UK Live-Music Relief: Prime Minister Andy Burnham says business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues in England will be cut by 20% from April next year, saving a typical pub about £1,100 a year and covering around 32,000 venues, with funding tied to changes for “non-contributing” businesses like vape shops and a crackdown on online sellers’ VAT issues. Community Music Spaces: Rotary’s new music garden at Ellison Park in Monticello lets visitors of all ages play sculptural instruments like chimes and bells—an outdoor, no-training-needed sound hub. Local Courses for Adults: Woolpack Studios launches six-week daytime programs—ukulele/guitar “Strum and Sing” plus “Find Your Voice” singing and a recorder ensemble—aimed at low-pressure social music-making. Global Stage Moves: SM Prime is ramping up live entertainment at the SM Seaside Cebu Arena with 20+ major events, including concerts and theatre, as it targets a bigger share of the regional live economy. A Cappella in Seoul: Yale’s Whiffenpoofs brought Korean songs to a Seoul gallery, blending guest classical and traditional performers for a cultural exchange night. Protest Through Music: Chicago guitarist Dave Specter organized “Songs of Protest, Sounds of Freedom,” featuring blues, jazz, punk and slam, with proceeds for immigrant and refugee rights. New Album Spotlight: South Korean singer Lim Kim returns with “Exit to Nowhere,” a personal, identity-focused follow-up after a long gap.