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On the 5th, South Korean police conducted a search and seizure operation at Starbucks Korea's headquarters in Seoul. The investigation is focused on determining whether those responsible for the company's "Tank Day" marketing campaign in May intentionally sought to insult the victims of the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement. Starbucks Korea's parent company, Shinsegae Group, has argued that portions of the promotional copy were generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and that managers failed to thoroughly review the attached materials during the approval process. However, police plan to examine the seized evidence to determine whether this explanation is a genuine account or an attempt to evade responsibility.

The controversy began during this year's 46th anniversary of the Gwangju Uprising, when Starbucks Korea launched a promotional campaign for a large-capacity insulated tumbler under the name "Tank Day." Given the historical significance of the anniversary, the use of the word "tank" immediately evoked memories of the military's use of tanks during the violent suppression of the 1980 Gwangju uprising. The campaign's slogan, "Tak! on the desk," further fueled criticism, as it appeared to reference the infamous government cover-up following the 1987 death of Seoul university student Park Jong-chul, who died under police torture. At the time, authorities falsely claimed that he had simply "collapsed with an 'ah' after someone banged on the desk."

Additional aspects of the campaign also drew scrutiny. The tumbler's 503-milliliter capacity matched the inmate number of former President Park Geun-hye; the 21% discount was seen as referencing May 21, the date martial law forces opened fire on civilians during the Gwangju Uprising; and the 10:00 a.m. launch time coincided with the time when the first major clashes erupted outside Chonnam National University in 1980. Critics argued that these and other details resembled the coded symbols and inside jokes commonly used by the far-right online community Ilbe Storehouse, which has frequently been accused of mocking the Gwangju victims.

Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin, former Starbucks Korea CEO Son Jeong-hyun, and other marketing executives have been formally charged by organizations representing victims of the Gwangju movement. They are accused of violating the Special Act on the May 18 Democratization Movement (including historical distortion and defamation), as well as charges of insult and criminal defamation. Chairman Chung Yong-jin has publicly apologized on multiple occasions, including bowing three times during a televised apology. Former CEO Son Jeong-hyun was dismissed from his position, and Starbucks Korea ordered all more than 2,000 stores nationwide to close for half a day so employees could undergo mandatory training on historical awareness and social sensitivity.

Europe continues to grapple with an intense heatwave and prolonged drought, driving water levels in the Danube River to their lowest on record. The crisis has not only severely disrupted river shipping but has also sparked growing concerns over energy security. Romania, Hungary, and Serbia have all experienced declining electricity generation, while two nuclear power plants that rely on the Danube for cooling have been forced to reduce output or partially shut down their reactors.

In an extraordinary effort to keep the country's last operating reactor online, the Romanian military reportedly deployed naval forces to blast riverbed rocks with 180 kilograms of explosives, redirecting water flow toward the cooling intake. The unprecedented operation underscores how the drought has escalated into a matter of national energy security.

This summer, Europe has been battered by persistent extreme heat, with temperatures repeatedly reaching record highs across several countries. Beyond disrupting daily life, the prolonged lack of rainfall has caused river levels to fall dramatically. Along sections of the Danube—which stretches across much of Central and Eastern Europe—the river has visibly dried up, hindering shipping, straining agricultural irrigation, and threatening the operation of nuclear power plants that depend on river water for reactor cooling. The situation has raised widespread concerns over the stability of Europe's energy supply.

As Europe's second-longest river, the Danube is a vital artery for transportation, water resources, and industrial activity. Under the combined impact of heat and drought, water levels in some stretches have fallen to their lowest point in decades. Many cargo vessels have been forced to reduce their loads due to insufficient draft, while others have suspended operations altogether. As a result, the transportation of coal, oil, agricultural products, and other commodities has slowed, placing renewed pressure on regional supply chains.

