Taiwan-US Defense & Security: President Lai Ching-te pushed back on China’s pressure, saying Taiwan’s defense build-up is not provocation and urging swift approval of a new U.S. arms package. Cross-Strait Public Mood: A Taiwan military think tank survey found about two-thirds of people see closer ties with the U.S. and Japan as beneficial for security, while views on closer ties with China are more split. Defense Industry Supply Chains: Taiwan’s Control Yuan says red tape and poor coordination have slowed domestic defense supply-chain building, citing long contract approval delays and implementation gaps in the Defense Industry Development Act. Cyber & Elections: A cybersecurity expert warned of a coordinated Facebook disinformation push ahead of Taiwan’s Nov. 28 local elections, with many pages linked to overseas operators. Geopolitics in the Sea: China’s marine environmental survey east of Taiwan is framed as part of more systematic nearshore governance and groundwork for territorial spatial planning. AI & Research Diplomacy: Taiwan’s MOFA deputy inspected a “sovereign AI” data center site in Paraguay, tied to a Taiwan-Paraguay investment MoU. Health & Environment: NTNU research links air pollution and cooler conditions to higher cardiovascular emergency visits, especially for seniors and northern Taiwan. Agriculture & Climate: Taiwan-backed irrigation upgrades in Saint Lucia aim to stabilize water for Chassin farmers; in Taiwan, soybeans are promoted as traceable, lower-carbon, and drought-tolerant. Tech & Semiconductors: IT sector concentration keeps climbing in major indexes, with Taiwan’s weight rising in MSCI EM; separate coverage highlights Intel’s new Core Series 3 laptops and Nvidia’s RTX Spark push at Computex. Legal & Industry: A lawsuit alleges TSMC’s taxpayer-funded Arizona operations discriminate against American workers. Space/Power Tech: ProLogium and Elysian Aircraft plan to assess lithium ceramic batteries for aircraft energy-density and safety needs.