SBA Disaster Response: The U.S. Small Business Administration opened a Business Recovery Center on Saipan to help firms and residents hit by Super Typhoon Sinlaku, with walk-ins starting May 26 and disaster-loan support on site. Entrepreneurship on the Ground: Malaysia’s Kuskop is sending financing agencies (TEKUN, AIM, SME Bank, Bank Rakyat) to meet MSMEs face-to-face and even register on the spot. Local Business Pressure: New data shows leasehold homes are taking far longer to sell than freehold, leaving leaseholders facing a tougher market. Small-Business Compliance: A fresh reminder for owners: sales tax rules hinge on nexus, permits, taxable items, and on-time filings. AI + Consumer Buzz: A Chinese startup claims an AI pet collar can translate barks and meows into human speech—though it’s not independently verified. AI Price War: DeepSeek made its 75% V4-Pro API discount permanent, intensifying competition on model pricing. Energy & Grid Investment: A U.S. grid software startup raised $12.5m to help utilities manage EV, data center, and solar demand spikes. Scam Watch: Salt River Project warned customers about holiday utility bill scams using urgent threats and fake “representatives.”