Even more concerning is the impact on nuclear power generation. As river levels continue to fall and water temperatures rise, nuclear plants that use river water to cool their reactors are facing mounting operational challenges. Nuclear facilities require a sufficient supply of cooling water to operate safely. If river flow becomes inadequate, or if the discharge of heated cooling water would cause river temperatures to exceed environmental limits, operators may be required to reduce power output or temporarily shut down reactors to ensure nuclear safety and protect aquatic ecosystems.

Energy analysts note that while Europe has made significant progress in advancing its energy transition in recent years, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events has exposed the vulnerability of its energy infrastructure to climate change. With hydropower generation reduced by drought and nuclear power constrained by cooling requirements, some countries may have little choice but to increase their reliance on natural gas- or coal-fired power plants to maintain electricity supplies, potentially complicating efforts to achieve carbon reduction targets.

Meteorological agencies warn that high temperatures are expected to persist across parts of Europe over the coming days, while rainfall is likely to remain limited, making any near-term improvement in drought conditions unlikely. The European Union has called on member states to strengthen water resource management, improve the flexibility of energy dispatch systems, and continue investing in climate-resilient infrastructure to reduce the impact of extreme weather on transportation, energy systems, and the broader economy.

Experts also caution that as global warming intensifies, severe heatwaves and prolonged droughts are likely to become more frequent. Balancing energy security with climate adaptation is therefore expected to become one of the most pressing challenges facing European nations in the years ahead.

This summer, wildfires and heatwaves have swept across much of Europe, leaving an economic toll of more than €3 billion (approximately NT$112 billion) so far, according to an analysis by the Financial Times. The losses have already exceeded the European Commission's estimated annual average disaster cost of €2.5 billion for the European Union. In the five hardest-hit countries—including Portugal, Greece and Romania—nearly 500,000 hectares of land were scorched during the first two months of the wildfire season alone, with damages reaching €3.1 billion, underscoring the growing impact of extreme weather across Europe.

Beyond the direct destruction caused by wildfires, prolonged drought and extreme heat have also disrupted key sectors of the European economy. Falling water levels on the Rhine and Danube rivers have hindered freight transport and forced factories to reduce production, affecting Germany's chemical industry as well as energy supplies across Central and Eastern Europe. In France's Gironde department, wildfire outbreaks have led to shutdowns and evacuations that disrupted the defense, aerospace and tourism industries. Spain has reported damage to more than 18,500 hectares of farmland. Meanwhile, several nuclear power plants in Hungary and Romania have reduced output or temporarily suspended operations due to insufficient cooling water, adding pressure to regional energy supplies.

Climate economists warn that the true economic cost of this year's wildfires may already be more than three times the average annual level. They note that indirect losses—including rising insurance premiums, declining tourism revenues and increased healthcare costs linked to air pollution—have yet to be fully accounted for. Experts emphasize that while post-disaster reconstruction may generate short-term economic activity, it does not represent genuine economic growth but rather the replacement of destroyed capital. With Europe warming faster than the global average, the economic and social costs of increasingly frequent extreme weather events are expected to continue rising.

Washington State is experiencing its fourth consecutive year of statewide drought. Fueled by strong winds and extremely dry conditions, the Old Trails Fire has been raging near Spokane in eastern Washington. The wildfire has crossed the Spokane River, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate, prompting the evacuation of several critical facilities, and leaving approximately 60,000 customers without power.

According to reports, the fire initially broke out in open brush and grassland before rapidly spreading north and east toward residential neighborhoods. Local emergency officials issued a Level 3 "Go Now" evacuation order, urging residents to leave immediately to protect their lives. Long lines of vehicles formed as people fled their homes, while towering flames were visible from nearby highways.

Spokane, the largest city in eastern Washington, has a population of about 230,000. Washington State Forester George Geissler said the Old Trails Fire has burned more than 3,000 acres (about 1,215 hectares) and is directly threatening around 4,000 structures in the city. Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said several key facilities—including a water reclamation plant, a waste-to-energy incineration facility, and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital—have been evacuated as a precaution. As of 3:30 p.m., about 200 households had officially registered for evacuation assistance, though Brown said the number is expected to rise significantly as evacuation efforts continue across the affected areas.

