Food Safety Crisis: Thousands rallied in Taipei over a tainted cooking oil scandal, after Taichung-based Central Union Oil was linked to soybean oil with excessive benzo[a]pyrene; KMT lawmakers and local officials demanded Premier Cho Jung-tai step down and President Lai Ching-te apologize, while TFDA said 1,300+ businesses and 500+ products were affected. Opposition Strategy: KMT chair Cheng Li-wun pushed candidates ahead of the November local elections, including a plan to cooperate with the Taiwan People’s Party to expand opposition wins in 22 county magistrate and mayor races. Cross-Strait Security: Taiwan’s defense ministry said a PLA helicopter and UAV crossed the Taiwan Strait median line and stayed in a restricted “R9” area for nearly 9.5 hours, fueling fears of new operational patterns. Energy Resilience: Taiwan began testing how to keep fuel and vital supplies flowing if China tries to choke off the island, as officials weigh blockade scenarios. U.S.-Taiwan Trade: The Trump administration reportedly cut tariffs on Taiwan from about 15% to around 10% after TSMC’s major Arizona investment, while still citing forced-labor enforcement concerns. Regional Diplomacy: Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister warned that if China tried to take Taiwan, war would be bad for the whole Pacific. Local Governance & Public Trust: CPC Corp. said it will raise gasoline and diesel prices next week due to crude oil spikes, even as it absorbs losses under the government’s price-stabilization approach.