Health & Leadership: Merck Foundation’s 13th Africa Asia Luminary brought together First Ladies from 12 African and Asian countries to push practical healthcare improvements, spotlighting trained clinicians, better maternal health support, and community-level change through its “More Than a Mother” work. Finance Governance: A Sao Tome and Principe-focused explainer breaks down why modern financial systems separate licensing from supervision and oversight—an issue for banks, payment providers, investors, and compliance teams operating across borders. Geopolitics & Influence: Ukraine’s intelligence says Russia is expanding “Russian Houses” across Africa, including plans for São Tomé and Príncipe, mixing cultural outreach with recruitment and pro-Russian messaging via Rossotrudnichestvo-linked networks. Currency Watch: A new ranking flags São Tomé and Príncipe’s dobra among Africa’s weakest currencies against the US dollar, pointing to import dependence and wider economic pressures. Ocean Protection: West African states are urging the Eastern Atlantic to be included in the first wave of marine protected areas under a high-seas treaty, with the Canary–Guinea Current zone spanning to São Tomé and Príncipe. Patent & HIV Tech: PATAM and Third World Network filed a Third-Party Observation at ARIPO challenging a Gilead patent application on broad HIV integrase inhibitor compounds, arguing earlier disclosures and weak novelty could block grant across ARIPO states. Higher Education Links: The 35th AULP annual meeting in Macao continues strengthening ties among Portuguese-language universities, with São Tomé and Príncipe institutions participating in research and exchange plans.