🔥 Top Stories
According to US media reports, American special operations forces are on standby to potentially execute a military operation to seize enriched uranium from Iranian nuclear facilities. Experts describe this as one of the most complex operations in military history, involving significant risks and technical challenges. The plan remains under consideration, reflecting ongoing US concerns about Iran's nuclear program and efforts to prevent proliferation.
Iran's Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea on the morning of the 25th, resulting in one crew member killed and another injured. Iran reiterated it has not intervened in the Russia-Ukraine conflict but warned it will defend its national security interests and demanded Ukraine and its supporters be held accountable.
Chung Lien oil products were found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a Class 1 carcinogen, triggering a food safety crisis. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office conducted its third wave of searches to trace the contaminated oil's distribution. Former and current Taishan executives were brought in for questioning and subsequently detained by the court on suspicion of violating food safety regulations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Russia intends to recruit 30,000 North Korean soldiers to participate in the ongoing conflict, which has lasted over four years. Zelenskiy emphasized that Russia has begun preparations to receive these troops, and Ukraine will respond to this threat. The move indicates Russia faces manpower challenges and is seeking international allies' support.
Taishan soybean salad oil was found to contain excessive levels of benzopyrene, a carcinogenic substance. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office expanded its investigation in the third wave of searches, bringing in former CEO Shen Yijun and current CEO Cai Guoliang for questioning. Prosecutors determined both individuals were substantially involved and requested detention without bail, which the Taichung District Court approved.
🏛 Politics
Beijing announced coast guard vessels will conduct routine law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan, raising international concerns. This maritime region is critical for Taiwan, as it would rely on this area to receive military and economic assistance from the United States and its allies in case of conflict. The deployment potentially threatens Taiwan's vital supply routes.
A vehicle struck a crowd at Berlin's Pride parade on the evening of the 25th, leaving at least one person dead and 16 injured. The suspect fled the scene on foot and allegedly stabbed bystanders along the way. German police and prosecutors have identified the fugitive as 21-year-old Abdul B and are requesting public assistance in locating him.
According to US media reports, American special operations forces are on standby to potentially execute a military operation to seize enriched uranium from Iranian nuclear facilities. Experts describe this as one of the most complex operations in military history, involving significant risks and technical challenges. The plan remains under consideration, reflecting ongoing US concerns about Iran's nuclear program and efforts to prevent proliferation.
The New York Times reports that Beijing is strengthening blockade exercises in Taiwan's eastern waters. Taiwan is developing contingency measures for wartime energy supply, including establishing floating liquefied natural gas storage facilities, increasing emergency reserves, and evaluating nuclear power restart options. Finding safer natural gas reception points remains a key challenge.
Ukraine's capital Kyiv came under Russian air strikes overnight. Kyiv Mayor Klitschko reported that missile debris fell in at least three administrative districts, causing fires across the city. This marks another major attack in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesman stated that if the UK supports the US in any US-Iran conflict, Britain would be considered a "clear and legitimate target." This warning reflects Iran's hardline stance against Western involvement in Middle Eastern affairs, highlighting escalating geopolitical tensions in the region.
Iran's Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea on the morning of the 25th, resulting in one crew member killed and another injured. Iran reiterated it has not intervened in the Russia-Ukraine conflict but warned it will defend its national security interests and demanded Ukraine and its supporters be held accountable.
According to the New York Times, President Trump cancelled multiple escalation plans against Iran late on the 24th Eastern Time, after ordering strikes for nearly two weeks. Trump's primary concern is that further military escalation could severely deplete already-reduced air defense missile stockpiles, potentially compromising defensive capabilities.
Chung Lien oil products were found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a Class 1 carcinogen, triggering a food safety crisis. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office conducted its third wave of searches to trace the contaminated oil's distribution. Former and current Taishan executives were brought in for questioning and subsequently detained by the court on suspicion of violating food safety regulations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Russia intends to recruit 30,000 North Korean soldiers to participate in the ongoing conflict, which has lasted over four years. Zelenskiy emphasized that Russia has begun preparations to receive these troops, and Ukraine will respond to this threat. The move indicates Russia faces manpower challenges and is seeking international allies' support.
💰 Finance
South Korea's two major memory chipmakers SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics will announce their second-quarter earnings on July 29 and 30, respectively. Industry analysis projects SK Hynix's operating profit at approximately 64.1 trillion won (over NT$10 billion), representing a year-over-year increase of nearly six times and a quarter-over-quarter surge exceeding 70%. Market participants view these earnings reports as key indicators for assessing future semiconductor stock performance.