Several major wildfires remain active across Washington. The Model T Fire has scorched 40,625 acres and is 22% contained, while the Little Giant Fire has burned 28,393 acres. Earlier, the U.S. National Weather Service issued an unprecedented "Particularly Dangerous Situation" (PDS) Red Flag Warning for eastern Washington, forecasting extreme wildfire weather conditions due to powerful winds, low humidity, and exceptionally dry vegetation.

On Saturday morning, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson declared a statewide emergency and imposed a burn ban. The order prohibits most outdoor and agricultural burning through September 30 in an effort to reduce the risk of additional human-caused wildfires.

Approximately 4,000 firefighters are currently battling more than a dozen wildfires across the state. In addition to the Washington National Guard, firefighting crews from more than a dozen other states have been deployed to assist. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported so far.

A massive influx of migrants from Morocco into Ceuta, Spain's North African enclave, has triggered one of the country's most serious border crises in recent years and thrust the European Union's migration policy back into the spotlight. Within just a few days, tens of thousands of people attempted to enter Ceuta by sea and land, leaving dozens dead or injured. In response, the Spanish government deployed additional police, military personnel and coast guard forces while working with Morocco to accelerate the return of migrants. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and several EU leaders issued strong statements, stressing that the bloc's external borders "must not be breached," calling for a crackdown on human trafficking networks, and urging member states to show unity in addressing the crisis.

According to the Spanish government, the migrant surge has been concentrated in Ceuta. Many migrants were reportedly influenced by false information circulating on social media claiming that once they reached Ceuta, they would be free to travel to mainland Spain and the Schengen Area. As a result, thousands risked swimming across the border or climbing over border fences. Authorities said at least 60 people died during the crossings, with many minors among those involved. Reception facilities in Ceuta were quickly overwhelmed, creating a severe humanitarian emergency.

Following the outbreak of the crisis, Spain rapidly deployed additional security forces and coast guard units to restore order along the border. Authorities also installed a floating sea barrier approximately 500 meters long off the coast of Ceuta to deter illegal crossings. At the same time, Spain and Morocco strengthened cooperation, resulting in the return of more than 48,000 migrants to Morocco within several days, helping ease pressure at the border. The Spanish government emphasized that Ceuta is not a "gateway" to mainland Europe, noting that newly arrived migrants cannot freely enter the Schengen Area and are not covered by Spain's recently concluded migrant regularization program.

Von der Leyen described the scenes of mass illegal crossings in Ceuta as "unacceptable," saying that dangerous illegal crossings must stop immediately and that human smuggling networks must be dismantled. She also called on EU member states to accelerate the return of individuals who do not qualify for legal residence. The European Commission president announced that EU commissioners had been tasked with maintaining close contact with both Spain and Morocco to help manage the situation, stressing that cooperation with Morocco remains essential for protecting the EU's southern external border. European Council President Antonio Costa also expressed support for Spain, reaffirming that the EU's external borders are a shared responsibility and urging member states to stand together rather than leave frontline countries to shoulder the burden alone.

The crisis has also exposed divisions within the EU over migration policy. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized Spain's immigration policy as overly lenient and announced the temporary reinstatement of border checks for non-EU travelers arriving from Spain. France, Denmark, Poland and the Czech Republic also voiced concerns over Spain's handling of the situation and called for a review of the EU's external border management system. Meanwhile, countries including Ireland and France argued that the issue should not be politicized and supported addressing the crisis through coordinated action at the EU level.

In response to the situation, the European Union has convened an emergency meeting of interior ministers to discuss strengthening external border controls, improving migrant return mechanisms, and expanding cooperation with Morocco and other North African countries. Analysts say the Ceuta crisis underscores that migration routes across the Mediterranean and North Africa remain among the EU's most pressing security and humanitarian challenges, while once again placing migration at the center of political debate across the bloc.

