Energy & Metals: Electra Battery Materials named Garzon Duenas to lead commissioning of its Temiskaming cobalt refinery, targeting steady-state operations in 2027 and late-2027 commercial production, with the plant designed to turn Congo cobalt hydroxide into battery-grade cobalt sulfate. Agri-Tech & Competition: The U.S. USDA announced a $180 million Seed Sovereignty Initiative to sequence and characterize major crop collections, using AI to speed trait discovery and strengthen competition in seed markets. Capital Markets & Dealmaking: JPMorgan hired Rob Sweeney as global chair of investment banking, as fees rebound and the bank expands coverage teams. Enterprise AI Governance: Cohere rolled out North 2 for enterprise agents with “lockdown” access controls aimed at preventing runaway data access and costs. Small Business & Funding: Guyana’s Development Bank is set to offer interest-free loans up to $3 million to unlock entrepreneurship, especially in the non-oil economy. Local Housing Accountability: Nairobi’s assembly launched an inquiry into delays on the Jeevanjee Housing Project after complaints that investors paid Sh387 million to Jabavu Village Limited. UK Startup Capital: The British Business Bank committed €11 million to Fuel Ventures via its Regional Angels Programme to back early-stage tech founders. AI for Finance: AlphaSense said 6 more of the world’s top 10 investment banks added it in Q3, bringing total coverage to 18 of the top 20.