SME Funding & Grants: BizGiver awarded a $5,000 grant to UK filmmaker Amelia Foxton to buy an editing laptop for her inclusion-focused production company, The Ninth Circle. Disaster Relief Loans: LiftFund is urging Texas flood-hit small businesses in Kerr County and Comfort to apply for remaining zero-percent disaster recovery loans (up to $500,000, 60 months). Local Business Resilience: A century-old UK powerlifting gym in Putney says rent hikes are pushing it toward closure, warning how property costs can erase community anchors. Youth Entrepreneurship: KidBiz in WNY is giving kids a real market experience—turning product ideas into sales and confidence. Payments & AI for SMBs: KB Financial’s leadership says it will use AI to redesign processes and strengthen services for small and medium companies. Policy & Cost Pressure: Malta’s union is calling to reform COLA so workers get adjustments twice a year instead of once. Trade & Export Support: Sri Lanka’s Dialog Enterprise renewed its digital transformation partnership with the National Chamber of Exporters to help exporters adopt cloud, cybersecurity, analytics, AI and IoT. Infrastructure Disruption: Major I-5 and Morrison Bridge closures in Portland add friction for local commerce and commuting. Market Signals: Abu Dhabi reports strong growth in new business and commercial licenses, citing streamlined procedures and digital services.