U.S. President Donald John Trump announced on July 30 through social media that the Board of Peace, which he said he chairs, had reached an agreement with the Palestinian militant group Hamas to completely disarm Hamas and all other armed groups in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas confirmed that it had agreed to the plan, stressing that the arrangement is contingent upon Israel withdrawing its forces and refraining from interference.

In his post, Trump described the agreement as a crucial step toward establishing a new government in Gaza and a major milestone in implementing his 20-Point Peace Plan. According to the proposal, as the disarmament process advances, Israeli forces would gradually withdraw from Gaza. An International Stabilization Force, working alongside the police force of the new Palestinian government, would be responsible for maintaining security in the territory. Trump also emphasized that Israel's security would be ensured once Gaza no longer served as a base for terrorist attacks.

Hamas stated that it had agreed to make concessions in exchange for a phased Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, with the goal of ending the bloodshed and preventing further displacement of Gaza's residents. However, the group insisted that it would not surrender any weapons before Israeli troops withdraw. It added that the pace and scope of disarmament would depend on Israel's withdrawal and the progress of Gaza's reconstruction.

According to media reports, the agreement requires a disarmament timetable to be established within 14 days. The Board of Peace would oversee the transfer and secure storage of Hamas' weapons, while a future Gaza National Administrative Council would gradually assume responsibility for governing and administering the territory.

As of now, Israel has not issued an official response and has continued its airstrikes on Gaza. An anonymous Israeli official reportedly said that Israel would not withdraw its forces unless Hamas genuinely disarms, indicating that significant uncertainty remains over whether the agreement can ultimately be implemented.

Australia and Russia have both taken legal action against Telegram, accusing the messaging platform of enabling terrorist activities.

On July 30, Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, announced a civil lawsuit against Telegram, alleging that the company violated the Online Safety Act by failing to remove terrorist content in a timely manner after receiving reports. According to the complaint, Telegram left the reported material online for three weeks, allowed the accounts and channels responsible for posting it to remain active, and even permitted execution videos produced by extremist groups to circulate on the platform.

The lawsuit centers on Telegram's alleged failure to detect and remove known extremist violent content. Some of the graphic material reportedly remained available for nearly three months before being taken down, including footage from the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings in New Zealand and livestream clips from the 2022 mass shooting in Buffalo, New York. The complaint also argues that Telegram's Terms of Service do not comprehensively prohibit the promotion of terrorism and that users who report such content receive no information about how their reports are handled.

If the court finds Telegram in violation of the law, the company could face fines of up to AUD 54.6 million. Grant emphasized that "no platform is above the law" and reiterated that digital platforms have a critical responsibility to protect their communities. In 2025, Telegram was also fined approximately AUD 960,000 for failing to submit a transparency report on its efforts to combat child abuse material and terrorist content on time.

Meanwhile, on July 29, Russia announced criminal charges against Telegram founder Pavel Durov, accusing him of assisting terrorist activities and placing him on an international wanted list. Russian authorities allege that Telegram allowed Ukraine's security services to use the platform for recruitment and to organize attacks within Russian territory.

U.S. President Donald Trump held separate closed-door meetings at the White House on July 28 with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The rare back-to-back meetings focused on the world's two major conflict zones. Both leaders met with Trump while in Washington to attend a memorial service for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, discussing the current state of the wars and possible next steps.

Following the meeting, Zelenskyy described the talks as "good and productive." The discussions centered on strengthening Ukraine's air defense capabilities ahead of the winter season. Trump expressed support for a plan to authorize the domestic production of Patriot missile systems in Ukraine, a move regarded as essential to protecting the country's critical energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy also stressed the need to revive diplomatic efforts, with both sides agreeing that their teams would continue coordinating the details of future peace negotiations.