The U.S. Federal Reserve is scheduled to hold its interest rate decision meeting on the 28th. Markets widely expect policymakers will maintain current interest rates unchanged amid lingering inflation concerns. The competing forces of rate hikes and cuts have created tension, but keeping rates steady has emerged as the market consensus.
The US Trade Representative has implemented tariffs under Section 301 of trade law. Taiwan receives a preferential 10% non-stacked most-favored-nation (MFN) rate, lower than Japan and South Korea's 12.5%, and significantly better than China and Vietnam. This advantage benefits Taiwan's traditional industries including machinery, machine tools, hand tools, and hardware, providing competitive pricing and margin benefits to expand US market share and overseas orders.
The escalating Middle East conflict and Red Sea crisis have pushed international oil prices higher. Taiwan's CPC announced fuel price increases of 0.7 NT$ for gasoline and 0.5 NT$ for diesel starting August 27. The government expanded commodity tax reductions and implemented price stabilization measures, absorbing 6 NT$ and 5.7 NT$ respectively per liter. Since February 28, the government has absorbed over 15.7 billion NT$ to maintain the region's lowest retail fuel prices and ease citizens' living costs.
Relay manufacturer Songchuan Precision benefits from strong AI demand, with data center inverters, server power supplies, and UPS systems showing significant shipment growth from H2 2025. These high-voltage, high-current products increased their revenue share from 12% year-over-year to 17%, with H1 2026 shipment value reaching 700 million TWD, up significantly from 388 million TWD in H1 2025. The company has achieved record-high revenues for three consecutive quarters.
Iran's Oil Ministry stated that the country sold 18 billion dollars worth of oil during the conflict with the United States and the subsequent ceasefire period. The figure demonstrates Iran's ability to maintain oil export operations amid regional tensions, generating significant foreign exchange revenue for the nation.
The United States announced an exemption list covering 2,231 Taiwanese products from new tariffs. The list includes numerous items critical to Taiwan's economy, helping maintain Taiwan's export competitiveness. This move is viewed as a positive signal for Taiwan, reflecting US support for Taiwan's economic interests.
US stock market faces multiple headwinds this week as oil prices breach $100 per barrel and US Treasury yields hit yearly highs. AI stocks have lost hundreds of billions in market value, shifting investor sentiment cautious. Market attention centers on earnings reports from AI spending giants Microsoft and Meta, along with Apple and South Korean memory chip stocks, while monitoring Federal Reserve policy decisions.
The Federal Reserve holds its monetary policy meeting this week, with interest rates expected to remain unchanged. Markets are watching for signals from Chair Powell about potential rate hikes before year-end. Rising oil prices, tariff policies, and surging AI investment are reigniting inflation concerns and may test the Fed's resolve on monetary policy decisions.
Taishan soybean salad oil was found to contain excessive levels of benzopyrene, a carcinogenic substance. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office expanded its investigation in the third wave of searches, bringing in former CEO Shen Yijun and current CEO Cai Guoliang for questioning. Prosecutors determined both individuals were substantially involved and requested detention without bail, which the Taichung District Court approved.
💻 Technology
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated that South Korea's semiconductor industry is in a golden age and will become a critical pillar for global AI infrastructure. Nvidia and SK Group have signed strategic agreements with projected collaboration scale reaching 500 billion dollars across memory procurement, AI supercomputers, and data center construction. Nvidia will purchase memory chips from SK Hynix over multiple years while jointly advancing HBM technology generations from HBM2 to HBM4.
Samsung Electronics has secured a contract valued at over 200 billion dollars to supply chips to Broadcom. The partnership aims to strengthen both companies' positions in the artificial intelligence infrastructure market. This collaboration represents a significant move by both firms to capture greater market share in the rapidly growing AI chip sector.
Qualcomm notified customers via internal memo of across-the-board price increases effective September 1st for all shipped products. The move reflects pressure from rising two-nanometer process technology and DRAM costs. Price increases are expected to reach double-digit percentages, affecting major product lines.
The global PC industry demonstrates strong recovery momentum, with the third quarter entering the traditional peak season. Notebook, motherboard, and server shipments are rising simultaneously, with overall industry revenue expected to grow 6% compared to the second quarter. ASUS achieved 24% quarter-on-quarter and 39% year-on-year revenue growth in Q2, driven by strong AI server demand. Micro-Star and NVIDIA's collaboration on the RTX Spark edge AI device is expected to drive industry growth in the second half.
