Renewables & Semis Supply Chain: Samsung’s Vietnamese unit (SEVT) signed its first direct PPA, taking 70GWh from the Duc Hue 2 solar plant via the grid—part of a broader Vietnam push that includes a $1.5B semiconductor testing plant and plans for chip packaging in Thai Nguyen. Standards for Power Electronics: JEDEC published SiC reliability guidance with JEP203 (short-circuit evaluation for power MOSFETs) and JEP204 (stress procedures for SiC power devices) to improve testing consistency and long-term ruggedness. AI Hardware for PCs: NVIDIA unveiled RTX Spark, an AI-first superchip aimed at “personal AI agents” on Windows PCs, with MediaTek collaborating on custom CPU design. Memory-Chip Pressure: US industry groups warned that AI data centers are straining global memory supplies, pushing up prices and risking other sectors like automotive and consumer electronics. Security & Identity Tech: India’s UPSC rolled out real-time face authentication across 2,072 exam venues using Android smartphones to curb impersonation. EU Right-to-Repair: Nintendo confirmed Switch 2 battery changes for EU compliance, aiming to make future battery replacement easier. US-China PCB Crackdown: A US narrative flags Chinese-made PCBs as a national security risk, but the report says the claims lack support.