Volcanology Watch: Mount Pelée, Martinique’s deadly volcano, is showing renewed unrest after decades of quiet, with the Martinique Volcanological and Seismological Observatory reporting a sharp jump in seismic activity—124 earthquakes between July 24 and July 31—and 331 volcanic quakes detected across July, raising concerns about possible ash and gas impacts on northern Martinique and regional air travel. Earthquake Update: A 4.4 magnitude shallow quake struck about 45 km east of Castries early Sunday, with minor tremors felt across Saint Lucia, Martinique, and St Vincent and the Grenadines; no damage or injuries were reported, though seismologists say details may change. Marine Science & Tourism: A new University of South Florida report says about 27 million metric tons of self-sustaining sargassum were recorded in the Atlantic/Caribbean/Gulf in July, and this year scientists say it’s growing locally in the region rather than just arriving by currents—blanketing beaches, rotting ashore, and threatening marine life and tourism. Climate Risk & Insurance: A Lloyd’s-commissioned study highlights Caribbean hurricane-exposed communities where farmers, fishers, and tourism workers often lack insurance and must replace losses themselves, pointing to gaps in government disaster financing and limited coverage at co-op and household levels. Regional Business Resilience: CariCham elected a new executive team, with Martinique’s Vanessa Victorin named vice-chair, emphasizing trade facilitation, advocacy, and disaster risk reduction. Tax Tech for CARICOM: COTA opened a conference urging “smart, data-driven and AI-enabled” tax administration to strengthen sustainable regional revenue.