Control Yuan Fight: Cross-party momentum to abolish Taiwan’s Control Yuan grew after a Lai Ching-te nominee, Hsieh Cheng-ta, withdrew, saying he backs constitutional amendment proposals now before the legislature. Defense & Deterrence: Taiwan staged a first-of-its-kind west-coast live-fire drill using 32 U.S.-supplied HIMARS rockets and 155mm howitzers to test “shoot-and-scoot” tactics, drawing Beijing’s condemnation. Cross-Strait Security Drills: Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force will join a parachute training in the Philippines’ Batanes under the Kamandag exercise, underscoring tightening Japan-Philippines defense cooperation near Taiwan. Diplomacy Under Pressure: Taiwan withdrew from Kenya’s Our Ocean Conference after two delegates were denied entry to a fringe event and detained, with Taiwan alleging PRC pressure. Legislative Action: The Legislative Yuan passed tougher penalties for illegal industrial waste dumping, including higher prison terms and electronic-fencing monitoring in high-risk areas. Tech & Cybersecurity: ESET reported new Windows variants of the China-linked SprySOCKS backdoor targeting government orgs, including Taiwan. Energy & AI Readiness: AmCham Taiwan warned energy security and resilient infrastructure are now national security issues as AI boosts electricity demand. Markets: Taiwan stocks closed higher, led by electronics and financials, as optimism around a U.S.-Iran peace deal lifted sentiment. Culture & Soft Power: TAICCA’s Taiwan pavilion returns to the Seoul International Book Fair, while MOFA’s “Finding Taiwan” short film contest opens for submissions.