AI & Safety: OpenAI rolled out GPT-6 Astra, touting major gains in computer use, coding, cybersecurity and science, while also fueling fresh debate about alignment and control. Fusion Breakthrough: A Princeton team unveiled an AI framework (PACMAN) aimed at stabilizing fusion plasma decisions in milliseconds—pushing fusion closer to practical control. Climate & Health: The WMO warned that wildfires and heatwaves are worsening air quality, with more exposure to toxic PM2.5 even as industrial emissions fall. Space & Policy: ISRO rejected privatisation claims, saying private participation won’t shrink its role as India’s space ecosystem expands. Semiconductors: South Korea launched the GIST-Arm School to train 1,400 semiconductor design specialists over five years. Biotech & Medicine: A new tick-borne virus was identified in patients after tick bites, raising stakes for differential diagnosis. Research & Industry: Google Research introduced the Planetary Prediction Engine to automate geospatial workflows from natural-language queries. Food & Materials: Methanol-to-jet sustainable aviation fuel cleared an ASTM qualification step, while a blue pigment catalyst showed efficient CO₂-to-methane conversion. STEM Education: Malaysia’s leaders urged turning school science challenges into continuous STEM talent pipelines.