US–China Trade: The U.S. and China struck a major $30B trade framework, cutting tariffs on 30% of U.S. exports while keeping higher duties on sensitive goods, as officials point to progress in narrowing the trade deficit. Middle East Trade Disruption: With Strait of Hormuz talks stalled and a blockade affecting shipping, Iran is looking to the Caspian Sea as an alternate route for oil exports and essential imports, though logistics limits remain. Cyber & AI Risk: A new warning for African businesses: as agentic AI spreads faster than policy, cyber defenses built for human-driven attacks may fall behind machine-speed threats. Business Climate: Philippines firms turned more optimistic, with the BSP’s confidence index for the next three months jumping to 24.6% on expectations of stronger holiday demand. Regulation & Costs: Kenya’s WhatsApp Business pricing changes from Oct. 1 will charge businesses for certain service messages after a monthly free allowance, raising customer-service costs. Enforcement: India’s ED attached assets worth Rs 442 crore in an online rummy probe, while the NDLEA arrested a Nigerian suspect over alleged cocaine smuggling to Portugal. Local Growth: Guyana launched a $6.5M youth skills programme targeting job and small-business pathways.