Botswana plastic policy: Botswana has announced a phased ban on single-use plastic bags, with ministries saying the move will protect public health, livestock and jobs while pushing manufacturers toward recyclable and biodegradable alternatives. Livestock health: Botswana is intensifying foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) controls as outbreaks threaten cross-border livestock trade, with officials stressing the country’s past success in maintaining WOAH-recognised zones free from FMD without vaccination. Trade & transport infrastructure: The Trans-Kalahari Railway has entered its procurement phase after feasibility work confirmed the 1,850km corridor is viable, aiming to improve access to Botswana’s coal, copper and iron ore and strengthen the Port of Walvis Bay as a regional logistics hub. Regional integration push: SADC leaders meeting in Durban backed faster industrialisation and regional value chains, warning that slow integration keeps intra-SADC trade low and costs jobs and investment. Digital finance: Absa says its agentic AI chatbot now handles 100,000+ queries per month across about 1.6m users, as the bank links tech upgrades to measurable customer and business outcomes. Education for growth: AWS is expanding NBA Math Hoops across Africa, building on a pilot that trained educators in Botswana and Mozambique. Mining value-chain debate: Women miners in SADC are calling for inclusion in critical mineral value chains, arguing the region must move from extraction to beneficiation and manufacturing.