Fed Rate Watch: Asian markets wobbled as investors brace for a likely Fed hike, with 10-year U.S. yields pushing above 5% amid sticky inflation and Middle East-driven oil pressure. AI Slowdown & Safety: Tech stocks stayed volatile after major AI leaders urged caution on rapid frontier development, feeding fears of a broader pullback in AI spending. TSMC Momentum: TSMC’s advanced-process lead kept strengthening—foundry demand tied to AI accelerators lifted results, while MediaTek’s Dimensity 9600 Pro launched on TSMC 2nm, signaling wider 2nm adoption beyond top-tier customers. Memory Supply Race: SK hynix reportedly discussed making memory chips in the U.S. with Intel, while Samsung began trial production of Tesla’s AI5 chips at its Texas 2nm plant. Taiwan Strait Tech-Defense: A Taiwan-focused report highlighted low-cost autonomous undersea drones and swarm-style concepts aimed at raising the cost of any invasion. China Controls & Security: China rolled out new exit-entry rules that can require electronic data at border checks, alongside broader travel curbs framed as tech-security measures. Space Militarization: The U.S. said it placed weapons in orbit, a major escalation that heightens concern for space security. Health Research: A Taiwan-linked review found structured exercise after cancer treatment was associated with lower death and recurrence risk, supporting exercise as an add-on therapy. Cybersecurity Funding: Italy’s Exein raised $270M to build physical AI security for robots and vehicles, citing rapidly rising attack activity.