AI Policy & Adoption: London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced a £12m, three-year push to help AI adoption among SMEs at London Tech Week, arguing the UK can outcompete Silicon Valley on talent and capital. SME Accreditation & Exports: Pakistan’s SMEDA is ramping up its SME Certification & International Accreditation Grant Programme, offering matching grants to help firms get globally recognized certifications. Visa Rules Hit Small Operators: Japan tightened business-manager visa requirements for foreign-run restaurants and import shops, forcing many to meet a higher capital threshold or shut down. Procurement Integrity: West Africa’s finance minister backed stronger anti-money-laundering safeguards in public procurement, aiming to protect development budgets from corruption. Cost Pressure for Small Businesses: North East Water’s new pricing from 1 July will raise bills for households and small businesses, with hardship support expanded. Payments Friction: Cebu MSMEs are losing profit to fragmented digital payments and reconciliation work across multiple platforms. Local Funding for Informal Retail: South Africa’s DSBD and partners are rolling out a nationwide campaign to help spaza shops access the R500m Spaza Shop Support Fund and meet compliance steps. Tech for SMBs: Woodstock launched Woodstock MCP to let users connect an AI assistant to a brokerage account without coding, aiming to lower the barrier to investing. Business Disruption & Legal Risk: San Fernando vendors face a two-week shutdown at a vending zone, prompting legal action talks over lost daily sales.