Research Security Crackdown: The Pentagon ordered audits of 30 U.S. universities’ partnerships with foreign institutions, warning that schools that don’t review and cut ties within two weeks could lose funding; reports name Harvard and MIT among those affected. Boston-Area Health Accountability: Harvard agreed to pay $53M to settle lawsuits over mishandled donated body parts after a former morgue manager was convicted of stealing and selling cadaver materials. Sino-U.S. Robotics Link: A report traces parts of China’s Unitree robot-dog and humanoid success to U.S. Army-funded research, raising fresh questions about how military-backed work spreads into commercial AI and robotics. AI Talent Shifts at Tencent: Tencent reportedly reshuffled its multimodal team for Hunyuan, with MIT-linked researchers and leadership changes aimed at improving multimodal progress. Space Tech Milestone: France’s Sophie Adenot completed the first French spacewalk, replacing a Space-to-Ground antenna on the ISS. Public Safety & Tech: A Harvard Medical School study found fatal crashes rose on days when major music albums hit streaming platforms, pointing to phone-driven distraction while driving. Local STEM Spark: A 15-year-old from Massachusetts won recognition for a water filter made from ground animal bones, targeting contaminants like heavy metals and microplastics.