Sanctions Crossfire: US sanctions and new Chinese counter-measures are creating a compliance minefield for African firms in mining, banking, telecoms, tech, energy and infrastructure, with consultants reporting a surge in questions about exposure to overlapping rules. Diplomatic Capacity: After major State Department layoffs, the US is restarting hiring, but laid-off staff say they’re not being prioritized and warn the loss of institutional know-how could slow tech diplomacy work. Anticipatory Climate Action: Action Against Hunger and IGAD’s ICPAC launched IMPAACT, a two-year, ECHO-funded push to scale science-based multi-hazard preparedness for 243,801 people across Ethiopia, Somalia and Djibouti. Marine Pollution Monitoring: Scientists from 21 African countries met in Accra to harmonise microplastics monitoring protocols using nuclear and isotopic techniques, aiming for comparable coastal data to guide policy. Forensic Skills for Police: Ethiopia’s Federal Police announced a regional forensic science scholarship for IGAD member states, including Kenya, to strengthen cross-border investigation capacity. Trade & Tech Transfer: Türkiye says exports to Africa jumped 12% to $11B in the first half of the year, driven by a shift toward longer-term partnerships and technology sharing. Piracy Risk Off the Horn: Somali pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden are rising again, adding pressure to shipping security in a region already strained by wider Middle East tensions.