Cross-Border Payments: PPMI and Alipay+ enabled Alipay+ on QR Ph, letting Filipino MSMEs accept global e-wallet payments by scanning existing QR Ph codes. SME Finance & Access: Pakistan’s JazzCash onboarded 1.7M merchants to SBP’s Raast QR network, aiming for 2M by year-end to help cash-only businesses get a digital footprint for future credit. Local Business Support: Durham relaunched its Fayetteville Street Bounce Back program with up to $10K for storefront upgrades, plus workshops and branding help. Procurement Integrity: A new guide explains how DBE/ACDBE fraud works and what small firms should document and report when certifications are misused. Community vs. Big Projects: Duluth small businesses are leaving the chamber after it backed a proposed Hermantown data center, citing lack of input and environmental concerns. Manufacturing & Jobs: Kenya courts Chinese investors to set up manufacturing plants as it pushes industrialization goals. Tech for Makers: ToolDance unveiled its X1 smart desktop CNC mill at IFA 2026, pitching professional-grade capability for small businesses. AI for Public Benefit: Indonesia’s minister urged “Meaningful AI” that improves workforce productivity, inclusion, and resilience, including AI training for MSMEs.