UMC

The city of Enumclaw, Washington, has enrolled in Puget Sound Energy's community solar program. The arrangement allows the city to draw on shared solar generation without installing panels itself, in line with growing municipal participation in clean energy initiatives across the Puget Sound region. Details of the enrollment's size and cost have not been made public.

The New Mexico Supreme Court has upheld the first-degree murder conviction of a man from Tucumcari, letting the verdict stand. Local outlets report the ruling closes the appellate chapter in the case, which drew attention in the region. Details of the original crime and the court's reasoning were not included in the initial coverage, and further comment from officials or the defense has not yet been reported.

Taiwanese chipmaker United Microelectronics Corporation is putting US$3.2 billion into semiconductor production, a move announced amid the ongoing AI-driven surge in demand for advanced chips. The investment highlights how contract chipmakers are racing to expand capacity as artificial intelligence reshapes the industry's economics. Industry watchers are debating why UMC is ramping up spending now, and whether the foundry can capture a meaningful share of AI-related demand against larger rivals.

A letters section in The Dallas Morning News gathers reader views on Highland Park United Methodist Church, how to fix Dallas, campaign spending, and the Cowboys. The mix of religion, city policy, political money and football reflects the range of local concerns readers chose to weigh in on this week.

Taiwan's chipmaker UMC has secured major orders from Chinese firms for AI optical chips, according to Businesskorea. The deal signals growing demand for optical interconnect technology used in artificial intelligence data centers, and highlights continued business ties between Taiwanese contract chipmakers and Chinese customers despite geopolitical tensions and export controls. Industry watchers will be looking at how cross-strait supply chains absorb rising AI-driven chip demand.

Hong Kong-listed IBS has proposed acquiring AI chip designer QuantumCompute in a deal valued at roughly $72 million. The acquisition would give IBS in-house capabilities in artificial intelligence semiconductor design, a sector drawing intense investor interest. Details on the target's technology, shareholders and timeline have not yet been disclosed, and the proposal still requires board and regulatory approvals before it can proceed.