During South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung's visit to San Francisco for the AI Summit, SK Group and Samsung Electronics partnered with US tech companies on a 95 billion dollar collaboration plan. SK Hynix and Nvidia will cooperate on memory supply and development while building a 2GW AI data center in South Korea. Nvidia will also invest 1 billion dollars in Naver to support its AI data center financing.
Qualcomm, the world's largest smartphone processor manufacturer, plans to implement double-digit price increases for its processors in September. This move is expected to have cascading effects across much of the technology industry, potentially impacting smartphone manufacturers and related sectors' cost structures.
Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta and other major technology companies released an open letter on the 24th urging the US government to support open-weight artificial intelligence models rather than impose restrictions, arguing this is crucial for maintaining American technological leadership. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang posted for the first time on X platform, sharing the letter and expressing support. Elon Musk subsequently retweeted and endorsed Huang's post.
Anthropic unveiled Claude Opus 5 on the 24th, a new model with performance comparable to its flagship Fable 5 but priced at 50% of the cost. The launch addresses growing customer sensitivity to AI expenses and intensifying competition from Chinese competitors. Anthropic expects Opus 5 to become the preferred choice for routine office tasks.
Harvard University researchers successfully transformed everyday knitted fabric into programmable material capable of switching between multiple stable shapes. The innovative fabric features step-counting, switch control, and sensing functions. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for wearable devices and smart textiles, potentially revolutionizing future clothing technology applications.
China's 500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST) has made the first clear international observation of dramatic magnetic environment fluctuations around repeating fast radio bursts. Fast radio bursts are among the most mysterious radio explosion phenomena in the universe, releasing energy equivalent to the Sun's weekly radiation output in milliseconds. This observation provides key evidence supporting the hypothesis that fast radio bursts originate from binary star systems.
🎬 Entertainment
Five D-Day landing beaches in northwestern France were inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the 26th. These historically significant beaches, scattered across a coastline spanning over 80 kilometers, bear witness to a pivotal military operation during World War II and represent an important cultural heritage of human history.
Taiwanese athletes qualified for the Asian Games face exclusion from competition due to domestic sports associations' medal-focused funding policies. Critics argue that representation rights should be separated from subsidy eligibility, protecting athletes who meet international standards from being blocked by domestic financial thresholds that contradict international competition recognition.
Typhoon Haikui is expected to make landfall near Guangdong and Hong Kong on July 26 at dawn. Affected by the weather, Chinese airlines including China Airlines, Mandarin Airlines, and EVA Air announced flight adjustments. Cathay Pacific announced the cancellation of all flights arriving at and departing from Hong Kong between 1:15 AM and 6:00 PM on July 26.
A lifeguard trainee at Qingnian Park swimming pool in Taipei detected abnormal swimming movements from an elderly swimmer and immediately reported it. Lifeguards rescued the senior citizen and transported him to hospital. Medical examination revealed the swimmer had suffered a stroke during swimming. Early detection prevented a more serious outcome.
Taiwan's badminton player Chou Tien-chen defeated France's Toma Junior Popov in the China Open Super 1000 championship match on the 26th, winning 21-15, 7-21, 21-13 in a 64-minute three-set match. This marks Chou's first title of the season and his second BWF Super 1000 championship, extending his consecutive five-year winning streak.
🌏 International
Chung Lien oil products were found to contain excessive levels of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a Class 1 carcinogen, triggering a food safety crisis. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office conducted its third wave of searches to trace the contaminated oil's distribution. Former and current Taishan executives were brought in for questioning and subsequently detained by the court on suspicion of violating food safety regulations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Russia intends to recruit 30,000 North Korean soldiers to participate in the ongoing conflict, which has lasted over four years. Zelenskiy emphasized that Russia has begun preparations to receive these troops, and Ukraine will respond to this threat. The move indicates Russia faces manpower challenges and is seeking international allies' support.
Taishan soybean salad oil was found to contain excessive levels of benzopyrene, a carcinogenic substance. The Taichung District Prosecutors Office expanded its investigation in the third wave of searches, bringing in former CEO Shen Yijun and current CEO Cai Guoliang for questioning. Prosecutors determined both individuals were substantially involved and requested detention without bail, which the Taichung District Court approved.
Ukraine's capital Kyiv came under Russian air strikes overnight. Kyiv Mayor Klitschko reported that missile debris fell in at least three administrative districts, causing fires across the city. This marks another major attack in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Iran's Foreign Ministry accused Ukraine of attacking an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea on the morning of the 25th, resulting in one crew member killed and another injured. Iran reiterated it has not intervened in the Russia-Ukraine conflict but warned it will defend its national security interests and demanded Ukraine and its supporters be held accountable.
