Public Finance & Oversight: The World Bank released The Gambia’s 2026 economic update and public finance review, arguing that stronger fiscal space and women’s economic empowerment are key to turning growth into jobs. Legislation Watch: New Zealand’s finance minister reiterated she won’t send “billions” offshore for Paris climate commitments, while Northern Ireland’s assembly approved major administrative and fiscal bills aimed at clearer accountability and oversight. AML Crackdown: Moldova moved to strengthen anti-money laundering rules by creating a financial intelligence officer role with expanded access powers and tighter safeguards. Open Finance Push: The UAE Central Bank said its BIS-led Aperta open finance project successfully demonstrated secure cross-border data portability to speed onboarding and cut manual checks. SME Financing Reality Check: A report on South Africa highlights how many SMEs struggle due to collateral-heavy lending and information gaps, while another piece warns that profitable businesses can still be cash-poor. Energy & Climate Capital: Gresham House and Amegni hit financial close on the Carno 3 wind farm with £80m project finance, and EBRD backed Valu with a LE 600m loan for green consumer tech. Crypto Policy Shock: Illinois signed a new anti-crypto tax framework, charging a 0.2% levy on digital asset business activity starting 2027. Corporate Finance Moves: Robinhood cut 290 roles as it reshapes operations, saying its financial position is strong.