Critical Minerals & Supply Chains: China is expanding the Bayan Obo rare earth mine in Inner Mongolia by 50% with a $74M investment to boost ore processing capacity and secure supply for high-tech industries. SME Funding & Jobs: Perak tourism entrepreneurs in Malaysia received over RM2M in grants and financing from MARA since last year, part of a wider RM20M allocation aimed at scaling micro-operators. Regional Industrial Push: India’s Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh ties get a boost as a private firm proposes about Rs 1,200 crore for industrial units at MP’s PM MITRA Park, targeting production next year and around 5,000 garment jobs. Startup & Early-Stage Capital: Wippi, Lane, Quarkitech and KshatraLabs raised a combined Rs 2–11 crore across rounds, including Wippi’s $1.2M seed to expand voice AI and D2C. AI Business Moves: Manus will restart as an independent company after Meta deal fallout, while Lovable raised $400M Series C at a $13.3B valuation. Small Business Pressure: Canada’s small business confidence fell again, with 61% reporting they operate without insurance coverage. Policy to Attract Investment: Cambodia urged faster investment procedures, citing US$4B in total projects and a 95.75% implementation rate for registered deals. Defense & Manufacturing Investment: Defense Maritime Solutions will invest $30M+ in Chesapeake to expand shipboard propulsion systems and create 32 jobs.