According to US media reports, American special operations forces are on standby to potentially execute a military operation to seize enriched uranium from Iranian nuclear facilities. Experts describe this as one of the most complex operations in military history, involving significant risks and technical challenges. The plan remains under consideration, reflecting ongoing US concerns about Iran's nuclear program and efforts to prevent proliferation.
The New York Times reports that Beijing is strengthening blockade exercises in Taiwan's eastern waters. Taiwan is developing contingency measures for wartime energy supply, including establishing floating liquefied natural gas storage facilities, increasing emergency reserves, and evaluating nuclear power restart options. Finding safer natural gas reception points remains a key challenge.
Beijing announced coast guard vessels will conduct routine law enforcement patrols in waters east of Taiwan, raising international concerns. This maritime region is critical for Taiwan, as it would rely on this area to receive military and economic assistance from the United States and its allies in case of conflict. The deployment potentially threatens Taiwan's vital supply routes.
Ukrainian former prisoners of war and civilians have reported experiencing sexualized torture in Russian detention facilities. Mounting evidence indicates that sexual violence has become an established military tactic. International attention focuses on documenting these alleged violations of humanitarian law, with ongoing investigations and evidence collection efforts underway.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy stated that Russia is preparing to receive an additional 30,000 soldiers from its ally North Korea. This reflects Russia's need for military manpower in the ongoing Ukraine conflict and the deepening military cooperation between Russia and North Korea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia has requested an additional 30,000 troops and missile launchers from North Korea to support its military operations against Ukraine. According to Zelensky's social media post on Saturday, Russia is preparing for these additional forces in the Voronezh region near the Ukraine border. North Korea previously deployed thousands of troops in 2024 to assist Russia against Ukrainian counteroffensives in the Kursk region and has continued providing military equipment to support Russia's invasion.
A prominent Chinese scientist faces investigation by his university following the death of a six-year-old girl after receiving experimental gene-editing therapy. The girl, named Mei, died days after undergoing treatment in March last year designed to correct a genetic mutation affecting neurodevelopment, according to a Science magazine report from a joint investigation with Retraction Watch. Her parents reported health complications following the treatment.
US stock market faces multiple headwinds this week as oil prices breach $100 per barrel and US Treasury yields hit yearly highs. AI stocks have lost hundreds of billions in market value, shifting investor sentiment cautious. Market attention centers on earnings reports from AI spending giants Microsoft and Meta, along with Apple and South Korean memory chip stocks, while monitoring Federal Reserve policy decisions.
During South Korea's President Lee Jae-myung's visit to San Francisco for the AI Summit, SK Group and Samsung Electronics partnered with US tech companies on a 95 billion dollar collaboration plan. SK Hynix and Nvidia will cooperate on memory supply and development while building a 2GW AI data center in South Korea. Nvidia will also invest 1 billion dollars in Naver to support its AI data center financing.
Samsung Electronics has secured a contract valued at over 200 billion dollars to supply chips to Broadcom. The partnership aims to strengthen both companies' positions in the artificial intelligence infrastructure market. This collaboration represents a significant move by both firms to capture greater market share in the rapidly growing AI chip sector.
📰 Other
While dementia remains incurable, early prevention can reduce risk. Experts recommend starting at age 40 to address 14 dementia risk factors, including lifestyle habits and health management, to build cognitive reserve and slow cognitive decline. As Taiwan enters a super-aged society with rising dementia cases, preventive measures are becoming increasingly critical.
A dangerous heat wave will blanket much of central United States from this weekend through next week, with temperatures expected to exceed 37.8°C (100°F) from Dallas to North Dakota. Approximately 70 million people will face heat warnings. Meteorologists attribute the heat wave to a heat dome phenomenon.
A guest at a well-known hot spring hotel in Suao, Yilan was injured when a bathroom handrail detached during normal use, along with a stone base weighing approximately 10 kilograms, striking her leg and causing her to fall and hit her head. The hotel provided only ice for treatment and repeatedly questioned why the guest did not seek immediate medical attention, while requesting twice that she delete negative reviews online.
Meteorological authorities forecast heavy rainfall in southern Taiwan tomorrow with short-duration heavy rain expected in central and northern regions during afternoon hours. A tropical disturbance is currently developing east of Guam and is expected to intensify into a tropical depression within 7 to 10 days, potentially forming Typhoon Baiji, which is forecast to move toward Japan.