Local Cost Relief: Alaminos City (Philippines) approved a 3-month vendor relief plan that defers stall rental payments, adds discounts (50% for no arrears; 20% for arrears), and waives regulatory fees to help small market and tourism-area businesses hit by the energy crisis. SME Funding Boost: Merakris Therapeutics won a ~$2.2M NIH Direct-to-Phase II SBIR award to advance MTX-001 for diabetic foot ulcers, adding non-dilutive support for clinical development. AI Business Shift: Avalon GloboCare rebranded as Change Agents Corp and will trade on Nasdaq under ticker CHGA, positioning itself as an agentic AI SaaS company. Digital Skills for Youth: Kenya’s Ganjisha Project trained 7,800+ young creators across all 47 counties, lifting intermediate/advanced skills to 85% and improving income prospects. UK Enforcement on High Streets: HMRC carried out unannounced shop visits in Scotland, seizing illicit tobacco and issuing fines as part of a wider crackdown aimed at protecting honest small businesses. SBA Lending Expansion (US): The SBA changed 7(a) and 504 rules to let borrowers combine them for up to $10M in SBA-backed financing, doubling the prior cumulative limit. Labor Law Update (NJ): New Jersey expanded job-protected family leave eligibility to more workers and lowered the employer threshold to 15 employees, a move small businesses say could add compliance burden.