Rare-Earth Reshoring: The G7 pledged to cap any single country’s share of rare earth imports at 60% by 2030, aiming to cut China’s dominance as export controls loom. Market Mood: World shares were mixed after the U.S.-Iran initial deal, with Asia rallying on AI-linked tech buying while oil eased. Taiwan-Japan Security & Tech: President Lai urged deeper Taiwan-Japan cooperation in semiconductors, AI, and unmanned aircraft, plus disaster and maritime security coordination. Taiwan’s Tech Momentum: Taiwan shares hit record highs as investors stayed focused on AI and big tech; TSMC led gains. Memory Breakthrough: CEA-Leti demonstrated ferroelectric RAM scaled to a 22nm node for denser, non-volatile edge AI. Semiconductor Supply Chain: TSMC and Amkor signed a 10-year U.S. advanced packaging and testing deal, strengthening Arizona capacity. Academia Leadership: Chen Chien-jen took over as president of Academia Sinica, setting priorities from AI research to talent and policy support. Cyber Risk: FortiBleed exposed admin passwords for tens of thousands of Fortinet firewalls, with Taiwan among affected regions. Defense Drones Budget: Taiwan’s Cabinet proposed NT$210B over six years to procure domestically built drones and unmanned surface vessels. Nature & Research: Taiwan researchers located East Asia’s tallest known tree using LiDAR, highlighting the value of remote biodiversity surveys. Global Education Ranking: Four Taiwanese universities entered QS top 200, led by NTU’s best-ever rank. Diplomatic Friction: Taiwan said Kenya detained its ocean delegates after alleged pressure from China.