AI Education & Skills: Karnataka’s CM DK Shivakumar launched the AI Akshara Abhiyana and Coding Gurukula to start AI learning in schools from Class 6, alongside plans for a government-owned AI university in Bengaluru. Defense Engineering: Reliance and Rolls-Royce announced a partnership to develop an indigenous AMCA fighter-jet engine, including a proposed Aerospace Gas Turbine Complex—an answer to India’s long-running high-thrust hurdle. Semiconductors & Supply Chains: A new report highlights why Asia’s chipmakers struggle to compete with Nvidia, pointing to the bottleneck of access to advanced foundries like TSMC and Samsung. Clean Energy Materials: China-led researchers cleared a major step toward industrial perovskite solar by patching defects with a stable coating, beating silicon in a 1MW field test. Construction & Housing Costs: Zimbabwe is reviewing colonial-era building rules to cut housing costs and speed delivery, with more room for prefabricated and climate-resilient methods. Regional Industry Push: South Africa takes over SADC leadership and faces pressure to turn integration pledges into real industrial benefits for citizens. Manufacturing Automation: LG Electronics began operating a second Brazil plant in Paraná, using AI vision and digital twins to improve quality and cut costs. Science Policy & China: A U.S. science-funding board warns that proposed restrictions on China-linked research could harm U.S. science and competitiveness. Fusion Funding Momentum: Fusion startups continue to attract major private capital as advances in chips, AI control, and high-temperature superconducting magnets bring commercialization closer.