. Doctors urge parents to seek immediate medical attention upon noticing six specific warning signs rather than delaying treatment.
Taiwan's Central Weather Administration issued a heavy rain alert for 14 counties and cities today. Due to vigorous convective cloud development, short-duration intense rainfall is expected in southern Chiayi, Nantou, western regions, Yilan, and Hualien mountainous areas. Authorities warn of lightning strikes and strong gusts, advising mountain areas to be cautious of landslides, falling rocks, and flash flooding, while low-lying areas should prepare for water accumulation.