Geothermal Energy Planning: Ecuador launched a Geothermal Roundtable in Quito to build a Geothermal Development Plan, with five workstreams (technical, regulatory, economic-financial, environmental, and direct uses) and IDB support, aiming to translate consultancy work into actionable guidelines. Disaster Preparedness: UNESCO’s IOC and Ecuadorian partners ran tsunami preparedness training under the Tsunami Ready framework, helping coastal communities map evacuation routes, assess vulnerable populations, and set up redundant alert and response systems. Public Health & Nutrition: A Washington University trial in Ecuador found that pregnant women who ate more fruits, vegetables, and less processed foods showed significant fetal brain development, with implications for similar nutrition needs in St. Louis. Galápagos Science Tourism: A Galápagos cruise leader described how field education and conservation interpretation connect guests to local biodiversity and research while coordinating logistics onboard. Ecuador–U.S. Security Ops: U.S. Southern Command and DEA supported Ecuadorian police in an operation that arrested 39 people linked to CJNG, tied to cocaine flows from Colombia via Ecuador toward Europe and North America. Tech & Policy Watch: The U.S. clarified specialty pharmaceutical exemptions under Section 232 tariffs, stressing product-level eligibility and a narrower “urgent health need” pathway.