Trump later met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, marking their first face-to-face meeting since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran in February. The two leaders focused primarily on preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. They also discussed expanding the Abraham Accords by encouraging countries such as Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Azerbaijan to join, with the goal of broadening the circle of peace in the Middle East. In addition, they reviewed the implementation and remaining challenges of the framework agreement signed between Israel and Lebanon in June. Netanyahu described the meeting as "one of the most successful dialogues," emphasizing that the United States and Israel demonstrated a comprehensive strategic partnership while downplaying previous policy differences.

The White House characterized both meetings as "positive and productive." However, the talks were held behind closed doors, reflecting the challenges Trump faces in fulfilling his pledge to bring a swift end to ongoing conflicts. On the same day as the meetings, Iran reportedly launched another ballistic missile attack against a U.S. military base, underscoring the fragility of the ceasefire agreement. With the U.S. midterm elections approaching, Trump is under increasing pressure to secure diplomatic breakthroughs and reduce the impact of the conflicts on the global economy.

A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, at 4:27 p.m. on the 28th. The quake had a shallow focal depth of just 10 kilometers, with the highest seismic intensity of 7 recorded in Uki City and Hikawa Town.

The earthquake caused severe damage to transportation networks and critical infrastructure. Runways at Aso Kumamoto Airport were immediately closed, while all Shinkansen and conventional railway services within the prefecture were suspended. On the Kyushu Expressway, sections of the road buckled and several bridges collapsed. In Yatsushiro City, a freight train reportedly derailed and overturned. Several major companies, including Toyota, Bridgestone, and Nippon Paper Industries, were also forced to halt operations.

One of the hardest-hit locations was AEON Mall Kumamoto, where a loud explosion was reportedly heard, followed by white smoke rising from the building. Part of the second floor collapsed, trapping numerous people inside. Initial reports indicate that several people have died, while dozens of employees remain unaccounted for. Police and Japan's Self-Defense Forces have launched a full-scale search and rescue operation.

At TSMC's JASM semiconductor plant in Kikuyo Town, emergency response procedures have been activated to account for and evacuate personnel.

In response to the disaster, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi convened an emergency meeting and directed all available resources toward rescue and relief efforts. The Fire and Disaster Management Agency has also mobilized its specialized urban search and rescue teams. Although the tsunami advisory has been lifted, the Japan Meteorological Agency has warned that aftershocks with a maximum seismic intensity of 7 remain possible over the coming week and has urged residents to remain vigilant.

On July 27, the Seoul Central District Court found former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol guilty of violating the Public Official Election Act by making false statements during the 2022 presidential election concerning Jeon Seong-bae, better known as the "Geonjin Monk," and related allegations. The court sentenced Yoon to 18 months in prison, suspended for three years, in its first-instance ruling. The court said that false information disseminated by a presidential candidate during televised debates and media interviews could significantly influence voters' judgment and therefore warranted criminal liability. Yoon's legal team immediately filed an appeal following the verdict.

Under South Korea's Public Official Election Act, a candidate who receives a final conviction resulting in a fine of 1 million won (about NT$22,000) or more, or a prison sentence, for election-related offenses may lose his or her elected office. If Yoon ultimately loses all appeals, his victory in the 2022 presidential election could be invalidated, marking the first such case in South Korea's constitutional history. In addition, his party, the People Power Party (PPP), would be required to return approximately 39.7 billion won (about NT$850 million) in state election subsidies, dealing a major blow to the party's finances.

The court accepted prosecutors' arguments that Yoon, through his wife Kim Keon Hee, had maintained long-term ties with Jeon Seong-bae and had made false statements regarding the controversy during the election campaign. Earlier, on July 9, Yoon had already received a final seven-year prison sentence on charges including obstruction of arrest and abuse of power. The latest conviction further increases the legal and political pressure facing the former president.

Political observers say the final outcome of the election law case will not only determine Yoon's political future but could also reshape the prospects of the People Power Party and the broader landscape of South Korean politics.