Madagascar Mining & Water Justice: More than 6,500 people in Madagascar have filed a claim in London’s High Court against Rio Tinto’s QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM), alleging acidic wastewater discharged into local lakes and waterways exposed communities to dangerous lead and uranium levels, with over 2,000 claimants children; Rio Tinto says it has been notified but has not received full details and points to its 2025 water monitoring results. Energy Infrastructure: Madagascar and CGHV signed an MoI to build the Volobe Amont hydroelectric plant on the Ivondro River in Atsinanana, targeting over 120 MW, with EU/EIB/World Bank partners and EU funding pledged for the power station and transmission lines; 60 MW is earmarked for Toamasina port and 60 MW for the Antananarivo grid. Climate & Agriculture Risk: A regional outlook warns Madagascar and neighbors to prepare for multiple hazards linked to strengthening El Niño—drought and heat in the south, flooding and landslides in wetter areas—raising pressure on agriculture, water, health, and fisheries. Regional Business & Packaging: Guala Closures completed its acquisition of Metal Crowns across Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, expanding beverage packaging capacity in East Africa and extending supply links that already reach Madagascar. Health Security: Reports of pneumonic plague in Russia’s Irkutsk region triggered hospital quarantines and contact restrictions, underscoring how quickly outbreaks can disrupt healthcare operations.