Defense & Diplomacy: President Lai Ching-te urged swift U.S. approval of a new arms package, saying Taiwan’s defense build-up is meant to protect democracy and should not be seen as provocation as Beijing ramps up pressure. Semiconductors & Supply Chains: Trump said Apple will work with Intel to design and manufacture chips in the U.S., a potential jolt to Intel’s comeback and a new pressure point for Taiwan’s chip ecosystem. Cybersecurity: CISA warned of active exploitation after the FortiBleed leak exposed credentials for about 74,000 Fortinet devices, pushing urgent patching and credential resets. Energy & Costs: Taiwan’s CPC cut gasoline and diesel prices next week, citing easing international crude pressure and a stronger Taiwan dollar. AI Infrastructure Abroad: MOFA said Taiwan’s “sovereign AI” data center project in Paraguay moved into site inspection, leveraging Paraguay’s green power for computing capacity and talent. Property Market: Taiwan residential and commercial transactions fell to a nine-year low in 2025 as selective credit controls cooled home buying. Rare Earths & Magnets: China resumed gallium exports to Japan after a four-month pause, while rare-earth magnet supply curbs continue to squeeze Japan’s heavy rare-earth inputs. Health & Environment: A Taiwanese study linked air pollution—especially nitrogen oxides—to higher cardiovascular emergency visits, notably for older adults and in northern Taiwan. Industrial Tech & Defense Production: Taiwan’s Cabinet approved a $6.7B drone and unmanned vessel plan to expand domestic defense capacity amid China tensions.