Semiconductor & AI Supply Chain: Tower Semiconductor is backing silicon photonics/silicon germanium capacity in Japan with a dual-track $3B expansion and about $1B in METI grants, betting that optical interconnects are now a physical necessity for terabit AI links. Auto Manufacturing Expansion: Mercedes-Benz opened expanded production in Kecskemét, investing ~EUR 1B, doubling capacity and starting series production of its electric entry-level C-Class in Hungary. Energy for Industry: Cypress Creek Energy and Google broke ground on Steel River Energy Center in Arkansas, targeting 1.6 GW solar plus 1.9 GWh storage in early phases, with the full project reaching 2.5 GW and 2.9 GWh by 2029. Space Logistics Costs: A Cambridge study says LEO cargo launch costs could drop over 90% by 2040, potentially enabling new manufacturing-in-space use cases. Trade Policy: The UK-India Free Trade Agreement takes effect July 15, cutting tariffs and simplifying customs for eligible UK manufacturers. Workplace Safety: A furnace explosion at Jain Resource Recycling’s Tamil Nadu plant killed one worker and injured others; operations in the affected section were temporarily suspended. Corporate Moves: Hero MotoCorp approved up to ₹1,000 crore more into Ather Energy to scale EV production and infrastructure.