Defense & Deterrence: Taiwan’s President William Lai took part in the “Wan Chun” escape-route plan during the annual Han Kuang drills, moving by armored vehicle to a secret command post as China’s largest-ever war games raise invasion fears. Military Readiness: The drills also simulated defending Taipei’s key infrastructure and tested autonomous drone software, while Mirage jets were rapidly re-armed for quick return to the skies. US-Taiwan Security Ties: US Rep. Michael McCaul said Congress is strongly supportive of Taiwan and pushed expanded drone cooperation, even as a separate US$14 billion arms package remains held as a bargaining chip. Civil Resilience: Kaohsiung combined urban resilience drills with Han Kuang for the first time, focusing on keeping command systems running and coordinating military, government, and civilians under pressure. China Risk at Home: Taiwan’s MOI asked the Constitutional Court to dissolve a pro-China party, citing alleged election interference and united-front activity. Economy & Tech: Taiwan’s July exports jumped nearly 33% on AI-driven demand, while markets consolidated after a recent AI-spending scare. Business & Industry: Acer reported record July revenue highs on PC and commercial growth tied to AI use. Culture: A Taiwan-Japan co-production, “Arrested Memory,” was selected for TIFF’s Midnight Madness.