South Caucasus Trade Corridor: A Russian-American businessman, Konstantin Sokolov, is set to lead a new Trump-backed U.S. State Department investment fund aimed at financing the “TRIPP+ / Trump Route” transit project linking Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan via Armenia, with the corridor designed to bypass Russia and Iran. U.S.-Canada Tariff Fight: Canada and the U.S. are edging toward a wider trade showdown as Trump’s Canada tariffs face fresh legal questions under an obscure 1930 statute, while local chambers warn businesses still don’t know the real knock-on effects of Ottawa’s Sept. 8 retaliation. Cybersecurity & AI: OpenAI and 100+ companies are urging a coordinated global cyber defense push, warning that frontier AI can make attacks faster and cheaper and that defenders need stronger access controls and AI-assisted security. Africa Trade & Investment: Uzbekistan is sending about 50 companies to South Africa for B2B meetings, while Ethiopia and Thailand are also using business bridges to deepen deals. Local Business Resilience: Princes Street in Edinburgh fully reopened after a major fire, and traders report footfall is returning—slowly but surely. Recruitment: State Bank of India opened online applications for Trade Finance Officer roles (35 vacancies) starting Aug. 29.