US–Canada Trade War: The U.S. escalated by banning Canadian dairy, most alcohol and some motorcycles, while also moving to block Canadian products from large federal contracts—moves that follow Canada’s retaliatory tariffs and deepen uncertainty for cross-border business. Retaliation & Procurement: Canada’s counter-tariffs (up to 50%) kicked in on roughly $20B of U.S. goods, and Washington is reshuffling tariff lists while tightening government purchasing rules. SME Support for Tariff Chaos: APEC rolled out an updated Supply Chain Resilience Toolkit to help small firms assess vulnerabilities and plan for trade disruptions. Startup Funding Pathways: Arts University Bournemouth teamed with Dorset Business Angels to create an “investor-ready” route for creative student and graduate businesses. Emerging-Market Payments: OSL partnered with Waka to integrate stablecoin-to-USD conversion and USD payouts into settlement infrastructure for Africa–global trade corridors. Local Business Pressure: UK SMEs in Bolton were warned to prepare for October tax deadlines as cash-flow strain rises. Energy Policy Watch: Wales launched a consultation on a new public energy company, with critics calling for “less talking, more action.”